College Tribune: Issue 5 by Simon

n e r i S Tom Dunne the

Something happens... occasionally Interview: Siren, Page 6

Signed, sealed, delivered Obama coasts home Analysis: Page 12

College Tribune ucd.ie/tribune

The Difference is We’re Independent

Issue 5 | Volume 22 | 12th November 2008

DIRE WARNING ISSUED OVER UCD GAY CRUISING UCD could face becoming a “danger hotspot” if it becomes “synonymous as an area for cruising”, according to a leading Accident and Emergency nurse with the Mater Hospital. Previously exposed as a prevalent occurrence in the university, The College Tribune unearthed startling new evidence to show the growing occurrence of gay cruising in UCD. One area noted on cruising website Squirt. Org lists the male toilets beneath theatre P and Q as ‘one of the best spots’. Between six and ten men were found to have frequented these toilets, meeting up with other men for sex, in the space of an hour. Furthermore, the web page dedicated to these toilets has received 37,152 page views since its creation in 2005. According to the Director of Belong To, “There is an issue here with

■ Pic: Jordan Daly

■ Tadgh Moriarty physical safety – by nature cruising takes place at night in secluded areas and therefore these men are at increased risk of getting attacked.” Despite the previous conceptions that it was mainly outside parties coming onto the campus to engage in these activities, a look at those posting on cruising websites shows it to be predominantly a student activity, although one member claimed to be a tutor in the college. Comments were also left on the websites advising others to watch out for security and cleaners.

» See Investigations: Page Six » Editorial: Page Nine

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

News News

Shari’ law debate turns chaotic ■ Evan O’Leary UCD lecturer and political analyst Susan Philips has slammed a recent debate in the college on Shari’ law as ‘a party political broadcast for Islam.’ She also dismissed as ‘distorted’ claims by speaker Muhammed Shamsuddin that only 60 rapes took place over 1,400 years under Islam. The debate was hosted by the Law Society on the campus last week, with the motion being that Shari Law had a place in 21st century Ireland. Prior to the debate, the invited Muslim speakers had refused to shake Philips hand claiming “Twenty ﬁve percent of Britain’s women have faecal bacteria on their hands and that’s why we didn’t shake hands with you Susan.” Despite this, Philips concluded that LawSoc performed “excellent in inviting three prominent Muslim scholars”. The turbulent debate began in a quiet fashion, before Umar Javed, a well known British Muslim began speaking against Capitalism and Irish society. Attacking materialism and the sexualisation of women, he also strongly espoused the death of homosexuals. “Under the rule of law in an Islamic state homosexuals would be put to death” he empathically stated. Javed also claimed that “Israel is the most corrupt and evil state in the world today”, which was met with scattered agreement amongst large parts of the audience. Following this the motion appeared to have been forgotten in a favour of an argument between Eastern and Western society. Auditor Niall Ó hUiginn was forced to make repeated requests for silence and order after many members of the audience continued to vocally dissent. Anjem Choudary was the concluding speaker, who condemned those who had “truthphobia” after any adverse reactions to his views.

Students sleep in cardboard boxes for homelessness ■ Cathy Buckmaster UCD SVP Society and Students’ Union have organised over night sleep-outs from 9pm to 9am for Homeless Week in order to raise money and awareness for the cause in Ireland. Students faced the winter weather by settling into the designated set up just outside the library where the event is taking place. They are armed only with warm clothes, sleeping bags and cardboard boxes to sleep in. Rachel McKinney, vice-auditor of the SVP Society and Maelíosa Ní Almhain, ethos ofﬁcer of the UCD SVP society spoke to the College

College Tribune LG 18, Newman Building (Arts Block) or Box 74, Student Centre, UCD Email: collegetribune@gmail.com Tel: 01 716 8501 Editors Features Editor Sports Editor Arts Editor Music Editor Health & Fashion Editor Chief News Writer

Jennifer Bray Simon Ward Karen O’Connell Bryan Devlin Cathy Buckmaster Sebastian Clare Aoife Ryan Karina Brackenh

Tribune from their cardboard boxes, about the organised sleep-outs. “We’re sleeping out for four nights on campus to raise awareness about homelessness in Ireland and to collect money and warm clothes.” “We have trolleys for collecting clothes, sleeping bags, shoes and everything people might be willing to donate. We also have a board displaying 9,000 unhappy faces which represent the 9,000 homeless people there are in Ireland at the moment. Every time someone donates a euro, we put a happy-face over the sadface.” Concerning the difﬁculties they are dealing with, McKinney explains

that is not the weather they are worried about. “The cold isn’t so much a problem as people’s reactions. Earlier, I was lying here in the sleeping bag and people were walking past and a lot of them would look out of curiosity.” “However some would also come closer and keep looking and they didn’t get how staring so obviously would bother homeless people. Also, some of us are also staying out until Friday without going home for the week.” They also explained the reasons they chose to do something so drastic for Homeless Week. “Even though we’re raising money and collect-

Contributors Steven West, Eoghan Brophy, Jordan Daly, Colman Hanley, Steve Tuohy, Fiona Redmond, Heather Landy, Ruth O’Neill, Maximilliam Harding, Faustus, Tadgh Moriarty, Evan O’Leary, Chris Bond, Sam McGrath, Jason Timmons, Ben McCormack, Rachel Boyle, Diarmuid Laffan, Jessica Whyte, Nicholas Broadstock, Orla Kenny, Katie Godwin, Jessica Egan, Philip Connolly, Niamh Bhreathanach, Orna Mulhern, Eoghan Glynn, Roe McDermott, Conor McKenna, Aoife Smyth, Cian Taaffe

Special thanks to... Huw Jones and Frank Flynn at NWN, Karen from DEAF, everyone at MCD, Chantal at Universal, Alan and Beryl Ward, Sharon and Joseph Bray, 60 Cents Mochas, Eilish O’Brien and Dominic Martella at the UCD Communications Ofﬁce, Caitrina & Colin, Hilper’s Scones, Jack.

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ing clothes, the main aim is raising awareness.” McKinney and Ní Almhain discuss what they hope will come from the sleep-outs “It will hopefully raise awareness as a lot of people think that there are no homeless people in Ireland and its only getting worse, especially with the recession. Also, all the money raised is being used for our soup runs and will hopefully fund them for a year.” Any spare warm clothes and donations are hugely appreciated and all proceeds will go to funding the UCD SVP soup runs, social housing and a Christmas party in the homeless shelter they hope to have.

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College Tribune | November 12th 2008

News

The return of Miss UCD? ■ Karina Bracken A motion is due to be placed before the Students’ Union council to mandate the Entertainments Officer, Gary Redmond, to run the controversial beauty pageant Miss UCD again this year. However, Campaigns and Communications Vice-President Dan O’Neill has said he will vote against the motion, stating, “I am completely against the union running such an event. We are working with organisations such as Bodywhys, and this pageant, which is unfair, just stands against this kind of work.” “Furthermore, we have a welfare service here in the union which is used by both men and women who find themselves faced with body image concerns. I will be speaking out against this, but if council vote it in there is little more I can do.” he said. The contentious reception of the Miss UCD competition last year has not deterred some of this year’s sabbatical officers from lobbying for its return. The pageant was rejected by some members of the student body who objected to what they saw as the discriminatory nature of the competition. Students who were mothers or under the required height of 5’4” were not eligible for en-

try, according to ofﬁcial Miss UCD rules. Elisa O’Donovan of Students and Staff against Sexism organised last year’s protest against Miss UCD. “We had the Miss UCD debate last year and as a result the Students’ Union knows that many students were deeply offended by them running a pageant.” The group ran an alternative Miss UCD during the event in which an inﬂatable sheep was crowned winner. O’Donovan believes “that instead of focusing on an archaic exclusionary competition the Students’ Union should be focusing on creating more encompassing and inclusive events that don’t degrade, isolate and offend many members of the student body”. Last year’s winner of the event was 21 year old Ana Pavel, who at the time said “ The Miss UCD Competition is not a sexist competition, and should not be seen as an event where women are depicted as sex objects judged by men. “I feel that it is a celebration of beauty as well as intelligence, a great opportunity to make new friends, and get more involved in the college social life. It is also a very worthwhile experience to learn how to present ourselves in front of a huge crowd and to do some public speaking.” ■ Miss UCD: Last year

was ﬁrst time the competition was run

LGBT Auditor insists no apology needed for costume ■ Katie Godwin Auditor of the LGBT, Sean Brophy, shocked party goers with his costume at the LGBT Halloween party last Wednesday 29th October when he showed up dressed as an aborted foetus. “It was Halloween, I aimed for a grotesque costume” Brophy responded when questioned about the costume. Brophy says that there was nothing inhumane about his outﬁt “I was a backstreet abortion” he said. “it was Halloween and as far as I’m concerned Halloween is for celebration of the grotesque and that aims to achieve something grotesque”. The costume consisted of fake blood, and plastic refuge sacks . Fearing that people would not guess that he was dressed as an abortion, Sean also carried around a sign at the party which read “I went to Romania and all I got was this backstreet abortion” to ensure that there was no confusion about his costume. “I got the idea one night when somebody dropped a strawberry dackory in front of me” Brophy revealed. Brophy was accompanied to the party by newly established Bebo group FMIF (F**k Me I’m Fabulous) who all dressed up as the different characters involved in an abortion. This included the doctor who performed the operation, the abortion nurse who helped, the nun who prayed over it and the French maid who tidied up after. Brophy had no comment to make about FMIF. Brophy insisted to that the idea of the abortion had “no political connection whatsoever” and that he purely wanted to achieve the gruesome nature of Halloween. When questioned about the pos-

Centra

For the way we live today

Low prices everyday! ■ No apology: LGBT auditor Sean Brophy sibility of costume offending or upsetting anybody about the sensitive issue of abortion he replied; “It crossed my mind but not in an important way…I didn’t actually care really”. He further insisted “ the people who I saw, they totally got the joke about it”. “I mean people dressing up as the joker from Batman, do people say they’re offending the death of Heath Ledger?!” Brophy exclaimed. “Political correction has run amuck” he continued angrily. “I think in this day and age that, if I can stir enough controversy simply by a Halloween costume it just says a little bit too much about the way people are worried about political correction” Although Brophy is the auditor of LGBT and it was the LGBT Halloween party he donned the costume at, he doesn’t feel that he brought any discredit to the society “I wasn’t representing them”, he insisted, “All I had to do was make sure people met up at a certain time and then got home ok, I was just at the party”.

Sandwiches from €2.00 Hot 10” pizza €3.99 Coffee/Tea €1 Smoothies from €1.99

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

News News

News in Brief Compiled by Katie Godwin

■ Superfines return The library has re-introduced ‘Superfines’ in a bid to tackle the late return of books. It is claimed a recent library survey supports the increases, which will come into effect Monday the 24th of November. The extra charges will cease on Friday the 19th of December. Despite the measures being put in place, the Library will continue the tradition of waiving fines on short loan books if a student has an exam the same day the book is due to be returned. The additional charges apply to all items borrowed from all UCD branch libraries for the specified period of time.

■ Pink Training LGBT pink training took place as planned in Galway Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November despite funding cuts. The total cost of the training this year was €30 per head with the remaining €50 paid for by an interim SU loan. Travel to and from Galway was also included. Training included modules and workshops designed both to obtain information about yourself and the gay community. Workshops included transgender issues, mental health issues and sexual health. Other events included a debate on the issue of gay male blood donation and a protest against the government’s constant delay in legalising gay marriage. The workshops were followed by dinner in a restaurant and socialising in Club LA in Galway city. Daniel Howard, 1st year member of LGBT and pink training attendee reported the event as a success “the workshops were really informative and it was very well organised by the auditor, Sean”. “The pink training is a good idea because you get to know more gay people” he said. Overall the event was enjoyable, informative and “deﬁnitely worth the 30euro” according to Howard.

Council attendance plummeting

October 1st

■ Class reps in danger off being struck off due to poor attendance

October 22nd

■ Tadgh Moriarty

Attendance at Students’ Union council has been steadily falling since the beginning of term, leading to many class reps leaving their classes and indeed constituents unrepresented. SU council is the designated time in which the President, Vice-Presidents and class reps report on their activities and address any issues within their field. When first council met back on October 8th there was an overall membership of 112. However, despite the fact this was the first time Council was to meet with all of its newly elected members, only 79 managed to attend. Of the remaining council members who failed to show up, 18 sent formal apologies. Attendance at second council (October 22nd) was even lower with 70 attending, and only six bothering to submit formal apologies. The most recent meeting on November 3rd demonstrated an all time low. According to the SU chairperson, Mr Gav Reilly, membership had

70 ■ A far from ﬁlled lecture theatre: Not necessarily a council meeting grown to 137 but despite this increase, there was no corresponding uptake of attendance. A stunning 54 members were seen to have attended. Although quorum was reached (the minimum number of members present in order for council to run), less than 40% of council members managed to attend. When quizzed about this low turnout, Students’ Union president, Aodhan O’Dea, replied that many members had “commitments to sports teams, midterms due and various other reasons”. It was further revealed that many class reps are in danger of being

thrown off for lack of attendance. According to the constitution, class reps who fail to attend Union three times may be struck off. This would suggest that those members have only managed to attend one of the three union meetings so far The makeup of UCD Students’ Union’s council meetings are governed by Article 8 of the Union’s Constitution, which dictates that council should be made up by the Students’ Union President and Vice-Presidents, Executive Ofﬁcers, Programme Ofﬁcers and Class Representatives among others.

November 3rd

Levy-paying students to be invited back ■ Jennifer Bray Students who have paid the speciﬁed levy fee for the new student centre but leave before its completion will now be invited back as alumni to use the facilities. However, the services will only be provided free of charge to the graduates for between six and nine months, depending on the length of time the student paid the fee for. Dominic O’Keeffe, Manager of the Students Centre further says that once the offer has expired, those students will be offered a “graduate package, considerably cheaper than the high street price.” The building of the centre, which is still unnamed, will commence in March. It is expected the project will take 22 months to complete, but according to O’Keeffe, “it has been indicated that this may be completed even quicker than the original 22 months.” 8 building ﬁrms will begin work on the project which has been described by O’Keeffe as “primarily for the existing students of UCD, and secondarily for the staff and other members of the college.” The new facility will be located between the current Student Centre and Sports Centre buildings, both of which will be incorporated into the new Centre.

■ The new student centre: A vision of the future

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

News

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

News Investigations News

Dire warning issued over UCD gay cruising Tadgh Moriarty went undercover to unvestigate the extent of homosexual ‘cruising’ in UCD In the recent past the College Tribune exposed cruising on campus in UCD, where men met with other men for anonymous sexual acts. This week the Tribune re-investigated the matter with disquieting findings. Despite claims by organisation Belong To that cruising is no longer the only option given the decriminalisation of homosexuality, it is still a prevalent occurrence in the college. UCD now has four ‘cruising hotspots’. Over the past month, multiple posts were left by website users cruising for sex on campus; “I am horny as f**k right now and really need somebody to at least pull me off”. The four venues, in increasing popularity are: 1. The Crunch Fitness changing rooms: there are no shower curtains for the young students who use these to tog out. It’s a great spot for ‘eye candy’, but ‘beware, most of the guys here are straight so look but don’t touch. 2. The toilets on the second floor of the library: One squirt member commented; ‘I got a great blowjob off a hot student there last week’. It recommends the toilets due to their privacy and lack of staff or security. 3. The sports pitches (and the running track): A very easy spot to pick up guys and there’s ‘plenty of space and privacy in the bushes around’. Many cruisers left comments vowing to return to the area for more ‘hot action’. 4. The toilets beneath theatre P/Q in the Arts block: The highest rated cruising spot on UCD campus given a 4/5 rating by the website users. They are secluded, busy in the evenings from 5.30pm onwards and again at weekends around lunchtime. The toilets here are ‘a great place for a quickie’. A weeklong investigation independently verified the use of theatre P/Q toilets as a sex hotspot. Posing as an interested student on the website, offers such as ‘quickies’, ‘bjs’ and much more were readily supplied. Interestingly, more students than older men seemed to be participating, with many men willingly sending face and body pictures. Two men even sent their mobile numbers. David Carroll, national director of Belong To, believes that historically cruising was an activity for “married men or men who were fearful of being out”, while emphasising that many men felt they had no other choice before homosexuality was legalised. Decriminalisation has led to “increased tolerance and visibility of

■ The sports pitches: Listed as venue for cruising in UCD gay men” and “it’s not the only option any more”. He further highlighted the serious health risks involved in nameless sex “particularly those men who don’t identify as being gay but have the same sex”. Many of these men having anonymous sex in public areas with strangers “do not have the capacity to negotiate safe behaviour” including using condoms. “There is also the issue of physical safety – by nature cruising takes place at night in secluded areas” and therefore these men are at increased risk of getting attacked.

The Phoenix Park, a well known cruising area, has a strong history of attacks on cruisers. An A&E nurse who witnessed many such victims in the Mater Hospital now believes that ‘if UCD becomes synonymous as a cruising hotspot, the same such violence is bound to occur’; “it’s only a matter of time”. Last Monday night, at least eight people were spotted cruising for sex in the hour prior to the nearby secondary school debate in the Theatre P/Q bathrooms. The toilets in question have two rows of cubicles, with the ones furthest from the door (and the

cubicle at the far end) being the ‘best spot’ as it cannot be seen by those entering. The signals include tapping on the cubicle door, passing a note under the cubicle wall, or masturbating by the furthest urinal. The two “consenting adults” then proceed to engage in sexual activity before leaving. This was witnessed again on Tuesday and Wednesday with some men returning for a second and even third time. Some of those posting on websites also claim to be tutors and members of staff. Despite the fact that this behaviour

was brought to the attention of the college authorities’ months ago they have done nothing to stop it occurring. Indeed one Squirt user commented that although cruisers should watch out for campus security, they tend to steer clear of these areas. For a mere ten euro subscription a month men of all ages have access to information about UCD; the best places to cruise, bus routes, and what time other men will be there. Undeniably UCD has become, and continues to be a prime location for the cruising community; students or otherwise, who want to have anonymous sex with men.

College Tribune | October 14th 2008

News Investigations

How safe is

Bebo

Karina Bracken looks at the recent proliferation of soft porn on Bebo Since its inception in January 2005, Bebo has been the most popular social networking site among young Irish internet users. It has been expanded and updated during the last three years, and was sold in March 2008 by its creators to AOL in a takeover bid thought to be worth about £417 million. As a website that attracts many underage users, Bebo has been aware of its responsibility in warning young users about the dangers inherent in having your own proﬁle. Bebo maintains that its users must be 13 or older. It advises that those under 18 should keep their proﬁles private; meaning that only direct friends can view them and their personal information.

What if your profile is public? While Bebo has always been a vehicle for advertising, it appears that a seedier form of advertisement has recently taken shape. Many with public Bebo profiles have been inundated with comments from women claiming to have “enjoyed” that person’s profile and inviting them to chat via webcam. The comments come from mobile phones that are linked with Bebo via their internet facility. It is not only the pages of male members that are being targeted. The comments, though claiming to be from women, are gender indiscriminate. Kate, an MA student at UCD, said that she had to switch to her Bebo profile to private due to the amount of comments that she was receiving. However, changing her profile did not stop the unwanted messages. Kate added: “I actually closed down my entire Bebo page a few weeks ago. I just had enough.” Kate’s is not alone in her recent frustrations with Bebo. The College Tribune spoke to a number of students studying at UCD who have had similar experiences. One student, Emma, commented “Those stupid messages are so annoying. I had to cancel my account because of them.” If comments are continuing to be left on private pages, then Bebo’s security has somehow been breached. According to Bebo itself, when your profile is private only your direct friends can view your page and subsequently leave comments.

What are the comments? The following is a typical example of the comments being left: Amy Marie 101 I was just viewing your profile and I really enjoyed it. I’m inviting you to come watch my webcam http:// hot-profilez.info?rsS4u=3fMxT... or Copy and Paste ‘ Hot-Profilez.info ‘ I look forward to chatting with you. Louella Morita heyyyy hit me up if you wanna get freaky with this gal on cam, my msn is prestoyyesl@hotmail.com oxox MuAh xoxo Amanda Goldstein Hey, whats up? It’s Amanda.... I really enjoyed your profile, I have a very

nice one with some naughty pics you should come take a peek at www.livecamproﬁlez.com?k=MNvC5i48MP... XOXO If you choose to click on the link provided, Bebo automatically directs you to a “Security Warning” page which states: “You clicked on an invalid link which probably means someone is trying to trick you to go to a site and enter your Bebo username and password.” However, the URLS that are supplied do have “http://www.bebo. com” in the web browser’s address bar. The same page also warns people away from “enticing offers”. One of the sites advertised in these comments is xxxBlackBook.com which states on its homepage “We Guarantee You Will Get Laid”. It invites visitors to “Join the hottest adult sex community and get laid tonight”. While the homepage has pictures of men and women, it also has moving stills of one woman undressing and another masturbating. Considering that it is becoming common for would-be employers to check an applicant’s social networking page, these comments look all the worse.

What can be done? Due to the amount of comments she was receiving, Sinead Hughes, a former UCD student, sent an email to Bebo Support in which she complained about “the amount of spam comments being left on people’s pages usually from mobiles with content that appears to be an invite to watch porn or other such things.” In return, Hughes received a generic automatic reply from “Arwen I.”

» Hello Thank you for contacting us and for using Bebo. We sincerely appreciate your concern and understand your frustration with spam, inappropriate content, and any other unwanted comments. We are aware of this issue and apologize for the inconvenience it may have caused. I can assure you we are working to have the matter resolved as quickly as possible. In the mean time, there are a few steps you can take to reduce or eliminate the spam or ANY unwanted comments from your profile. 1. If it’s not already, you can make your profile private. 2. Approve all comments before they are posted on your profile. 3. Delete the comments. 4. Report Abuse. As advised, Hughes changed her profile to private as suggested but was still receiving invitations. Hughes explained how the comments were affecting her “because of this I have had to make my profile private which I would have preferred to have left public.” She is working abroad for the year so was using Bebo as a means of uploading photographs and writing blogs for her family

and friends to keep track off. Hughes added that it was a source of annoyance for other Bebo members because “it is inconvenient and inappropriate particularly given the amount of young members on this site.” According to Hughes, the comments left by soft porn websites are not the only problem. She cited a recent case

of a friend’s proﬁle being deleted by Bebo administrators because “a spam link was sent from her account” without her friend’s knowledge. It appears that even deleting your proﬁle may not even be enough. One student said that even though they had deleted their Bebo account all together, two months later they were still receiv-

ing “Friend Requests” from people that they didn’t know. “I am still receiving emails such as “Peggy Simonson <IbzuDXYgy886U6@netscape.com> has added you as a friend on Bebo”. I do not know any Peggy Simonson and when I typed her name into the Bebo search engine she appeared not to exist.”

Student Capital Fund All students in UCD are now invited to apply for a grant from the Student Capital Fund for capital purposes for the provision of student facilities. The Student Capital Fund is funded by surplus funds generated in the operation of the Student Club. Previous successful applications include: ● Equipment for Sports Clubs ● Replacement for computers for student media ● Lighting for playing areas ● Disability access facilities All applications or queries can be emailed to: elizabeth.cronin@ucd.ie or sent by post to the Forum ofﬁce, Student Centre, UCD by 5pm, Friday, 21st November 2008. Note: Subject to funding still being available there will be another advertisement for funding proposals later in the academic year.

College Tribune | October 14th 2008

Comment News

Opinion

FAUSTUS Back Supping with the devils

austus has lived through many interesting times, this month being no exception with Lewis Hamilton and Barack Obama becoming the ﬁrst black Formula one champion and American President respectively. But the single most astonishing thing that Faustus has witnessed in his entire lifetime happened on Halloween night. Halloween is Faustus’s favourite time of the year, although it’s just not as good as it was back in the old days. One costume party presented an interesting sight that will no doubt warm the cockles of hackdom’s collective heart. It was at this tête-à-tête that a well-known society Auditor was seen to have dressed up as an aborted foetus. If this chap wasn’t on drugs that night, he probably should have been. A spokesperson for the religious group Newman Soc Sean “I survived Roe V Wade” Rafter stated that the costume was great PR for the Anti abortion movement. The costume party wasn’t to be the only place where controversy would rear its ugly head. Neither was SU council, and this correspondent urges all students to attend to witness the deeply intelligent political intrigue. Or, not. Yes, another week, another seriously tense council meeting. The president sat in a corner humbly noting all student concerns, occasionally speaking a few wellchosen words to soothe the recessionary tension that tied the room together. Of course, this is an outright lie. The President is actually currently in hospital making a slow recovery after self-backslapping

not only resulted in a hilarious display of seeming insanity but also a ravaged spine. Mr O Dea has thus far shown himself to have the charm of a lamppost. Needs must, nobody else is quite on that wavelength. He is still finding time however to try and bribe the student media into keeping shtum via e-mails. Faustus lives in fear… And not the only one living in fear it seems. Education’s very own enigma Lynam decided to send a supportive and comforting text message, all caught on camera by a source very close to Faustus’ heart, which read as follows “Mind you don’t get ass-raped”. Yes, he was referring to Pink Training, and O Dea very foolishly accidentally displayed this message to said intrepid source. Oh dear, storms are a-brewing, perhaps its time Lynam came out of the closet and dropped the sleaze proxy. Elsewhere in the disgusting world of hackery, during a post SU council drinking session in the forum bar one of the union’s favourite sons made a comment that went down like a joke about child abduction at a press conference with the McCann family. This humble creature refuses to disclose the identity of the perpetrator because he knows where everyone lives. Ryan “I don’t give a flying fuck about the gay community’’ Griffin got on a higher horse than Enda Duffy’s over the incident. Nevertheless the union hacks that were present spared no time in making a meal of the incident, because it was the only attention they got all week. What’s even more disturbing is that these hacks are already planning their coup of the union corridor in February. That’s right dear students of UCDD; pay lip service to anyone in a relative position of power be they a society auditor, sabbatical officer or one of those meaningless positions on the SU exec and it will get you everywhere. Remember being a Sabbatical officer may one day loose you your virginity. Something that Lynam is hoping will happen before this year is out.

The Bodacity of Hope There has been a remarkable and widespread sense of elation surrounding the election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. This emotional uplift, which has been felt across the world, signiﬁes something more than an election result, it signiﬁes a sense of epochal change - of a perturbing period of American history coming to an end and of a new, more hopeful period opening. It would appear Americans have acted on their best instincts in placing their trust in a relatively inexperienced (not to mention black) candidate and in resolutely bringing to an end the administration of George Bush. However, as with any such uplift we’ll all have to come back to earth soon and consider what if anything has really changed. There have been widespread proclamations of American ‘renewal’ – a fresh beginning for the US and its relations with the world.. It can be hard to resist the irony-rush when such rhetoric is rolled out. The claims to a new beginning in America are routinely articulated – they are foundational claims of the nation, after all, echoing all the way from the Puritan inauguration of America as a ‘city upon the hill’ in the seventeenth century. Just about every president makes some such claims – in recent times we may remember Ronald Reagan’s ‘Morning in America’ and Bill Clinton’s borrowing ‘Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow’ from Fleetwood Mac. (Some have tried more mundane and pragmatic appeals, such as Herbert Hoover in 1928 – ‘A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage’). The feelgood slogans only exacerbate the myth of American exceptionalism and prompt trite references to the American Dream. Are we really witnessing epochal change in American politics today and by extension America’s role in the world? Is this really a historic moment? Yes and no (I’m an academic, what do you expect?). In the history column, we have three major issues to commend this election to scholars and students of the future. Firstly, the election of an African-American as president of the

Liam Kennedy US is truly momentous and beyond the imagination of most only a few years ago. Are we, as pundits now like to say, on the eve of a ‘post-racial’ America? Given that the pundits never define that term beyond a lazy inference that race will matter less in the making of politics it is tricky to know what it portends. I think it’s safe to say though that race will continue to trouble the body politic and register significantly within the distributions of wealth and well-being in the US for many years to come. What may be shifting – and Obama’s election is symbolic of this – is the significance of identity politics as a decisive arbiter of political affiliation and action. Secondly, this election is likely to be remembered as the terminal point of the ‘Reagan Revolution’ and all that it signified in terms of a rightward shift in US politics for the last 40 years – a shift that neither the Carter nor Clinton administrations derailed. The ugly legacy of this revolution was the promotion of ‘values’ within mainstream politics and the attendant ‘culture wars’ that drove wedges between discreet constituencies on issues such as abortion and gay marriage. One of the most remarkable features of the 2008 election was that these issues – so damaging in recent elections – did not gain traction. This does not mean they are dead, but there is a growing sense that shifting demographics in the US (and especially the new electoral muscle of young voters) combined with a very deep distrust of the Republican party has eroded the power of this form of politics. The third major issue we will recall and study in years to come is the role

of new media technologies and especially the Internet in the Obama campaign, which made shrewd strategic use of these media to supplement and surpass more conventional forms of communication. In 2004 Howard Dean piloted such electronic campaigning but Obama’s team have taken this to amazing new levels so that it acts to expand the reach of the campaign to potential voters and funders but also strategically expands the electoral battleground – a key component of this campaign, which kept the Republican campaign on the back foot throughout, desperately trying to defend states it had won comfortably in 2004. These are significant changes, though whether they provide the foundations for a ‘renewal’ of America remains an open and somewhat windy question. The reality checks on the elated responses to Obama’s election as president and his prospects are clear enough. He is hemmed in both domestically and abroad by limited options of response to crises not of his making but with which he will be identified and against which he will be judged as time goes on. The depressed domestic economy and the foreign policy quagmire that is the Iraq War were core components of the perfect electoral storm that secured his election. They will soon be his responsibilities and test his abilities to forge the bipartisanship and multilateralism he has urged at home and abroad. In the meantime, expect more audacious claims of national renewal. In January 2009 America’s first African-American president will be inaugurated within sight of the Lincoln memorial in Washington and in the bicentennial year of President Lincoln’s birth. Obama will, his advisors say, mark that occasion by referring to the earlier president’s Gettysburg Address and urging Americans to unite in ‘a new birth of freedom’. Such symbolism is breath-taking. Prepare to be elated.

» Professor Liam Kennedy is Director of the Clinton Institute for American Studies at University College Dublin

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

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Letters Class Rep Training Dear Editors, I am writing with regard to the articles about class rep training in issue 3- October 14th. I was disappointed to ﬁnd a front page article which was based almost entirely on rumours and bebo comments. Class rep training is one of the most important and vital aspects to the Students’ Union. The weekend is based around intensive training sessions and lectures to assist class reps in carrying out their jobs effectively. UCD pioneered the present training model of a weekend outside of Dublin which has since been copied by other Universities and Third Level Institutions as it is seen to create a sense of community among the class reps. This community aspect is essential for engagement between our class reps to create an effective Students’ Union council. This years training was no exception. The training took place in a conference centre in Arklow over two days with guest speakers, and group sessions. As President of the Students’ Union my main concern

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College Tribune over the two days was that everybody attended the training and got to know each other. I have attended a few class rep trainings during my years with the SU and in my opinion this year was by far the best- we placed a huge emphasis on organising class parties, trips and generally engaging with your class. During the evening class reps retired to the holiday homes where we were staying where they ate and mixed between each others houses in an effort to get to know each other. There was drinking and socialising as is normal when students come together but at no stage can the events be described as “chaos” or a “riot”. There are certain statements in the article which I would like to take this opportunity to completely refute. From the outset even the number of class reps is incorrect 200 instead of the actual number of 120, the reports of the Gardaí being called are completely untrue. At no stage were the Gardaí called. No “students had urinated on beds and electrical appliances” as was implied in the article. There were no grounds for this

speculation. I accept that there were some expenses in relation to carpets being cleaned and a few other minor damages but at no stage has it been indicated that our full deposit will not be returned. Socialising is an important part of the training weekend and we encourage the class reps to get to know each other. It is only natural that some students will drink and socialise when 120 students go away together. The Students’ Union as a whole cannot be responsible however for the actions of a few. Without class rep training our Students’ Union would simply not be effective. I would encourage any student to go and talk to their class rep and ask them what they got from the weekend.

Is mise le meas, Aodhán Ó Deá President UCD Students’ Union 08/09

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Cruising on Campus In 2006, this newspaper revealed the prevalence of gay cruising in the university. At this time, the activity was condemned and caused widespread surprise and in tandem with it, widespread scepticism. Now, after an investigation into the issue, two leading professionals have issued stark warnings on the dangers that may arise out of this. A leading nurse of the Accident and Emergency department in the Mater hospital relays information of her experiences with victims of another ‘cruising hotspot’, The Phoenix Park. According to her, she has seen countless victims who were the victim of “gay bashing” late at night, victims too scared to report the encounters to the guards out of their own fear. In concurrence with the beliefs of David Carroll of Belong To, cruising can no longer justified by sentiments such as those that claim “coming out” is too difficult and cruising is the only option to go about finding a partner or satisfaction. The decriminalisation of homosexuality and the introduction of groups and organisations such as the LGBT have affirmed the homosexuals right to live in as free a society as any heterosexual, and it is commonly accepted that society is more open-minded than ever before, this of course being reflected in Ireland’s multi-cultural and religiously differing population. Turning bathrooms or indeed any area of the campus into an area for sexual activity when it poses such danger for those cruising themselves and for those who may be around is something which cannot be condoned or accepted. Furthermore, the dangers that arise from the activity itself range from a growing possibility of STIs, given that usually both men do not know anything of each other, to a danger of risking one’s reputation should they be caught. The campus is frequented by people of all ages on a daily basis, and the belief that it is the only outlet for a repressed homosexual does not hold true anymore.

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Described as ‘multifarious’ and a ‘new dimension in leisure, relaxation and performance’ the new centre is said to provide state-of-the-art facilities for debating, drama, cinema, media, meetings as well as a ‘signiﬁcantly developed Student Health Service.’ Considering the signiﬁcant increase in the student centre levy to fund this project, the organisers of this venture need to increase the transparency of the operation and show students the entire breakdown of the all costs involved. Until then, this project will always be viewed with a certain level of cynicism by particular quarters of the student populace. This newspaper in April 2006 published a front page entitled “white elephant”, lambasting the project and the election that proofed it. The new student centre project has some way to go before it can dispel these notions.

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

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Remembering Ireland’s forgotten war As 90 years pass since the end of World War I, Catherine Maguire speaks to Dr. Tim Clonan about the involvement of Irish soldiers, so often omitted from the pages of history On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month ninety years ago the armistice that brought World War 1 to an end was called. Four years of horrific war of attrition that spread from the north to the south of France ceased and on the eastern front gun fire stopped. Looking at it from a historical perspective, one would acknowledge the horrors of the war but would remain detached from it emotionally, not taking into the account the human element that is very often ignored. It is natural to glorify bravery and forget about the victims. Having said that the savagery of warfare was taken into account, but the impact upon the civilian population was under estimated. Ex-army Captain and military expert Dr Tom Clonan spoke to the College Tribune about the commemoration of the Great War. Drawing from his own experiences in Lebanon and the former Yugoslavia, Dr Clonan puts into words what the soldiers would have felt, making it that bit more human and realistic. He emphasises the importance of the war concerning the Irish effort. More often than not Irish youth and the general public are completely oblivious to the impact and contribution that Irish soldiers made to the war effort. It would be hard to believe that the first gun to be fired was shot by an Irish man in the north of France in Mons or that the first posthumous Victoria Cross was awarded to another Irish man, a Lieutenant from Mullingar. Take into consideration that the amount of men that died reached to about 40,000 that excludes casualties, sufferers of shellshock and those who were physically impaired permanently. However, according to Dr Clonan, what is more surprising is that the same amount of men died in the Vietnamese War and that had a massive psychological effect on the Americans. How is it that over the decades we have just swept it under the rug? Why are we not aware or completely oblivious to the role our relatives played in the war? Should the Irish youth honour this anniversary? Dr Clonan replied that “When we remember the war we shouldn’t glorify the military exploits, I think we need to remember the injured, the dead, the civilian casualties. We need to remember the snot and the blood and the tears because that is what war is about.” The 11th of November should be commemorated, not only for its international historical significance, but also for the part that our relatives played. This started with the speech that John Redmond made in September 1914 at Woodenbridge calling all Irish National Volunteers to join the British army in an effort to help Home Rule be enforced. Figures vary but it is estimated that around 150,000 Irish men went to war. About 110,000 returned home injured, maimed and suffering from severe shell shock. Nonetheless, why did so many men go to war? Clonan answered “Some of the men did it out of a sense of nationalism in the hope that this might guarantee home rule for Ireland, others did it out of economic necessity to put food on the table, others did it out of a sense of adventure.” As well as that most people believed that the war would have been over in four months or at most by Christmas, as this

had been the case with many previous European wars. There is no plain black or white reason to why we have so little knowledge about our influence in the War. In fact it’s highly complex. In the aftermath of the 1916 Easter Rising the reputations of the men that took part in the war had been tarnished. They were categorised as traitors and so their efforts were forgotten. In effect this pocket of Irish history between the Easter Rising and the War of Independence lay to one side. It wasn’t until recently that Clonan himself discovered an interesting and upsetting aspect to his family history. A distant relative of his Lieutenant Joseph Clonan fought with the Australian Imperial Force. After three months service in France, he was appointed Divisional Transport officer, his job was to make sure that rations, ammunitions and ‘fresh’ soldiers were brought to the front. He had a relatively safe position away from no mans land, nevertheless he was shortly moved back to the front and there he again witnessed first hand the horrors of trench warfare. On one of the evenings while the soldiers were cleaning their equipment a ringing shot was heard from Lieut. Clonan’s room. The medical Officer Capt. Cockburn, reported that Lieut. Clonans body lay in his room, covered in blood and with a gapping hole on the left side of his temple. It was self inflicted, but recorded as

‘accidental killing’. According to Clonan, all that was sent back to his mother was his Sam Browne belt. “A pathetic memento to

War is an absolutely barbaric and repugnant mode of communication and interaction, we should remember that. receive, you know, you send your child off to war. This is what comes back from the bed that he shot himself.” It is recollections like this that really bring to light the true horror of the Great War. Many men like Lieut. Clonan suffered from shell shock and depression brought on by the trauma of trench warfare. As Dr Clonan continued to explain “While we should remember it we should commemorate it properly, I think stories like Joe Clonan’s story are very important because they speak to us about the horror of war. It’s an absolutely barbaric and repugnant mode of communication and interaction, we should remember that. I think that with the pomp, ceremony and the uniforms we tend to forget that. We romanticise it and sentimentalise it, we shouldn’t do that.

A lot of us have grandfathers, great grandfathers or distant relatives who fought in the war, but we are not aware of this. Clonan continued explaining that boys as young as fourteen did fight in the War. One soldier by the name of John Condon was the youngest Allied Officer to die. Like many other young men and boys the sense of adventure drew him into serving in the army. He died fighting in Ypres as a result of the chlorine gases. A comparison can be drawn; in 1923 Condon’s family received a piece of his boot. Much like the remembrance of Lieut. Clonan this dismal memory of their sons’ service in the war is all they have. A real sense of truth can be drawn from this. “The Whole thing about war is that everybody suffers. It is an indiscriminate brutal process.” There are more reasons to remember his war. While the arms race between the superpowers leading up to the War improved their military positions and prowess “the men that took part in the war had no chance. Their tactics did not meet the new military technology. They were sacrificed.” Commander in Chief Douglas Haig’s outdated tactics was one of the main reasons for the high death rate. His policy of going ‘over the top’ caused men to be mown down by the German machine guns in the opposing trenches. Clonan was asked to draw

on his own experiences in war torn countries. In this response one can see what the men in the war could have experienced. “As humans we are hardwired with this flight or fight response to a threat. With this you would get a huge release of adrenaline and in circumstances soldiers would loose inhibition and they do illogical things, like try to run under fire and save a fallen comrade. People who are filled with adrenaline and pumped up, who feel invulnerable, they are predisposed to engage in the fight, as apposed to the flight complex. In our society this would be glorified and considered heroic. What is ignored is the equally natural flight, fear, trauma and in action. The international military used to regard battle trauma as an aberrant or abnormal evidence of deviance in a soldier. They now recognise that battle stress or battle trauma is an inevitable consequence of prolonged exposure to threat.” One should remember the horrors, the ordeals and strain that these men suffered. Clonan continued to explain that “If a soldier shot himself in the hand or the foot he would be given time to recover but he would have had to face a court martial and as a result been executed for desertion and cowardice.” The stress that these men faced day by day was horrendous. We may not understand it now, but we should at least make an effort to realise the impact that the War had on our ancestors and on the way the world has turned out now. Is it not time that we forget about the Great War and move on? “The First World War was to be the war to end all wars, but it hasn’t and we can’t forget about, I don’t think we can move on from until we fully understand it and get our heads around what happened. I think it would be good if Irish people really think about it and come to terms with it. Then we would finally understand our current role in the war with Iraq and why we have allowed 1.2 million Americans, people’s children, to pass through Shannon airport to Iraq.” In this way we would finally come to terms with a chapter in our history that has long been put to the side and forgotten.

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

Features

My life with Ecstasy Ecstasy use remains prevalent amongst students, Tadgh Moriarty discovers after a candid conversation with a UCD student addicted to the drug Ecstasy (or MDMA) is a common clubbers drug which has seen resurgence in popularity in recent years. We spoke with a student user about the effects and availability of the drug on the clubbing scene. Ecstasy has many names on the clubbing scene; E, Dennis the menace, disco burgers, alphabet sweets, pills and tabs. The tablets come in a variety of different colours and cost approximately €5 per pill, According to the student who wished to remain anonymous, “if buying in bulk it’s 5 for €10”. Thus, the availability is apparent. “It’s far cheaper than hash or weed and as easy to get hold of”. This UCD goer started using the drug back when he began college at the age of nineteen. He is quick to dispel “common myth of the anonymous pusher”, where young innocent ﬁrst years are “terrorised into trying it out”. Instead he reveals that his ﬁrst pill, and indeed those of his circle of friends were from “a close family member or friend – someone trusted”.

While availability remains a prevalent issue, the quality of the ‘E’ tablet has more of a dire meaning and consequence. “ There is a massive difference from one pill to the next. Barbiturates are much less powerful; some make you violently ill while others are out of this world, though of course you ﬁnd the frequent dud”, he says. “The effects of the drug take about an hour to kick in, giving you three to four hours of an intense effect. The day after, however, you’re left with a gentle malaise feeling, unmotivated and apathetic.” He further describes this as the reason why people don’t tend to use them regularly clubbing in Dublin as the effects “take ages to kick in – you’d be home getting ready for bed just as the high starts to kick in. Ecstasy is favoured by serious clubbers with long hard nights of dancing or of course at festivals when the party lasts all day and all night.” The exact effects of the drug vary depending on the type of tablet taken. Users get a “feeling of total euphoria where you feel at the centre of the world”. However, this student takes the opportunity to caution that users “regard everyone as their best friend” and therefore tend to be incredibly honest; “You just can’t lie. This

“It’s all too often young people are ending up in A&E after taking coke (cocaine) or E” is one of the main reasons that users tend only to take in the company of other users. People reveal their deepest and darkest secrets to those around them without realising. “You feel a burning desire to connect with those people around you as you sense an intense connection. On the clubbing scene when the dance music is blaring, users feel total bliss and have the energy and yearning to move to the beat all night long.” This is one of the main reasons why the drug is hazardous and dangerous. Having taken the pill, users can become very dehydrated very quickly due to prolonged dancing; “you just don’t feel the time passing you by”. The student tells of how after taking the drug, in the region of three bottles of water become necessary to rehydrate. He further tells of how users buy multiple packs of chewing gum for the end of the night “to stop you grinding your teeth and to avoid

the awful gum pain the next morning.” He concludes by talking about the “drug sub-culture”, explaining how older and more experienced users frequently look out for “younger and newer students on the scene. They tend to keep a watchful eye out to make sure that they are adequately hydrating, taking regular breaks from dancing and aren’t seriously endangering themselves”. If Ecstasy is so easy to come by, and the effects are “total bliss” why isn’t everyone doing it? A Nurse from drug rehabilitation offered her opinion on the matter. “There are many dangers associated with taking the pill, especially for ﬁrst time users; hyperthermia (heating up too quickly), hypertension (increased blood pressure), blood clots, headaches, vomiting and fainting. “It’s all too often young people are ending up in A&E after taking coke (cocaine) or E”. She draws particular attention to the danger of taking caffeine or alcohol with the drug which increases the diuretic (excreting water) nature of the drug exacerbating the dehydration. Those with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or epilepsy are at increased risk of more serious consequences, something

she says many aren’t aware of. While Ecstasy may not be physically addictive, “regular users may develop a psychological addiction”. The widespread accessibility of the drug both on the clubbing scene and indeed wider aﬁeld is resulting in more and more people taking a chance on the pills. More people than ever before have tried the drug at least once and “if they liked it, their bound to do it again”. If you are thinking of taking ecstasy the Nurse’s ﬁrst stream of advice is, “Don’t! You can’t be sure of what you’re getting. Many pills have been found to contain talcum powder, salt, other drugs and even rat poison.” Despite this, it seems much of today’s youth remain unperturbed on the dangers and long-term effects of this controversial clubber’s drug.

The Garda Perspective The latest Central Statistic Office figures reveal that convictions for drug related offences are rapidly on the increase. In 2003 the number of users convicted of possession was just under 6500; in 2006 this figure had soared to almost 11000. Speaking with a sergeant in the Garda Press Office, he cautioned that these official figures only include those that have been convicted; the number of users is ‘almost certainly higher’. The Garda National Drugs Unit

is the national task force in place to lead the fight against substance abuse and narcotic sales. Since its inception in 1995 the unit has grown to over fifty detectives who work closely with other agencies on both a National, European and International scale in an effort to “dismantle the networks” and arrest the leading individuals. They also have a key role to play in educating students and parents alike in a bid to “reduce the attractiveness of the drug culture to young people”. When quizzed about the leading reasons students cite for taking drugs, he stated the top five as being; (1) “To be one of the lads”, (2) Attempting to

escape from reality, (3) the desire to experiment, (4) Insecurity, loneliness, depression and (5) Wanting “to feel grown up”. However he emphasised that none of the above “serve as excuses” and he stressed that “possessing or using such drugs is illegal and can carry considerable penalties on conviction”. Coupled with the illegalities of drug taking are the “serious and sometimes fatal” side effects. Not only does using carry the serious health risks, addicts also run the risk of becoming alienated from family and friends. There is also the less frequently considered risk of buying contaminated drugs; “Remember quality control practices are not operated by drug dealers”. He warned of the serious nature of being involved in law breaking; “you can never travel to places such as the US…and you will always have a criminal record”. Not all drugs are physically addictive but users can still develop a psychological addiction. It is important to disassociate the stereotypical image of the grubby shuddering man riddled with needle track

marks from drug addiction. Drug addiction has many “subtler and less well know signs” according to a nurse involved in Drug rehabilitation. Those signs that people often miss include; apathy towards activities which previously held interest, mood swings, anxiety, depression, losing weight, changing sleep patterns and shaky or ﬂu like symptoms when trying to give up.

» If you are concerned about a drug problem there are many different treatment options, help and advice out there. You can contact your local GP, practice nurse, or the national drug helpline on 1800 459 459.

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

Features News

He reached the mou As a new era for America dawns, Chris Bond examines the path that lies ahead, speaking with Frank Llewellyn of the Democratic Socialists in America and Eric Lee of the Trade Union movement. “If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer’’. That was Barack Obama’s opening statement after claiming a landslide victory in the American Presidential election. Obama’s style of campaigning was unprecedented. Starting off with little money and few high profile endorsements, Obama galvanised thousands of grassroots activists, using innovative methods to get his message out. He was one of the first election candidates to successfully combine web based campaigning with community activism. Such tactics enabled him to outsmart clear favourite Hilary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic Presidential Primaries. Obama’s campaign revolutionised how elections will be fought for years to come. The question though that now must be asked is, will a different approach to winning elections mean a different approach to governing powerful and influential nation on Earth? During the 1980s Ronald Reagan transformed America with his Neo Liberal Agenda. From that point onwards it became conventional wisdom that the Free Market could solve all of society’s problems and that any form of Government intervention in economic affairs was harmful. Reagan was so successful in his efforts that not even the Democrats under President Clinton would dismantle the fundamentals of Reaganomics.

Will an Obama administration continue the same fundamental economic system that has prevailed over the last two decades? Albeit with some modiﬁcations. Or will he enact policies which will change the political and economic landscape in America for a generation. Neo Liberal economist Milton Friedman once remarked that “when a crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are

“The American taxation system was much more progressive under Richard Nixon than it was under Bill Clinton’’ lying around’’. That was true of both Ronald Reagan and Franklin Delano Roosevelt who upon election implemented a type of economic agenda which deﬁned their generations. In Roosevelt’s case government intervened in the economy to help the country recover from the great depression. By the 1980s the policies of Roosevelt’s new deal were believed to be past their sell by date. Reagan’s economic recovery plan entailed dismantling government regulation and cutting taxes. Obama and his administration now have to devise a plan that can save the American economy

from the failure of Reaganomics. In a recent interview Barack Obama stated that he wanted to “ﬁx the plumbing’’ in America’s ﬁnancial system. However there are many who believe that Barack Obama’s economic policies will not go far enough.

Frank Llewellyn, national organizer of the Democratic Socialists of America, an afﬁliate of the Irish Labour party says that “it’s not enough to merely restore liquidity to the ﬁnancial markets, an Obama administration needs to ensure that people

have money to spend”. Llewellyn welcomes Obama’s proposals to increase taxes on higher earners, but does not believe that they will bring about radical economic change “it’s not enough to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire, a more sharply pro-

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

untain top gressive system of taxation is needed if we are to fund the social program that working American people need, we have to remember that the American taxation system was much more progressive under Richard Nixon than it was under Bill Clinton’’ Consultant for the Trade Union Movement Eric Lee does not believe that a Democratic Administration will in itself will bring about radical change to America. Lee cites the missed opportunities by the Clinton administration in relation to Union recognition as an example of the shortcomings of previous

“The question for President Obama and the Democratic Congress is whether they will emulate Clinton’s failure or Roosevelt’s success’’ Democratic party presidents. “Clinton did not enact new legislation to make it easier for unions to organize. Despite strong union backing for Clinton, the unions received very little in the eight years of Democratic rule from 1993-2001’’. He said that Obama should not repeat the same mistakes as Clinton by reneging on plans to introduce Universal Healthcare and Union recognition. “The question for President Obama and the Democratic Congress is whether they will emulate Clinton’s failure or Roosevelt’s success’’. Lee points to Franklin Delano Roosevelt as an example of how to radically alter the economic direction of the United States. Lee said, “Roosevelt, managed to pass the most sweeping package of social reforms

ever – the glorious New Deal. And his New Deal coalition kept the Democrats in power for twenty years’’ At his address to the Democratic National Convention four years ago, Obama declared that “this is not a nation of red states and blue states, this is a united states.’’ Barack Obama’s campaign managed to put an end to the region against region politics which have blighted American politics for decades. He has stayed true to his words in making inroads into States which would have been regarded as solidly Republican. His victory redefined the electoral map in America, his successes weren’t confined to traditional democratic strongholds of the Northeast, Great Lakes and West Coast, Obama won states in the South and the Mountain west also. He now has a mandate to be the president of all of America. Obama’s style of campaigning was very much a “from the bottom up’’ exercise, people who volunteered for him at a grassroots level were key to his victories in both the primary elections and the presidential contest. Obama has a duty and a responsibility to deliver the change many ordinary Americans sought when they joined his campaign. The question prevails over whether Obama will turn a grassroots campaign into a grassroots Government. In his Victory Speech on Tuesday night he said that “from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth, this is your victory’’. Time will tell whether President Obama will stay true to his pledge. When he takes up the office of President on January 20th 2009 he will have many challenges ahead of him. But with challenges come opportunity. Can Obama use this opportunity to bring permanent changes to both America and the World?

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College Tribune | November 12th 2008

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ROUNDS After a great deal of painstaking research, I have (drunkenly) stumbled upon it. The reason we Irish drink so much. Is it because we are by nature a repressed race, searching for a release of our bottled-up feelings and emotions at the end of, well, a bottle? Maybe we all suffer from year round seasonal-affective disorder and alcohol is our self-diagnosed cure? Or maybe we drink so much to give those lazy feckers in the emergency services something to do on a Saturday night? The answer is far more sinister. One word, one devilishly simple conspiracy: Rounds. A round – the purchase of alcoholic drinks by one person for a group of people - is a term that cleverly masquerades as a demonstration of good ol’ Irish generosity. Though a deceptively straightforward concept, rounds can have fantastic outcomes and dire consequences. What is the scariest thing about leaving college for the real world one might ask? “Rounds!” would be the reply. (Second only to that dreaded concept: full-time em-

ployment). When it comes to taking part in rounds, the traditional student I’m-just- going-to-get-anorange-juice-because-I’ve-a-Ballygowen-bottle-half-full-of-vodkain-my-bag get-out clause is no longer valid. Rounds are based on the vital premise that a drink is never free (with the exception of birthdays and special occasions). When someone buys you a drink, you enter into an unspoken contract with that person. It is now your duty to return the favour at some stage during the ensuing night. When a friend buys you a drink, unofﬁcial pub etiquette dictates that you must return the gesture. Add to this the particular Irish idiosyncrasy that we do not say what we mean. Except when we’re drunk. So when someone buys you a drink and says, “Oh no, don’t worry you don’t have to get me back”, you read “On your round, mine’s a Heineken”. The rules of round-buying can be tricky. When you buy a drink in return, it has to be of equal or sim-

ilar value. For example, Red Bull double vodka is not equal in value to, say, a shot of tequila. That can be up to €6 in the difference. That is the cost of another drink. Rounds are the alcohol equivalent of advising a friend to break up with their partner. Both are potential mineﬁelds, made up of subtle nuances and certain codes of conduct that they never teach you in school. There are saintly people out there who buy drinks and expect nothing in return. If everyone was honest, few of us could say that this is us. No matter how much we openly pretend and protest, getting your round in does matter. It’s a cultural thing, like the facial tattooing of New Zealand’s Maui Tribe (although possibly less painful). God help the person who never stands their round, even though they are well capable of doing so. The person is blacklisted and even faces ostracism. In addition, rounds are fundamentally messy because it is impossible to have “just one drink”, a problem that we Irish know too well.

VOLUME XXII ISSUE V

ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO SATIRISE - ONLY 47P!

BERTIE AHERN

“INSERT DA LOAN IN ME LEFT POCKET” PAGE 3 This week PROCRASTINATORS UNITE. TOMORROW INTERNET ADDICTION COURSE TO BE OFFERED ONLINE BLACK MAN REACHES THE WHITE HOUSE LOOKING FOR CHANGE CONFUSION AS SINGER RAISES WHITE FLAG BEFORE GOING DOWN WITH SHIP APPLE NI TO LAUNCH I-PROD ORANGE LOCAL PLUMBER IMPLICATED IN BUMG ENQUIRY

They Don’t feel like bleedin’ dancin’ SCORES of angry punters will get a full refund from MCD after an embarrassing cock-up resulted in murderous Scissor Sisters Charlotte and Linda Mulhall performing a gig instead of the popular US disco mangirls. Chaos ensued at Dublin’s Academy as the Mulhalls – currently serving time for butchering their mother’s boyfriend – appeared on stage looking confused before becoming irate amid heckles from an angry audience. “I didn’t know what the hell was going on,” a startled Charlotte told the Turbine last night. “I have no idea what they were on about. They were screaming stuff at me about dancing but sure I didn’t feel like bleedin dancing either.” A spokesperson from MCD admitted that an investigation into the blunder would take place. Insult was added to injury when Linda waded into the crowd to deliver retribution upon a punter she was convinced had called her ‘ﬁlthy.’ “Early on, we knew something was up,” said an insider. “We were told

to expect outrageous outﬁts and a bit of attitude, but from the ﬁrst time we met the girls we knew something was up. “Normally, for stars like that, they look for a rider like lavish amounts of champagne or alcohol or food or whatever else takes their fancy. But when we contacted what we thought were the Scissor Sisters, all they wanted was ten boxes of fags and a small mobile phone. “Sure, we thought their entourage was a bit strange but then how were we supposed to know they were real prison guards. We just assumed they were dancers in uniform. You know, the gay type.” Fuming fans called the Turbine last night demanding, somewhat unfortunately in the circumstances, that heads should roll for the faux pas. Celebrities have also lined up to voice their disgust. “I think it’s just terrible,” said Afternoon Show host Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh. “By the way, what are we talking about?”

Men’s Studies to be for 2009, feminists typically unhappy The Turbine has discovered that from September 2009 a new subject, Men Studies, is to be introduced. It will be administered by the Arts Faculty and will be available to both sexes, not just to men as its title suggests. This addition to the Arts portfolio comes following a recent tirade of sexist protests and complaints made regarding society posters. Once the issue of sexism on campus had been raised the Arts faculty were left with no choice but to whip together a course about men, on the basis that there is of course a Woman’s Studies course. When asked about this rushed introduction of a subject Aidan O’Dee was unavailable for comment, he is rumoured to be in Wexford looking for a deposit, however his signiﬁcant other, Dan O’Neill was happy to state, “Yeah its brilliant ﬁnally a subject for us men! Really shows those sex-

ist female wagons with their Women Studies.” As of yet, details regarding the new subjects’ modules are vague, however, following a brief interview with Philip Nolan, the university registrar, The Turbine can now reveal that two of the modules on offer will be; Introduction to the G-Spot and Dealin’ with Yo Ho’. Mr. Nolan had this comment to add, “I can’t believe they brought this in, its idiotic. I am so sick of hearing about sexism, they should just shut up and get on with their studies, God knows they won’t get by on their looks” While the announcement of the course has been met with a somewhat predictable indifference by male students, feminists throughout campus are outraged by the courses introduction. Jane Plain, a prominent militant feminist, has condemned the new

course stating, “This course is a slap in the face for us women, if the men are to now have their own course than in the interest of equality we should have one more than them.” Following this statement Ms. Plain went on to announce that her and her compatriots would boycott the new course. When questioned about the alleged boycott, the head of the new depart-

ment made this comment, “I do not care, I wouldn’t want those Dr. Martin wearing freaks in my lectures anyway, less work for me now so.” The feminist are not the only campus group outraged by the new course, the LGBT are also deemed to be “throwing a tantrum” over its inclusion. Frank “Tinkerbell” Jones, LGBT spokesgirl, told The Turbine, “ This is like a total like you know disgrace. Oh my god I am like so so so so so close to crying about this. Its like silly, as in silly billy. Will there ever like be a Gay Studies? Like I already have like a Masters in that, I would rock at Gay Studies!” At this point Mr. Jones broke into spontaneous song and dance so a concrete clariﬁcation regarding the LGBT’s stance on the course could not be attained but it certainly seems like he was unhappy about it.

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

News

Sport

Pete Mahon

Basketball Confident Marian send Ulster packing

Page 18

DOWN THE LINE

Bring back the bite? Last Friday week saw an amateur Irish team defeat their professional Australian counterparts in the first International Rules series since the farcical series of 2006. The Irish achieved some sense of sporting revenge on their opponents for the thuggery and barbarity the Australians displayed in ‘05 and ‘06 where the action on the pitch seemed more akin to a WWE Royal Rumble contest than an International Rules series. However, despite agreement from both the GAA and the AFL that this year’s series was a success, the question still has to be raised over whether this competition has a future. Whatever might be said of positive attitudes coming out from both sides towards the series, there can be no doubt that an underlying tension was in place throughout the two games. If an incident similar to those witnessed in Croke Park in ‘06 and Perth in ‘05 were to happen this time around, the GAA would surely hammer in the final nail in the International Rules coffin. However, the reality is that if these incidents were ever to repeat themselves, the likelihood is that the series will come to an end then. Surely the constant walking of a tightrope is not the atmosphere that a weird hybrid sport, troubled from its very origin, can thrive in and become beneficial for both the GAA and the AFL. The lack of violence this year was even seen as a disappointment for

With the International Rules competition after coming to a relatively calm conclusion Eoghan Glynn asks, “Whats the point?” many. Phone-in shows after the first test were inundated with texts from people who were of the opinion that the bite had been lost. The over-aggression had been replaced by a complete lack of aggression which led to the match being a rather dull contest. Although nobody should want a repeat of the violence witnessed before, the lack of aggression and the somewhat morbid atmosphere at the first game did make it an almost surreal and mundane encounter. Players seemed overly-cautious going into the tackle as to whether it would be deemed acceptable in the new rules, the Irish team being particularly guilty of this by recording only six legitimate tackles in the whole of the first test. There is such a fine line over what is acceptable in a tackle and what isn’t that, as a result, there will always be a level of ambiguity surrounding it, leading to the lack of aggression displayed in this year’s contest. However, the potential for violence and how to deal with it are not the only problems. While the GAA sends out its most able Gaelic footballers for two weeks to take part, it has a detrimental effect on some the competitions back home. This year’s Railway Cup, which clashed with the two tests down under, saw the worst attendances in recent years for the finals and were

affected by the absence of the players that chose to represent their country in Australia instead of their provinces in Portlaoise. Although the International Rules can obviously not be held responsible for bringing about the probable death of this competition, it can be accused of accelerating its death somewhat. The Club Championships have also been hit badly by the International Rules as clubs all around the country lose or have severely disrupted players that play a key role in their teams at a crucial time of the year. Surely one would think the GAA should have more of an interest in promoting itself at grass-roots level instead of a sport which only has two games a year (and it seems even these two games are dependent on the Australians being nice to us). The well-respected Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has been one of the strongest critics of the series, claiming recently that players were “in it for the trip more than the competition”. Although players will obviously never actually admit this, it would not be surprising to ﬁnd that this is indeed the case with the majority of these players who claim that the honour of playing for their country is what drives them. Although it’s hard to blame these people for wanting a trip down under every

two years, it does taint the reasoning behind the ressurection and continuation of this series somewhat. It also instantly takes away the effectiveness of the argument often used in defence of the International Rules that the players want to play so they have an opportunity to represent their country. Harte is also of the opinion that the International Rules is not the way to go if the GAA wants to promote their games internationally, saying “There’s no point in fooling ourselves into thinking we’re giving ourselves an international outlet with that other stuff. We should be promoting Gaelic games on a world stage, and if that has to start at club level, so be it.” Once again, it is hard to disagree with the Tyrone manager as, when you actually look at it, the GAA are trying to promote their association by playing a different sport. By having compromised rules, the AFL and GAA have failed to showcase both their sports on an international stage, but have instead created a new nonentity of a sport which fail to show what makes both their sports great in the ﬁrst place. It’s not as though the foundations are not already in place for the GAA to go international. At present, there are twenty-nine GAA clubs to be found across Europe with pan-Europe-

an Championships and Shields taking place on a regular basis. GAA competitions are also in place across the globe, such as the Asian Games which took place in Penang, Malaysia a week before the International Rules series. The GAA could easily put the resources they currently use for the International Rules, both human and monetary, and use them for the international GAA competitions and clubs already in place. Surely this would be more effective in marketing GAA internationally as they would actually be marketing Gaelic Games, not a troubled hybrid game. Next Year is the 125th anniversary of the GAA. It’s understandable if the GAA wanted some sort of a showcase to show off their best GAA players on an international stage for this occasion. However, the fact of the matter is that the International Rules is a ﬂawed experiment. This year’s series was the second revival of a game which does not and will not showcase what is good about the GAA. Even worse, the GAA is neglecting its grass-roots in favour for a trip to Australia every two years. After the two games in Casement Park and Croke Park next year, it would be better for the GAA and for all of us if this ﬂawed experiment was brought to an end.

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

Sport

A perfect ten With the upcoming clash between Ireland and Argentina fast approaching, Ben McCormack, had a quick chat with Leinster’s own puma to discuss the World Cup, his move to Dublin and the Heineken Cup Felipe Contepomi is one of the most established players in world rugby. He is the mastermind of the Leinster midfield, the danger man in the Argentine centre. His old national captain Augustin Pichot thought he should have one the 2003 IRB Player of the Year. He is an imposing man but for what some might see as brooding and moodiness, these conceal nothing more than the calculating mind of a powerful maestro. After moving from his first club, Newman, to the English Premiership with Bristol in 2003 after three seasons he moved again this time to Leinster, a decision he has not regretted. “When I left Bristol, I think my years in the Premiership served me well in terms of my learning curve. I was young when I first went there and it helped me a lot.” Contepomi finished his tenure at the English club as an established fly-half and centre, one of those rare talents who are pure mavericks. He had many offers, both from the very rich Top 14 in France or to remain in England, however Leinster managed to top all others. “The main reason was because I wanted to finish my medical career and Leinster gave me the opportunity to do that. There’s not one regret.” The 31 year old qualified as a doctor from the Royal College of Surgeons last year. Leinster are the current champions of the Magners League but there has been some criticism at the teams that it is lacking the edge of the other leagues in Europe, something Contepomi disagrees with. “I believe that nowadays the Magners League has the potential to be the best in Europe, rugby wise. The premiership is very competitive with twelve top teams, but there isn’t a lot of rugby played because it’s so competitive with relegation battles and owners, it becomes just about winning. “In France there may be better rugby played but there is a massive difference between five clubs and the rest of the league. This means that playing for one of the top five means there are only a maximum of ten competitive games a year. The Magners League is more even across the board.” Leinster rugby has experienced a rejuvenation since the beginning of the decade, showing a free style of play that has given the Dublin based team the welcome reputation as mavericks. The Heineken Cup has built a myth around Leinster, like it has for Munster but this time in the fluid backs rather than the forwards, and Contepomi has been accredited

something big. But having the dream and making it come true is a huge step and that was the main thing. After a tournament to remember, Contepomi ﬁnished as the second highest points scorer of the tournament, behind South Africa’s Percy Montgomery. Along with his country man, Juan Martin Hernandez, he was also nominated for the IRB Player of the Year, again losing out to a South African, this time in the form of Brian Habana. Though this outcome was personally a highlight, the Centre talks more about the team after the disappointing 2003 group stage exit. “It was more or less the same team from 2003 and back then we made a lot of errors. The players and coaching staff didn’t prepare according to the circumstances and we left too many loose ends. “After that I remember the senior players, Loffreda (Argentine head coach) and all the coaches sat down and were very self-critical and discussed how not to make the same errors for the next world cup. “It’s hard for Argentina because we don’t have competitions in the middle of world cups, we can only aim every four years to prove ourselves. 2007 was our big occasion and we were thrilled with what was shown and that we came through.” Though under new management, Irish rugby has been through some hard times as of the past 18 months. The demolition of Canada and the glimmers of the Summer tours

didn’t go well for Ireland but that’s it. It’s a new coach and new set up with all southern hemisphere coaches so I think they can bring out the best in this group of players.” After a decade of sitting in Munster’s shadow, Leinster are finally making their voices heard in respect to European rugby. With clashes to remember like Bath and Toulouse away, as well as CS BourgoinJallieu’s demolishing in Dublin, Leinster have already started this years campaign with two emphatic wins over Edinburgh away and London Wasps at the RDS. However, a disappointing pool exit from a group that should have seen them clinch second has left some pundits doubting their strength to run the course. “Again, like with Argentina it’s going from the thinking to the doing, it’s a huge step. To be honest Leinster as a club has been growing rapidly over the past five years not only on the pitch but also in the stands. When I came the average attendance was 2,500-3,000 now it is up to 14,000 a game. But you want the silverware and last year we won the Magners League and now it’s time for us to be consistent and be competitive in the Heinekan Cup.” Professional rugby in Ireland is defined by one rivalry, Leinster versus Munster, or as Ross O’Carroll-Kelly put it once “between us and the other 31½ counties.” Until the end of September, Leinster had beaten Munster three times in a row. However they were brought down by a humiliating 18-0 defeat in the RDS. “Obviously I feel the rivalry playing for Leinster, you have to feel it but it has to be put in context. These are only two of eighteen games in a season so have the same importance as any other game. “The difference comes on other occasions, like in 2006in the Heineken cup, when it’s one game that is all or bust. These are when you feel the rivalry the most but you have to use it in your game plan.” Felipe Contepomi is a great servant to Leinster rugby and who will play Clermont Auvergne later this year, but more importantly, will line up against some of his team mates in a couple of weeks as captain of the visiting Argentina side to Croke Park. As we all saw in the World Cup his allegiances will always lie with his country but perhaps this time he will spare us his wind-up act.

“I think nobody expected Argentina to go as far as we did, but we deﬁnitely had the belief that we could do something big”

with bringing this ethos to the capital, but he dismisses this claim. “No I don’t think I brought that. You come to a place like Leinster which has a culture of playing free ﬂowing rugby because you are picked. Obviously Irish rugby has been more of a Munster type of rugby but still I don’t think it’s one player that comes and brings the style, it’s the coaches who want to play that way.” After being signed by Australian Matt Williams, Contepomi and Leinster have been through a run of coaches, including current Ireland coach Declan Kidney and obviously current Leinster coach and another antipodean Michael Cheika. “It’s all Australian orientated,” he continues. “Australian rugby is fast, quick, smart and free ﬂowing. I think they brought me here because of the set up they had.”

Contepomi has recently replaced the retired Augustin Pichot as captain of the Argentine national side. Los Pumas were the great surprise of the 2007 rugby world

cup in France. Being situated in the so called “pool of death” for their second competition and would face Ireland for a third consecutive competition. The Argentines were the underdogs that everybody wanted to win, except maybe Ireland, and they topped the group going on to claim third place overall in the competition. This feat was even more credible when taking into account that Argentina had only played 28 international games since

the previous tournament in 2003, in comparison to Ireland’s 41 games. “I think nobody expected Argentina to go as far as we did, but we deﬁnitely had the belief that we could do

can’t disguise the World Cup ﬁasco where Ireland failed to qualify from the pools and struggled against minnows Namibia and Georgia, beating the latter only by four points. Maybe Declan Kidney can strike from memory the latter days of the O’Sullivan era. “I don’t think that Ireland has anything to fear. They have excellent senior players and young players coming through, great competition for position as well as great coaching staff, so I think they’ll do well in the coming years. “Since I have been here, people have talked about the ‘golden generation’. Yes it was a World Cup, yes it

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

Sport News

Elks butchered by bloodthirsty Marian Men UCD ULSTER

98 74

Sport’s Centre ■ Jordan Daly UCD Marian were ruthless in hacking apart the Jordanstown team on Sunday. In the Superleague Northern conference contest the visitors were left trailing twenty points behind for lengthy spells of the game. Marian started as they meant to go on and were first to score with a basket and free throw but Elks American Clint Nagle was quick to reply with two. Three pointers from David Ryan and Conor Meaney fired the home team into a confident lead 9-2 after three minutes of play. Parker showed his calibre with great defence on the boards to get the ball back up to Ryan who won a free throw having been fouled by Matt Betley. Both shots were good and UCD were cruising at 11-2. Another Conor Meaney three pointer later made the difference eight points. With three thirty left in the first quarter, American marksman Betley made his sixth point for Elks to leave the score 15-7. Nagle was dangerous for the visitors too as he drove inside with bursts of power to reduce the deficit to one point. With one minute to play in the first quarter Barry Drumm shone in defence and broke forward to get two and at the buzzer it was 19-16 to the students. The second quarter opened with an inside basket from Betley. Elks soon went ahead for the first time in the game,2019. Parker and Niall Meaney stepped up when their team was in need and got the rebounds to claim back the lead, 25-24. Ryan continued his outstanding scoring form with his eleventh point after five minutes of the second quarter. His defensive effort along with Parker making baskets on the counter attack opened up a

■ Pic: Eoin Byrne ten point cushion, 36-26. From this point UCD never looked back. Peter Finn sunk big three pointers and assisted Ryan in scoring eighteen in the ﬁrst half while Luke McCrone polished off free throws to leave the gap at twelve points at half time. Nagle swam hard against the tide with another two straight away in the second half. A brace of three pointers from Daniel James illustrated UCD’s superior shooting skills. Nagle kept on chopping away with his thirteenth point to make it 52-43. Ryan added a couple more to his tally to make it 56-43 to the home side. With six minutes left in the third Parker, Meaney and Ryan showed quick hands and slick shooting on the break to make it a twenty point difference. The game was over by now and UCD entered a comfort zone becoming nicely familiar of late. Betley reached twenty one points and Conor James showed tenacious hunger to steal and score leaving the score 79-57 at the end of the third. Once again Conor James was on hand to put UCD further ahead while Gareth Maguire was the only Elks player capable of three pointers and ﬂoated in two in

the last quarter. With four to go Marian were nineteen points to the good. Three from Conor James and two from Drumm made it 98-74 at the final throw of the ball. Elks were shell shocked and frustrated Ian O’Boyle refused to comment after. The ecstatic pair Finn and Conor James were happy to oblige and explained why they sometimes shout ‘iso’ as they attack. “Iso is a play with a big man inside. Dave inside and big Luke as well really helped us to victory today. They made a big contribution”. “I thought the whole team played well we are clicking together, playing great basketball.” “It’s nine games to get to the playoffs. We are hoping to get there, it would be the first time in a while for this club but we are looking forward to the challenge”, commented Conor James, the Marian point guard. Peter Finn explains how Marian forced a gap to open up for the home side,“We went into the break and Cormac said this is it, this is crunch time. We went into the third quarter full of intensity, each man beating his man and we got a couple of steals, no turnovers and played great offense to pull away nicely”. “I’d say David Ryan had his best game yet this season. He was very aggressive on the boards. Conor Meaney as well outside shot the ball well.” The big men were influential for both teams as ever. “Their American, Matt Betley scored over twenty points. He was very strong, very aggressive going to the boards also.” “We have DART Killester in the league and the cup in next two weeks so thats our next big challenge. “We want to get on tv”, adds Conor James. A win over Killester in the cup means a televised games in the Arena. Defence was key for Marian and they kept Elks from getting inside, even keeping Ian O’Boyle Irish international player under ten points for the game. If they can restrict DART Marian are a good tip to go far this year.

It’s been a long hard season for the Eircom League as a whole. Unfortunately for UCD, at the end of it all, the league table won’t make for pleasant reading. No matter what they do next week, they will finish bottom. Unlike most other years they were not able to prove the critics wrong and after four years in the top flight of Irish football, they will find themselves in the First Division next year. There are a number of reasons that could be cited as cause for their relegation but UCD Soccer Executive Diarmuid McNally tells us of the three main factors in his opinion. “The fact that three teams were going down meant it was always going to be tough. Added to that, we lost a lot of key experienced players, the likes of Darren Quigley, Tony McDonnell and Conor Sammon due to budget constraints. We don’t have the spending power of other clubs and so the standard of player we can bring in is not as good as theirs. When you combine those three key issues it was always going to be a difficult season.” While Matt Gregg’s immense season has reduced the blow of losing former Ireland U21 keeper, Darren Quigley, they have been unable

Eoghan Brophy talks to UCD drop to the ﬁrst division to replace Conor Sammon up front, only managing to score 19 goals in 32 games this season, the lowest by far of any team in the league. The cold fact is that UCD just don’t have the money to bring new players in. “We have to develop players, so when we lose an experienced player, it’s not a case of automatically replacing them, we have to bring in young players to develop so that hit us last year,” McNally states. “The rest of the teams in the league spent a lot of money. At the start of the year there were nine full-time teams and three part-time teams; Rovers, Bray and ourselves and even Rovers

One club, bought players off us, played them against us and we’re still waiting to be paid. That’s just an example of what’s going on

UCD Manager Pete Mahon write exclusively for the College Tribune

For Pete’s Sake After the disappointment of our defeat to Bohemians last week and our relegation to the First Division, we travelled to Richmond Park last Friday. Unfortunately we were on the end of yet another disappointing defeat. To concede a goal in injury time of the ﬁrst half is always disappointing and this one was really hard to take. Firstly the manner of which Pat’s scored, a counterattack from what was our own attacking free kick. Secondly, I thought our skipper Conor Kenna was fouled in the box, I thought it should have been penalty. In fairness to Pat’s though, Barry Ryan released the ball very quickly, they broke away from his throw, created a three versus one oppor-

Pete Mahon “Next year will be tough. The sixty-four million dollar question is will our players stay on next year”

tunity, and Keith Fahey doesn’t miss when he’s given a chance. He’s an absolutely brilliant player. He’s matured as a player, and the thing is, he seems to be getting even better. I read recently that Fahey could be moving on. If he does, while it’ll be a major loss to the league and Pat’s, you can’t hold back players of that ability. Mark Quigley is another good Pat’s player, so when you play some of the best players in the league it is always going to be tough. We huffed and puffed throughout the game but only had a few half chances from set-pieces. We didn’t get any lucky breaks all season and it’s well documented that we don’t have the quality in the ﬁnal third of the pitch. We were not able to score enough goals this year and that’s the bottom line. Until such a

time when we get a couple of forwards in, I’m afraid it’ll always be the same old story. Next year will be tough. The sixty-four million dollar question is will our players stay on next year. Any good players will want to play in the Premier Division. So I think what it will come down to is how many of our players want to play in the First Division. Another problem is that in a meeting last Monday, I was informed that the college is reducing the playing budget for the squad next year by 30 percent. Obviously that’s going to cause it’s own problems but other clubs are no differ-

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

Sport

Look out below

WESTY’S SUPERLEAGUE FOOTBALL’S NOT COMING HOME

soccer executive Diarmuid McNally about the Student’s and Bray would have spent a fair bit of money.” The League of Ireland has constantly been in the press for the wrong reasons with clubs overspending. The Students are one of only four not to experience some sort of financial difficulty this year and it is obviously very frustrating for everyone at UCD including the soccer executive. “Obviously we have an issue with the clubs overspending. We seem hard done by. We continued to obey the rules while the other teams went and overspent and took points off us, I believe unfairly. One club, bought players off us, played them against us and we’re still waiting to be paid. That’s just an example of what’s going on.” While McNally didn’t explicitly say which team this was the aforementioned Conor Sammon and Darren Quigley are two players that fit into this description. Both moved to Derry

and played against UCD earlier on in the season. While it is possible that Premier Division teams won’t receive licences to play in the Premier Division next year the Soccer Executive believes that “it is a possibility but I think it’s a long shot.” Realistically the Students can’t dwell on the past and have to be aware of the reality of life in the First Division next season. 2003 was the last time that UCD were relegated but they bounced back up the next year ﬁnishing second in the First Division in 2004. However, McNally is well aware of how tough it will be next season. “It will be a strong First Division next year. You’re going to have twelve teams in it; the likes of Dundalk, Fingal, Cobh, Galway, ourselves and you’re going to have to win it to come back up so it will be tough. There will be three or four clubs who will possibly have a bigger budget

ent to us. There’s going to be a readjustment in the league as regards players wages and players demands as reportedly 80 percent of players in the league will be out of contract by the end of this year. With the budget next year, you’ve got to see what players you want to keep. It’s well known we need to bring some players in, we need to get some forwards in here and after that, there’s no real problem with the rest of the team. But as I said it’s all about if we can hold onto the players. It’s very difficult to produce and develop players in the Premier Division when you’re getting beaten most weeks. That only leads to players losing confidence and without confidence it’s very hard to win matches. So maybe from that point of view, the First Division could give some of the lads a chance to develop, become more confident footballers and get that winning feeling back again. But the first division won’t be easy either. Shelbourne or Dundalk will

than us so it will be difficult. “ Once again UCD will have trouble of trying to keep players and that is added to after relegation. “We will lose players for two reasons,” the club official says. “The budget will be cut as prize money, potential sponsorship and gate money all drop and also players might not want to play in the first division.” So it seems all doom and gloom at the Bowl but there is some light. UCD’s youth structure is as strong as ever and they are playing in the A-League final on Tuesday night in Belfield Bowl. McNally is well aware of the quality of young players available. “If we do lose a lot of first team players we have a number of players who will be able to come through and compete at First Division level.” It will be difficult to get out of the First Division but UCD have done it before and next season they will be looking to do it again.

win the First Division this year, but the side’s left behind in that division (coupled with two of Galway, Cobh and Finn Harps) are very competitive and we won’t have it as easy as we might think. On my own future and position, I’ve got to assess things. I have got to take a lot factors into account. I’m six years at UCD now and that’s a long time to be at the club. I don’t know if I have one kick left in me, but we’ll see. Obviously over that break, we’ll get the chance to relax a little bit because to be honest we’re all tired. The players are shattered. I’m tired myself! It’s been a long hard season for us, travelling up and down the country and playing against good teams every week takes a lot out of you. So hopefully we can recharge the batteries over the close season and Christmas time, and after that I’ll have a perspective on things. But right now, I’m just looking ahead to our ﬁnal game of the season next week at home to Galway United and then taking it easy for a few weeks after that.

SUPER LEAGUE

The referee’s a wanker

Welcome back, its been a long two weeks, made even longer by the onset of the quickly approaching exams and essay deadlines but fear not! In an effort to stem the tide of monotony the ever pleasant Superleague Administration Project by Services (SAPS) employees have started up the League Cup, how is it organised? No one knows. Why bother? Why bother indeed. All any of us know is that there is beer to be won. But lets be honest, who gives a shit about the League Cup, Spurs won the English one last year for Christ’s sake. Lets instead turn our gaze to the lawmen, the infantry, the P.C. Plods of our fair campus. Yes, ladies and gentlemen the referee’s. Appointed by SAPS the referees rule the roost on the pitch throughout the academic year. Never will 22 men bend to one mans will as quickly as you will see the two teams of any given match bow before their overlord. So sure of their decisions they will have you believing that, “Ah I probably did deserve that red card” immediately after you were sent to the showers early for spitting. While many of us have done like

the Sports Department wanted us to do and coughed up fifty smackers to partake in the glory that is Superleague. However, there is one or two bright spark wandering the halls of the campus. While we are swanning around on astro pitches laden with empty cans of Dutch Gold and real pitches covered in used and semi-used condoms (one goal mouth over the weekend looked like Calum Best’s bedside table), they are firmly planted in the centre circle dealing out justice with an iron fist. Not only are they doing absolutely nothing, but they are getting paid nearly €50 a game. So all they have to do is blow there whistle a few times point in one direction or another (it makes very little difference which direction because no one takes Superleague that seriously, except for Brazilchester, my sources tell me they train nine times a week, loosers) Sorry for the digression but I really hate those smug bastards. Anyway the point is refereeing is a serious business. While strolling through UCD,D over the weekend I happened upon one of the afor mentioned League

Cup games. It was administered by the oddest little toad I have ever laid eyes on. Dressed entirely from head to toe in waterproof apparel, none of which was matching, he had is hood up and his whistle clamped ﬁrmly between his teeth. Truly a god amongst referees. Had this fella been twenty years younger he would have got the staring role in Lord of The Rings no question asked. While chatting to one of the subs I discovered that this ref has a bit of a reputation; “Last year that hobbit stopped a match 35 minutes in so he cold go and take a shit! Like what the f**k! He was gone for twenty minutes.” Very odd indeed. Perhaps, more confusing is the fact that a sixty year old man is refereeing a student orientated competition. Isn’t there some young children he could be abusing, I would have thought a load of 20+ students would be unappealing to him. But then of course they were all wearing shorts and as any good pervert knows, thats half the battle.

STEPHEN WEST

International Rules What’s the point?

Sport

Page 16

Felipe Contepomi An exclusive chat to the Leinster fly half and Puma captain Page 17

Issue 5 | Volume 22 | 12th November 2008

Saints ease to victory over Scholars ■ Colman Byrne

St. Pats UCD

Saint Patrick’s Athletic put any thoughts of alleged betting scandal to one side as they beat UCD in Richmond Park last Friday. s On the day that some of Ireland’s national papers had reported that players from St Pat’s have been allegedly betting against themselves in recent games, the win restored some pride for everyone connected to the Inchicore club. For UCD’s part, the defeat was just another to add to the collection in what has been a disapointing season. The ﬁrst half was a drab affair with both sides cancelling each other out. Despite this though, the college were under pressure after only two minutes. Ian Bermingham’s clearance went across the six yard box

2 0

Richmond Park

and keeper Matt Gregg collected. Referee Anthony Buttimer whistled for a pass-back, and from the resulting free, Pat’s Keith Fahey narrowly missed the top corner. It wasn’t until the ﬁnal minutes of the half that the game ﬁnally came alive. In the 43rd minute, Pat’s produced some of their best build-up play. Fahey and Kirby exchanged passes before O’Brien zipped the ball across the box. Saints skipper Jamie Harris looked set to score at the far post only for Brian Shorthall to brilliantly clear with Harris

waiting to score. A minute later and UCD had their first first chance of the game. Shane Duggan’s free 30 yards from goal was viciously swung into the six yard box and UCD skipper Conor Kenna was inches away from making contact when only a touch was required to find the net. But football can be a cruel game and Pat’s were clinical in hitting UCD immediately on the counterattack. Saints keeper Barry Ryan released American Ryan Guy over the half-way line. Guy raced forward, spotted a great run by Fahey and played a pin-point ball through. The classy Fahey chested the ball down, showed great ball control and then composure to expertly put the ball past Gregg. The move displayed why Fahey is nominated for PFAI Player of the Year award and attracting the attention of teams across the water. It was also an ex-

ample of UCD conceding easy goals and the bad luck that has haunted Pete Mahon’s side all season. But for the concession of the goal on the stroke of half-time (and Fahey’s impact), nothing had separated the two sides. UCD brought on Darren Meenan for Ronan Finn at half-time in a bid to change things. But the Saints were quickest out of the blocks as Declan O’Brien’s dangerous cross from the left nearly evaded everyone and narrowly missed the target. But UCD had a short spell of dominance and possession a few minutes after. Indeed after forcing a few corners, a passing move including the excellent Birmingham and Kenna culminated in the ball falling to Shane McFaul. The midﬁelder’s deﬂected shot from 30 yards evaded the top corner by inches and had Ryan scrambling in the Saints goal.

Two minutes later though and again St Pat’s UCD were punished again. Jason Gavin was initially stronger in the tackle than McFaul on the halfway line, as he then released Guy down the right flank. A neat move involving Guy and Quigley before Fahey surged forward. The midfielder played a one-two with Kirby, drew the attention of the UCD defence before feeding Kirby again to drill the ball home. With the second goal in the bag, the game was effectively over. UCD kept plugging away and had late headed efforts from Evan McMillan and Alan McNally, but in truth Pats eased through the gears as they played out the final minutes. UCD: (4-5-1) Gregg, Shorthall, Bermingham, Kenna, McMillan, Fitzgerald (Paul Cahalane 84), McFaul, McNally, Finn (Meenan 45), Duggan, McWalter (Purcell 84)

INSIDE

IT COULD BE MAGIC

CECELIA AHERN

UGG BOOTS

PAGE 9

TIME TO BIN THEM PAGE 8

MAGICK MACABRE PAGE 12

AN EXCLUSIVE CHAT WITH TOM DUNNE PAGE 6

HEY MR. DJ

n e r i S the

College Tribune Arts & Culture Supplement | 12.11.08

Siren MUSIC the

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

Baroque and roll It is easy to imagine, if you are soinclined, that if the lyrics of Bono and the music of Mark Ronson were to have a love child, it would be Duke Special. This Lisburn-born legend has taken a style of theatrical musical score and coupled its orchestral ballet with poetic lyrics that would make even the most depressed Goth feel a bit of love - or possibly even more depressed. As any self respecting crackerjack of the Irish music industry might be

aware, Duke Special is the man behind 2007’s Last Night I Nearly Died and Freewheel, songs of unparalleled lyrical and orchestral power which, presumably because they were originating from an Irish soul, became ‘uncool’ in the eyes of the ever trendy. Apparently, it’s uncool to like romantic music.... “Damien who?” I

hear you cry. Duke’s new album I Never Thought This Day Would Come will unfortunately win him no new fans. The power of Freewheel doesn’t seem to make an appearance but there is of course the ever present beautiful natural imagery associated with obviously painful memories common to every listener lucky enough to identify with his lyrics. The record also, unfortunately, lacks the punch of the ballad, but Duke has nonetheless graced

DUKE SPECIAL I NEVER THOUGHT THIS DAY WOULD COME

★★★★★

us once again with his amazing ability to write poetic tracks which stir the soul as well as our auditory senses. If you have already been entranced by Duke Special, there will be a signiﬁcant emotional movement in you when

you hear the opening piano of the opening track Mocking Bird Wish Me Luck for the ﬁrst time. While the lack of the ballad is lamentable, Duke continues his mix of swinging tracks. Representative of this is the inclusion of Flesh And Blood Dance, which is by far the best track of the album and would have been a more desirable choice of release as a single than the merely perfunctory Sweet Sweet Kisses. This record will, of course, not fail to inspire die-hard fans of his style, however it is extremely likely that people who have not already been captivated by his earlier material will not feel the lure of the Duke. Nonetheless, the quality of I Never Thought This Day Would Come is such that you should be more than happy to content yourself with giving this album pride of place in your collection, as a beacon of redemption in what must inevitably be, by comparison, an otherwise humdrum and antiquated library of tracks. GRAHAM HARKNESS

JASON DONOVAN

RAZORLIGHT

THE SMITHS

SLIPWAY FIRES

THE SOUND OF THE SMITHS

LET IT BE ME Pregnant with cheesiness, Jason Donovan’s fourth album, Let It Be Me, sounds vaguely familiar. This bumper album of 17 tracks is essentially a rendition album of popular 50’s and 60’s tunes, with all the freshness of Christmas sprouts in August. Simply put, they are crooner tunes. Once you get past this glaring obstacle, the album is not terrible - it might even be considered good - which is ultimately symptomatic of the entropy in modern music. The title track is probably played at many a wedding or 50th anniversary song, and fans of the TV show Knight Rider might recall ‘the Hoff’ doing a less notable rendition of this tune; resurrecting 80’s demons evidently seems so ‘noughties’. The double A-side ﬁrst single, Dreamboats and Petticoats / Be My Baby, gives the listener a deﬁnite idea

of what the album is about. Donovan manages to pull the album off fairly convincingly but it ends up sounding like a very good karaoke routine; no wonder he has managed to make it to Number 1 in Japan in the past. These are tunes you have heard before - most likely on the jukebox in Eddie Rockets. Your mother might like it for Christmas. KEVIN DOYLE

★★★★★

Even upon just the ﬁrst listen, it is apparent that Slipway Fires is more experimental than its predecessors. The album is splintered with various contradicting sounds that make it difﬁcult to describe the record in one term. Bravely, Razorlight have delivered eleven tracks where they have manipulated and played with musical forms. The opening songs, following on from single Wire To Wire, begin softly before bursting into a loud chorus - and then just quietly fade away, creating a mellower sound. Yet Tabloid Lover, with its electric guitar intro and crashing drums, comes as a shock to those who think that this is just another sentimental record. This 80’s sounding track could have been corny, but it really works thanks to its amusing lyrics. Burberry Blue Eyes’ syncopated piano is another pleasant surprise, with a catchy chorus.

This playful side is contrasted with the darker elements heard in Stinger, a song which, in parts, is reminiscent of Pink Floyd. The same darkness also lurks in Slipway Fires’ ﬁnal track, The House. Most interestingly, it is not just the lyrics or music that creates this haunted sound but Johnny Borrell’s voice, which has clearly become stronger. Although there are only glimpses of Razorlight’s indie sound, their experimenting has paid off, creating a mature sound and a great record. FIONA REDMOND

★★★★★

The notion of another Smiths collection is dull to many. However, on closer inspection this is a more complete and worthwhile group. The songs have been remastered and the release has been overseen by both Johnny Marr and Morrissey. Indeed, The Sound Of The Smiths bears a vast similarity to previous Greatest Hits packages. Thankfully though, the most conspicuous of these similarities is that the songs are simply stunning. The twenty-three songs range from the snappy, laconic two-minute tunes of pop perfection, to the lengthy laments of How Soon Is Now? The remastering of the songs is not deeply apparent but it injects a subtle punch and vivaciousness. In particular, songs which featured on the band’s eponymous debut beneﬁt greatly. This Charming Man manages to sound even more vivid and Still Ill is provided with a sweeter

crunch than originally. Instead of selecting songs based on chart positions, these are just the greatest of the many that The Smiths recorded. They are songs which can soothe, console and liberate. The catchy Ask will compel you to dance and sing, and the ﬁnal track will induce you to weep. The chosen material is powerful, succeeding in displaying the lyrical magniﬁcence of Morrissey and the sonic brilliance of Marr throughout. EVAN O’LEARY

★★★★★

neriS eht

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

MUSIC

It’s just not cricket Eimear O’Grady from One Day International talks to John Whiteboard about the band’s recent album and atmospheric live shows, while mentioning absolutely nothing about cricket. The first sounds to greet the listener on One Day International’s debut record, Blackbird, are those of the band tuning up. While this gives the sense of the range of the band and the organic nature of the record, it also makes it very clear that this is a record made by a group still finding themselves. Cellist Eimear O’Grady explains; “The set ambition was that we made a really good album, learn to play together as a band and also to produce the sound of One Day International.” The songs push against traditional arrangements and structures, creating a tension and releasing dynamic as the music swells between layered pop structures and moving instrumental pieces. Little Death, for instance, moves along briskly, showing experimentation and imagination before settling down on a plucked string and piano melody which again swells into a simple mantra repeated over beautifully swirling strings on the outro. Yet despite the critical acclaim, and definite success in having outdone their set ambitions, ODI have remained modest about their work “Well we really just tried and threw everything at it, everything we knew and some new things; just to try to find good sounds. It’s a learning process”. And so, the album from the first noise shows its organic nature and a sense of the process involved in the making. Perhaps it’s this honesty that gives the record an emotional resonance which leaves critics referring to

their music as ‘mature lullabies’ and drawing comparisons to Efterklang The Guillemots and Rufus Wainright. As regards this image of the band, Eimear concurs; “Well those are great comparisons to get and yeah I guess there’s alot of ‘lullaby’ tinged with nostalgia and feelings of great love but also within that there’s some very atmospheric places. Hopefully the music will ‘place’ people.” The band formed in early 2007 and spent over a year working with

Brian Crosby, of Bell X1 fame, crafting Blackbird. The time and effort spent on the making of the album is apparent from the ﬁrst listen, and the idea of ‘placing’ is especially strong throughout. This aspect of the album is maintained both through the amazing attention to detail present in the production techniques but also in the band’s willingness to explore their own space within the studio. Eimear, talking about the recording process, stated: “It was really just

PONY CLUB

» One Day International support Bell X1 at Vicar Street on November 13th

WU-TANG CLAN

POST ROMANTIC Mark Cullen and Pony Club have a history on the Irish scene; this is their third album released here. The band was formed following Mark’s return from London after emigrating with another band. Post Romantic is supposed to be the ‘reminder’ that Pony Club still exist - but the songs all sound dated, poorly recorded, occasionally completely misguided and bland. All this is in spite of the fact that Cullen is a damn good song writer. He drops clever little lines, showing the boredom and repetition of modern Irish life through a pervading sense of world-weary malaise sparked with anger. When this works, it provides the album’s high points, as in I Still Feel The Same and To Tell The Truth. However, the truth is that this album does not represent some grandiose escape from that malaise. Cullen will occasionally drop a great lyric, but that really isn’t enough to make an album good. Even this talent gets lost in

about ﬁnding different sounds and sound-scapes ... we really just tried and threw everything at it.” One listen to the beautiful Sleeping On Trains - as it progresses through harmonies made of cello, glockenspiel and piano until what almost sounds like a conductor hitting his score in order to keep his orchestra from getting carried within their own emotional resonance to the song - and this idea of ‘placing’ is brought perfectly to the fore without any of the pastiche or grandeur associ-

ated with the post-rock moniker. That kind of eclecticism has gradually become a main feature of Irish music in recent years, perhaps in some of kind of backlash to the ‘average night in Whelan’s listening to another boring singer-songwriter’ trend of a few years back. Artists like Bell X1, Cathy Davey, Lisa Hannigan et al, have built up this sound through quality releases and paved the way for One Day International. However, bringing this type of music to a live setting then places the band in position of having to redraft songs just to have the manpower to play them. “Well we had kept our cards close to our chests, we hadn’t really formed, so we formed, as a ﬁve-piece within that studio”. Nonetheless, it is exactly this kind of challenge that ODI seem to especially love. Rather than going for the less-is-more approach, ODI try to recreate the sound through synths and sample reels, in order to still drive home this emotional resonance that is so essential to their sound. “What people have said to me when they watch the gig is that it’s such a united front and it’ll bring you along this path of tension and release. It’s a really atmospheric thing and we’re trying to bring that with us and it’ll feel like having gone a journey with the band”.

ENTER THE

the constant repetition of themes and poor delivery. The major problem with the record is that there really just isn’t anything new or even interesting here. The song formats are all tired old structures. Instrumentally there is little that wouldn’t have been a staple of Irish indie music before the Frames. When Pony Club do try to go for something different, it ends up sounding like a dull Guillemots playing bad Jape songs. Post Romantic misﬁres completely. JOHN WHITEBOARD

★★★★★

The Wu-Tang Clan never set out to change hip-hop but, in November 1993, they did just that. These days, the WuTang Clan’s name is so well-known that even your grandfather probably rocks Wu-Wear boxer shorts, but back when their debut single Protect Ya Neck was released they were a cold splash of water straight to the face. Naysayers were instantly sceptical about their success and issued a long litany of complaints; ‘the tracks aren’t well-mastered, it sounds like somebody’s demo tape, and who are these guys with the kung-fu movie samples?’ They missed the point, and to this day they’re probably still scratching their heads and wondering why the Clan blew up. Suddenly, the whole world of rap was turned on its head with a single, timeless, and ground-breaking album; Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) had arrived. Back then the nine men who made up the Wu Tang Clan were the epitome of rap’s underground. Without the gloss of 2Pac or Dre, outside of the eastcoast-west-coast feuds, low on hype and production values, this was hip hop that was never going to trouble the charts but that was how the Wu-Tang wanted it. Yet the album sold solidly, by 1995 it had gone platinum, and hasn’t stopped selling since.

WU-TANG This is the sound of accidental fame. NOVEMBER Something as 9TH 1993 unique and unusual as this record isn’t supposed to ﬁnd itself at the height of commercial viability; it’s supposed to smoulder underground, hidden from the view of mainstream America, who surely would not be ready for such a challenge. However, America was ready, in part because this one challenged convention, not listeners. Sure, its sloppy drum programming, bizarre song structures, and unpolished sound quality disturbed commercial rap purists, but the talent was so inherent and obvious, and the charisma so undeniable, that it propelled the Wu-Tang Clan to the height of the rap game. Today it stands not just as the hip-hop classic that introduced the concept of obscure thematic characters - each member’s name references old kung-fu movies - but also bridged the gap between traditional old-school sensibilities and the technical lyricism of today. The album introduced a colourful cast who would go on to sell millions of records both individually and collectively, star in various movies, even

have a bestselling video game - anyone who hasn’t played Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style hasn’t lived - and clothing label. RZA, GZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, UGod, Masta Killa and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard would go on to have varying degrees of success after the 36 Chambers, but few would doubt this was their high point. So dirty, they were clean. So rugged, they were beautiful. The Wu-Tang Clan may not have planned it that way, but that was the impact they had when they surprised the nation with Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). The theme was so strong and powerful it immediately captured the imagination of hiphop heads everywhere, a clan of lethal rapping warriors whose versatile styles could attack you from every angle. And they still haven’t explained where the album’s name came from...

PHILIP CONNOLLY

Siren MUSIC the

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

Messianic Expertise Sebastian Clare chats to Messiah J Messiah J took time out from MJEX’s hectic touring schedule to chat with Sebastian Clare about their new album From The Word Go ‘Third time’s a charm’ would probably be the best way to describe the reception to Messiah J & The Expert’s latest release. Following on from the moderate success of 2006’s Now This I Have To Hear, nominated for the Choice Music Prize, and 2002’s What’s Confusing You, the new record has a elicited an overwhelmingly positive response from the music press. Messiah J explains why; “I think it’s very eclectic and everything just clicks together really well while, at the same time, being really varied. You know you’ve got lots of real different influences on the album – at times it kinda sounds kinda indie, sometimes kinda reggaeish, psychedelic. Definitely the songwriting has tightened up and you know we really know how to craft songs better than we have before. I think, you know, it’s a catchy album as well and it says a lot so it’s got the best of all the worlds there.” The Expert certainly played his part in creating the praiseworthy sound of the record, utilising very little in the way of samples and instead preferring to use as much ‘real’ recorded music as possible, as J is quick to point out; “We got a great horn section in, and they were top dogs on the Irish scene! Then the string quartet came in and did a really good job as well. I think that added to the record sonically. What the Expert’s so good at is being able to just meld samples and real recorded music together and sometimes you can’t tell what’s what. And that’s why he’s a genius.” The near-universal critical acclaim that has greeted From The Word go is a source of pride for J but, characteristically, the pair are refusing to let it go to their heads – as with any self-respecting group, their prime concern is the reaction of their loyal fans. “It’s influential when the press say nice things about you, it’s great. The thing we care about more than anything though is what the punters think and what your average person thinks, and I think that we’ve gotten really good feedback on that level from our fanbase and that, so it’s been great you know? Long may it last.” From The Word Go certainly differs from its predecessors in that it contains noticeably more politically-charged lyrical content. “I suppose we just wanted to have a look around, see what the world was like, and comment

on it. Because at the moment, things are very strange and politically things are a bit bizarre. But there’s a lot of themes running through the album; there’s kinda being a bit afraid of growing up, becoming old, having to pick certain responsibilities, I think there’s definitely a sense of duty and having to leave a legacy that’s kinda hanging as a milestone or something”. Explaining this lyrical shift, J states; “We just wanted to do different things, we don’t wanna repeat ourselves. We shed light on some issues and ask important questions.” Throughout their career thus far, the duo have maintained ‘day jobs’, ploughing any profit they make from record sales back into the music-making process. J is uncertain about any prospect of becoming professional musicians any time soon: “It’s very difficult because making money from music is extremely difficult. We were just talking to another band last night who were telling us exactly the same thing and they’ve toured all over the world - and they were considering getting day jobs again because they can’t pay for things, so… It’s something that we strive to do and very much want to because that’s my idea of success. You know some people think, ‘oh, you’re famous’. Whatever, who cares about that kinda thing? I think just being able to be a full-time musician is kinda the dream.” The pair play the Student Bar on Thursday and are looking forward to it, having played the UCD Ball in April, a night J remembers fondly: “We tried out a few of the new songs that have ended up on From The Word Go – I think we did Jean Is Planning An Escape, Keep The Noise Down and Megaphone Man. That was one of the only gigs where we actually tested the new stuff and it seemed to go down well. It was cool, really deadly – you know college balls can be great because college students are just waiting for someone to lap up... We’re playing the Student Bar on Thursday night, I think we’re on at about 10pm or so, and I’d totally recommend the band that’s supporting us – a band called Nouveaunoise, who have supported us before – and I think people should come down early to see that.”

» Messiah J & The Expert play the Student Bar on November 13th

o C Un

What is always the highlight of the year for jazz aﬁcionados in this country was controversially undermined this year due to the lack of Irish talent on the bill. Nonetheless, we must take it for what it is; an international feast of great music. The weekend began with headline act, Chick Corea / John Mc Laughlin Five Piece Band, which took place at the Cork Opera House. It was a nostalgic event that featured two of the greatest Jazz Fusion pioneers on display. The leaders, on Fender Rhodes Keyboard and Electric Guitar respectively, opened with a duet rendition of In A Silent Way, a Miles Davis piece on which they both featured back in 1969. It was thirty years since they last played together but the symmetry was not lost. The rest of the band - featuring modern drumming icon Vinnie Colluita, bass supremo Christian McBride, and alto man Kenny Gareth - took the stage to an equally rapturous applause from a knowledgeable and appreciative audience. The material was as predicted, mainly jazz fusion drawing on the electric Miles Davis era, but also included some Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever pieces. What impressed throughout was the seemingly effortless interplay between the front line and Kenny Gareth himself, who played the least but was still the highlight performer. McBride’s energy, combined with Colluita, offered an atmosphere one would typically associate with a rowdy stadium-rock concert. The Miles Davis theme continued through Friday night as drummer Cindy Blackman, best known for her work with Len-

ny Krawitz, ripped it up with her very own quartet. Her set contained music from the Miles songbook circa Tony Williams, and her playing certainly mirrored his. Like the Chick Corea gig, the audience was treated to a sporadic round of ‘name that tune’ as her band sprinkled slivers of separate pieces into their set. I sat beside Cormack Larkin of the Irish Times who couldn’t make the distinction; such was its skilful placement. Dublin-based quartet Trihornophone made up for the lack of Irish acts on display and their performance will hopefully ensure some greatly deserved festival time for our home-grown players in the near future. Trihornophone employ a peculiar instrumentation featuring this year’s ‘Rising Irish Star’ recipient Sean-Og on alto sax, recent Newpark graduate - and touring member of The Commitments - Kelan Walsh on baritone sax, Bill Blackmore - a member of the highly esteemed Kai Band - on trumpet, and

Dennis Cassidy - perhaps Ireland’s foremost drum’n’bass/ hip-hop drummer - on percussive materials and toys. The absence of a standard bass fulcrum goes unnoticed in this ensemble as composer Sean-Og touches the realms of jazz, balkan, pop and other genres. Such is the credibility of his writing, and those performing, it is avant-garde yet highly accessible. Highlights of the set included Warp And Woof, a hip fanfare of brass chords lit up by Cassidy’s insatiable drum and bass. Markula Vistala was the only song not penned by SeanOg. One onlooker described his arrangement of this Russian folk song as the “national anthem of the youth, the forward looking, and the completely bizarre”. Yet again another man who made a name alongside Miles Davis, but in a completely different era, graced the great city of Cork. Birth Of The Cool altoist Lee Konitz accompanied one of Europe’s tightest and

neriS eht

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

MUSIC

A sideways look at...

Armistice Day

d e k r o

Resident jazz junkie Bryan Dunleavy trekked down to the people’s republic in order to sample some of the morsels at this year’s International Jazz Festival.

most colourful jazz trios, namely Martial Solal on piano and the twins Francois and Louis Moutin on double-bass and drums. This concert was subdued in comparison with the aforementioned, but Konitz’s astute knowledge of harmony, as well as the Moutin brothers who were constantly challenging if not sparring with each other, perfectly matched Solal and his full chordal approach and intelligent use of space ala Kenny Werner. Solal was awarded ‘Best Jazz in Europe Award’ and, ﬁt-

tingly, the ‘Jazz Legend Award’ went to Lee Konitz. Dave Liebman, sideman to the greats and powerhouse in his own right, took the stage at the Half Moon theatre late Sunday night. It was a long two years since he appeared at the ‘Dublin Dave Liebman Festival’ arranged by Newpark Director of Jazz Ronan Guilfoyle. After years of playing together, Dave Liebman Group is a closely-attuned band that plays challenging, colourful music that seems capable of draw-

ing the most blasé of audiences into its orbit. It wasn’t easy to pinpoint what was actually going on but it worked in the grander scale of things. The skill of writing this complex music must be accompanied by the skill of presenting an obvious - if complicated - musical pulse. The energy of the set was most encapsulating. In layman’s terms, you could hear them sweating. The majority of punters spent the weekend at ‘The Gresham Festival Club’ which hosted a weekend of all day music for a relatively low price. The roster contained Dixieland groups from the southern states, a favorite among the older crowd, punk-jazz groups including Jazz Kamikaze, a favorite among our college’s Jazz and Erasmus societies, and plenty of swing from the likes of Dave Lytle and Dubliner Michael Buckley. Also getting down were the Commodores. This funk soul band unleashed groovy floor fillers by the likes of James Brown and Kool and the Gang. To the delight of everyone in Sheila’s hostel, they came back to perform a more intimate set involving cutlery, plates and other household objects. An finally, a weekend of chin scratching, confusing, enlightening, nostalgic, funky, aggressive and mellow music, would not have been complete with the band of An Garda Siochana. The crowd delightfully indulged in the opportunity to party in a Garda presence, one of whom was a dab hand at impersonating Frank ‘old blue eyes’ Sinatra.

» The Jazz weekend has passed and we all must be patient. But Dublin boasts some of the best jazz in Europe. Check out www. improvisedmusic.ie for more.

As yesterday is the 90th anniversary of the end to one of the most bloody and pointless conflicts in history, it seems appropriate to pick out a few noteworthy songs that are inspired by the events of the Great War. Note that these don’t include the contemporary songs - if those pique your interest more then look up Oh, What A Lovely War. A musical about the First World War? You better believe it. All Together Now – The Farm To the tune of Pachelbel’s Canon in D, this song celebrates the bond and brotherhood of those French, British and German soldiers who spontaneously came together in No Man’s Land, sparking the unofficial Christmas Truce: “A spirit stronger than war was working that night / December 1914, cold, clear and bright / Countries’ borders were right out of sight / They joined together and decided not to fight”.

» http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Wv4C7Xi-6wY

The Soldiering Life – The Decemberists This song, weaving a sensitive tale of comradeship, brotherhood and same-sex love in the trenches, seems to sensitively recall the latent homoeroticism of Jennifer Johnston’s How Many Miles To Babylon? As with most Decemberists’ records, the lyrics are unique: “But you / My bombazine doll / The bullets may singe your skin and the mortars may fall”. » http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=O3-G_shHMxo No Man’s Land – Eric Bogle A haunting lament for a fallen soldier,

Wednesday 12th November: Bell X1, Vicar Street, €31, doors at 8pm Clinic, The Village, €15, doors at 7.30pm Thursday 13th November Death Cab For Cutie, Ambassador, €33, doors at 7.30pm White Lies, Whelan’s, €12.50, doors at 8pm Saturday 15th November The Fratellis, Ambassador, €33, doors at 7.30pm TV On The Radio, Tripod, €27.50, doors at 7.30pm Sunday 16th November Jay Reatard, Upstairs in Whelan’s, €14, doors at 8pm Monday 17th November Primal Scream, Olympia, €40, doors at 8pm Tuesday 18th November Opeth, Vicar Street, €32, doors at 8pm Genghis Tron, Whelan’s, €14, doors at 8pm

reflecting on the unanswerable questions for the departed: “And I can’t help but wonder now, Willie McBride / Do all those who lie here know why they died? / Did you really believe them when they told you the ‘cause’? / Did you really believe that this war would end wars?” » http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=h1VD84SLW8I Christmas In The Trenches – John McCutcheon A ballad narrated by a fictional British soldier called Francis Tolliver. This, like All Together Now, is based around the ceasefire on certain parts of the Western Front in December 1914, and examines the effect it had on the participants: “The walls they’d kept between us to exact the work of war / Had been crumbled and were gone forevermore”. » http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=s9coPzDx6tA And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda – Eric Bogle Covered most brilliantly by the Pogues, this story of an Australian sent to Gallipoli is about as maudlin as you can get, tugging at the heartstrings relentlessly – we follow the subject as he is sent to war, crippled, and by the end of the song is an old man wondering why his comrades are so proud: “And the young people ask, ‘What are they marching for?’ / And I ask myself the same question”. One of the most poignant anti-war anthems ever penned.

» http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WG48Ftsr3OI

» SEBASTIAN CLARE

Wednesday 19th November Volcano!, Upstairs in Whelan’s, €10, doors at 8.30pm Thursday 20th November Feeder, Ambassador, €33, doors at 7.30pm Saturday 22nd November The Saw Doctors, Olympia, €34, doors at 7.15pm Chairlift, Crawdaddy, €14, doors at 8pm Sunday 23rd November Tindersticks, Vicar Street, €35, doors at 8.30pm Mighty Atomics, Eamonn Dorans, €10, doors at 8pm Monday 24th November Duffy, Olympia, €40, doors at 8pm Sarah Bareilles, Academy, €22, doors at 8pm Lykke Li, Button Factory, €17, doors at 8pm

Seb’s Pick: Death Cab for Cutie plays the Ambassador on the 13th

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College Tribune | November 12th 2008

Testing Times for a m Tom Dunne takes time out of his busy schedule to talk to Jennifer Bray about living the DJ-ing dream Interviewed in the College Tribune back in 1996 as a curly haired rocker fresh onto the DJ-ing scene with 98fm and then Today FM, his current position on the more serious and hard-hitting Newstalk is reminiscent of the transformation and change of his life at present. Twelve years ago, Dunne was the frontman of popular band Something Happens, honoured with accolades such as best Irish single of all time for the memorable ‘parachute’. Though still fronting the band, Dunne concedes that they play more in the line of “one gig a year”, quickly adding that it is still as brilliant now as it was then. Nowadays, the accolades continue to roll in. Dunne was voted Most Respected Face of the Irish Music Industry, beating of stiff competition from the likes of Bono and Van Morrison. “I was stunned. I never got a response from Bono about it, I never really brought it up with him, don’t want to make him jealous” he says in a tone that literally sags with apathy. Clearly, the plaudits mean little today. Instead, Dunne’s time is now divided between the bawling bravados of his newborn baby, as opposed to those of the rock scene he once dallied in. Tales abound, Dunne reveals the exploits and diva fits of his band. “We all had our little diva-esque moments. One day we had just finished a gig and I needed to get into the backstage area. I didn’t have any kind of pass on and I couldn’t get in. I said to the guy ‘Did you not just see the gig that just ended, no? Were you not watching the stage?’ and I remember seeing a friend looking at me, and the sort of look he gave me I just thought ‘I’m having one of the those diva moments aren’t I?’ It was one of the rarities thank God. But we were all kind of mad. “The band was an amazing life experience, with six or seven years travelling abroad and all through America. Things like the tour bus going on fire while passing trucks threw us their extinguishers always stick with me.” After this devastating loss, Dunne recounts more touring torments. “Getting left behind after a gig is another thing I won’t forget. We pulled into California, played a gig there and afterwards the band went for a drink while myself and

the roadie went for pizza. The band forgot about us and drove off about 100 miles to San Diego, while we stood there with no jackets and wallets, left walking around thinking this is some sort of joke. “I said you couldn’t forget the singer, who forgets the singer? I was ringing them, they thought it was part of a joke saying, “ Yeah, yeah you’re downstairs”. They had to drive back. Even the person I was sharing a room with, didn’t notice I wasn’t there.” Thrilling tales like these are unlikely to recur, and Dunne is unlikely to go unnoticed in a room,

Things like the tour bus going on ﬁre while passing trucks threw us their extinguishers always stick with me

with his face plastered across random Dublin Buses and billboards all over the country. The road to such prominence, unbeknownst to many, commenced in our very own concrete cage here in UCD. A graduate of Engineering, Dunne went on work as a mechanical engineer for Aer Lingus. However, after a realisation that the mechanistic life didn’t exactly grind his cogs, he joined and went on the tour with Something Happens. He then shimmied across the room to take the role of interviewer, working for 98fm. His long-term ﬂirtation with Today FM was a successful time for Dunne, as he revealed himself to have a keen eye on not only up and coming Irish acts but those abroad also. His compilation albums, Tom Dunne’s Deﬁnitive Pet Picks are regarded

as an assemblage of all the best in the musical sphere. At the moment, Dunne’s top tips are “Death Cab for Cutie for sure, MGMT and the Kings of Leon. Death Cab for Cutie being top of my list.” Much documented was his move to the haughtier Newstalk, and he speaks candidly about the transition. “It’s a very different type of show, the amount of time with me talking is exponential. It takes an awful lot of concentration and preparation, much more so than the shows I’ve done before, though I ﬁnd it very rewarding. My dream radio show that I’ve always wanted to do is what I’m doing now, despite the fact that I didn’t know what to expect coming in to Newstalk, but I was surprised by the amount of intelligent people in there. You’re very aware that everyone is extremely tuned in to what’s going on in the world. Those in there are all very well informed right across the board.” However, as is the nature of live broadcasting, Dunne has had to hone his reﬂexes to deal with situations that require an extremely quick response.

One of the most recent examples of this happened a few weeks ago on a quiz for his show in which he spoke with a listener. “It was unbelievable. I got a call to the show for the quiz and she said ‘Tom, I used to know you, when you lived

in Donnybrook, remember you used to hang around with Joe?’ I couldn’t’ remember for the life of me and obviously you don’t want to admit that, so I said ‘ah, Joe, yes. How is he?’. She replied, ‘He’s great. He’s gone to God Tom.’ The initial reaction live on air is to say well that’s great, cause

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College Tribune | November 12th 2008

MUSIC

modern Tom Dunne

you’re expecting her to say something about how good he is. And then I stepped back a second and thought ‘He’s dead’. I just said ‘look I’m very sorry to hear that.’ I’m pretty sure I remembered who it was upon reﬂection. It can be tough sometimes to stay on your toes.” Despite that, he remains adamant that he has not once thus far

been left speechless. This he puts down to rising adrenaline levels as his show progresses, a sentiment shared by those he classes amongst his contemporaries such as Ian Dempsey, who Dunne insists has no rivalry with himself. “People think broadcasters have it in their head that there is this competition between broadcasters, but I know them all quite well. When I was named most respected face of Irish Music, they couldn’t care less. Everyone is very wrapped up in their own very busy gig, too much so be thinking about rivalry.” And such, according to him, is the way those in the radio business operate- too immersed in a job they feel so passionately about that they “don’t even notice the late

hours and overtime”. Given all the talk on the good old days touring and the lack of sleep nowadays, what would it be like to shadow the presenter for a day? He paints a rousing picture. “On a

I try to get out the building to get home where I’ll be handed a screaming baby before I have even time to take my coat off

normal day I’m up at seven and into the ofﬁce for quarter to eight. We have a production meeting at eight and afterwards I drop into breakfast show for a bit. I start the show at nine until midday, and that’s just non-stop, the post mortem follows with another production meeting until quarter past

one. I work on the next day’s show until half three, and at that point I try to get out the building to get home where I’ll be handed a screaming baby before I have even time to take my coat off. I juggle the babies till quarter past seven, have dinner and am in bed by half nine and back up for the half eleven feed. Its non stop.” Indeed it is, and one wonders where he gets the energy. For those who aspire to a career as a radio talk show host or DJ, Dunne recommends something he himself has had in quantitative amounts: Life experience. “If you

have life experience, travel, try your hand at different things, you will be in a better position to connect with other people and interact much more effectively. This is of course quite important. I’m not sure about the qualiﬁcation end of it, but certainly the life experience is a necessity. Have an interest in everything you possibly can in the time you have.” Time, of course, is something Dunne ﬁnds he has less and less of, and as the interview concludes he informs that he is about to walk through a door where he will be greeted by a different kind of screaming fan, a 14 week old baby girl.

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College Tribune | November 12th 2008

Saluting the sick Aoife Ryan speaks to Susan Horgan, founder of the Eating Disorder Resource Centre of Ireland, about unhealthy food attitudes. Body perception is a dangerous thing. Of all the psychological disorders, anorexia and bulimia have the highest mortality rates. The increase in eating disorders all over the world has led to a criticism of media distortion and unfair ideals. However, the demand for perfection continues, led by the same machine, and has reached frenzied heights in the last decade. For those affected it is often the case of if we cannot control our own shape, our own body, then everything is consequently out of balance and futile. The praised voluptuous girls of previous generations have been drowned out by a succession of ultra-controlled, zero-percent body fat contemporaries within our media. For those with natural shapes and sensitive personalities, the effect has been more than slightly damaging. Even worse, this does not necessarily even mean one body shape, but those who are also naturally thin. Being saluted one moment for your godgiven slenderness and then judged as high strung, unwomanly or even sick the next is a problem that goes unaddressed for the most part, being either brushed off by those who see them as lucky and just moaners, or by the unsympathetic who don’t believe you can be that naturally skinny. It seems fair to say that no one in this day and age is left without a few bullying digs. Until the twenties the preferred beauty was of an increased size. The innovation in fashion and the introduction of the flapper dress led to the need for altering natural body sizes. Up until now it was the clothes which complimented the body, rather than the conscious changing of the body shape in order to highlight the beauty of the outfit itself. 1950’s stars such as Audrey Hepburn saw a move away from the sensual to a more refined style and the sixties brought with them the iconic figure of Twiggy. By any comparison, although this increased the desire a large amount for the need to be thin, the general public did not display the dramatic efforts of today. It leads us to question what exactly it is about us that fuels our need to gain appraisal by pushing ourselves to the extreme. “There is no straightforward answer to why disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are so prevalent today in society unfortunately. People use it as an answer to their problems” says Susan Horgan, founder of the Eating Disorder Resource Centre of Ireland. Paradoxical though it may seem, Horgan sticks by her claim that these disorders are initiated as the answer to their strife. “Eating disorders are outlets of expression that enable the sufferer to gain control. It’s a response to things like pressure, family problems such as maybe an alcoholic or absent parent, or a parent who strictly diets, and past trauma or abuse. You have to consider the person’s history and also their personality.” Explaining that our character flaws and even our sometimes celebrated traits can

be risks, Horgan goes on to say that “if you are a perfectionist, you will realise that extreme dieting and body control is something which you can determine; before it gets out of hand

“There is no straightforward answer to why disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are so prevalent today in society unfortunately. People use it as an answer to their problems” that is. Biological factors such as low serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain are also now being recognised. Of course the person’s culture and the society they live in day-to-day is another important determinant.” Horgan’s past is something bounded to what she now does for her job. Having experienced ﬁrst hand the terrors of living with anorexia from aged nineteen, Horgan can relate and

cites her profession as more of a vocation. It was at 27 that she began her “therapeutic journey” and went on a regular basis to a psychiatrist. “I didn’t like my job at the time so I decided to go back to college and get my degree in psychology and then over to the National Centre for Eating Disorders in London to further my education in the field.” She is now a certified trainer and psychologist with twenty-five years experience who has appeared on numerous radio and television programmes throughout her career. Eating disorders can be triggered by something miniscule to surrounding friends and family, but which is blown out of proportion and seems insurmountable to the sufferer. It could be a comment, a magazine picture or a photo. It could be the anxious or stressed state of the person at the time it strikes them. It is a moment of vulnerability which attaches itself to everything in that person’s life and begins to leach, attacking every aspect of it. “At the resource centre we address the physical problems and also the mental, spiritual and emotional impact. It can be a very frustrating and demanding job, because these

illnesses are resistant. You really have to learn to switch off from the problems once you go home and never invest too much in the results of those you treat or you will only end up damaged yourself. It is rewarding though-treating people. I love what I do.” Research has shown that up to twenty years ago, for every ten to fifteen females with anorexia or bulimia there was only one male equivalent. Nowadays for every four women with anorexia there is one male equivalent, and for every eight to eleven female bulimics there is one male. Male sufferers also must cope with the added stigma of having a “woman’s disorder”. Horgan confirms the increased problem, stating, “Many of the older males that come to see me are less open and responsive to treatment. Boys of eleven and twelve are slightly less so, but are still aware of their ‘peculiar’ position.” Horgan left Dublin seven years ago to live in Wexford so she could offer a more nurturing environment for her patients. “We help the patient in a number of ways, such as CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy, an umbrella term for psychiatry treatments), interpersonal therapy and other holistic approaches. “The family must also be educated. These disorders are manipulative and devious and can make the sufferer seem very similar. We have to learn to distinguish them, which as a society I don’t believe we have. We do on some level see that person as vain”. Sufferers also tend to question what risks, even after recovery, they can take. They wonder if looks-conscious industries and the media would be impossible without certain relapse. “People need to know that it is totally reversible. I do workshops and lectures in schools and colleges to spread this message.” One message that has been said but not sung is that the privileged voices of society need to stop saluting the overtly, unnaturally skinny who are not exotic, extreme pictures of beauty but extreme examples of sickness. It is a reassuring sign when someone so deeply involved in the treatment and prevention of such mental illnesses can assure her patients that “in the heat of it all, difficulty is opportunity.”

The bottom line concerning Ugg boots is that they have no place in a fashion article. Yet according to an incomprehensible number of Irish students, they are a vital asset to their wardrobes. For every critic of the Ugg boot there are at least three or four ardent supporters. And so, ﬁve years on from its introduction to the Irish market in 2003, the Ugg boot remains an enigma. Taking the issue to the students of UCD, it didn’t take long to persuade ﬁve female students to take part in a discussion about the Ugg craze. In accordance with their request to remain anonymous they each took the name of a character from the MTV cult series The Hills. When questioned on the style of the average student, Whitney rambles off “Ugg boots, black tights and a denim skirt” as if it is a popular catchphrase. “Moon boots and knee high socks are also big,” Lauren says, rolling her eyes in disgust. Suddenly there seems to be something even more offensive then Uggs. Concerning the appeal of Ugg boot’s Heidi states openly,

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College Tribune | November 12th 2008

FASHION

Honing in on the experts Aoife Ryan speaks to Rebecca Morgan, head of Morgan Modelling Agency The Irish modelling agency Morgan has seen the ceaseless change of the fashion industry over a period of over three decades. Founded in 1973, it holds today the title as the largest modelling agency in Ireland. Its manager, Rebecca Morgan, has worked through the formative years of its establishment and knows what it takes in order to survive in a world of ﬁerce competition based on harsh, frequent rejection and uncompromising evolution in both style and the turnover of new models. “My mother set it up in a different Ireland in 1973. She asked me to join her at the end of 1979, to which I happily agreed. It is on this scene that I feel my most comfortable and I have always had a background in it due to my family of course.” Her job involves taking on new models, guiding them through their careers, managing their workload and promoting them to potential clients. The manager must

control invoicing out jobs to clients and collecting the money made from them too. On top of this, she works the phones where daily bookings and queries are taken. “We keep in contact with the models while they are abroad and then update the agencies that represent them with new work they may do while they are at home. The industry has changed in that it is much more international with Irish models travelling abroad and Irish clients ﬂying models in for work. Models can now have a really good career in modelling with travelling. There is so much movement that a good mix is always available too.” The models are chosen by clients who generally look over the website and discuss the possibilities with Morgan from there, depending on what style they are searching for. For those standing on the sidelines of the fashion scene, it seems as if there are waves of trends in what features the industry wants. Morgan denies this though, correctively stating that it is really only the trends in

notts, Clerys, Lainey Keogh and Robert Jacob. “Basically”, states Morgan, “I do not believe there is a fashion client out there who has not worked with us.” Beginning as a small national business, Morgan models can now expect to be whisked off to fashion capitals such as London, Milan, New York and Tokyo to meet and work with agencies such as Ford, Red, Click, Storm, Models 1, Image and Bravo among others. Nevertheless, none of the inherent madness of the glamour-world has encroached on the common sense of Morgan herself. “I have zero tolerance for eating disorders and if one of the models I represent developed this condition I would deﬁnitely do something about it. If someone who I suspected had a problem came in to do modelling I would not take them on.” Clearly Morgan is both a woman and an agency with a mission. THE FACES: SOME OF THE MODELS ON ASSOCIATED WITH THE AGENCY

I have zero tolerance for eating disorders and if one of the models I represent developed this condition I would deﬁnitely do something about it the clothes, hair and make-up that change rather than the personal characteristics. Statements like the fringe come and go but natural good physical traits remain. “We look primarily for height, good skin, proportions in the face, an interesting look and then personality and attitude.” Its name as an agency speaks for itself, something paramount in such a contact-based business. Among those who it has worked with in Dublin are John Rocha, Louise Kennedy, Joanne Hynes, Helen Cody, Richard Lewis, Peter O’Brien, Brown Thomas Designer rooms, Jen Kelly, Helen James, Ar-

BAG IT ANKLE BOOTS: How have we not mentioned these yet? These are wearable in college yet suitable and comfortable for a night out too. Get a pair to match as much possible with your wardrobe- both colour and style.

IRREGULAR CHOICE: The brand of heels that will instantly make your outﬁt look creative and fun. Think Alice in Wonderland on acid GOLD-CHAINED BLACK HANDBAGS: Chanel-like elegance but without the unnecessary splurge. Go for a small size, quilted version to maintain the vintage feel.

BIN IT

Uggly brutes

MUD-CAKED GRASS AROUND UCD This slippery nightmare surrounds all of UCD like a maze. One minute you are running for the bus after a long day, the next you know you are being dragged down into the ground like some type of Indiana Jones-esque quicksand scene. God knows how many Ugg boots have been sucked up into the underbelly of Belﬁeld grounds.

6’0” 5’8”

CHUNKY FAKE NAILS For one if you are a student it will be impossible to type anything up so you better want to make applying these a job.

5’4” 5’0”

Jessica Whyte asks the students why the Ugg trend continues “When I am heading into college I wear jeans, boots and a coat. Then I go home and come back to the library in the evening in a tracksuit and Uggs.” It seems as though Uggs are for “special occasions”,

namely study sessions and relaxing at home. Lauren then makes a point that wearing Ugg boots with jeans and a top is one thing but teaming them with tracksuit bottoms and an oversized hoodie was another thing altogether. Some Ugg wearers may feel that they are being branded with an unfair stereotype. After all, it is unfair to assume that every girl who wears Ugg boots cakes herself in Mac foun-

dation three shades too dark for her skin tone. The reality however, is that nobody shells out €235 for a pair of Uggs that they felt were unﬂattering. The wearer is inadvertently accepting the stigma that is attached to them; that they are perfectly happy to blend into the crowd. As the Christmas season approaches,

THE USUAL SUSPECTS: UGG WEARERS DUNST, MILLER, HAWN AND LOHAN take the opportunity to try out some new footwear, preferably something that won’t swell up like a dirty dish cloth when it rains, and consider this New Years resolution: shedding those sheepskin boots and breaking free from the ﬂock.

TRACKSUIT BOTTOMS WITH WRITING ON THE BACK Daring but nonetheless, is the deﬁnitely way you want to draw attention to yourself? Christina Aguilera may have sung the words “I am beautiful” repeatedly but at least she didn’t scrawl it across her ass... Oh wait...Well then your only one step away from the chaps. RUTH O’NEILL

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College Tribune | November 12th 2008

IFI FILM

To Hollywoo Complex conspiracy Plot: Based on the true story of the West German radical terrorist group the Baader Meinhof Group, the film follows its operations which included protests, bombings and eventually kidnappings through out the 1970s. By focusing on the lead figures and how the movement was created, the film analyses how it leaders soon become alienated from their own group and lose all control of the terrorist cells which emerge throughout West Germany. Verdict: The Baader Meinhof Complex is an ambitious attempt to analyse an organisation whose atrocities still remain a sore point for many Germans.

Needs bodywork Plot: A CIA operative (Leonardo DiCaprio) is working to exterminate terrorist groups in Iraq. He uncovers information on the Islamist mastermind Al-Saleem and devises an ingenious scheme which will enable him to inﬁltrate the terrorist network. With the help of his boss (Russell Crowe) and Jordan intelligence Hani Salaam, he carries out his dangerous mission. However, his boss’s apathetic nature and his in-

Cecelia Ahern took time out from her increasingly busy schedule to chat to Cathy Buckmaster about writing a novel at 21, having a recognisable face in Ireland and her new book The Gift

THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX ★★★★★ The details of the story are handled in the style of a 70s conspiracy thriller with the brutal assassinations and bombings made all the more deplorable by their basis in truth. The most impressive aspect of the ﬁlm however is that despite the main characters being those that head the organisation, they or the police that hunt them are never gloriﬁed or condemned. NICHOLAS BROADSTOCK

BODY OF LIES ★★★★★ ability to trust Salaam ensure that Ferris is destined for a ride on the wild side. Verdict: The ﬁlm is exciting due to the non-stop action thrills. However, the stream of unlikely achievements of its hero show that this is just a James Bond plot inserted into today’s headlines. Despite the implausibility of the plot, the acting is very convincing; DiCaprio offers a stunning performance and his numerous near-death experiences will push you to the edge of your seat because nobody wants the beautiful one to die. This ﬁlm is worth watching and has an interesting slant on modern-day terrorism. KATIE GODWIN

The first words from the soft yet bubbly voiced Cecelia Ahern are, “Sorry for taking you out of there, it sounded fun!” for her call was received while eating a very stodgy dinner in the music-blaring student bar. Her cheerful laugh is frequent and contagious and it is obvious she is noted for her good humour. Cecelia Ahern exploded onto the Irish literary scene in 2004 with her first novel, P.S I Love You. There have been four books since, all best-sellers, not including her newest novel, The Gift and her recently staged play, Mrs. Whippy. Ahern began writing her first novel at 21 which is mind boggling for those who that age that haven’t a clue what to do for lunch let alone life. “You know, age never really came into it at all, it was just about having a passion for writing since a very young age.” “At 21, I came up with the idea for P.S. I Love You and started writing and didn’t even intend to try and write a novel nor try publish a novel.” She exclaims seemingly unsure herself of how it all happened, “It just kind of took off from there. It’s all just down to a love of writing and not necessarily anything else.” Due to her success and being the former Taoiseach’s daughter, Cecelia Ahern has become a household name but she claims not to notice it hugely.

“I don’t really do anything that’s very exciting” she laughs light-heartedly. There are nice compliments you get and people do look every now and again. If I’m going to something like a premiere, I know it’s absolutely out of the ordinary in my life. I think people have been very kind and I wouldn’t sell a book if nobody bought the book.”

“At 21, I came up with the idea for P.S. I Love You and started writing and didn’t even intend to try and write a novel nor try publish a novel.” “I’m at the mercy of people who want to read my novels. It’s a shared thing; I’ll write books and people will hopefully read them and so I respect anybody who has anything to say to me.” She says jokingly. “But it’s nice and particularly in Ireland where people are very friendly and nobody gets too carried away and wont let me get too carried away.” Even though the storylines of all her books are quite diverse, there is

a recurrent idea. “They’ve all had the similar theme of self discovery and I never set out to do it but it’s obviously the way I think. Each character has been extremely lost and going through the worst moments of their life at the beginning of pretty much every novel. It’s about them being taken out of an environment that they’re comfortable with and being forced to look at themselves and ﬁnd their way through it.” This interest in self- discovery is something Ahern is at a loss to explain. “It’s just my personal fascination”, she says. “We all have moments that either make us or break us. And we all have to just pick ourselves up and move on. We don’t know our own strength really.” The Gift is Ahern’s most recent novel and sure to give you that warm Christmassy feeling. “It’s about how the world has sped up massively over the last few years and about a very busy man who’s just been climbing the ladder all his life and is so eager to attain material things, that he just turned his back on the people who got him there. So he has three lessons to learn at Christmas about the value of time and who to spend it with and what he’s been doing wrong.” It would be easy to assume that being the former Taoiseach’s daughter would bear certain responsibilities which may be restrictive in terms of her novel’s subject matter but Ahern

FILM RETROSPECTIVE

Get busy livin’... THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

Murder on the dance ﬂoor Plot: A Saturday Night Fever obsessive, Raúl Peralta, prepares to appear on a TV show impersonating his hero, Tony Manero in 1970s Chile. However as the day of the show draws closer, his obsession to imitate the world of the ﬁlm sees him driven to theft and even murder. His killings are played out to the backdrop of Pinochet’s totalitarian policies and the actions of the underground rebellion. Verdict: This bizarre drama echoes the depravity and dark humour of Scorsese’s treatises on loneliness, Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, while also commenting directly on the political situation in Chile in the later years

TONY MANERO ★★★★★ of the 1970s. The film is dominated by the lead performance of Alfredo Castro as Raul. It takes special care in creating a portrait of a brutal society that in some ways justifies Raul’s actions through its government’s hypocrisy. Ultimately though the film suffers from an overtly grim outlook, rash attempts to shock and inexplicable female characters. NICHOLAS BROADSTOCK

1994 Originally a Stephen King novel, it is considered one of the most inspiring and moving ﬁlms ever to be made. On the outside Andy Dufresne was a young successful banker, but his life is turned

upside down as he is wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife. He is sentenced to two life sentences in Shawshank prison in which we see the seedy reality of prison. Narrated by Dufresne’s good friend Ellis “Red” Redding (Morgan Freeman), we see how Andy overcomes the ugly

realities of captivation. He faces adversity at every turn including a corrupt warden, a vicious and sadistic head guard and warped inmates, yet Dufresne excels in overcoming the obstacles. We see in the end that Dufresne used his hope of one day being free to protect his mind from all the horrors of prison life. This was a directorial debut for Frank Darabont and most who have seen it put The Shawshank Redemption in their top ﬁve favorite movies of all time. Tim Robbins plays the loner convincingly while we see Morgan Freeman doing what he does best. The interaction with the cast even in the background makes each scene full of life and the set acts like another character adding the daunting atmosphere of prison. This ﬁlm makes you think and most importantly it gives you hope. This is a movie that everyone has to see; you never know, it might change your life. MAX HARDING

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College Tribune | November 12th 2008

MUSIC FILM

d with love

claims she never felt limited. “Well I think what I write about are human stories and they’re about emotions and people on journeys and I never felt that I had to hold back in any way. I clearly don’t write political novels and hopefully if I want to, I wouldn’t feel held back. But I do feel a responsibility as well; it is different. But, in my novels I do say exactly what I feel and I’ve never felt like I’ve been rufﬂed in any way.” After the success of all her novels, Ahern was asked to come up with an idea and work on a new TV show. Samantha Who was the product and like most thing she touches, it turned to gold. “I felt really excited because I was asked to come up with the idea to develop it and I knew what idea was right and I conﬁdently shared it and it worked! I always think if you don’t believe in

yourself then absolutely nobody else will and I believed in the story.” As for the highlight of her career so far, Ahern sighs with the difficulty of picking one of the many numerous ones before deciding resolutely. “I would have to say the very first book deal. Nothing would have happened at all if it wasn’t for P.S. I Love You. That changed my life and I am eternally grateful for that book. The film was also incredible as was the TV project. The first of everything will always probably be the most special.” Even though she liked college, Ahern doesn’t think it really suited her talents. “I really enjoyed the course even though I could have worked harder” She laughs boldly, “But I’m the kind of person who excels outside school work. I always think that my teachers and classmates should be surprised by any-

thing that I do because I’m not one to flourish in an environment full of people. I’m just comfortable with doing my own thing.” Her biggest advice for aspiring novelists is not to listen to advice. “Don’t listen to too many people who have advice. A lot of people have opinions on writing.” She chuckles knowingly. “I think a writer has to find their own way and a writer has to find their own voice. You have to listen to the story and listen to the voice of the character. It’s important as well to have people who will read it and to get encouragement and anything critical at all is important to hear too. So just listen to yourself!” She concludes excitedly before laughing at her own last phrase. And with that, Ahern goes back to undoubtedly, yet another project.

PICK OF THE WEEK

An affair to remember THE OTHER MAN ★★★★★ Plot: After ﬁnding suspicious emails and voice messages, Peter (Liam Neeson) suspects that his wife (Laura Linney) may have been having an affair for years. Using the emails he tracks their original sender to Milan, Italy. After locating the other man (Antonio Banderas), Peter builds a friendship with him all the while concealing his true identity. Posing an intriguing situation, director Richard Eyre recasts his previous battle of wits, Notes on a Scandal, with men rather than women. Verdict: The early presence of Laura Linney as the possibly adulterous wife along with her daughter, who later acts as Peter’s conscience, deceives the viewer as the ﬁlm truly belongs to the men. Luckily the exchanges between Neeson and Banderas are impressively played and scripted with seemingly irrelevant elements taking on a greater sig-

niﬁcance. Staged with the two men sitting opposite and, in a hardly-ametaphor way, playing chess, these scenes take on a strangely Hitchcock-like tension. It is Banderas however who excels in a role which calls for him to be simultaneously naïve, romantic, guarded and promiscuous. As in Notes on a Scandal it soon becomes clear that few of the characters are truly worth root-

ing for as Neeson’s anger consumes him and he begins to stalk the duplicitous Banderas. This leads The Other Man to stumble in its last act. Desperate for an ending which can redeem its characters, the ﬁlm betrays its own principles to offer up a superﬁcially satisfactory ending but ultimately one that undermines the entire thrust of the story. NICHOLAS BROADSTOCK

5 films to... make you belt out a tune HAIRSPRAY Set in the sixties, festively plump teen Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on the Corny Collins show. When auditions are held, not only do her dancing skills impress the judges but also the show’s dream boat, Link. Not everyone’s happy about the decision; Amber, the slim, blond bitch of the film along with her equally nasty mother do all they can to get rid of Tracey, who is desperately trying to integrate the show with both black and white teens. Filled with irritatingly catchy songs that have that funky sixties feel, it’s hard to resist cheesy head-bopping and toe-tapping. THE SOUND OF MUSIC What’s not to like about a film that combines Nazi-hating, an against all odds love story and feelgood music. Maria is failing miserably at being a nun in 1930’s Austria and is sent to be a governess for the boisterous children of Captain Von Trapp. With a little love, fun outings and catchy yet educational songs, Maria wins the love/obedience of the children and their stern father. Only one problem, he’s engaged to a slim blond (always causing trouble) and she’s married to God. The wonderful music makes this film pretty damn captivating and it’s on every Christmas, so you have no excuse not to watch it. GREASE Taking on teenage pregnancy, peer pressure, gangs and bad haircuts, Grease is the word indeed. Sandy Olsen, a butter-wouldn’t-melt-inher-mouth teen has a summer romance with leather jacket clad greaser, Danny Zuko. When she transfers to his school, Danny starts off by playing it

cool to save his reputation as leader of the T-birds. Sandy seeks comfort from the Pink Ladies but her innocent ways make it difficult to fit in. The soundtrack is generally deemed iconic with most girls knowing the lyrics off by heart and the film also questionably teaches that slutting it up to make a guy like you is a-ok. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Disney knows musicals. Pretty brunette Belle, although fighting off the affections of the burly but aggravating Gaston, is branded as weird by the town folk in her sleepy French village due to her fondness for reading. They long for the simple, obedient blonde of the Sleeping Beauty era. After her father goes missing, Belle bravely takes off to search for him but soon finds herself at the sinister mansion of the Beast. She trades places with her father to be his prisoner and a beautiful inter-species love story is born. The countless memorable songs really make for an enchanted film. MOULIN ROUGE On the brink of the 20th century, Christian, a young English writer has come to Paris to follow the Bohemian movement by joining the glamorous diverse faction of Paris’s seedy but always magical drug and sex fuelled underworld. When Christian meets Satine, the courtesan who is the Moulin Rouge’s star, he falls dangerously in love. A tangled love affair ensues with Christian, a consumptive Satine and the club’s patron, the Duke. Baz Luhrmann’s tragi-comic musical is audacious and improbable but the superb songs and frenzied fantasy that is presented make it absolutely irresistible.

CATHY BUCKMASTER

Siren MUSIC THE SKIP the

College Tribune | November 12th 2008

THEATRE

Doing it Gansta-style Cathy Buckmaster caught up with award-winning Irish director, Jimmy Fay between rehearsals to talk about his newest project for the Abbey, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui is a blunt satire on Adolf Hitler’s rise to power set in 1930’s Chicago which was written by Bertolt Brecht in 1941, following his exile from Nazi Germany. Often referred to as Brecht’s gangster play, it is a black comedy which depicts Hitler as a petty but vicious hoodlum who tries to seize control of the green-grocery trade in twenties Chicago. Irish director, Jimmy Fay speaks very ardently about this play and its relevance today. “What I love about The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is that it’s like a template of every gangster movie you’ve ever seen. It’s a brilliant illustration of the rise of fascism. At the beginning it talks about economical crisis and how this enabled the rise of a dictatorship which seems quite pertinent in a weird way. It’s also a very unusual Brecht play as its kind of funny and fast moving.

Brecht can be a bit moralistic but this isn’t.” “Another reason I really liked it was that it was a good illustration of the last eight years in America with Bush and the way somebody can over and choose to get involved with the world. I remember when we all marched here a few years ago against invading Iraq and they still went ahead and did it.” The Brechtian format of telling the viewer what will happen prior to its occurrence is evident in the play. “There’s a prologue that says what is going to happen but that adds to the drama of what actually happens because you get engaged with it. What Brecht wants to do is stimulate you all the time.” As for why Chicago was the chosen setting for this satire on Hitler, Fay offers this explanation. “I think Chicago in the twenties was a re-

ally electric place. They found away around prohibition by importing liquor from Canada. I think Brecht is trying to draw stark parallels of gangster-ism which is kind of a result of capitalism, and fascism which is also a result of capitalism.” The Play is obviously very influenced by Hollywood Gangster movies which Fay thinks is hugely significant for the play. “He was very influenced by the Warner Brother gangster films like Scar Face and Little Caesar. When we were rehearsing, I thought I’d show them, so we had an afternoon of watching movies.” “Brecht learned as much from movies as he did from theatre and part of his genius was to adapt it and make it theatrical. He adapted the immediacy of film and brought that to theatre. I think what were doing with Ui is showing how this play written in 1941 is still relevant now. You would

have thought we’d moved on because we always on about getting advanced and modern but the young are always naïve and the old are always bitter.” Despite his huge passion for the play, he doesn’t share the same sentiment for the characters. “They’re all evil bastards. But I feel sorry for all the women in the script who get abused. I’m quite fond of some of the characters in it; they just get themselves in bad situations.” “Part of the whole suggestion is that evil is attractive and that’s part of its power. It can equal energy and people like energy, they like leadership and being told what to do. They don’t want chaos and anarchy breaking out. So what you have is a character that is completely evil and Hitler was evil but he was also human and that’s our tragedy.” Fay offers his explanation for what will make this play so appealing to

actions, eye contact and suggestive looks. The only noise comes from the atmospheric but modern funky music and the commonly heard gruesome sound of sawing human flesh. The beating music for the shocking killing spree will speed up your pulse without a doubt. Many of the typical illusions are presented with a twist such as scantily clad women appearing where there were no scantily clad women before, people getting sawed in half and floating objects, from bottles of wine to tables. However the tricks get more horrifying and increasingly difficult to understand how they work as the show goes on such bubbles holding up handkerchiefs, gruesome surger-

ies and a creepy clown being strapped down before being stretched until his body severs and his innards are displayed. One of the ﬁrst illusions is the impressive but controversial hanging scene, where Daly falls a long way from the rafters with his neck wrapped in a noose. With the lights ﬂickering intensely and dramatic music, he swings and twitches while suffocating before the convulsing ceases. However, this is just the start and Daly has a lot more horrifying tricks up his sleeve. Other nightmarish scenes include the severed limbs of different mutilated bodies being forced together in front of the audience, after which the recently compiled Franken-

students. “It’s by Brecht and Brecht is always an innovative artist and is always pushing the boundaries more than almost any other writer. To get such a big selection of ﬁne actors is tricky but they’re really on the money in this. You can see how pertinent it still is; I think it’s an entertaining good night out and it’s fast moving and has its violent bits but also those bits where you’re challenged by it. Hopefully all the way through you’re entertained because I think that’s the biggest task but I hope this does.” He concludes contentedly.

» Bertolt Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui runs in The Abbey Theatre, 34 years after its ﬁrst and only production featuring two of the original Abbey cast members, Des Cave and Bosco Hogan, from the 11th November to 6th December 2008.

Prepare for a scare Magick Macabre is a horror illusionshow in the Olympia, full of very gruesome and often gory spectacles, raunchy scenes and not to mention, has its moments of inappropriate but still enjoyable humour. The idea for this horror magic show was conceived and written by Joe Daly who also stars in Magick Macabre. The impressive team that created it includes an award winning director of opera, theatre and musicals and a costume designer responsible for those on the Tudors. This gives you an idea of the calibre of the overall hugely impressive output of the show. The basic story concerns a world renowned magician or horror illusionist called Daemon Cordell who was fascinated by all the classical illusions but he developed an obsession

MAGICK MACABRE OLYMPIA THEATRE with dark magic. After torturing his assistants on stage he is locked up in an insane asylum. The show opens with the cast in bizarre and often terrifying costumes in the wonderfully designed old fashioned insane asylum that looks like a set out of a Saw ﬁlm with its various instruments of torture, stark cement walls and ﬂickering luminescent lights. It’s the stuff of nightmares already. Using no dialogue throughout the whole show, Daly shows his emotions and intentions through exaggerated

stein creation comes alive. Also, completely inexplicably, between most of the major illusions, two Willy Wonka style Oompa-Loompas in full orange makeup and green wigs come out on stage and weirdly but never the less entertainingly perform a rhyme and dance. All in all, the show is scary, sexy, funny and just a very entertaining night out. No matter how grisly the illusions get, you’ll still be hungry for more and you’re not left unsatisﬁed. At only €30, you can’t go wrong. However it’s rated 15, so keep in mind it’s not for the faint of heart. Magick Macabre runs in the Olympia theatre until the 15th November. CATHY BUCKMASTER