Trinity News Volume 70 Issue 5 by Trinity News

TR INIT Y NEWS

Tuesday 28 November 2023

Established 1953

Vol. 70, Issue 5

Dublin in chaos College community emerges from riots shaken but resilient

How the Dublin riot unfolded, and how College reacted Page 2

Growth of the far-right and how Gardaí have responded Page 6

Editorial: Student support for peers offers hope in a time of hate

Page 26

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

News: Dublin riots

News College open submissions for Library renaming Analysis: The political alignment of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union

Features The Kinsella Hall nightcrawlers: A visit to the 24-hour library

Immigration is not at the root of violence against women

SciTech

Sport

Why does Santa like milk and cookies?

MTU Kerry end Trinity football’s league campaign

TRINITY NEWS EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Deputy Editor Assistant Editor Managing Editor Online Editor Deputy Online Editor Life Editor Deputy Life Editor

Kate Henshaw Ellen Kenny Ella Sloane David Wolfe Eve Conway Kay Williams Abby Cleaver Lara Monahan

News Manager News Editors

Aidan Cusack Evan Skidmore O-Reilly Charlotte Kent Alan Nolan Wilson Ruby Topalian Nina Crofts Sebastien Laymond Séaghan Ó Domhnalláin Jane Prendergast Tara Ní Bhroin

Eagrathóir Gaeilge Head Photographer Art Editor Head Videographer Head Copyeditors

Rioters wreaked havoc in Dublin on Thursday evening. This guide outlines what transpired. Gabriela Gazaniga Deputy Analysis Editor

Comment

News Analysis Editor Features Editor Comment Editor Scitech Editor Sport Co-Editors

How the Dublin riot unfolded, an

Niko Evans Alice Gogarty Ruby Tyson Meave Hopkins Lindsey Brown

Get in touch at editor@trinitynews.ie This publication is funded by Trinity Publications, House 6, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2. This publication claims no special rights of privileges. Serious complaints can be directed to the Chair of Trinity Publications. Get involved with Trinity Publications through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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N THURSDAY EVENING, CHAOS ERUPTED IN DUBLIN CITY CENTRE, WITH numerous vehicles set on fire and shops vandalised and looted as rioters forcefully marched through the heart of the capital. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris denounced the violence that unfolded throughout the night, characterising the group responsible as an “extremist hooligan faction fueled by farright ideology.” How the events unfolded:

1.30pm Around 1.30pm, a man in his 50s approached Gaelscoil Cólaiste Mhuire, a Dublin city primary school located in Parnell Square, wielding a knife, and proceeded to attack five people. Three young children, a woman, and a man were taken to hospital for treatment. The assailant was disarmed by Brazilian Deliveroo driver Caio Benicio and taken into custody. The man was discovered to be in serious condition and reportedly remains in custody at an undisclosed hospital in Dublin. 3pm News began to circulate around 3pm that indicated two of the victims, including a five-year-old girl, were left in critical condition. Gardaí confirmed that there was no additional person of interest in the case and they were following a “definite line of inquiry”. 3.30pm - 6.30pm In the hours that followed, Gardaí continued to provide updates as to the condition of the victims and the assailant. Gardaí also stated the incident was “standalone” and that they did not believe it was terror-related. Soon after, information was

Three young children and a woman were stabbed ouside a primary school on Parnell Square. The assailant was disarmed by people nearby, including Brazilian Deliveroo driver Caio Benicio, and taken to hospital for injuries

released that the alleged attacker was a non-Irish national. It has since been confirmed that he is a naturalised Irish citizen from Algeria. Hashtags such as #IrelandIsfull and #EnoughIsEnough began to trend on social media. 6.30pm Around 6.30pm, a crowd of protestors formed near Parnell Square where the attack took place. Gardaí were dispatched to the area; minor clashes with protestors occurred and sounds of explosions were reported. 7pm Shortly after, hundreds of others joined the scene. The mob began to move down O’Connell Street, setting fire to a Garda patrol car and lighting fireworks. Gardaí in riot gear wielding shields and batons approached O’Connell Street, attempting to block the protestors and calm the situation. Dublin residents were advised to seek shelter and remain indoors. As the night progressed, the violence intensified. 7.30pm Around 7.30pm, images and videos emerged on social media of Dublin buses, a Luas tram, and

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

News: Dublin riots

nd how College reacted more Garda patrol cars engulfed in flames. Additional footage showed protestors harassing passersby and Gardaí. 8pm At 8pm it was reported that Arnotts, Foot Locker, and other stores in the area were looted and sustained significant damage. Footage also emerged depicting the protestors chanting antiimmigrant rhetoric and holding “Irish Lives Matters” signs, linking the riots to the attack earlier in the day. 8.30pm Just before 8.30pm, the Luas operator announced that all Luas services were suspended. 8.50pm At 8.50pm, College closed all entrance gates. Kinsella Hall, the Graduates Memorial Building (GMB), and the 1937 Reading Room were instructed to remain open for the safety of students and staff. Protestors continued to spread across the Quays and successfully breached the Temple Bar region. They continued to engage in looting and acts of destruction. Gardaí reported injuries and advised Dublin residents to stay

vigilant and remain indoors. At this time, it was estimated over 500 protestors were involved. 9.30pm Around 9.30pm, Irish Rail announced the closure of Tara Street station and Dublin Bus announced the suspension of all its services. Members of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU), along with members of the College Historical Society (the Hist) and the University Philosophical Society (the Phil) coordinated refuge spaces for students unable to leave the city centre on account of cancelled public transport. House 6 and the Graduate Memorial Building became the centre point for student spaces overnight, as residents on campus, including TCDSU Education Officer Catherine Arnold, began cooking food for students who had not yet eaten. In an interview with Trinity News, Provost Linda Doyle condemned the far-right riots, stating “It’s unbelievably shocking what’s happening. This is unacceptable in every way and just disgusting… violence has no place.”

“This is a moment in time where we need to ensure democracy in Ireland isn’t threatened in any way.” 10.30pm At 10.30pm, Gardaí reported the city was “mainly calm” and that the situation was beginning to ease. Tara Street station reopened at this time. As the rioting slowed and the city quietened, College remained closed and instructed students and staff to stay on campus overnight. After formalising plans to allow students to sleep on campus overnight, students and staff began organising spaces for students to sleep overnight, as spare mattresses owned by College and students’ own bedding were offered to spending an unusual nights on campus. It is understood at its peak, roughly 300 students were staying in House 6 or GMB. Overnight, students said there were “at least 100” non-resident College students sleeping on spare mattresses and couches across the two buildings. 3am At 3am on Friday morning, Dublin City Council was cleared by authorities to begin clean-up

operations. The aftermath As residents woke to the destruction left behind by rioters, Dublin Bus and the Luas operator announced only some of their services would be running on Friday, avoiding O’Connell Street and surrounding areas in the City Centre. Gardaí informed there would be increased Garda presence across the city in lieu of any threats. 7.24am College sent an email announcing the campus is open following “public disorder”, however it noted the situation remained “closely watched”. Students were advised to monitor public transport as delays were expected and confirmed students would not be negatively impacted if they did not lectures or tutorials. 8am At 8am, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris confirmed that seven vehicles – three buses, three Garda patrol cars, and one Luas tram – were significantly damaged by fire. Eight other vehicles and at least 13 properties were also reported to be damaged. One Garda official sustained serious injuries during

the riots. 8.23am College sent another email confirming the campus has reopened early Friday morning as it continued normal operations throughout the day. However, it confirmed there were delays to public transport as a result of unrest. Students who stayed overnight were informed they would not be penalised if they went home and missed lectures as a result. Several society and union events were cancelled throughout the day as a result of the riots. 7.05pm In an email sent to students on Friday evening, Doyle announced that the scheduled Christmas tree lighting would be postponed as a result of the unrest. Itis not yet clear when the event will be rescheduled to. Doyle praised the coordination between students and staff the previous evening and said: “Trinity College Dublin has long been a force for progressive values in Irish society... At this uncertain time in society, our university will continue to stand firmly for these values.”

GRAPHIC BY KAY WILLIAMS FOR TRINITY NEWS, PHOTOS BY RORY CHINN AND GORDII SPELLMAN

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

News: Dublin riots

Christmas tree lighting postponed as provost reiterates pride in College In an email to students and staff, Doyle condemned Thursday night’s “horrific attacks and the unacceptable scenes” Kate Henshaw, Ellen Kenny, David Wolfe Editor-in-Chief, Deputy Editor, Managing Editor

R O V O S T LINDA DOYLE ACNNOUNCED THAT COLLEGE’S CHRISTMAS TREE lighting, scheduled to take place on Monday, has been postponed to a later date amid the uncertainty following Thursday night’s riots. In an email sent to students and staff, Doyle said no one “expected to witness the horrific attacks and the unacceptable scenes that unfolded in Dublin” on November 23. “They were shocking and have no place in a democratic country,”

she said. Doyle expressed pride in the College community’s response to last night, as students coordinated spaces for non-residents to eat and sleep overnight and members of staff offered assistance. “What I witnessed in the middle of all of this was the very best of Trinity, with students and staff coming together and helping each other.” “It was great to see the Students’ Union, members of different societies, college residents, estates & facilities, security, sports and other students and staff, who found themselves on campus, all working together.” Doyle expressed “huge thanks” to everyone who contributed to the collective response. Doyle reminded students and staff “of the many supports College offers” and encouraged people to “please keep safe and look after one another”. The provost added that College “has long been a force for progressive values in Irish society”, saying: “I want to recommit our university to the core principles of inclusion, welcome, diversity, equality, tolerance and respect.” “At this uncertain time in society, our university will continue to stand firmly for these values.” In an interview with Trinity News at the Graduate Memorial

Building (GMB) the night of the riots, Doyle condemned farright violence following unrest in Dublin City and praised students’ response to the chaos. Doyle said that the protests represent “a moment in time” for Ireland. “This is a far-right thing,” she said. “This is a moment in time where we need to ensure democracy in Ireland isn’t threatened in any way.” “It’s unbelievably shocking what’s happening. This is unacceptable in every way and just disgusting… violence has no place.” House 6, the GMB, Kinsella Hall and the 1937 Reading Room remained open to students seeking safety overnight. Members of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Unions (TCDSU), and the Phil and Hist offered support to students in House 6 and the GMB. Doyle called the student response “amazing”. “I was just over in the students’ union and there were people helping there [as well as in] the GMB.” “I think people feel fine. I just spoke to two people who had come through a kind of rough patch in town and they were a bit shaken, but it seems to me everyone’s helping each other.”

PHOTOS BY RORY CHINN AND JIMENA ALVAREZ FOR TRINITY NEWS

“Now I’m here, I

College community bands Ellen Kenny, David Wolfe

Deputy Editor, Managing Editor

TUDENTS WHO TOOK REFUGE ON CAMPUS ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, DESCRIBED FEELINGS of relief, as well as their initial shock, after violent unrest on the streets of Dublin city prevented them from heading home. The escalation of violence in reaction to a stabbing earlier in the day resulted in the majority of public transport being cancelled and roads closed. Students quickly set up refuge spaces on campus, with beds placed in the Graduate Memorial Building (GMB) and food provided in the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) kitchen in House 6. Many were left unsure about where they will spend the night after public transport routes were suspended for the night. While those on campus were permitted to leave at any point, College and student representatives urged students to remain as they prepared for a long night ahead. Speaking to Trinity News in the SU kitchen, one student settling in for the night said they had been

working in a shop on Henry Street when the riots first began. “We didn’t realise how bad it was [when it started],” she said. “We knew we were closing the store, but we didn’t think it was that bad. “We were like, ‘Okay, we’ll let this pass a bit’ and then at one point we saw people sprinting down Henry Street.” The girl’s older sister, a College student, said she was in the Arts Building when her sister texted her. Accompanied by two friends, she “ran over” to the shop, planning to bring her younger sister back to campus, until they realised groups had formed outside and they choose to stay put. The group stayed in the store for 20 minutes, unsure what to do. “We were in the store, and we saw guys going past in the store and there was one guy trying to break in through the door,” the younger sister explained. “This guy starts bashing on the doors and we all run upstairs and we suddenly realise we’re in the middle of all this.” When they had the chance, the group left the store, where they soon happened upon a group of rioters breaking into Arnott’s on Abbey Street. “If they hadn’t picked me up or if they weren’t in town, I don’t know what I would have done,” the younger sister said. One of the friends said she was surprised that people were still “running around and terrorising” hours after unrest began. “It’s scary for people to be able to move throughout the whole city and to be breaking down shops,” she said. “We just started running at one point because we hadn’t realised how close we were to everything.” The group had also realised that the bus that was set on fire on O’Connell Street was the bus that the sisters would typically take to get home, and they realised living the city was not an option. After making their way down Liffey Street and walking across Temple Bar, the students arrived at campus after learning students in House 6 and the GMB had set up a refuge. “We got in, thankfully,” the elder sister said. “The security guards let [my sister] in even though she’s not a Trinity student and didn’t have an ID. “We all showed our cards… it took them maybe 10 seconds and then one of [the security guard’s] coworkers told him to let her in.” A student in the GMB who commutes to college from Co. Meath described being “stuck for the night” as far as she currently knows, but remained in good humour as she settled with

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

News: Dublin riots

I know I’m safe”

TCDSU condemns “disgusting behaviour of far-right rioters”

s together following violent unrest

TCDSU have said that the “weaponisation of a tragic event to justify xenophobia and the destruction of our city is unacceptable” Kate Henshaw Editor-in-Chief friends on a couch in the Phil Conversation Room. Another, who lives on Parnell Street, where much of the rioting took place earlier this evening, said that her initial feelings of shock have since subsided now that she is with friends in a secure place. “It was really bad for me at first, I was super nervous, but now I’m here, I know I’m safe”. This echoed the general sentiment of students in the building, who were laughing and conversing, as well as making phone calls to loved ones. The Phil had been hosting its maidens debate competition final, which Steward (Ents Officer) Kelly Millikan said the society were glad to be able to see through to the end. Millikan described the situation as “really scary and frightening for people”, especially those from minority communities, but that “we’ve all done our best to keep people informed and updated as best as we could”. Hist Treasurer Malika Maniar expressed admiration for students supporting each other amidst fear and uncertainty. “There was a lot of initial panic when people didn’t really know what was happening.”

“

It’s the solidarity that is directly grassroots. It’s a time of crisis and students recognised that

“

We have people bringing over sleeping bags... some people cooked like crazy in their flats “But honestly, it’s been kind of great to see the College community [come together], we have people bringing over sleeping bags, some people went and cooked like crazy in their flats and made pasta [to bring over]. “It was initially stressful it’s kind of calmed down now but people are really keeping it together.” The societies also screened Bridget Jones’ Diary in the GMB chamber. Mary McCarthy, a member of the Phil committee, added: “To me, there’s no there’s no better place to be than here at the GMB.” She praised Provost Linda Doyle who was talking to students outside the building, as well as other members of College staff who were visible around campus. Millikan added: “In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for the fact that we have the GMB and that its able to be open, I’m grateful for the Hist and Phil committees working together, I’m grateful that when it really comes down to it, people come together and we work together and make things alright.” Students also flocked to House 6 where the students’ union was providing food and additional support.

Education Officer Catherine Arnold and two other students began cooking dishes from their kitchen, walking back and forth to House 6 to provide food for students staying overnight. Speaking to Trinity News from the SU kitchen as students began eating homemade dishes from paper plates leftover from Freshers Week, Arnold said, as the riots escalated, they “basically immediately” began organising food to be brought to House 6. “There were jokes being made that my kitchen was becoming the second SU café,” they said. “I immediately realised that there are fundamental needs that people need to be contributing to in terms of food, but also safety.” “These spaces can provide a safe haven for people. A hot plate had been put in TCDSU President László Molnárfi’s office, effectively turning it into a “second kitchen”. “It’s a beautiful sign of solidarity among the student population,” Arnold said. “It’s the solidarity that is directly grassroots. It’s a time of crisis and students recognised that.”

RINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN STUDENTS’ UNION (TCDSU) CONDEMNED THE “disgusting behaviour of far-right rioters” of Thursday, November 23, and the “violent and hateful actions that occurred” in a statement on Friday, November 24. TCDSU said the “weaponisation of a tragic event to justify xenophobia and the destruction of our city is unacceptable”. They have emphasised that “the Irish have had a culture of emigration for over a century and have made our homes across the world; there is an inherent hypocrisy in saying Ireland is full”. The statement also asked: “How does tearing apart, setting alight and looting the city make people feel safer?” “We are incredibly proud of our campus community working with and coming together in a beautiful act of solidarity to provide food and shelter for the 100+ students who could not get home last night.” They thanked “the Hist, the Phil, the CSC, and other societies and

students who volunteered their rooms as places to stay overnight”. Amid talk of “more protests happening within the coming week”, they are encouraging “students to do what they must to feel safe and for members of our POC community to exercise extra caution”. “We look forward to working with the College to improve their response to emergency situations and prioritising student welfare. The Union will always stand by its members, please remember that you are not alone.” They concluded by saying: “TCDSU will always stand in solidarity with those interned in the Direct Provision System.” The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) also issued a statement condemning the riots last night: “The Union of Students in Ireland is shocked and disgusted at the hate incited violence in Dublin city centre last night”. “We send our love and support to anyone who was caught up in the awful violence, particularly students and people working in the area.” They condemned, “in the strongest terms, the racism on display last night and encourages anyone affected to reach out for support”. “If you are a student, remember your Students’ Union is there for you. USI will continue to stand firmly against racism of any kind in our society. Ní neart go cur le chéile.” The scenes of violence have been widely condemned, with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris describing those carrying out the rioting as a “complete lunatic, hooligan faction”. Messages of solidarity with immigrant and ethnic minority communities have been shared widely on social media, condemning racist sentiments expressed online.

PHOTOS BY RORY CHINN AND JIMENA ALVAREZ FOR TRINITY NEWS

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

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Analysis: How has the far-right has grown and how have the Gardaí responded? Aidan Cusack News Managing Editor

H U R S D A Y , NOVEMBER 23, SAW UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF FARRIGHT VIOLENCE, in Dublin city centre. Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said that the most riot police in the history of the Irish state had been deployed to deal with the violence, highlighting the grave nature of Thursday evening’s events. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, in the strongest terms, condemned the riots as “disgraceful”, and said a “hooligan faction driven by farright ideology” had contributed to the unrest. Harris has been consistent in personally condemning the actions of the far-right; he expressed concern at the use of the national flag at protests, saying: To see that flag hijacked by a very small number of individuals – who do not speak for Ireland, who have no democratic mandate – is really despicable and should be called out of such. His policing tactics, however, seem to have helped farright ideology spread, and in some cases facilitated their actions, leaving many open to intimidation and harassment. In November 2022 in Dublin’s East Wall, a group of between 200 and 300 people gathered outside an old ESB building to protest against its use as a centre to house refugees, chanting “Irish lives matter” and “get them out”. Monitored by a relatively small group of Gardaí, the protestors blocked traffic on the road. This “#IrelandIsFull” movement began to spread across Dublin, causing significant disruption, including main traffic arteries at Dublin Port Tunnel and Dublin Airport. Members of the far-right National Party and Irish Freedom Party attended, and in many cases, organised these protests, using their platforms to spread racist and anti-LGBTQ messages. On January 20, a group of men attacked a migrant camp of 15 tents on the banks of the Tolka River in Ashtown, Dublin, armed with a baseball bat and four dogs, including a German shepherd. #IrelandIsFull protests continued across Dublin, with a number of protests happening in other parts of the country. In May, an anti-immigrant

group attacked and destroyed a camp of homeless asylum seekers on Sandwith Street. Two days previous, protestors had gathered in front of the camp to oppose the refugees’ presence. In attendance was far-right “citizen journalist” Philip Dwyer, who has a large social media following on YouTube, Twitter and Telegram. Footage emerged online showing a group of young men smashing up the camp before it was set on fire. Later in May, Harris defended his decision not to move more firmly against anti-immigrant protests, insisting that the farright was “not growing”, and that Ireland had defied the trend in far-right growth seen in other European countries. He defended the Gardaí’s widely criticised “hands-off ” approach to farright activity, defiantly saying that Gardaí would not “fall into the trap” of its “playbook”. This “hands-off ” approach emboldened anti-immigrant protestors to block roads across Ireland, especially in Dublin City, in protest of direct provision centres being set up to house asylum seekers.

While the wave of anti-refugee protests ultimately did not last, it allowed the far-right to test the limits of policing, such as in Inch, County Clare, where protestors reportedly boarded a bus carrying more than 30 asylum seekers to perform a headcount and recorded them on video. Then-Minister for Justice Simon Harris said that it was “not for us to second-guess” the decisions of frontline Gardaí while policing complex forms of protest. In April 2023, far-right groups began to protest books related to LGBTQ+ issues being in public libraries, falsely describing the material as “pornographic”. A medium-sized group of antiLGBTQ+ protestors at Swords Library in north Dublin held signs such as “there is porn in the children’s section” and “stop the gender ideology in libraries and schools”. They also handed out leaflets accusing staff of providing pornographic material to children. The demonstrators were later escorted into the library by members of An Garda Síochána. Similar actions targeting

PHOTO BY RORY CHINN FOR TRINITY NEWS

libraries and bookshops began to spring up across the country in areas such as Mayo, Longford, Limerick and Cork. In Cork, the city’s main library was forced to close due to fears for the safety of staff ahead of a demonstration planned by the far-right political party “Ireland First”. Cork City Council were responding to the harassment of library staff and visitors, who had slurs shouted at them through megaphones. The party placed a banner at the entrance of the library without permission and refused to remove it when requested to do so by staff, causing the escalation of a “tense situation”. A statement from Cork City Libraries said: “Having liaised with An Garda Síochána it was decided it would be unsafe for library staff to attempt to remove the banner.” Cork Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould told anti-racist and proLGBTQ counter-protesters that only two groups had succeeded in closing Cork City Library: “The black and tans and the far-right”. Lord Mayor of Cork Councillor Kieran McCarthy told Newstalk that he had asked the Gardaí to “step up their game” with regard to the protests, saying that putting up the banner was illegal and that the protestors had been “moved on” by Gardaí. In September, protestors barricaded the back entrance of Leinster House, preventing TDs and Oireachtas staff from driving into the building. Hashtags #CallToTheDáil and #IrelandIsFull were used to organise the protest, which featured a mock gallows with portraits of prominent politicians such as Roderick O’Gorman, Mary Lou McDonald and Leo Varadkar, as well as Drew Harris and the former Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Tony Holohan. Bottles of urine were alleged to have been thrown at Gardaí and independent TD Michael Healy-Rae’s intern. Multiple protestors were arrested on public order offences. The Dublin riots were not an isolated event, but a culmination of fear and anger from a small, radical far-right section of society. It is difficult to say whether or not the far-right has grown significantly in numbers, or simply grown in confidence. It is clear, however, that the far-right has grown as a threat in a very public manner as seen in the use of social media and messaging services. Questions will be asked of the government and An Garda Síochána about their lack of foresight. The Gardaí’s policy on political policing will also almost certainly be called into question. With the benefit of hindsight, on cannot help but point out a timeline of the far-right becoming more and more emboldened up to this point.

What they said “They told me that I was very brave but again, I don’t want to make myself a hero. I think everyone would do the same, as parents, would do the same.” Caio Benico, the Deliveroo driver who intervened on the stabbing on November 23 at Parnell Square “The cold truth and the reality that we must confront today is that the Gardaí lost control of the centre of our capital city.” Mary Lou McDonald, November 24, addressing the media following the riots “I then got caught in the middle of a Garda baton charge. One member of the Garda riot police struck me when I held up my arms and roared, ‘Journalist, journalist’.” Barry Whyte, Newstalk Chief Reporter “It’s disgusting. The amount of calls I received yesterday from small business owners looking for a “price” to fix their windows. As they are afraid to put it through their insurance. As their premiums will “go through the roof.” Danielle Tutty from Rathmines Glass, who offered to replace and fix the windows of small businesses affected by the riots for free “Given the events of the last 24 hours, it is important to remember what this time of year is all about, and that is holding your kids tight this Christmas. We are thinking of every family who needs an extra hug tonight.” Patrick Kielty addressing the riots during The Late Late Toy Show “The thuggery we saw on Thursday will not be tolerated ... Those responsible will be brought to justice.” Justice Minister Helen McEntee

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

News

The former prime minister of New Zealand was honoured by the society in the provost’s house last week David Wolfe Managing Editor

ACINDA ARDERN LAST WEEK TOLD THE COLLEGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY (THE HIST) THAT THE “UNRELENTING” PRESSURE of public life in the era of social media contributed partly to the premature end of her time in office. The former prime minister of New Zealand was speaking at a private ceremony in the provost’s house, at which she was awarded the society’s Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse. “There’s not a 24-hour news cycle now, there’s like a 20-minute news cycle,” Ardern said of the way in which technology has transformed media coverage, adding that “there’s a constant judgement [from] social media

that [makes] life unrelenting.” “It’s the fact that you are filmed all of the time, so there’s no point [at which] you don’t feel that you are on the job, ever. I think all of that possibly shortened my time.” Ardern described having asked former chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel upon her retirement in 2021 how she served 16 years in office: “She was quick to say, ‘it’s so different now to when I started’.” The former leader also discussed the challenges she faced during her time in office, including the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Whakaari/White Island volcano eruption which killed 22 people in 2019, and the Christchurch mosque shootings which killed 51 earlier the same year. She added that while her decision to resign prompted feelings of guilt, she felt that such challenges had taken their toll: “I did not believe that, were there to be another crisis, I had enough [left in me] to do it well and fulfil my responsibility.” Ardern is the fourth person to receive the society’s Gold Medal this term, with activist Stella Assange, Professor Lea Ypi, and United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Joseph Kennedy III having visited the Hist earlier this year. The medal is awarded to public figures who “represent the Hist values on the world stage”. Previous recipients include President Michael D. Higgins, and writer Margaret Atwood.

PHOTO BY ELLEN KENNY FOR THE HIST

Jacinda Ardern describes “unrelenting” scrutiny of social media at private Hist event

Ardern was awarded the medal for her contributions to politics and sustainability in New Zealand and globally. At the ceremony she discussed the importance of addressing the climate crisis and her government’s environmental record, as well as

the challenges of diplomacy for small countries. Ardern also spoke about her experience of debating in school, which she said played a “huge role” in developing her confidence as a public speaker. The private ceremony was

“

It’s the fact that you are filmed all of the time, so there’s no point [at which] you don’t feel that you are on the job, ever. I think all of that possibly shortened my time PHOTO BY ELLEN KENNY FOR THE HIST

attended by members of the committee, as well as a handful of alumni of the society. The ceremony ended with closing remarks from Provost Linda Doyle, who thanked Ardern for her attendance and the Hist for organising the event. Hist Auditor Áine Kennedy said the society was “honoured” to award Ardern the medal, noting her “her remarkable contributions to politics, equality, and stability in New Zealand and internationally, with such contributions being unrivalled by any New Zealand Prime Minister since David Longy in the 1980s or even by any other major world leader today”. “The Hist had been a leader in discourse and debate since 1770 – having provided the training ground for figures like Theobald Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmett, and Oscar Wilde,” she said. “Today, we continue to attract Trinity’s best and brightest, boasting over 10,000 members and continuing our longstanding tradition of encouraging young people to critically engage with the world around them. “Having been recently recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest student society in the world, we have strived to recognise those who promote discourse internationally for over 250 years.” The event was also attended by New Zealand Ambassador to Ireland Trevor Mallard.

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

News

“I did not stop reassuring him that he was safe”: Trinity student assists in medical emergency on the Luas

Kate Henshaw Editor-in-Chief

TRINITY STUDENT ASSISTED IN A MEDICAL EMERGENCY ON THE LUAS ON Friday, November 24. First year law student Aoibhinn Fitzgerald was called upon to assist a man having an epileptic seizure on her way to College. Fitzgerald is a trained lifeguard currently working at the pool in the Trinity Sport Centre. She answered a call over the Luas loud speaker for anyone with medical experience. Speaking to Trinity News, Fitzgerald explained that she was on her way to College from Trinity Hall for a 9am jurisprudence lecture: “I was on the phone to my mum at around 8:25am on the Luas telling her all about last night’s riots when the Luas stopped at Ranelagh and all the doors opened.” “A man ran down the platform shouting “is anyone a doctor, is anyone a doctor”. No one was moving so I ran onto the platform and could hear the Luas operator’s

loud speaker announcement asking for anyone with medical experience to come to the carriage nearest the driver.” Fitzgerald immediately responded to the announcement: “I ran along the platform and then came upon the scene. There was a man in his twenties, maybe even a college student with his bag on his back, he was lying on his side across the door frame.” “When I saw him he was just stopping shaking and was coughing and spluttering blood and falling unconscious. I knelt down in front of his face and said to those around that I am a lifeguard and I asked if an ambulance had been called. It had.” Fitzgerald then learned that the man was having a seizure where “he bit down on his tongue and fell and hit his head on the metal on the base of the door frame as it had opened”. Fitzgerald then put the man in the recovery position, explaining to Trinity News that “it is extremely important to keep talking to a patient even if they are unconscious”. Fitzgerald spent time comforting the man: “From the moment I knelt down until when I got up my hand did not leave his shoulder (except to open a bandage) and I did not stop reassuring him that he was safe.” She explained that “placing your hand on the upward facing shoulder of someone lying on their side is the most effective way of preventing them from moving or getting up”. The man was unresponsive: “There was a female Luas operator behind him and had asked him to squeeze her hand but he couldn’t.” The man then began to “dip in and out of consciousness and trying to get up”. Fitzgerald

continued comforting then man and repeated “you are safe, you are safe, stay lying down”. Fitzgerald was also “constantly checking his breathing” and checked to see “if his pupils were dilated but they weren’t”. Fitzgerald tended to the man’s injuries using a first aid kit given to her by a Luas operator: “I used one of the big bandages to spread out on the floor over all the blood in front of his face to allow me to put his hand in a more stable position to lie on.” Fitzgerald attended to the man for “about fifteen minutes” until the ambulance arrived. Fitzgerald then walked the rest of the way to her 9am lecture: “I was late for but that’s ok.” She also told Trinity News that when she was “by Stephens Green” the same Luas passed her: “The driver and Luas operator gave me a reassuring wave that everything was ok now.” Speaking about her background, Fitzgerald, who is from Cork, said: “ For the last few years I have been volunteering with Irish Water Safety instructing water safety and operations just like the one I carried out, to children.” She said that this is not the first time she has assisted in a medical emergency: “During the summer I work summer weeks on beaches in west Cork, again with Irish Water Safety to do the same. I have been involved in similar situations three times before where I have had to intervene in an emergency in public, one on a bus, one on a night out and one on a bridge - all in Cork.” Speaking on how she managed the situation on the Luas she said: “In situations like this, I feel a huge rush of adrenaline and my mind goes very quiet leaving only my

training and natural instinct to guide me through.” “I actually enjoy these situations from the perspective of seeing how you react and the power of adrenaline to get you through.” She also noted that “after the situation there is certainly a come down and [she does] get a bit upset and shaky”. She also said that since Friday she “[keeps] seeing his eyes flashing in [her] head” but “it is a small price to pay”.

She encouraged people to seek out first aid training: “Be a good active citizen and seek and complete training and spread the word.” “Whether it is recognizing the symptoms of a stroke, knowing whether to intervene or not in perhaps a drowning or just knowing how to call an ambulance it is better to know how and you never know when you might need it or who you might need it for.”

IMAGE VIA AOIBHINN FITZGERALD

After assisting a man suffering from an epileptic fit, Aoibhinn Fitzgerald walked the rest of the way to her 9am lecture

State to cover campus accommodation costs for students leaving state care Harris has also secured funding for an apprenticeship scheme for careleavers worth €3,000 Ellen Kenny Deputy Editor

INISTER FOR H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N SIMON HARRIS has announced

that the State will pay for the campus accommodation costs of any young person leaving state care, such as foster care. Funding provided through the Department of Further and Higher Education will be used to pay student accommodation costs for young people living in campus accommodation. It is not clear whether the scheme will also cover the cost of students leaving state care who do not live in campus accommodation. Harris said many young people are left without any support in higher education when they turn 18 and age out of foster or residential care. “This approach will ensure the costs of accommodation are covered for this cohort of

students,” he said. “It will ensure they have security of tenure and will not have to worry about the costs.” The minister has also secured funding for an apprenticeship scheme for care-leavers, providing them with financial support worth €3,000. The department has worked with the EPIC, which provides a National Advocacy Service to children and young people in State care, Care-leaver and EPIC Youth Council Member Kai Brosnan embraced the payment scheme giving it a “huge welcome”. “Care-leavers often have less support than their peers and are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis which creates a huge barrier to accessing and

maintaining higher education and training,” he said. “This funding will enable more care-leavers to access third level education and apprenticeships without the significant strain caused by the housing crisis.” The department is also seeking to expand its database of careleavers in higher education. The current information is based on data since 2016 from HEAR and only includes those who selfidentify as care-leavers. A priority for the department’s National Access Plan is to track the number of people who have had care-experience and their route into third level. Brosnan said since care-leavers were recognised in the National Access Plan for Higher Education last year, Harris has “shown his

commitment to create meaningful change” and has taken “the time to listen to our voices and stories to help him understand the challenges and barriers”. “Other departments should learn from this good practice and make the same effort to support care-experienced children and young people,” he said. “Children in care are a wholeof-Government responsibility, this doesn’t solely lie with the Department of Children and Tusla, as evidenced by Minister Harris’ announcement today.” According to the current Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) policy, any student under 23 is classed as a “dependant student”, but care-leavers can apply for the grant as a student “in care of state” or in “after care”.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

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Analysis: TCDSU and political alignment Alan Nolan Wilson News Analysis Editor

VER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, THERE HAS BEEN MUCH DISCUSSION SURROUNDING Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) and its policy regarding political affiliation. This discussion has stemmed from some students’ calls for an apolitical union and resulted in a failed vote to change the union’s constitution through referendum. The union’s political alignment TCDSU is undeniably a left leaning institution for the most part. This position has been expressed through the union’s work in recent years. While this list is not exhaustive, a variety of examples of TCDSU’s political affiliations and stances are outlined below. The union is led by President László Molnárfi who is a selfproclaimed communist. Molnárfi founded student activist group Students4Change which describes itself as a group of “socialist students focused on transforming higher education”. The union’s leader is clear in his support for left leaning ideas. This, however, should come as no surprise following Molnárfi’s campaign based around radical action in which he described education as political saying: “It is a privilege to not have to be political – a privilege only a few can afford.” The union is also political in its support of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanction (BDS) movement. This support has been mandated since a vote by students in 2018. The union’s support of BDS has been heightened since the increase in Israeli military operations in Gaza.

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The union is also political in its support of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanction movement This pro-Palestine support has come in the form of participation in demonstrations and calling on government to support the Palestine movement. Recently the union took to Instagram to condemn the outcome of a Dáil motion to expel the Israeli ambassador and impose economic sanctions on Israel. Last year TCDSU President Gabi Fulham called on College to dename the formerly Berkeley library. Since then, College has established the Trinity Legacies Review Working Group and submissions for a new name are being accepted. This is an example of the union’s work to establish a university which takes accountability for its

history while promoting inclusivity and diversity. While TCDSU has been successful in denaming the Berkeley, some have criticised the decision. This includes Professor David McConnell who said that the decision applied modern standards to an historic figure. Recently, TCDSU engaged in a blockade of the Book of Kells exhibition. This blockade resulted in the exhibition being forced to close for the day and subsequently resulted in a loss of profits for the university. The union’s blockade resulted in a rent freeze for on campus and other student accommodation provided by College. The union has been criticised by some for a perceived link to People Before Profit. While TCDSU has no official affiliation with the political party, it has attended protests with the likes of Richard Boyd Barrett TD. One example of such a protest can be seen in the union’s campaigning against vulture funds. Here TCDSU was joined by Students4Change and People Before Profit in protesting an event hosted by the law firm Matheson. What does TCDSU’s constitution say about political stances? The union’s constitution is clear in its stance on political affiliation. Under section 1.4 of the union’s constitution the TCDSU’s aims and principles are described. The section concludes with a note stating: “The Union shall pursue these objectives independent of

any political, racial or religious ideology.” The section also states that the union’s objectives shall be achieved without discrimination based on a number of factors including political affiliation. These lines clearly outline that the union is not intended to be a political organisation. In an interview with the University of Manchester’s student newspaper, Mancunion, Molnárfi recognised the union’s breach of its constitution saying: “The constitution says that we have to be apolitical, and that’s grounds for impeachment. But no one will do it because our faction has a lot of support.” Some sections of the union’s constitution are less clear in regard to political affiliation. An example of this is seen in the responsibility given to Sabbatical Officers. Here it is said that these individuals must represent students to a variety of groups such as Trinity’s board. What is also mentioned, however, is a responsibility to represent students to external groups. This leaves the union in a position in which it is mandated to provide representation to students, including to external groups, but it is not prohibited to be politically aligned. This proves difficult in a country in which many students face challenges in relation to housing and their economic circumstances. The future of the union’s political alignment Recently a motion to remove the union’s requirement to be apolitical was raised at council. If passed, the motion would change the constitution’s wording of section 1.4 from “The Union shall pursue these objectives independent of any political, racial or religious ideology.” to “The Union shall pursue these goals in a radical and egalitarian way, without intervention or control by

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[Molnárfi said] “the constitution says that we have to be apolitical, and that’s grounds for impeachment. But no one will do it because our faction has a lot of support” outside parties”. The motion ultimately failed to pass by two votes. What is important to note, however, is that over 50% of those who voted were in approval of the motion. The motion did not pass as a result of section 7.5.4 which states that a 60% majority is required for changes in the union’s long term policy. Following the defeat Molnárfi took to Twitter saying: “There is clearly support for this [motion], so we will be collecting the 500 signatures to trigger a referendum.” If successful in their petition, the proposed change in the constitution will be put to the student population. This will allow the union to be more explicit in its political views without fears of impeachment. Overall, it is almost certain that this union will continue to be politically aligned. It is not yet known if students will be given the opportunity to vote on the matter. What is even more unclear is what will happen if students vote in favour of an apolitical union.

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

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PhD researcher sees stipend reduction without notice Narrow defeat Áine Coogan said she was not informed of changes to her monthly payments after changing from the HEA payment to the SFI stipend Emily Sheehan Assistant News Editor

HEMISTRY PHD SCHOLAR ÁINE COOGAN TOOK TO THE PLATFORM X (formerly known

as Twitter) last week to post two emails she received informing she would receive a lower stipend as she had been “overpaid” by €41.67 per month since September. Coogan told Trinity News she received no notice about this issue, instead finding out through the discrepancies in her payroll. After contacting the payroll in charge of her salary, Coogan was informed that the Higher Education Authority (HEA) extension she is currently receiving covers the equivalent of a salary of €18,500, while those receiving Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) or Irish Research Council (IRC) grants, which Coogan had received previously, now receive €19,000. Coogan was informed that the payroll service had not been informed of the end of her IRC stipend, hence the deduction in payment. This resulted in a loss of €125 in Áine’s payslip, as she had been overpaid since starting the HEA stipend in September.

The HEA cost extension payment provides additional payment to PhD researchers for up to four months, where exceptional circumstances arise during their research. It applies to research projects that were active on January 6, 2021, and those that were interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The SFI stipend and the IRC stipend provide funding to doctoral researchers across a range of disciplines. However, Coogan said she received no notice that there would be a reduction in her pay. When emailing the payroll service, Coogan outlined the issue, saying: “in terms of overpayment, none of us could have possibly known we were getting overpaid, as we were getting the same amount we have been for the past almost year.” Coogan told Trinity News: “Luckily for me, losing out on €125 is not a serious issue, albeit not one I wanted to deal with the

week before submitting my thesis. “However I do worry about those who will be on the €22,000 stipend from January - in fact there will be many on €25,000 - who are due to start HEA Covid extension stipends next September, and who will then be dropped down to the €18,500 level.” “If payroll don’t notice in time (because we were never even informed of the decrease back down to the base level in the first place), they could face hundreds of Euros in repayments.” Higher Education Minister Simon Harris announced in October the maximum PhD stipend would increase by €3,000 to €22,000 from January onwards. The increase still leaves the payment below the recommended level of €25,000 proposed in an independent national review of last May. The IRC, SFI and HEA have been contacted for comment.

The motion proposed changing the union’s mandate to pursue its aims and objectives “in a radical and egalitarian way, without intervention or control by outside parties” Evan Skidmore O’Reilly, Ellen Kenny, Kate Henshaw News Co-Editor, Deputy Editor, Editor-in-Chief

RINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN STUDENTS’ UNION (TCDSU) NARROWLY FAILED TO PASS A VOTE TO hold a referendum on amending

Siubhán Stockman elected TCDSU’S first housing rights part-time officer The PTO will represent students living in both Trinity-owned accommodation and other forms of housing Ellen Kenny Deputy Editor

IUBHÁN STOCKMAN HAS BEEN ELECTED THE FIRST HOUSING RIGHTS OFFICER OF TRINITY COLLEGE Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) at a council meeting on November 21. She ran uncontested for the

part-time officer (PTO) role. She is a final year geography and political science student and a class representative in TCDSU. Stockman is also the head photo editor of the environmental magazine Evergreen Trinity, the field trip coordinator of the Proposed DU Geographical Society and a copyeditor in Trinity News. Speaking to Trinity News, Stockman said: “The housing crisis is making the student experience increasingly unequal. It’s great to see the Union taking steps towards addressing this through the creation of this role and formalising our relationship with CATU. “Strengthening student engagement and empowering students to take part in community organising is a key function of our Union, and this role should be central to that.” The housing rights officer was created following a motion at council on November 7. The PTO will represent students

living in both Trinity-owned accommodation and other forms of housing. Stockman will also “assist the president and other sabbatical and part-time officers in relation to campaigns relating to housing” and “research housing issues students are facing”. The motion, proposed by TCDSU President László Molnárfi and seconded by Deputy STEM Officer Sé Ó hÉidhin, noted the housing crisis “is worsening, and is tearing apart the social fabric of Irish society and leading to the scapegoating of refugees and international protection applicants”. The union also voted in favour of introducing a partnership with the Community Action Tenants’ Union (CATU). The housing officer will be responsible for the union’s liaisons with CATU and “other housing groups considered relevant”. The union previously clashed over proposals to introduce the housing rights officer and

partnership with CATU, as the motions were previously proposed together as a single plan at council on October 3. When the motions were proposed together, Mature Students Officer Ailish Smith proposed an amendment to the motion to remove the partnership with CATU, saying it a “separate issue” from the introduction of a housing officer. “It is very difficult if you agree to one issue but not with another,” she said. She noted there are several housing organisations TCDSU should get involved with beyond CATU. In response, Molnárfi said the housing officer and the partnership with CATU is “inextricably linked” but the housing officer would not be obligated to only liaise with CATU. A proposal to amend the motion to remove the partnership with CATU was approved, but another proposal was put forward to delay voting on the motion.

TCDSU to campaign on overnight guests The union will also campaign for College security to allow guests to wait for residents inside the front gate area Ellen Kenny Deputy Editor

RINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN STUDENTS’ UNION (TCDSU) HAVED VOTED TO CAMPAIGN FOR the removal of the time limit on overnight guests in Trinity accommodation at council this evening. TCDSU will also campaign for College security to allow guests to wait for residents, who have signed them in, inside the Front Gate area “rather than leaving them outside which is dangerous”. The motion, proposed by TCDSU president László Molnárfi and seconded by SS Political

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

News

for proposal to remove apolitical status from TCDSU constitution the wording of a section of its constitution concerning the political nature of the union at its council meeting on November 21. The motion suggested a referendum to change the wording of Section 1.4 of the constitution, which mandates the union to pursue its aims and principles in a manner that is “independent of any political, racial or religious ideology”, to one which mandates the it to pursue goals “in a radical and egalitarian way, without intervention or control by outside parties”. 56 voted in favour while 30 voted against (65% and 35% respectively). A motion to hold a referendum requires 66.6% of votes to pass. The motion was proposed by School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies (SLLCS) Convenor Nicholas Evans and seconded by several students including TCDSU President László Molnárfi and Citizenship Officer Ella Mac Lennan. Speaking to Trinity News after council, Evans said “it’s a shame” the referendum will not take place. “This body is historically elitist, historically exclusionary, and to almost get there to almost get to a democratic vote, it is really sad,” he said.

“The [Constitutional Review Working Group] will hopefully do something about it.” Speaking in favour of the motion before the vote, Evans said: “Of all the misspelt words, grammar errors and vague sentences in our constitution, this is by far the most vague.” Evans made reference to the success of the Book of Kells blockade in preventing further rent increases for College accommodation, saying that the student body “denied the school money because [we] didn’t agree with their policies”. A number of procedural motions were raised during the debate including a procedural motion K to move the motion to next Council and a procedural motion E to amend the wording of the motion to replace the word “radical” with “political”. Both of these procedural motions failed to pass. Evans urged those who opposed the change of wording to let students decide for themselves in a referendum. “I think that the students of this college are ready for this – everybody is ready for a more radical union,” he said. Omar Saood, who spoke against the motion, said he was

concerned that the proposed change in wording may allow for a situation where a decision made by the majority of students may result in negative implications for a minority group. STEM Convenor Ruaidhrí Saulnier also asked whether this wording would allow future student representatives to act “in a religious way”. Evans said the union will remain “a democratic body” on any decisions made in its stances

in the future. TCDSU President László Molnárfi said the union should be able to “call out” the government if it is believed to be acting against students’ interests. He also pointed out that on August 30, the TCDSU Electoral Commission (EC) asked sabbatical officers to avoid using the term “neoliberal” to refer to government policies, describing it as an action that is “not constitutionally valid” under their remit.

In a statement released via the TCDSU Instagram account and later deleted, the EC said that the proposed rewording would permit the union to “take a greater number of political and religious stances”. The EC later released an updated statement, clarifying that the current wording of Section 1.4 means that the union is “permitted to take political stances provided such stances are not principally motivated by a political ideology”.

guests” and “if a noise complaint is made against a resident they will immediately have their guest privileges removed permanently”. In a statement to Trinity News Molnárfi said: “College needs to change their policy which endangers students, is paternalistic, and a double standard.” “I would encourage College to take note of the serious discontent this policy has generated amongst student renters who have little rights yet are paying extortionate rates to live on campus and Halls.” This motion follows statements released by the TCDSU condemning the “paternalistic, dangerous, and double-standard” of the overnight guests policy. The statement released on November 17 encourages students

to sign up to the TCD Renters’ Solidarity Network, a “grassroots campus residents’ action group to coordinate campaigns around the collective issues we face”. In his statement to Trinity News, Molnárfi referenced the organisation, saying that they “have set up the TCD Renters’ Solidarity Network, so [they] will use collective action to force College to change this policy if we do not receive a positive reply”. “In the North and in the UK, students went on rent strike, costing their universities millions of euros. If they could do it there, so can we here” With over 1,800 students living at Halls or on campus, students are classed as licensees restricting their rights in comparison to those

of official tenants. The motion follows similar action by TCDSU to tackle issues related to student housing, such as the blockade of the Book of Kells in protest of the 2% increase in accommodation prices. Following this blockade College agreed to freeze rents in Trinity accommodation for 2024/25. Most universities in Ireland have an overnight guest policy for their residents on campus. At University College Dublin students are required to register visitors by midnight and can be fined €100 if they fail to do so. Students at Dublin City University and University of Galway must also register guests on a residents’ portal before they are admited.

Science and Geography Class Rep Siubhán Stockman, aims to amend policies regarding guest sign-in to

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Take note of the serious discontent this policy has generated amongst student renters who have little rights yet are paying extortionate rates

make the service more accessible to students and guests both on campus and in Trinity Hall (Halls). Students currently face restrictions when living in either location, with guest sign in prohibited after 12am on campus and 11pm in Halls. These rules do not apply to lecturers and Fellows living on campus, who do not need to sign in an overnight guest. This has prompted TCDSU to call this a double-standard between College’s staff and students. The motion noted that: “Cases where the friends of students who missed their public transport have had nowhere else to go, and College policy meant that they could not sleep on campus or Halls residences on the couch, but had to walk alone at night or not been able to go home, putting themselves in danger.” Speaking at Council this evening Molnárfi said: “I really don’t know why we haven’t taken action on this before.” He labelled the policy “so paternalistic” and “also dangerous”. He also noted that the practice is a “double standard” with staff not having the same conditions applied. Motion seconder Niko Evans noted that “for the exam period, we are not allowed to sign in

PHOTO BY JACK KENNEDY FOR TRINITY NEWS

n for the removal of the time limit in Trinity accommodation

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

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TCDSU “disappointed” in failed Dáil motion to impose sanctions on Israel It urged for a ceasefire to be imposed in Gaza Stephen Conneely Deputy Analysis Editor

RINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN STUDENTS’ UNION (TCDSU) RELEASED A STATEMENT IN reaction to various Dáil motions regarding the imposition sanctions on Israel and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Ireland.

The union said it was “greatly disappointed in the outcome of the Dáil motion” in which Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and the Green Party voted neither to expel the Israeli ambassador nor to refer the Israeli attacks on Gaza to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Sinn Féin’s motion to refer Israel to the ICC was defeated by 80 votes to 60, with Fianna Fáil owing their decision to the fact that “the situation in Palestine has already been referred to the ICC”. Mary Lou McDonald TD labelled this stance “a cop out, and a dangerous one at that”. The Social Democrats’ proposed motion to expel the Israeli ambassador to Ireland failed to pass, with the Government’s countermotion on the issue

passing by a margin of 30 votes. A number of independent TDs voted with Government. These votes were taken shortly after a pro-Palestinian protest, attended by over 1,000 people, took place outside Leinster House. Speakers at this event included Holly Cairns TD and Richard Boyd Barrett TD. TCDSU further condemned “violence in all cases”, stating that “the breaches of international humanitarian law by Israel are unacceptable”. “Millions of Palestinians […] live in cruel and humiliating conditions, deprived of basic human necessities […], with the ongoing genocide leaving 10,000+ dead”, the statement said. “Israel has been recognised as an apartheid state by multiple

human rights organisations across the globe. We must call for a ceasefire and end this senseless violence”, the statement continued. It concluded in calling for “students to stand for peace and against apartheid” by attending “a national demonstration calling for a ceasefire in Gaza” organised by the Union of Students in Ireland, set to take place on November 18 at the Garden of Remembrance. Thousands marched in support

of Palestine. The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign group organised the march in protest of Israel’s treatment of Gazans and to call on the government to put tougher sanctions on the state. Trinity BDS previously displayed Palestinian flags from the windows of College’s College Green facade to mark International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

conditions, which also includes the KI Research Institute and BenGurion University of the Negev. Ben-Gurion University is home to the Homeland Security Institute whose partnerships include Israel’s top weapons companies and the Ministry of Defense. In 2011, the University of Johannesburg cut ties with BenGurion University after a report found “institutional complicity and active collaboration with the Israeli military, occupation and apartheid practices”. Trinity has been allocated a total of €429,680 for its involvement in the project, which began last September and will last until 2027. Teva Pharmaceuticals Trinity contributes research to AIMS-2-TRIALS, an international collaborative project to develop new treatments for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in which Teva Pharmaceuticals is one of five pharmaceutical companies. A 2012 report by Who Profits showed that Teva and other Israeli pharmaceutical companies benefit from the “captive economy” of the occupied Palestinian territories.

Trinity is one of almost 40 academic institutions involved in the project, including Oxford and Cambridge. Controversial advocacy group Autism Speaks is an associated partner of the project, which began in 2018 and is due to run until 2025. Trinity will receive a total of €390,695 for its part in the project. AGORA PSVD Trinity, along with nine other European institutions, collaborates with Agora PSVD, a private Israeli company, on a project investigating the effects of digital technology on children’s behaviour. Trinity has received a total of €226,232 in funding for the project, entitled DIGYMATEX, which began in 2020 and will run until 2025. Other business relationships College also has business relationships with Israeli companies Enspire Science, Optoacoustics, 3D Lasertec, Beacon Tech, Mediclever, and MRC, all of which offer either consultancy services or scientific equipment to College.

Trinity continues to have ties to at least 12 Israeli organisations David Wolfe, Gabriela Gazaniga Managing Editor, Deputy Analysis Editor

ARLIER THIS MONTH, OVER 600 ACADEMICS ACROSS THE COUNTRY CALLED on Irish universities to sever all partnerships and affiliations with Israeli institutions until the occupation of Palestinian territory is ended, the Palestinian rights to equality and self-determination are vindicated, and the right of Palestinian refugees to return is facilitated. Locally, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) have condemned College’s silence on the situation in Gaza, which has been labelled “a textbook case of genocide”. Trinity continues to have ties to at least 12 Israeli organisations, through research collaboration and business relationships. Cumulatively, College receives over €2.5 million in funding for ongoing collaborative research projects which involve Israel, all funded by the European Commission. Tel Aviv University

Trinity and Tel Aviv University are among 12 collaborators on EXPERT, a project to develop a platform-based delivery system for mRNA nanomedicine. Tel Aviv University is deeply involved with the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and Israel’s occupation of Palestine. As well as military and war technology, it is responsible for the development of the “ethical code” of the IDF, and trains lawyers for the Military Advocate General which is responsible for the legal representation of the IDF. Trinity’s collaboration with Tel Aviv is set to run until 2025, having begun in 2019. Trinity has been allocated €755,805 in funding for its participation. Tel Aviv University was also a contributing partner in CHICKENSTRESS, a project studying factors contributing to stress in hens in the poultry industry, which concluded in April of this year. Trinity received a total of €274,684 in funding for its involvement in the project, on which the Open University of Israel also collaborated. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology Trinity is one of 19 partners, including Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, on IMPACTIVE, a pilot scheme to develop “mechanochemical” processes to produce several active ingredients used in pharmaceuticals. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology is noted for its cooperation with the Israeli military and Elbit Systems in arms research and technology. Elbit Systems is described as an international company that

operates in the defence and security technology field. Elbit is responsible for supplying surveillance systems to Israel’s West Bank, supporting the military occupation of the region. Trinity will receive €699,441 in total funding for its involvement in the project, which began last October. It is scheduled to run until September 2026. Weizmann Institute of Science According to information released under a Freedom of Information (FOI) request last year, College has an ongoing business relationship with the Weizmann Institute of Science who provide “DNA sequencing” to Trinity. Weizmann openly collaborates with the war industry, having strong ties to Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, as well as having demonstrated support for the development of Israel’s nuclear program. The institute offers an MA program specifically tailored to active duty soldiers and runs a premilitary academy that prepares final-year school students for “meaningful military service”. Trinity has a longstanding collaborative relationship with the Weizmann Institute, having held multiple joint conferences in the past. Trinity BDS has described Weizmann as “anti-BDS,” having set up a campaign to counter the anti-apartheid movement by highlighting Israeli scientific breakthroughs. KI Research Institute and Ben-Gurion University Trinity is one of 25 collaborators on a €7.9 million project examining mental health

PHOTO BY GORDI SPELLMAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Explainer: What ties does Trinity have to Israel?

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 7 November

News

Evergreen magazine recognised as official Trinity publication Beyond Trinity’s sustainability magazine has gained official recognition from Trinity Publications Emily Sheehan Assistant News Editor

a pressing issue vital to address, and this recognition by Trinity Publications is a proud moment for all of us. It acknowledges the impact we’ve had in promoting environmental consciousness, delivering the rapid changes and debates manifesting in the sustainable world today. We are very excited to expand climate literacy in Trinity and couldn’t do it without the support of Trinity Publications.” Lara Mellett, the chair of the Trinity Publications, expressed her excitement for the recognition in the same Instagram post. “We are extremely excited to be welcoming Evergreen into the fold as a fully recognised Trinity Publication. Evergreen’s focus is on highlighting environmental affairs and helps us represent a core value

of the student population.” As a fully recognised publication, Evergreen’s editor will sit on the committee of Trinity Publications, and will be guaranteed funding for the magazine whilst the official recognition lasts. For anyone who would like to get involved with the publication, more information is available on the official instagram page @ evergreentrinity, with further information available in the link in their bio. Trinity Publications seven other fully recognised publications. include Trinity News, arts and culture magazine TN2, the Journal of Literary Translation (JoLT), Trinity Film Review (TFR), satire magazine the Piranha, Icarus and MISC.

PHOTO BY NIKO EVANS FOR TRINITY NEWS

V E R G R E E N C O L L E G E ’ S S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y MAGAZINE, HAS received full recognition

as an official Trinity publication. The magazine, which strives to improve climate literacy and highlight environmental affairs, was established in 2021. Evergreen is the eighth fully recognised publication to be acknowledged by Trinity Publications. JoLT, the Journal of Literary Translation, was the last publication to be recognised. Evergreen’s editor in chief Lily Hassett expressed her joy at the news in a statement published on the Trinity Publications Instagram. “I am overjoyed to announce that we have achieved full recognition from Trinity Publications. This milestone is a testament to the commitments and dedication of our entire team, and the co-founders Alfie and Faye.” “Improving climate literacy is

Trinity

Queen’s University Belfast: Work has begun to create a new student social hub in Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) worth £1.1 million (€1.2 million). The university is currently transforming the site of The Speakeasy Union Bar on the Lisburn Road into a refreshed student area with a “board games area” and “e-sports” centre. The bar was opened in 2018 as a temporary location after the Student’s Union closed ahead of demolition to create the new One Elmwood Student Centre, which opened in 2022. The Speakeasy has remained closed since the opening of the new SU bar last year, but a new poster erected outside the site has suggested the revamped hub will be open in 2024. University College Cork:

College opens submissions for renaming of the Berkeley Library College plans to rename the library within the current academic year Conor Healy, Ellen Kenny Deputy News Editor, Deputy Editor

OLLEG HAS OPENED SUBMISSIONS FOR SUGGESTIONS ON a new name for the library formerly known as the Berkeley. Submissions will be accepted until mid-January, after which they will be reviewed by the Trinity Legacies Review Working Group (TLRWG). College plans to rename the library within the current academic year.

The Board voted to dename the Berkeley Library in April 2023 following a campaign led by Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU), including a petition, protests and referring to the library as the “X Library” in all union correspondence. College said the use of the name of the slave-owning philosopher “is inconsistent with the University’s core values of human dignity, freedom, inclusivity and equality”. Speaking on today’s announcement, Provost Linda Doyle said: “Trinity is committed to the fundamental values of human dignity, equality, freedom, and inclusion.” “For these reasons it is important for us to listen to as many voices as possible, as we embark on a further evidencebased review of legacy issues,” she said. “This website offers us an important mechanism to do that.” On renaming the library, Librarian and College Archivist Helen Shenton said: “We have an

opportunity to show imagination in the renaming of this iconic library.” “We encourage suggestions not just confined to people’s names but all sorts of options, including places, dates, concepts, and more,” she added. TLRWG Chair Eoin O’Sullivan said the renaming of the library will be based on “evidence-led deliberations”. “Members of the public will be asked to include in their suggestions as much detail and

evidence as possible about the issue and its connection with Trinity,” he said. College also announced it is “working on a comprehensive inventory of the nature and origin of all human remains in its historic collections” and has opened submissions for suggestions and concerns relating to this. Last year, it returned human remains to the island of Inishbofin, which were taken without the consent of the community more than a century ago.

PHOTO BY JIMENA ALVAREZ FOR TRINITY NEWS

Professor Paul Ross of University College Cork (UCC) has been named Researcher of the Year 2023 by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) for significant contributions to food and gut health research. The SFI Awards celebrate outstanding researchers funded by SFI who have contributed greatly to scientific progress or had a highly significant scientific breakthrough. As co-director of UCC Futures – Food, Microbiome & Health, Ross has received international acclaim for his research on antibacterial compounds. He has supervised over 90 postgraduate doctoral students and 25 Masters by Research students. He is recognised in the Web of Science by Clarivate Analytics as a highly cited researcher, ranking in the top 1% by citations in his field each year since 2017. Speaking on his award, he said: “I have always been fascinated by the microbial world in which we live and depend on so much. Our research strives to find microbiome-based solutions to address some of the grand challenges society is facing right now.” Dublin City University: IBM has announced a collaboration with Dublin City University (DCU) and Fast Track into Information Technology (FIT) to deliver Artificial Intelligence (AI) training to adults. IBM is expanding its global AI education collaborations as part of plans to train two million learners in AI by the end of 2026, with a focus on underrepresented communities. Generative AI learning paths will form a key basis for the expansion, and IBM will make AI learning paths available as part of its existing education platform, IBM SkillsBuild.

Tuesday 7 November TRINITY NEWS

News

Analysis: Student housing could be this government’s lifeline, but are they really taking it? Stephen Conneely Deputy Analysis Editor

N INVESTMENT IN STUDENT HOUSING ACROSS the State, worth €434 million, was announced last month by Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris and Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien, thus enabling colleges and universities to ultimately provide in excess of 2,700 beds designated for students. As an arrangement between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Housing Financing Agency (HFA), this is the first initiative of its kind and will have “significant benefits for access to education, and crucially to the wider housing market”, according to Minister Harris. The arrangement between the two parties at hand involves a 40-year, €200 million loan from the EIB, with the HFA more than matching this figure with €234, to be lent directly to Higher Education Institutions across the Irish State. This will result in both

newly constructed and recently refurbished accommodation available to students in the near future. Coupling housing and education together may seem, at first glance, like a dangerous game for a government under whom there have arguably been crises in both sectors. With a looming General Election set to take place in a year and a half from now, however, it is perhaps time for Government to recognise this fact: Student housing initiatives could act as a lifeline for the parties in power, as well as serving as a stepping stone for further maintaining popularity in the future. The marriage of education and housing, if successfully executed, is a clear investment in the future and youth of this country, an obvious energising of the national economy, and an eventual amelioration of the quality of life for citizens. The decision to invest heavily in the student accommodation sector undoubtedly affects young people the most directly, and this may prove to be a targeted and effective manner in which to attract young voters towards the Government parties. While young people, at home and abroad, are significantly more politically left-

leaning compared to previous generations, a successful model of student housing may prove to be fruitful for first-time voters. This will be a tough ask, however, as young people are not naïve to the fact that whatever crisis or struggle experienced by either the housing or education systems in this country have their origins in either a Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael-led government. As well with the common belief now that these two parties share close to all their policies, young people are more likely to search for a solution, particularly in regards to housing, in Sinn Féin or another leftist party. Young people, however, will not be the only demographic to benefit from these investments. The inclusion of parents/guardians paying rent on behalf of a child attending third-level education within the parameters of the Rent Tax Credit shows the Government’s understanding of many families’ economic situations, and the parents (who are statistically more likely to support the Government) may greatly appreciate an improved living situation for their child. Any type of mass-building project conducted, at least in part, by the State is bound to

have far-reaching economic benefits across the economy. The injection of capital and funding into the construction sector will of course greatly impact those directly involved, but it will also have impressive knock-on effects in terms of employment and productivity. There may be minor population boosts in student towns

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Young people, however, will not be the only demographic to benefit from these investments and cities, take Galway or Limerick as an example, as well as student neighbourhoods with notable student populations in larger cities, for example the Holylands in Belfast or Phibsborough and Rathmines in Dublin - and more plentiful student accommodation options will benefit the local economies of these areas. Furthermore, and more concretely, funds coming directly to Higher Education Institutions in Ireland from the European Investment Bank is yet another example of EU institutions aiding to fund the economic, and

therefore social, development of the State. This is yet another example of the government’s foreign policy achievement that they can, and should, tout. Finally, and most holistically, is the amelioration of young people’s self-perceived status in the eyes of the government. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which the government admitted that youth were those who had to sacrifice the most in society, many young people saw themselves as an afterthought of those in power. A government-supported student housing system could rapidly change this, not to mention quickly improve practically all needs on Maslow’s hierarchy. While this model is all well and good hypothetically, it is clearly much more easily said than done. The government has consistently stalled and failed to reach its annual housing targets, oftentimes underspending on allocated budgets, and subsequently branding this as a form of fiscal responsibility. Moreover, the privatisation of these beds could result in rising rents and worsening conditions if companies prioritise profits over people - a real possibility when one keeps in mind Fine Gael’s steadfast loyalty to the private sector. Perhaps not even a €434 million investment may significantly change the realm of student housing, and many call for a much more radical approach to housing - aggressive and constructive, in the vein of 1920s Viennese social housing, coupled with strict rent controls and renters’ rights. This is, however, very much a welcomed start to build on.

PHOTOS BY NIKO EVANS FOR TRINITY NEWS

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

Features

A shifting landscape in Ireland’s views toward drug use Ruby Murphy -page 16

Temple Bar Bookshop: A slice of literary heaven Dana Richie

-page 17

The nightcrawlers of Kinsella Hall Trinity News talks to Kinsella Hall’s 24 hour visitors ART BY FAYE DOLAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Sam Walsh Deputy Features Editor

y 10pm on weekday evenings, Trinity is ready to go to sleep. The buildings begin to close and the crowd at The Pav thins. It is the hour when the foxes appear and the seagulls come to roost on the cricket pitch. Campus is eerily quiet, save for one noise: the beep of T-cards and the clatter of the door which leads into Kinsella Hall. Though it bears a separate name, Kinsella Hall is perhaps best understood as the night time alter ego of the Ussher Library. Both refer to the same structure, built in 1999. But when the libraries shut at 10pm, access to the Ussher’s collections is closed off and Kinsella Hall becomes solely accessible from the Ussher podium. The building opened as a 24-hour library in 2014 thanks to the generous contributions of philanthropists Eric and Barbara Kinsella. Prior to its opening, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union lobbied extensively for a 24-hour study space to be made available. Upon the opening of Kinsella Hall, the then TCDSU President Domhnall McGlackenByrne expressed the opinion that “24/7 access is not just a necessity coming up to exam time, but also throughout the year, in order to complete projects and research.” Anyone who frequents Kinsella Hall after 10pm and takes a look will conclude that he was right. The floors of the library, which remain open through the night, are more often than not, at the very least, half-full, and some never clear out completely. Walking around the tightly packed desks is a unique experience: students’ laptops display complex diagrams and academic papers, mathematical equations and oil paintings from the Italian Renaissance. The library air, punctuated by whispers during the day, becomes totally silent at night. Speaking to students between 11:30pm and 12:30am on a freezing November night, Trinity News tried to get a sense of who these 24-hour library people are, and what brings them to Kinsella Hall at unsociable hours.

Necessity Perhaps unsurprisingly given the time of year, many of the students who spoke to Trinity News have been driven to the 24hour library out of necessity. More often than not, the response to the question “What are you working on?” involves an assignment due tomorrow or next week which they had two months to do but ultimately put on the long finger. Others, though, are more regular in their attendance. A large portion of the STEM students who spoke to Trinity News feel that long hours in the library are necessary to keep up with coursework, or to catch up on an increasing amount of recorded lectures.

Atmosphere The unique atmosphere of a nighttime library is also a major factor which attracts these students to Kinsella Hall at night. As the crowds thin out and the air cools, the conditions become more conducive to concentration. “It’s better than when it’s super full in the Ussher” one law student says, “at 2pm you get no seats and it’s kind of hot. This is a lot better.” Most remarked on the “quiet peerpressure” generated by the close quarters of the library, something which many feel is essential for keeping them off their phones and out of their bed. A molecular medicine student, somewhat paradoxically, told Trinity News: “There’s less distractions because there’s people around, you can’t just go on your phone. You have to be doing something.” Others explained that having a space dedicated purely for work is essential to their productivity: “If you’re at home you try to focus

but eventually you just find your way back to your bed,” said one student. Another added: “I don’t want to associate my room with study.”

Unhealthy habits However, the calm and focussed atmosphere of the library at this time of day is often at odds with these students’ state of mind. Fast approaching deadlines and mounting pressure can turn these late-night study sessions into highly stressful experiences. “I have kind of pulled an all-nighter here,” one law student admitted, “I stayed here ‘til half-six in the morning, came home and sat my exam. The next night I stayed ‘til half-four.” It could be argued that the 24hour facility fuels these unhealthy habits. Many of the students Trinity News spoke with lamented their ruined sleep schedules and chaotic work-life balance: “My sleep schedule is completely fucked up” said one second year medicine student. He continued: “I’m always constantly studying. I have a huge caffeine intake, so I usually wake up around 2pm anyway. I go to the library around 2 or 3 and stay for like 12 to 14 hours.” Then he goes to bed and does it all over again. “You learn to operate on four to six hours of sleep pretty well,” commented one theoretical physics student. “In the moment it definitely doesn’t feel like anything’s paying off, but I’m just hoping it does,” he added.

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In the moment it definitely doesn’t feel like it’s paying off, but I’m just hoping it does

important for a generation faced with more potential distractions than any other in history. If you need somebody looking over your shoulder in order to keep you off your phone or out of your bed, the library setting is perfect, particularly in the dark of night when all you can do is study. However, this environment comes at a cost. Mix the enormous workloads of STEM subjects and the open-ended reading lists of the humanities with the availability of a 24/7 workspace and it becomes all too possible to fall into a constant cycle of work and sleep. In the age of Blackboard and online lectures, college work never really goes away. Thanks to Kinsella Hall, neither does the library. It is always there, 24/7, its lights glowing bright against the darkness of the cricket pitch.

The never-ending library After spending an hour talking to students outside the doors of Kinsella Hall, it became clear that having a place to focus is hugely

GRAPHIC BY KAY WILLIAMS FOR TRINITY NEWS

Tuesday 28 November| TRINITY NEWS

Features

A shifting landscape in Ireland’s views toward drug use What needs to be done to stop this crisis and does the solution lie in a “miracle drug” called Narcan? Ruby Murphy Contributing Writer

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Currently, Narcan can only be obtained with a prescription, unless it is distributed by drug treatment workers

IMAGE VIA UNSPLASH

change seems to be occurring in Ireland’s political landscape as the legacy of the conservative state is slowly being dismantled through amendments to the constitution. Recent referenda on divorce, marriage equality and reproductive rights all spring to mind when we think of how Ireland has changed in recent years. While these remain contested issues, Ireland now seems to think of itself as moderately progressive. Why, then, are its drug use policies so archaic? This issue has long been either trivialised, dismissed as a stoner’s desire for legal cannabis, or surrounded by moral panic: “You can have a methadone clinic, but not in my neighbourhood – think of the children!”. But with Ireland having one of the highest overdose rates per capita in Europe, and the growing concern over synthetic opioids (e.g Fentanyl) at the forefront of experts’ minds, this issue cannot be ignored for much longer. This sentiment for reform was echoed by the recent findings of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use, the most comprehensive national effort to address drug policy in Ireland’s history. Trinity News spoke to Paul Reid, chair of the Assembly and former Health Service Executive CEO, about how it reflected the public’s changing consciousness. In his words, Ireland is facing “a choice between evolution or revolution” in how the country responds to drug use. Their conclusions were clear: change needs to happen, and fast. This is all the more relevant now, with recent warnings on November 10 about dangerous synthetic opioids circulating in Dublin, resulting in 40 known overdoses in a period of 38 hours. Synthetic opioids are potent and dangerous, and have the capacity to be 50 times stronger than heroin. To provide some perspective, the devastating overdose rates caused by these drugs in the United States have been described in countless studies as the country’s “most consequential preventable public health problem.”

Despite the fact that synthetic opioids have been recognised as a threat by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Irish politicians are still slow to act. A prime example of this is the distribution, or lack thereof, of Narcan in Ireland. Narcan or Naloxone is a drug which reverses the effects of an overdose long enough for emergency responders to arrive. You might have seen TikToks or infographics, often made by student advocate groups, with snappy instructions on how to administer this potentially life saving drug. But did you know that it is not widely available in Ireland? Currently, Narcan can only be obtained with a prescription, unless it is distributed by drug treatment workers. Only in the last year has St James’ hospital launched a scheme giving at-risk patients free take home Narcan kits (THN). When Trinity News mentioned this scheme in an interview with Prof. David Best (Professor of Addiction Recovery, Leeds Trinity University), he was surprised, remarking that he was involved in the first peer-to-peer Narcan training scheme in the UK over 16 years ago. He added how six weeks earlier he had visited a treatment centre in Texas, which had Narcan available in every bedside locker. This seemed to him like a fundamental first step in responding to drug overdose, stating starkly: “You cannot recover if you are dead.” To understand how Ireland came to lag behind so severely, you must examine the core values at the heart of drug policy. At present, Ireland follows a policy of criminalisation, which considers harm reduction and recovery for drug users as a secondary consideration. Government

officials themselves have admitted that recovery is a “weak point” in Ireland’s Drug Response Strategy. This “weak point” highlights what experts identify as a lack of political will to resolve the issue, citing stigma as the main barrier to action. The fact is that drugs hurt some communities more than others, according to a leading expert in this field Dr. Austin O’Carroll. As he explains, this is because it is widely acknowledged that trauma is the root of addiction. Thus, people who grow up in disadvantaged areas have a much higher chance of undergoing trauma, and are therefore more predisposed to battling addiction. Reid went so far as to express the belief that if drugs impacted wealthier areas at the same rate as disadvantaged ones, this would be more of a political priority. Thus, for Reid and O’Carroll, the systemic dehumanisation of drug users is not just harmful to themselves, but to society as a whole. A key takeaway from the European Working Group On Drugs Oriented Recovery Research conference, which took place at Trinity College Dublin this year, is that in order to holistically and effectively respond to drug use, it needs to be viewed as a wider community issue. It is clear that such an attitude is lacking in

Ireland. And although addiction does not discriminate, while it is important to acknowledge the class-based element, such considerations should not curb empathy or attention. Furthermore, with synthetic opioids increasingly affecting more widely-consumed party drugs, the risk of fatality for any and all drug users is on the rise. Though the Citizens’ Assembly offers hope for a move towards more progressive policies, it is not enough for them to be implemented in a vacuum. Ireland must create engaged and active communities which can effectively implement harm reduction; this conversation can no longer be relegated to the outskirts of society. One way to begin this process could be to bring concrete harm reduction support into institutions such as Trinity. This is already widely practised across many American universities where the provision of free Narcan and training to students has been normalised in response to the Fentanyl crisis. Such measures not only empower students who may need help themselves, but also give them the tools to potentially save a life. As a country, we have the chance to put this infrastructure in place before it reaches crisis point, but a shift in attitude is needed within

the wider public consciousness. Drug use and drug-related deaths should no longer be viewed with

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This conversation can no longer be relegated to the outskirts of society the apathy we have come to expect. Outside of specific services for drug users, “awareness” campaigns about not mixing substances and drinking water should not be the limits of harm reduction policies. Ireland, along with the rest of Europe, can and must make this a political priority. The question that remains is whether attitudes will shift in time.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

Features

Tuairisc ar Oireachtas na Samhna Thaistil an Cumann Gaelach chuig an féile bliantiúil is mó i bpobal na Gaeilge, a bhí i gCill Áirne an bhliain seo Niamh Ní Lideadha Scríbhneoir Ranníocach

á fios ag chuile duine go bhfuil an tOireachtas buacphointe na bliana do phobal na Gaeilge. Is deis é dúinne, na cainteoirí Gaelacha ar fad, chun ár gcultúr agus ár dteanga a chéiliúradh. Tá sé chomh tábhachtach dúinn chun an traidisiúin bhliantúil a choiméad beo agus é a leannúint ar aghaidh do thodhchaí na Gaeilge. Is léir go bhfuil an tOireachtas ag fás gach bliain, níl aon dabht faoi sin. Ní thuigeann muid an réim. Ní thugann muid faoi deara cé chomh mór is atá sé agus an méid imeachtaí atá ar fáil le linn na seachtaine ar fad. San alt seo, rachaidh mé tríd an taithí agus craic a mbíonn lárnach ag an gcéiliúradh iontach seo. Ar dtús báire, tá stair an Oireachtais an-tábhachtach maidir le stádas na Gaeilge sa lá atá inniu ann. Bhunaíodh an féile chultúrtha seo in 1897 i Rotunda, i mBaile Átha Cliath. Tugtar ardán d’ealaíona agus comórtais traidisiúnta. Is féile cultúrtha é

an Oireachtas. Is é an aidhm atá i gceist leis an bhféile ná gach páirt den cultúr Gaelach a cheiliúradh - ó cheol go damhsa, ó stair go gnó, ón teanga go cairdeas. Bíonn Oireachtas na Samhna ar siúl tar éis Oíche Shamhna ar feadh seachtaine. Cuireadh tús leis an bhféile ar 17ú Bealtaine sa bhliain 1897. Ag an gcéad cruinniú, níor fhreastail ach 1000 duine ar an bhféile leathlae sin. Chum an scríbhneoir Annie W. Patterson an slógamhrán ‘Go mairidh ár nGaedhlig slán’ don ócáid. Leis an aidhm, ráiteas tábhachtach beidh ár dteanga beo go deo ón bpointe seo, ionas go mbeidh muid páirteach in athbheochan na teanga. Mar a dúirt Seán Ó Muimhneacháin, Iar-Uachtarán an Oireachtais, ‘Tá dóchas i mo chroí i leith na teanga agus an chultúr.’ Bíonn gach gné den chultúr i réim ann. An teanga, an ceol, an rince, an amhránaíocht, na hagallaimh, díospóireacht fiú. Bíonn rudaí ann do gach duine mar uaire spreagúil don dream óg agus gliúine na todhchaí. In agallamh san ‘Irish Examiner’ 2017, tugann rannpháirtíocht na daoine óga san Oireachtas dóchas do thodhchaí na hócáide agus na teanga - “tá sé tar éis fás ina imeacht chomh mór sin agus tá an oiread sin béime ar an óige.” Mar a deirtear , ‘Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí.’ Is fíor an seanfhocal sin gan dabht. Tá an féile ag fás is ag forbairt chuile bhliain, a deir stiúrthóir an Oireachtais, Máirín Nic Dhonnchadha le Tuairisc. Chomh maith leis sin, arsa Máirín go bhfuil “ardú suntasach ar líon na n-iomaitheoirí i mbliana”. Léiríonn sé sin go bhfuil an Ghaeilge i mbláth. Tar éis sos beag

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CUMANN GAELACH

ó 1924 go 1938 le meath ar feadh cúpla bliain, bhog an tOireachtas amach as an nGalltacht agus go dtí an Gaeltacht i 1970. Ó shin ar aghaidh, bíonn an tOireachtas ag bogadh láthair ó bhliain go bliain agus é ag dul ó neart go neart, ach le suíomh sheasta i gCill Áirne den chuid is mó. Mar is gnáth, ar ndóigh, is iad na comórtais amhránaíochta agus rince ar an sean-nós mórimeachtaí na féile. Tugann siad deis do lucht dúchasach ón Gaeltacht a dtallainne go léir a thaispeáint. Tá sé cosúil le Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann ach do phobal na Gaeilge. Taispeántar an dílseacht don Oireachtas a thugtar ar aghaidh ó ghlúin go glúin. Tá páirt iontach tábhachtach dúinn don chaomhnú an chultúir Ghaelaigh, thar aon ní eile ná an teanga. Gan amhras, tá ról lárnach agus tábhachtach ag an saol sóisialta san fhéile. Gach am a shroichim abhaile tar éis an Oireachtais, bím lán le bród agus inspioráid ach le póit ollmhór freisin. Sroichimid an áit go luath tar éis sos beag san áit is fearr Obama Plaza chun Supermacs riachtanach a fháil. Ag tosú le phléasc, bíonn Oíche na Mac Léinn ar siúl ar an Aoine. Bíonn comórtas feistis ar siúl nuair a phiocann na hollscoileanna téama éagsúla agus gléastaíonn siad maidir leis an dtéama. I mbliana, bhí ‘Shrek’ mar téama ag Coláiste na Trionóide agus gan iontas, bhuaigh muid an comórtas. Is rún é an téama roimh an ócáid agus mar sin, ní bhíonn fios ag na hollscoileanna céard a mbeidh lucht an fhreasúra ag gléasadh mar. Bíonn an bua tuillte againne i gcónaí leis an iarracht a chuireann muid isteach. Chuir roinnt baill den chumann péint glas ar a gcoirp. Ghearr ár leas-reachtaire a cuid gruaige ar son na cúise. Shiúileamar tríd pobal Chiarraí mar Shrek. Nach bhfuil sin obair

crua agus díograiseach? Ansin, bhain muid an-taitneamh as na gceoltóirí éagsúla, cosúil le Oisín Mac le “Airgead, Airgead” agus “Hip Hop Gaelach” - na haintiún do na chumainn Ghaelaigh ar fad, ar ndóigh. Ansin, thóg Bandia an stáitse chun ár gcluasa a bheannú. Chríoch Grooveline an oíche le seó iontach agus ceol thar barr fiú le “mosh pit” sa lár! Ní cheapfá go mbeadh ceol traidisiúnta á sheinnt le sacasfón, armónach, dordghiotár, drumaí agus giotár leictreach! Ansin, bíonn an oíche Satharn níos suaimhní leis na gcéilithe móra agus an ceol Gaelach. An ceann is fearr riamh do chách (agus is dócha an t-aon ceann a bhfuil na liricí ar eolas ag gach duine) ná ‘Oró Sé Do Bheatha Abhaile’. Ansin, an maidin dár gcionn, téimid ar ár tslí abhaile go dtí an fíorshaol agus freagrachtaí. Bhí an t-ádh liom agallamh a dhéanamh leis an íocón Barry Ó Siochrú - an chéad Oifigeach na Gaeilge lán-aimseartha in aon aontas na mac léinn in Éirinn. B’inspoiráid ollmhór é do Choláiste na Trionóide lenár bhfeachtas féin do Oifigeach na Gaeilge lán-aimseartha in Aontas na Mac Léinn. Is saol go hiomlán difriúil é anseo ag an Oireachtas agus daoine nurb as an nGaeltacht dóibh. Tá sé beagáinín cosúil leis na gcúrsaí samhraidh do dhaoine fásta. Is pobal ollmhór atá ann do chách. Ag a chéad cuairt ar an Oireachtas, thuig Barry an freagra don cheist eiseach atá ag go leor dúinne -“Cén fáth go bhfuil mé chomh paiseanta faoin Gaeilge?”. Chonaic sé pobal na Gaeilge ag teacht le chéile ar son na teanga agus thuig sé fad is atá muid ag úsáid ár dteanga, beidh pobal fáilteach, cairdiúil, agus beo ann do chách. Níor thug sé faoi deara an méid daoine a bhí i bpobal na Gaeilge ar leith. Freastalaíonn réimse leathan ar an bhféile - ó

dhaltaí bunscoile agus meánscoile go mic léinn na hollscoile, agus ansin daoine fásta óna gcathracha nó ar chúl éaga. Gach glúinn i láthair san áit céanna. “Bhraith mé is compordaí nuair a bhí mé i measc daoine a bhí ar an meon céanna liomsa. Mhothaigh mé go hiomlán mé féin.” D’aontaigh mé le Barry nuair a dúirt sé é sin. Is rud a chuireann gliondar i mo chroí nuair a fheicim na sluaite ag an Oireachtas agus mothaím mar páirt do chlann ollmhór. Nach bhfuil an t-ádh linne? Ar an drochuair, ní bhíonn aon deiseanna chun an teanga a thacú sa mhéanscoile, taobh amuigh den seomra ranga. Bíonn meon ansin go bhfuil an Ghaeilge “marbh” i measc na ndáltaí. Ba chóir go n-athróidh rud chun iad a spreagadh. Cén fáth nach bhfuil an tOireachtas cosúil leis an turas go dtí an Comórtas Náisiúnta Treabhdóireachta gach bhliain? Tá na heagraíochtaí go léir ag obair leis na meánscoilenna ar fud na tíre ach níl an rogha sin go fóill ar dhéagóirí chun dul agus an Ghaeilge a bhaint taitneamh as is a chéiliúradh as an seomra ranga. Níor chuala mé féin faoin oireachtas go dtí anuraidh agus mé san ollscoil. Tá an t-ádh linn chun a bheith anseo agus an teanga a labhairt gan srian. Tuigeann muid go léir an craic agus an sult a bhaineann leis an deireadh seachtaine. Is é seo an ócáid don bhliain dúinn. Ní creideann daoine go mbíonn muid ag dul chuig an féile seo chun an Ghaeilge a labhairt go deonach. Ba choir go mbeadh an Ghaeilge mar seo i gcónaí. An pobal Ghaeilge atá inár gcroíthe go láidir agus go deo. Is é an pobal seo an cheann is fáiltiúla agus cairdiúla. Táimid go léir ar an misean le chéile, agus beidh muid fad is atá muid beo.

Tuesday 28 November| TRINITY NEWS

Features

Temple Bar Bookshop: A slice of literary heaven

Dana Richie Contributing Writer

hen bookseller Tim Collie was ten years old, he made his first major book purchase. At the annual TCD Secondhand Book Sale, he bought ten boxes of books from the clearance section, “much to [his] parent’s delight.” He added in conversation with TN that as a child, he was “drawn to anything old and interestinglooking.” Thirty years later, he owns Temple Bar Bookshop, a warmly lit bookstore tucked away on Cow’s Lane, with his wife Tanya Collie. The pair has been in the book buying and selling business for eleven years.

The Collies have a “love and passion for books” something that was part of what brought them together. Tanya fondly recalled their bookstore dates of the early stages of their relationship. Now, they’ve been married for 14 years, and run the bookshop together, just the two of them. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, they sell a wide variety of books in their brick-and-mortar location. Over time, they have acquired 30,000 books from houses all over Ireland – 4,000 of which are kept on-site. According to Tim, this model yields a balanced selection of “quirky collections.” “We’re possibly the broadest bookshop [in Dublin] in the sense that we stock a wide range,” Tanya added. “You can get your fiction for three euros, and you can also get something pretty beautiful as well.” Tim estimates that over the years, they have acquired the entire collections of between 300 and 400 individuals. During his travels around the country searching for books, Tim has encountered plenty of “odd, eccentric people who have passions in some niche subject matter.” For example, he often acquires specialised libraries from professionals such as architects, artists or historians. Sometimes, they stumble upon rare finds. For instance, years ago at a country house auction in Tipperary, Tim rummaged through the boxes of unsold, discarded books. He found a letter signed by William Wordsworth tucked inside a tattered collection headed for the bin. Tanya particularly recalled her excitement when, on another occasion, they came into possession of a collection that had been owned by poet Thomas Kinsella. The selection included

PHOTO BY MAYA MANN FOR TRINITY NEWS

PHOTO BY DANA RICHIE FOR TRINITY NEWS

After years of travelling the country searching for collections of second-hand books, a local book-loving couple has opened the cosiest, cutest bookshop in a corner of Temple Bar

his own work and what he read. In addition to offering rare and antique books, the shop makes an effort to provide something for everybody. “You will find something in the shop for a couple of euros,” Tanya said, “and if it’s been there for a while, we’re happy for it to move on to find a nice home.” She added that there is an intuition involved in deciding which books to show on location: “We want to keep the stock moving,” she said. Morraugh Lacy, former owner of secondhand bookstore Taney Books in Dundrum, recalled how the Collies used to come to his bookstore before they started their own. Now, Lacy occasionally drops by Temple Bar Bookshop: “They might have something that I think I can sell for a higher price,” he added with a laugh, “because the prices here are so reasonable.” The Collies did not always know they were going to be bookshop owners. Tim has a background in geography and town planning, and Tanya worked as a youth librarian. After living in England for six years, they returned to Dublin in 2013. According to Tanya, the move motivated them to “go against the grain” and try a new career. “It was not a linear or natural thing,” she added with a laugh. Tim described how they

“transitioned into business ownership gradually.” For the first six months, they operated their enterprise of collecting, sorting and selling books – then called Broadford Books – from a warehouse in Dublin’s East Wall. At that point, according to Tim, they were primarily selling by appointment or through book fairs. The couple then secured their first brick-and-mortar location in Blackrock and sold their books on the weekends. According to Tanya, that location was about one-third of the size of their current one, and they were able to show 2,000 books. Tim added that because they were located in Blackrock, their clientele was 70 to 80 percent made up of regulars. The Collies moved to their current location last March. Tim said that it has its own character, explaining that “every street is different.” He added that there are more tourists in the area, and as a result, they are able to sell a “much greater variety” of books. The other businesses in the area also boost traffic, and they find that a lot of people pop in to browse. On the days when the shop is not open, the couple work from home. According to Tanya, those days usually involve “donkey work” including accounting, unboxing, cataloguing, sorting

and posting. She said it’s nice to have flexibility when juggling the schedules of their four children. The “world revolves around them,” she said with a laugh, adding that her kids have “a feel for books” and have been “immersed in it.” In addition to their physical premise, the couple maintains an online presence. Tim said that they sell five or six books online everyday, and Tanya estimated that they typically post 70 to 100 books each week. Tim also approximated that at this point in their bookselling careers, they have probably shipped around 15,000 books total, including to international customers. The online dimension of their business is growing, and it supports the maintenance of the brick-and-mortar location. “We could not have one without the other,” Tim emphasised. Aside from providing Dublin with a special place to find some great books, Temple Bar Bookshop has become a source of community for many: “People come into the shop just wanting to chat with someone,” Tim said. “We can be a bit of a talking shop sometimes.” Though it is new to Dublin City, this small corner of Temple Bar paradise will undoubtedly continue to attract book lovers and chatterboxes alike for years to come.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

Features

The evolution of Near East studies at Trinity Trinity News explores the history of Trinity’s Near and Middle Eastern Studies (NMES) Department to find out how it has worked to properly educate students and dismantle damaging, common stereotypes about the region Zaynab Zaher Copyeditor

rior to 2012, when a module at Trinity College Dublin claimed to teach topics related to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, it normally failed to provide students with an accurate and thorough intellectual understanding of its history and politics from antiquity to today, offering up a Western perspective instead. But in 2012, two Trinity professors and MENA experts, Dr Anne Fitzpatrick and Dr Zuleika Rodgers, decided to change this reality by officially establishing Trinity’s Near and Middle Eastern Studies (NMES) Department. To better understand how studying the field of Middle Eastern studies has evolved more generally, Trinity News asked Assistant Professor in Near & Middle Eastern Studies Dr. Maya Petrovich for her opinion about stereotypes of the MENA region. She was clear: the way scholars approach the study of the region still has a long way to go. Petrovich cited the generational divide in options for specialisation between “those in the field who obtained their Ph. D.s before” and after the 2000s. Those who did so earlier could “focus on any time period, including ancient, medieval and early modern” and had the context of “colonial baggage.” She explained that the global reconstruction of universities, which has been going on since the 1990s, led to several of these options falling away. Professors in

this field now “constantly have to prove [their] relevance in terms of global political issues.” This lack of background information and focus on more modern periods “creates a very shallow image of the region,” leading to the reinforcement of “ignorant and partial opinions.” Petrovich reiterated that “there is so much more to the region” than using present-day politics as a yardstick to measure the work done in its study. To address such scholarly limitations and to provide Trinity students with more avenues

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Constantly have to prove [their] relevance in terms of global political issues

through which to study the MENA region, Trinity established the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Middle Eastern Studies in 2019. It is a research centre which endeavours to form national and international networks while promoting the academic study of the Middle East through workshops, research seminars, and international webinars for students. Detailing the work the Al Maktoum Centre and the NMES Department have done to dispel negative stereotypes of the region – which are often strengthened by the media – Fitzpatrick explained that “stereotypes are best addressed and critically examined through education and research” and that this work through Al Maktoum in conjunction with the fact that “degrees [covering the Middle East] are offered within the [Near East] department” push academics one step closer to stimulating seismic shifts within the field. She added that NMES now even “offer[s] an MPhil in the Middle East in Global Context,” something that likely would have been unfathomable twenty years ago. With the NMES Department and Al Maktoum Centre using education in an attempt to mitigate the distorted historical perceptions of the region, how, then, does the College support them in their efforts? Dr Fitzpatrick emphasised that, fortunately, the Department

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Stereotypes are best addressed and critically examined through education and research

is “funded the same way as any other department” and was “given two other posts to meet needs of rising student numbers” as it grew. When asked whether she had observed any difference in how the NMES Department is treated by the College compared to other departments, she reported that it is as “well-supported as any other department in Arts and Humanities.” The evolution of the NMES Department and Al Maktoum Centre offers an optimistic view of the expansion of Near East Studies at Trinity College. This is an important development, not

IMAGE VIA UNSPLASH

Certain names have been changed for anonymity purposes.

just because of Trinity’s status as a renowned academic institution, but also, because of its position as the 16th most international university in the world, according to Times Higher Education. With such a diverse campus, the efforts of the NMES department and the Al Maktoum Centre aid in the increased representation of the many Middle Eastern students within the student body, reducing misconceptions about the countries they call home. One BESS student, Kyla* from Egypt, detailed her frustrations with “Eurocentric modules” in the university setting, with most studies in reading lists “conducted in Europe”. “You rarely ever see studies set in the MENA region,” they said. “There’s this expectation that studying at Trinity will expose us to European values, but no one considers the possibility of other students being exposed to our values and culture as well.” Such a reality highlights just how important a role the NMES Department and Al Maktoum Centre play in fostering an environment at Trinity where no student feels misunderstood and underrepresented. Education is power, and institutions like this are helping to pave the way for a future where new generations will finally understand and appreciate the true history, politics, and culture of the MENA region.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

Comment

The public needs to allow politicians to have private lives Aideen Lanigan page 23

Editorial: Trinity students supporting their peers amid violent riots offers hope in a time of hate Editorial page 26

It’s time to tackle period poverty head on Aoife Bennett

TCDSU Welfare & Equality officer

n Tuesday 7th of November, I brought a proposal to the Student Life Committee urging College to tackle period poverty on campus by providing students and staff with free period products in college bathrooms. The proposal was backed by the Student Life Committee with a commitment to take this further. However, there is a lot more work to be done. The policy in principle is supported, but now work must be done to get it up and running. The support from the Student Life Committee has opened up conversations with College Officers on other ways the College can work with the Union to support students who menstruate while the free period products initiative is set up. The damaging impact of period poverty is often underestimated in society because menstruation has

been a taboo subject for years. As menstruators were shamed into silence about the impact of their periods, period poverty was equally an issue that was not addressed. It is crucial, in the fight for equality, that we continue to have open conversations like these about menstruation, and the impact it can have on a person’s daily life. Free period products don’t just aid period poverty. It also gives menstruators more dignity. Periods can be unpredictable and often leave people feeling a bit out of control. While you might not have experienced period poverty before, I could guess most people who menstruate have went to a public bathroom and discovered their period has caught them off guard. What do you do then? Well, you are presented with a myriad of uncomfortable options. You could fashion a pad with some toilet roll while you go on the hunt for a more appropriate solution. You could abandon your plans for the rest of the day and head home. Or you could have a little cry that your favourite

pants are ruined. What you can’t do, however, is talk about it. In a 2018 International survey, 50% of girls aged 12-19 in Ireland reported occasional experience of period poverty. Given the worsening housing and cost-ofliving crises in the five years since this survey, we can only assume that this percentage has increased. Experiencing period poverty can have serious knock-on effects for students, such as missing classes and being excluded from college life. Period poverty can also negatively impact students’ health due to the use of unsuitable period products, as well as social isolation. This creates socio economic and gender inequality throughout the college community, and desperately needs to be addressed. It is within College’s control to tackle this issue, as they have a duty of care to their staff and students. The fight for free period products in Trinity is one that has gone on for years. Departments, societies and individual students have been doing their bit to provide free period products

on campus wherever they can. My predecessor as Welfare and Equality Officer, Chloe Staunton, was able to secure €7,000 to run a pilot scheme for free period products across various locations. With the help of the housekeeping department, ten dispensers were stocked across campus. In just over one month, the entire stock was completely depleted, with €3,500 worth of period products lasting just 18 days. Last year’s pilot scheme showed us how logistically achievable the implementation of free period products on campus can be, whilst also highlighting the significant demand for such a service across campus. Unfortunately, due to economic restraints the Union does not have the funding required to sustain this type of initiative. This initiative, therefore, needs to be streamlined and supported on an institutional level, which is why we are putting pressure on College to step up and tackle period dignity head-on. By doing so, it can directly tackle stigma and shame around periods for its

IMAGE VIA PEXELS

students and staff, thus making our college a more inclusive space. It is worth noting that other Universities across the country, including UCD, DCU, University of Galway and University Limerick, all provide their students with free period products funded by their institution. In doing this, these colleges make education more accessible for their students and help to tackle socio-economic and gender inequality. It is time for Trinity to follow suit. Our students and staff are facing a nationwide cost-ofliving and housing crisis. Many people at Trinity are struggling to pay their rent, afford food and sustain themselves in Dublin. The quality of learning and teaching are affected by menstruation, so it is essential for all menstruators to have access to period products. For College to implement a free period scheme would be a crucial step in supporting our community. Now, more so than ever, College needs to take action. Whilst ultimately the responsibility to provide University students with free period products should fall to the Irish Government, who have failed to follow through with their promise to implement Free Period Products in Higher Education Institutions, for now it is up to college to bridge the gap and support its staff and students.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

Comment

The hidden cost of academic precarity in Ireland

rish universities have a secret they don’t want you to know about: the low pay and deeply exploitative employment conditions of a very significant proportion of academic staff in Ireland – between a third and 40% – who are employed on precarious and temporary contracts. This includes both teachers and researchers, across all disciplines. Up until this moment the secret has been well-kept. Most Trinity students reading these words, just like members of the public, may well believe that most or all of their lecturers receive a professional salary and are financially secure. The sad truth, however, is that it is highly likely that almost every undergraduate Trinity student has, at some point in their career, been taught by staff who earned a rate at, or even below, the national minimum wage. Last month, the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), our trade union, released a report of a survey, available online, into academic precarity. It revealed any academics report regularly working unpaid hours, and 60% of respondents thought their workload was unmanageable. Those on insecure and precarious contracts reported elevated levels of stress, and many had considered leaving academia. Their insecure conditions of employment had, for many respondents to the survey, prevented them from making other important life decisions: buying a house or having children becomes impossible when you cannot financially plan for your future. Precarity is also a significant driver of the gender gap in academia. IFUT’s report found that women make up most of the part-time, fixed term, and low-paid workers in the sector. The problem of precarious employment in academia has become endemic in Ireland and in many other countries over the last 10-15 years. These workers struggle with financial insecurity and desperately low pay, now more than ever given the housing and cost of living crisis. Lecturers in the weakest and most poorlypaid category, termed ‘hourlypaid,’ (as they are paid a flat fee per class) can deliver what this college considers to be a full teaching load, educating hundreds of students over an academic year, and yet still earn less than €7000 a year. What is more, most of these individuals are qualified to PhD level, which in Ireland requires 3-4 years of postgraduate study and often leaves graduates in significant debt. To put it into context, the recent student blockade of the Book of Kells to protest rent increases was estimated to have cost college €50,000 in lost ticket revenue in a single day, more than what six such hourly-paid individuals earn in a full year. Precariously employed lecturers or staff on the Teaching

Trinity IFUT Precarity Working Group Fellow grade, who are not hourl -paid will be on a temporary contract, often for only 3, 6, or 9 months of the year. While Trinity’s salary scales are publicly available, these lecturers will only earn a fraction: 0.3, 0.6 or 0.7 of each figure on the scale. Lecturers in this situation are often forced onto social welfare during the summer months, or to rely on the support of family or a partner to pay their rent and bills. Some teach at multiple institutions to make ends meet, and therefore are forced to constantly learn new material to deliver to new groups of students. Like other Irish Universities, Trinity College is increasingly delivering a very significant proportion of its teaching through precarious and temporary arrangements, and this has become close to the norm in some (though not all) departments. Spending on casual staff in Trinity College has increased substantially by 23.3% since 2019 and the College is now spending over 12.3 million on casual pay.

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Trinity is increasingly delivering a very significant proportion of its teaching through precarious and temporary arrangements While some casual employment is necessary and useful, there is considerable evidence that casual work is being used to fill gaps in essential, core teaching functions, not least because schools and departments are being forced into unenviable choices due to the lack of public funding. It is important to highlight the wider political context for precarious working and

exploitation of vulnerable staff, which is perhaps the most opaque and poorly understood aspect of precarity. This context is all about the relentless underfunding and neglect of higher education by the Government, particularly in starving higher education of recurrent funding since 2008. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, openly acknowledged in 2021 that €400 million in recurrent funding was needed to address the day-to-day requirements of higher education institutions and end precarity in higher education. Last year there was no net increase in recurrent funding at all, while this year the net increase in recurrent funding was no more than no more than €60 million. This is a scandal hiding in plain sight and is the main factor behind the current structure of inequality and exploitation. Although Minister Simon Harris once said that education, skills, and lifelong learning are ‘the most robust, transformative, and lasting means to future-proof our country’s economic and social wellbeing’, the reality is that staff on fixed term and short-term contracts and even more those on casual pay in the Higher Education sector are the most exploited, insecure and undervalued workers in the Irish Public Service. Why do lecturers agree to such poor conditions? Many believe that a few years gaining valuable teaching experience – even if they are exploited during that time – will ultimately help them gain a secure, better-paid permanent job: and a career which requires such a long period of training as this one is difficult to give up. But this is increasingly a vain hope for many who will eventually be forced out of the profession, while others will be stuck on precarious or temporary contracts for the majority of their careers. Some lecturers in this college have been employed on these terms for 20 years. As the Government continues to pressure universities to continue increasing the numbers of students it admits while providing only paltry recurrent funding, there will be an continually increasing demand for more lecturers to provide teaching for a wage with which they will not be able to support themselves. This situation is unsustainable. Though they may not always be aware of the problem, our students are profoundly impacted by academic precarity too. Precarity means a lack of continuity in their education, reflected in a very high turnover of staff in many

departments. Some departments in this college have seen more than 20 academic staff members come and go over a five-year period: a figure that would be considered shocking in a secondary school. Such a high turnover also makes it extremely difficult for departments and schools to make a lasting effort to share best practices and improve standards of teaching, or to create a vibrant and active research culture. Many precarious academics are excellent and dedicated teachers, many produce world-class research, but their insecure conditions of employment and, frequently, their huge workloads make it impossible for them to always deliver their best. Module choice is reduced due to the reduced number of permanent staff, and in some departments, modules are being cancelled at the last minute due to the impossibility of finding qualified lecturers willing to teach them on the terms being offered. As Trinity is considering expanding its programmes to offer qualifications delivered by hybrid online and in-person learning, with classes taking place on the evenings and weekends, it is clear

that even more flexibility will be asked from an already highly flexible workforce. But what will be offered to that workforce in return? On the 28th of November in the Synge Theatre, Trinity’s branch of IFUT will launch the report into precarity in Irish Higher Education. The report’s recommendations call for institutions to adopt an antiprecarity charter and an ethical hiring code, to identify pathways to permanency for precarious staff, to recruit more teaching staff and to improve conditions of employment across the board. We hope it will spark conversations on the subject all over campus and a constructive dialogue between academic and professional colleagues, permanent and contract staff, to drive forward solutions to precarious working. We need concerted effort both from the government and universities to tackle the problem of precarity, to invest in and offer proper career development to employees, and to ensure that the university’s spending priorities remain focused on their core functions of teaching and research. Irish students pay the highest tuition fees in the European Union: let’s make sure that they will continue to receive the worldclass education that they deserve. Authors: Dr Dara Downey, Dr Martyn Egan, Dr Enrica Maria Ferrara, Dr Linda Kiernan Knowles, Dr Conor O'Kelly and Dr John Walsh

IMAGE VIA NEASA NIC CORCRÁIN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Tuesday 28 November | TRINITY NEWS

Comment

The public needs to allow politicians to have private lives Aideen Lanigan

Deputy Social Media Editor

IMAGE VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

ith the rise of attention g r a b b i n g headlines and relentless media scrutiny, the delicate balance between public accountability and personal privacy in politics is a line that has become increasingly blurred. The rise of social media has allowed for aspects of politicians' private lives to become privy to public discourse. I am sure we all remember the infamous video that circulated of a certain Taoiseach in the George. While in previous decades such happenings would not have been captured by the media, let alone published, given the accessibility of technology today, anyone with a camera is capable of publishing whatever media they see fit. In a world where a small cohort of professional journalists no longer hold the key to what gets published, the question arises: should politicians be entitled to a private life despite their public roles? Unfortunately, it seems as if the commonly accepted and unquestioned answer to this is “no”. As it stands, the reality that comes with being a public figure, is the diminishment of access to private space and time. While this is purported as “just the way that things are”, it is wrong, and as individuals who consume media we must do better. It must be noted that there are, of course, exceptions to the rule. In particular if there is a crass deviation in private actions and public stances, voters are on some level entitled to know — especially when a political image has been built upon such public stances. It also goes without saying that this right to privacy need not apply when it comes to matters of corruption or gross misconduct (I am looking at a certain president across the pond…) These instances aside, the fundamental right of a person's privacy should be respected, and politicians’ lives are no exception. When the private lives of politicians are viewed as fair game for public consumption, it harms the quality of journalistic media. This is down to the simple fact that salacious gossip sells better than heavy and confusing political jargon. When personal lives are up for debate and scrutiny, both political opponents and journalists alike focus time and energy on

disparaging politicians in lieu of focusing the discussion on public policy. This does nothing to improve voters’ ability to distinguish politicians on the basis of their public policy, but instead misdirects public sentiment toward happenings in politicians personal lives, irrelevant to the policies they support or reject. Even this aside, as the saying goes “no man (or woman...) is an island” — politicians are no exception. While an individual politician may consent to being in the public eye, their loved ones and family members have made no such agreement. Even if one were to argue that the public nature of political responsibility negates the right to personal privacy, the very fact that nonconsenting family members are inseparable from the private lives of politicians makes the privacy of politicians worth protecting. Placing politicians' private lives at the forefront of our headlines only serves to turn off potential candidates from running for election. While our representatives may expect that they will be held to account on matters of policy and political practice, there are very few people who would be willing to sacrifice the idea of having a personal life for the pursuit of a career. This

invasion of privacy only leads to fewer people who are willing to enter politics. Unfortunately this ultimately means that the most capable candidates may not present themselves. The lack of privacy that seems to be accepted in the political space simply creates an environment that attracts not the most qualified for the job, but the most capable of tolerating media attention, or worse; those with a strong ability to deceit the public and misrepresent themselves at the expense of other candidates. This very issue also disproportionately affects the potential pool of female candidates. When an assumed right to the ins and outs of politicians' private lives is accepted, an environment which creates a space for abuse is born. Although it is undeniable that male politicians are indeed subject to invasive reporting on their private lives, there is a stark difference in the levels of personal abuse faced by female politicians, with the Irish Independent reporting that women councillors received eight times more online abuse than their male counterparts. When people have access to a politician's personal life, it creates a sense of entitlement to critique them on a personal level. Such criticisms should be kept

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We as a nation have an obligation to make the political space one that is not only accessible for women to enter, but that it is a space that women feel safe to stay in solely for job performance. With Holly Cairns reporting a man repeatedly showing up at her

private home, and Nease Hourigan detailing non-consensual photographs being published of her home and children on Facebook, it is no wonder that Ireland struggles to get more women into politics. With only 23% of our TDs being women (the seventh lowest in the EU), we as a nation have an obligation to make the political space one that is not only accessible for women to enter, but that it is a space that women feel safe to stay in. We don't need salacious headlines and widespread gossip to know that politicians are, at the end of the day, normal people with normal lives. Normal lives come with different ups and downs and if we cannot draw a line and distinguish between what should remain private to the person, and what is relevant to the job, we will reach a point where any and all hopeful candidates are driven out of the political space. Rather than the rumours of illicit affairs and private mishaps, the real scandal lies in the erosion of the right to a private life, discouraging capable people from entering the political world. It is time we shift the narrative and focus on candidates' policies and propositions and not on their ability to withstand a life void of personal privacy.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

Comment

The hypersexualisation of the Molly Malone statue is shameful

David Treacy

Contributing Writer

he Molly Malone statue erected by Irish sculptor Jeanne Rynhart in 1988 on Suffolk Street has been subjected to substantial sexual objectification throughout its history. Created as a celebration of the first millennium of the city of Dublin, the statue portrays an image of the 1600s fishmonger who was said in folk tale to have passed away due to a fever at a young age. While there are different variations of the story around Molly Malone, this is the most commonly passed version. In alignment with this version of her story, it is said in various articles including the Irish Times, that if you touch Molly Malone’s breasts she will bring you good luck for “seven years, seven days, seven nights, seven hours and seven minutes”. There are contrasting periods which are associated with the story, for how long one gets regarding luck. This dull tale of

molestation of her breasts explains the reason why they resemble a gold like colour, rather than the weathered shades of bronze seen on the rest of her body, due to the oil secretions on peoples hands from being overly fondled day to day.

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There is currently a widespread campaign initiative to stop the mistreatment of the statue

There is currently a widespread campaign initiative to stop the mistreatment of the statue, and empower women alongside it. Along with raise awareness about safety for women in Dublin, this campaign aims to humanise the woman behind the statue, reclaiming her dignity, and dissuade future incidents of people handling her breasts. There have also been several occasions of Molly Malone’s breasts painted over in order to match the rest of her body's colour, with green paint reading out messages such as, “Please don’t, TY.” I extremely admire the work they are doing to remove the narrative that this is acceptable now or has ever been acceptable. The acts against the statue are genuinely degrading. I find it both awkward and disturbing when I walk past the statue on my way to college to see both adults themselves and adults lifting a young child up to touch the breasts themselves. Through a sociological lens, and the theory of socialisation, if these behaviours are endorsed by parents at a younger age there is a higher likelihood that these

norms will persist through future generations. Furthermore, while looking around to find out more information about other statues of women in Ireland, it became extremely apparent that there is a significant lack of female representation in this medium of artistry. The scarcity of women throughout the art form of sculpting within Ireland is problematic, and fails to show the diverse history of the country. It has been said at different points that in order to stop people from objectifying the statue and to inevitably prevent people from incessant groping, the statue should be moved or removed. This is a terrible idea for a few reasons. One, it removes a strong part of the history of Dublin and, when not being reminded of its objectification, is a lovely sculpture to walk past on the way to college. Two, removing the statue makes it out that the problem is actually the statue and what has been referred to as the ‘provocative styling,’ rather than the constant pathological need and queue for tourists and other visitors to feel as though they deserve

the right to touch her breasts. A good method of working with the issue at hand to ensure it does not go much further. In order to do this we need to educate the public on varying levels of inappropriateness when it comes to touching Molly Malone’s breasts. The education in this case has different levels, first, it would be important that any and all websites associated with tourism remove the idea of good luck associated with her breasts, an antiquated notion. Next, working off of the tourism industry, I think it is necessary for tour guides to stop mentioning the associated myth with her breasts. Although prevention may not be entirely possible in the near future, taking the necessary steps to work towards the desexualisation of the fishmonger is needed. Finally, we need to have a level of accountability amongst people travelling to Dublin and people living in Dublin. The concept of speak up if you see it happening is what should be implemented as the final stage here. Rather than standing idly by while people fondle the statues breasts, mention it is no longer accepted and even the idea of good luck in nothing but a false narrative made by people to justify touching the statues breasts. Overall, I think with correct education and attitudes the foul behaviour towards the Molly Malone statue could come very close to an end. It will just take a lot of necessary work, but it can be done.

PHOTO BY JAMES WILSON FOR NEWSTALK

Tuesday 28 November | TRINITY NEWS

Comment

Immigration is not at the root of violence against women Kate Byrne

Deputy Comment Editor

PHOTO BY TOM DOUGLAS FOR NEWSTALK

n January 2022, the murder of Irish schoolteacher Ashling Murphy sent shock throughout the entire nation. The death of Murphy, who was attacked while walking along the Grand Canal in Offaly, was seen as a wake-up call to the Irish nation to gender-based violence, despite numerous cases of women being murdered in this country before-hand. Following this, we observed, and rightly so, an outpour in condemnation of violence against women. Taoiseach Micheál Martin stated that there was no room in Ireland for such violence, and Women’s Aid demanded a policy of zero tolerance of violence by men against women. A minute’s silence was held outside Dáil Éireann, as organised by the National Women’s Council of Ireland. What we also observed, and particularly in recent weeks, is an outpouring of anti-immigration rhetoric, culminating last week in violent riots on the streets of the capital – a detonation of explosive racist sentiments building in plain sight for weeks. On November 17, Jozef Puska, a Slovak national, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Ms Murphy. His sentence followed multiple eyewitnesses stating that they had seen him attack Murphy. The court also was informed of DNA evidence belonging to Puska being present under Murphy’s fingernails. Ashling Murphy’s brother, Cathal Murphy, perhaps put it best when he said that she was “subjected to incomprehensible violence by a predator who was known to her”. A murder as incomprehensible and shocking as Murphy’s is certainly a way through which Irish people can, and should, start a conversation. However, these conversations are being started for the wrong reasons. Rather than talking about the horrendous act of gender based violence that has occurred on our soil, many people are using Murphy’s murder to spark a “debate” surrounding immigration, as a result of Puska’s heritage. During Puska’s trial, Tipperary singer Gemma Hayes tweeted to her 10.5 thousand followers that if Ireland had “secure borders and proper vetting in place Aisling [sic] would still be alive today”. One respondent replied that: “Our government has been unforgivably

reckless with their open border policies. They were warned about allowing unvetted males in and I can imagine things will only get

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Many people are using Murphy’s murder to spark a 'debate' surrounding immigration worse.” A video on TikTok, published by Eva Dhuinn, discussing the fear many women face of gender-based violence as a result of Murphy’s murder, was flooded with antiimmigrant comments, despite her video mentioning nothing about Puska’s nationality. One individual noted that “multiculturalism has destroyed Ireland. Bottom line”. Another argued that “this didn’t happen in the Ireland I grew up in”. Now is not the time for a debate on immigration. Ireland has lost another woman at the hands of gender-based violence. This has happened before and it will happen again, especially if we continue to drown out the

cries of our worried women with the screams of far-right racists. In Ireland alone, 244 women have been murdered since 1996, and it has been proven that those of certain ethnicities, socioeconomic status and immigration status are most at risk. In addition to this, 87% of women were killed by a man known to them. These are incredibly frightening statistics, regardless of the ethnicities of the murderers. When I walk to the bus on the way home from a night out, when I walk down a quiet alley in broad daylight, or when I walk by a large group of men looking at me, I clutch my keys a little tighter, I clench my fists, and I harden my stare. My fear does not discriminate. As a woman I have been socialised to fear men, regardless of ethnicity. And I have every right to be scared, given that the Women’s Aid Annual Impact Report last year stated that 33,990 disclosures of abuse against women and children were made to the organisation. One can only imagine how many undisclosed cases there were, which may include yourself, your friends, or other women in your life. When I look at Jozef Puska, I see a vicious, brutal murderer. I see over 244 women who have been murdered in Ireland since 1996. When I look at Ashling Murphy, I see myself. A young woman at the start of her life, with hopes and dreams, with passions. I see my friends. I see my mother. I do not see room for debate. Perhaps the commenter is right, this is not the Ireland that they grew up in. Depending on their age, the Ireland they grew up in

could have abused unwed mothers and their children in religious institutions such as Mother and Baby Homes. Perhaps, the Ireland they grew up in could not convict a husband for raping his wife due to “mutual matrimonial consent”. Perhaps, the Ireland they grew up in allowed thousands of women to travel the UK to seek abortive healthcare, rather than treat them in their own country. Perhaps, the Ireland they grew up in was very different, or, depending on how you look at it, perhaps it’s not very

different at all. The mistreatment of our women has been an issue both before and after the founding of our State, regardless of immigration laws. Women in Ireland have been subjected to torture, fear and scrutiny before and after increased immigration, and will continue to do so if such complex issues are boiled down to lazy anti-immigrant rhetoric. Now is not the time for a debate on immigration. Now is the time to allow the Murphy family to grieve in peace.

PHOTO WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

Comment

Editorial:Trinity students supporting their peers amid violent riots offers hope in a time of hate

hen violent riots brought public transport to a standstill, and prompted a strict lockdown of all entrances to College, ordinary students and students' union officers worked through the night to provide food and beds for students who were left on campus. Trinity became a safe haven in a city that felt like it was under siege. In the face of all of the violence on the streets, ordinary students banded together to offer the comforts they could to their peers. Their efforts deserve enormous admiration. In the face of a crisis not seen on the streets of Dublin in these students' lifetimes, many people's first priority was to make sure their peers were safe. For the entirety of Thursday night, House 6, the GMB and Kinsella Hall remained open and student volunteers cared for their peers. The provost and Trinity College Dublin Students' Union (TCDSU) sabbatical officers could be seen carrying mattresses and blankets into the early hours of the morning so that students had somewhere to sleep. Students who led the organisation were on their feet at all hours of the night, many not getting to sleep themselves until after sunrise. At one point, Linda Doyle was seen with other College staff members, wielding crowbars and pitchforks in order to open a locked door and collect mattresses and sheets for students.

Students working throughout the night in the GMB said at its peak, there were roughly 300 students in the building, waiting until it was safe to leave, with over 100 sleeping in the building overnight. You couldn’t walk across Front Square without seeing a student carrying a pot of pasta or rice to feed students who couldn’t make it home. Within House 6, students were piled into the TCDSU kitchen, eating food from paper plates. A hot plate was put in the president's office, creating a second kitchen, while Education Officer Catherine Arnold's own flat was being referred to as “the second SU café”. It is important to note that these figures are themselves, students. Students and staff alike showed true community spirit. In the midst of awful violent events occuring on Trinity’s doorstep, students could feel some sense of safety within the walls of the college. People sheltered, texting friends out that night to see if they were ok, checking in with family. American students who had their Thanksgiving dinners interrupted. Even students who graduated that day and members of their families gathered on campus. These efforts were led by students themselves. With the vast majority of College staff gone home for the night it was left to students, overnight security guards, and the provost herself to manage a rapidly changing situation. Some students

who sought refuge in Trinity had been out on the streets when the rioting began. On a terrifying night, seeing ordinary students rise to the challenge of caring for their peers in a time when they themselves were also scared, was truly one of the finest moments the College community has seen in years. The situation that prompted the need for students to shelter in Trinity was abhorrent, but the resilience shown by the College community in that crisis was truly admirable.

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Rather than predetermined protocol, the response was driven by instinct and empathy There is no College playbook on how to handle this kind of crisis; Dublin has not seen anything of its like in decades. Rather than predetermined protocol, the response was driven by instinct and empathy. Security guards could be heard reassuring students who came to the entrance that they

were safe now, that they would be looked after. Doyle herself could be seen chatting to students, offering reassurance. However the most important people in all of this were the students themselves. Getting that kind of support from your peers in a time where the streets of Dublin are on fire is the absolute best outcome we could have hoped for in an awful situation. Even on a night so clouded by fear, students could be heard laughing with each other, sharing stories and eating food prepared in campus kitchens. In the provost's words, the response to the riots represented “the very best of Trinity, with students and staff coming together and helping each other”. TCDSU officers and society leaders assisted students staying on campus overnight; College staff carried bedding and reassured panicked

students; staff from this paper kept students informed on what was going on, inside campus and out. All of these people were scared, but Doyle’s sentiment could not be more true. The students that prioritised their peers deserve all of our praise. At a time where anyone could have been forgiven for prioritising their own welfare, they stayed and comforted students they had likely met for the first time that evening. A community of students bonded under some of the most terrifying of circumstances. As Garda helicopters circled above and riot police were stationed on College Green, ordinary students watched films, played games and offered friendly comfort to total strangers. On a night where there was so much hate on the streets of Dublin, students in Trinity held each other up.

Tuesday 28 November | TRINITY NEWS

Comment

Join Ireland's oldest student newspaper Trinity News is Ireland’s oldest, and most successful, student newspaper. Whether it’s to-the-minute news reporting, innovative video content, or insightful topical analysis on student and national issues, Trinity News has a long history of high-quality journalism. Trinity News' writers have gone on to win awards across both Ireland and the UK in current affairs, collaborative journalism, website design, lifestyle and many more. Because of our history and the standard of our work, Trinity News has many successful alumni currently working in media who spring-boarded their careers with the newspaper. We are always looking to get new people involved in writing for and contributing to the newspaper. Whether you want to become involved on a long-term basis or just try your hand at contributing, we want to hear from you. For each issue, our section staff prepare a list of article pitches or photo/art prompts, which any Trinity student is welcome to volunteer to fill. We also accept cold pitches of article ideas. If you would like to write a piece, pitch an article or have any other questions about getting involved, please contact the relevant section editor or find our writer groups on Instagram.

Go to trinitynews.ie/ write-for-us/ or follow the QR code to find out more

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

SciTech

Why does Santa like cookies & milk?

A year in Trinity research

Sébastien Laymond page 28

Sadbh Boylan page 28

Irelands’ Natural History Museum: Much more than just a museum? Roísín Ferguson Staff Writer

f you look up any major university, you will see they have a zoological museum. If you look up any major country, you will find they have a natural history museum. Ireland is no different. Our own campus, here at Trinity College, Dublin is no different. Now, I ask you in earnest, when was the last time you went to the Irish Natural History Museum? If you are Irish or a Dublin native, chances are you visited the museum as a kid, on a school trip or a family day out. Whether you have been since, is what I’m interested in. The last time I visited the Natural History Museum was two weeks ago upon a desire to write this article. Despite being a STEM student studying biological sciences, who spent her last summer working at Trinity College’s Zoological museum, I must admit that I hated the Natural History Museum when I was a child. The best part of visiting the Dead Zoo (as it is so aptly named) was the part where we left. The hoards of other children and their families all sweating in the summer heat in rooms with windows shuttered closed, carcasses and cabinets that seemed to produce dust like dandruff rather than just aerially gathering it and the mind-numbingly boring pursuit of looking at dead things. Not to appear too cynical, but the horrible reality is that if I wanted to see a dead fox, I could just go for a drive on the motorway. Safe to say, a trip to the Dead Zoo was long overdue and with a new perspective founded by my recent experience at the trinity College Zoological museum, I made the journey of approximately 400 metres from College to the Museum (there is really no excuse not to go when you spend at least four years of your life traipsing around a campus about five minutes away

from the place). When I arrived I was struck by just how little the place had changed. Even the Dead Zoo itself is aware of this:“The Museum was built in 1856 to hold the collection of the Royal Dublin Society. The collection has been growing ever since but its displays have changed little”. I didn’t realise dead animals could look any more dead. Again, to quote the museum itself: “The building has been called a ‘museum of a museum’.”Having got over this realisation, I opened my notebook to jot down what every good state of rational confusion requires, a pros and cons list. As I walked around, it was clear there were a lot of pros. There’s a lot of stuff in the place, so it’s hard to say that there isn’t something for everyone. Unfortunately, the first floor was closed for renovations (which seeks to make the space more accessible), but the ground floor had enough bits to keep me busy for about 30 minutes or so. They’ve got everything from Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian fossils to about a million cabinets of tiny creepy crawly critters. There was a mix of mostly old displays with some more modern ones scattered around the place.

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They’ve got everything from ordovician, silurian, and devonian fossils to about a million cabinets of tiny creepy crawly critters What struck me was the Irish focus of all the displays. The whole ground floor is the Irish Fauna exhibition, but there’s far more Irish specimens than just fauna. The legacy of the ocean

PHOTO BY GORDII SPELLMAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

The living future of the dead zoo

that split paleozoic Ireland into the Gondwana-half and the Avalonia-half is preserved in the fossils contained within delicate glass cases. Fragments of the ancient tracks of the first tetrapod to leave water and enter land can be seen in the exhibition; the importance of this, an evolutionary landmark, happening on Valentia Island cannot be understated. Remembering one of Europe’s most significant megafauna - the skeletons of the Irish Elk or Giant Irish Deer are the first thing you notice when entering the room and couldn’t be missed even if you tried. Although not unique to Pleistocene Ireland, their abundant preservation in Irish peat bogs designated their status as one of the country’s most beloved ancient animals. Not too long ago I visited the natural history exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland. While the exhibition itself was almost indubitably more interactive, informative, and modern than anything I had ever experienced in our Dead Zoo, I couldn’t help but notice how little Scottish wildlife was displayed. Having thought about it since,

I now consider it a big missed opportunity in not doing so. Our Natural History Museum may not be as informative or appealing as others, but it succeeds in celebrating the beauty of animal life on this little island that they, and we, call home. Surely an emphasis on what makes Irish wildlife uniquely Irish, is what a tourist might find most interesting? Having said this though, surely the idea of exhibitional function is something that goes much further than showing tourists neatly assembled puzzles of animal bones and pretty butterflies on toothpicks that they can take pictures of? Beyond tourism, what is the purpose of natural history museums today? For school trips and education? As the setting for family fun films starring Ben Stiller? Is it for scientific research or for silent discos? All the above are applicable but now more than ever, the place of natural history museums in modernity reflects the ongoing climate and biodiversity crisis in our world. Last year in an interview with the BBVA Foundation, Director of the Natural History Museum

London, Doug Gurr commented on this by saying: “We’re some of the only institutions that can solve this crisis. Because we have science, we have public communication and that’s unusual, you don’t often find scientific research institutes with public communication and we have trust. And if you bring all those things together, I think we are some of the only institutions in the world that can do what we like to describe as ‘create advocates’. Advocates inspire people to care and inspire people to take action.” Despite all its archaic displays and a much-needed update, the Dead Zoo has used their space to highlight the disastrous impact of human-induced climate change. Scattered around the museum are reminders of the pollution to habitats and wildlife around the world, but more specifically, the destruction closer to home. As they themselves put it: “The stories told may be upsetting for some people, but they tell a truth that is important to hear”. Such a story, of how we are destroying our planet and everything on it, is undoubtedly a very important one to share.

Tuesday 28 November | TRINITY NEWS

SciTech

Why does Santa like cookies & milk? A scientific inquiry into what makes Santa’s favourite night-time snack so appealing to most

n an oft-quoted passage of Pinker’s How the Mind Works, we are informed that:

“[w]e enjoy strawberry cheesecake [...] not because we evolved a taste for it. We evolved circuits that gave us trickles of enjoyment from the sweet taste of ripe fruit, the creamy mouth feel of fats and oils from nuts and meat, and the coolness of fresh water. Cheesecake packs a sensual wallop unlike anything in the natural world because it is a brew of megadoses of agreeable stimuli which we concocted for the express purpose of pressing

they serve as a great source of energy to keep us going. But the answer isn’t merely reducible to some sort of Darwinian survivalism. In a recent article by Serge Ahmed et al. (published in Current Opinion in Clinical and Metabolic Care), the authors likened ‘hyperpalatable’ foods (e.g., cookies, burgers, brownies) to the introduction of ‘injectable synthetic drugs at the end of the 19th century’, for both have a capacity to change brain activity via the stimulation of sweet taste cells in the mouth and glucose signalling. These reactions between neurotransmitters and receptors allow us to experience highly addictive reward-like and stress-alleviating sensations. They also produce advantageous effects on decision-making and self-control – indeed, embedded socially useful advantages. The analogy remains imperfect: of course, foods are nowhere near as psychologically toxic as cocaine or heroin. These things, however, are very general – that is, they may apply to all sugary foods. Now, whilst it may be complex to hone down what exactly separates cookies from other sugary, hyperpalatable foods at the ingredient-level, it

PHOTO VIA PEXELS

Sébastien Laymond SciTech Editor

our pleasure buttons’. Long buried in the depths of my mind, Pinker’s statement tends to make a yearly, festive re-appearance every Christmas season. In keeping with the nature of his statement, I’ve long wondered what exactly makes cookies (and milk) such an alluring Christmas treat for most. The question is to be separated from its American historical context: sure, the tradition of cookies & milk may have begun as a relatively inexpensive GreatDepression-Era practice; but why exactly do we savour it? If Pinker’s quote has anything to offer, it’s this: cookies press our pleasure buttons. How so, I hear you ask? Well, the answer’s rather simple. It begins with a widelyappreciated human fact: we love sugar. And why do we love sugar? The reason – simply put – is twofold: (i) dopamine, and; (ii) glucose. The former famously endues us with insatiable pleasure and satisfaction; and, once coupled with the plentiful energy supplied by the latter, we are supplied with a yummy source for survival. Our brian has evolved a liking for sugar and all things sweet, because, in addition to pressing our ‘pleasure buttons’,

nevertheless remains that the fat, texture, flavour, and smell combinations peculiar to the cookie distinguishes it from its festive counterparts. The pleasant molecules that carry the smell of cookies, for one, are indubitably going to trigger a certain craving (in part linked to the foregoing); a craving that bears a great effect on our perception of the food. And, if properly baked, the subtle contrast in textures between the crispy edge and the progressively cushiony middle is one that we

are bound to find objectively appealing: we get the best of both worlds! Lastly, the fat content not only enhances flavour by providing moisture, tenderness, and richness, it also – once broken down into fatty acids and glycerols via lipolysis – serves as a pertinent source of energy; a source which we’ve already found to be inherently addictive. So there’s your answer short & sweet, just like Santa’s favourite treat.

A year in Trinity research A look back at College’s biggest scientific developments in 2023 Sadbh Boylan Deputy SciTech Editor

s the semester draws to a close, so too does a remarkable year in College research. From quantum revelations to botanical discoveries, healthcare innovations to cosmic exploration, this year saw no shortage of scientific findings across Trinity science departments. Here we take a look back at some of the highlights from a packed year of research, bringing you a rundown of some of the biggest developments made on campus in 2023. Artificial intelligence capable

of producing papers suitable for journal publication While this might seem like a foregone conclusion after a year that artificial intelligence (AI) dominated headlines and ChatGPT became the hottest name on campus, back in January of this year, the potential of generative AI models was only beginning to be explored. Brian Lucey, Professor of International Finance and Commodities at TCD, alongside Michael Dowling, Professor of Finance at DCU, found that ChatGPT could be used to draft an academic paper in finance that was up to snuff

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AI dominated headlines for publication in an academic journal. With only a peppering of input from the researchers, limitations in the AI’s abilities were smoothed over to produce

an output worthy of journal publication. The study marked a significant step in recognising the potential for AI models like ChatGPT and exploring their place in research and education - an ongoing discourse set to continue well into the new year. New breakthroughs in treatment of glaucoma After seven years of research, Trinity scientists unveiled a novel gene therapy that could potentially transform the treatment of glaucoma. Cases of glaucoma, a common condition in which the optic nerve is damaged, potentially leading to sight loss, are on the rise, with over 110 million people expected to be affected by 2040. By injecting a modified virus, called a viral vector, scientists have found a way to decrease pressure in the eye and consequently prevent damage to the nerve head. Not only was this a significant step towards treating optical diseases, but it marked a pioneering application of gene therapy to treat common diseases. Evidence reported of lowfrequency gravitational waves in the cosmos Researchers from Trinity formed part of the European

Pulsar Timing Array that unveiled compelling evidence of the presence of ultra-low frequency gravitational waves - a landmark development capping more than 25 years of study. Gravitational waves can be considered ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by immense cosmic objects (think supermassive black hole big) orbitting each other. After years of data collection and analysis, scientists were finally able to provide evidence of these gravitational waves at extremely low frequneices, providing one more clue to develop our understanding of cosmic gravitational waves and help us uncover the history of our universe. Members of the Traveller community suffer disproportionate health outcomes when compared to the remainder of the population A signficiant finding in the realm of healthcare uncovered the imbalanced burden of health conditions between Travellers and the remainder of the Irish population. It was the first study to shine a light on the significant health disparity in the Traveller community, with conditions such as asthma,

tuberculosis, bronchitis, and metabolic syndrome identified astwice or even three times more widespread in Irish travellers than the remainder of the population. It highlighted the need for healthcare providers to be more in tune with the unique needs of the Traveller population in order to address existing inequalities and improve health outcomes for Travellers. Honourary Mention While August’s discovery by the Trinity neuroscience department that the act of forgetting can be a learning mechanism is newsworthy in its own right, it made headlines this year for a very different reason. The study, which holds significant implications for the treatment of diseases affecting the memory such as Alzheimer’s, gained media traction when it drew the attention of one MC Hammer. The American rap legend - responsible for classic 90’s jam “U Can’t Touch This - took to Twitter to praise the “great work” of Trinity researchers and congratulate Dr Tomás Ryan, Associate Professor in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology. Try and top that one, 2024.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November |

Sport

Sadhbh Doyle: Trinity soccer star

MTU Kerry end Trinity football’s league campaign

Séaghan Ó Domhnalláin

Gina Bagnulo page 30

page 32

PHOTO BY JOE O’CONNOR

Harriers shine at Road Relays Dublin University Harriers and Athletics Club claimed women’s bronze at the Irish University Athletics Association Road Relays competition Jane Prendergast Sport Co-Editor

unning laps in College Park since 1885, the maroon and white singlets of Dublin University Harriers and Athletics Club (DUHAC) are a frequent sight at athletics competitions of all formats around the country. The prestigious Irish University Athletics Association’s (IUAA) intervarsity Road Relays contest is no different, and the Harriers lived up to their storied history with some exceptional performances at this year’s contest. Harriers made their presence felt from the start at the Relays, held on November 10 at

Maynooth University, with a total of ten teams entered – five women’s and five men’s. The women’s competition, held first at 12.45pm over a 1-2-2-1 mile format, was a hotly anticipated affair, with competitors seeking to break University College Dublin’s recent dominance of the event. UCD “A” featured one returner from last year’s winning team, Danielle Donegan, who was duly joined by Renee Crotty, Aoife Coffey, and Róisín O’Reilly to ultimately reclaim the top spot in a rapid 33:39. DCU “A” took silver, again replicating the 2022 podium. The team of Faye Dervan, Avril Millerick, Amy Greene, and Niamh Brady crossed the finish line just over a minute after UCD “A” in a tidy 34:26. It was the performance of Trinity “A”, however, composed of Sophie Jackman, Celine Gavin, Evelyn Coughlan, and Karen Hayes, that made the day’s story. Jackman ran the first leg in a blistering 5:51, the fastest women’s time on the first leg in 2023 and the second-fastest women’s time ever recorded on the first leg since the Road Relays were first run on the Maynooth course in 2015. Celine Gavin followed Jackman’s exhibitionary performance by completing the first two-mile leg in 11:24. Gavin took silver at the 2022 IUAA XC, and had recently nabbed a top10 finish at the Athletics Ireland

Open Cross Country. She handed off to Evelyn Coughlan for the third leg and final two-mile leg of the Relay. Coughlan pulled Trinity back into third place with a time of 12:03. Coughlan ran anchor for Trinity “A” in 2019, holding off DCU’s Nadia Power, when Harriers won the Women’s Road Relays for the first and only time in their history thus far. Her experience lent itself massively to her strong performance, as she overtook University of Galway “A” to hand off to anchor Karen Hayes. Hayes, also Women’s Harriers Captain, powered home in 5:38 to secure the bronze medal for Trinity with an overall time of 34:56, exactly half a minute off the silver taken by DCU “A”. The team’s composure, ability, and experience all paid huge dividends on the day as they reclaimed a podium position and now look to set themselves up for the remainder of the season. Trinity womens’ “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E” finished in 14th, 17th, 21st, and 23rd, while the equivalent mens’ teams came 13th, 15th, 25th and 37th. Many athletes racing on the day and making up these teams were competing formally for Harriers for the first time, making their performances all the more impressive. In the mens’ race, which kicked off at 1.45pm and fielded 41 entries, gold and silver were

again secured by UCD and DCU respectively. Ran over a fivelegged, 1-2-3-2-1 mile format, UCD fielded a star-studded team featuring Mark Milner, Jonas Stafford, Darragh McElhinney,

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Trinity “A” gave a strong performance Cian McPhillips, and Luke McCann, to take the trophy in an impressive 42:41. DCU’s Harry Colbert, Sean McGinley, Daniel Stone, Cathal O’Reilly, and Finn Woodger weren’t far off in 43:15, but it was University of Limerick “B” claiming bronze which was the major upset of the day, as their ostensible “A” team finished back in seventh. Trinity “A” gave a strong performance to finish in sixth, a quality result given the calibre of the opposition (UCD’s McElhinney, for example, is a U20 European medallist in the 5000 metres). Jack Maughan, Shane Spring, Stephen Cashin, Oisín McKinley, and Conor Matthews ran a solid 45:06, leading to Mens’ Harriers

Captain Peter McGuinness to comment that “... I am extremely proud of my teammates and I’m super excited to see what they will achieve in the coming year we will be looking to improve on this performance in the intervarsity cross country next semester.” Before the Road Relays, DUHAC had competed at the Colours Road Relays just a week previously, traversing out to Belfield to go head-to-head with UCD. Fielding similar numbers, five women’s and five men’s teams were hosted in the classic rivalry, where Trinity Ladies’ “A” came in second after UCD “A” and ahead of UCD “B”, and the Mens’ “A” team finished third after UCD “A” and “B”. A quality tune-up event before the IUAA Road Relays, Trinity Mens’ “A” improved notably at IUAAs, with UCD “B” finishing tenth to their sixth. Dublin University Harriers and Athletics Club host separate training sessions for their Harriers (distance) group and the Track & Field Group. Harriers train at 6pm from the Trinity Science Gallery on Mondays and Thursday; at 6pm on Tuesdays on College Park; and at 10am on Saturdays at Magazine Fort, College Park. Track & Field trains on Mondays and Wednesdays, 6.30pm-8pm at the Irishtown Stadium. For further information, check out @ trinityathletics on Instagram, or email harriers@tcd.ie.

Tuesday 28 November | TRINITY NEWS

Sport

Sadhbh Doyle: Trinity Student and future World Cup player?

Gina Bagnulo Contributing Writer

rinity students have enjoyed a long history of association with a wide variety of career fields. Internationallevel soccer, particularly for women, is admittedly a newer one among those, but that fact has not yet curtailed the ambitions of final-year Trinity student, Sadhbh Doyle. Doyle is one of Ireland’s up and coming players, a 23 year old Galway native and student of the School of Dental Science, who plays for Peamount United. Peamount has been making great strides as a team this year, having recorded their biggest match

attendance in their history on November 13, presumably a nod to the Irish national team’s recent foray to the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time. Another mark of their skill is the fact that the Dublin club has only lost one of their last five games. Another impressive feat for Doyle was when she won the SSE Airtricity Women’s Player of the Month in May of this year. Previously speaking to the Football Association of Ireland on her win, she commented “It’s really nice to win the Player of the Month award, I think it’s just a reflection of how well Peamount are doing this season. Personally, it’s really nice to get recognition from the League, so yeah I’m delighted.” In the same video, she expressed her support for the increased exposure of women’s soccer in Ireland. “I remember I was playing football in the park a couple of weeks ago and these young kids came to play with us and I was asking him who their favourite player was and they all said Katie McCabe, which before this year, that would’ve never happened, so I think the exposure of the World Cup has been huge to develop the game here in Ireland for the girls.” Given her talent, it was a real gift to DU Ladies AFC when

PHOTO VIA INPHO/BRIAN REILLY-TROY

Doyle played with them before moving to Peamount in 2020. She also played with Galway Women’s Football Club, having spent a year at NUI Galway and being a native of the county, before going to Trinity. Playing with Galway was a big commitment as Doyle would balance dentistry with playing for Trinity, all the while commuting back to her hometown to play with the Connaught side. Despite this demanding schedule, in the 2018-2019 season, she helped Galway WFC to a fourth place in the Women’s National League. The demanding nature of Trinity’s dentistry degree and the corresponding commitment that Doyle is required to show to it truly makes her athletic achievements all the more impressive. From the third year of their studies, Dental Science students are required to source their own patients and act “as their own receptionists” in terms of managing their workdays in the Dental Hospital, as well as treating them in what is effectively a 9-5 workday. On top of this, the students are assessed practically via “competencies” and “clinics” throughout the year, and while passing grades are required in these in order to progress to the next year, grades received don’t count towards their final marks - this relies wholly on their end-of-year exams. This pressure ruled Doyle out of playing in certain matches during Peamount’s campaign in the inaugural All Island Cup last summer, a competition that involves women’s teams from Northern Ireland and the Republic. Additionally, Doyle’s fellow students are quick to praise her character, labelling her as “so nice” and “lovely to be around”. The intense constraints on her time as an elite soccer player have also not stopped her from staying firmly integrated into the tight-knit community that the School of Dentistry is known for, including joining in on a course skiing holiday last winter. Trinity has not let Doyle’s impressive record and commitment go unrecognised, and in that vein was elected a Sports Scholar of College for the 2019/20, 2020/21, and 2021/22 academic years, before becoming a Trevor West Scholar (awarded to “exceptional athletes who have shown outstanding contribution to sport at Trinity and engagement with their relevant club”) for 2022/23. More recently, she has also been nominated for the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division Player of the Year along with Erin McLaughlin, who

PHOTO VIA PEAMONT UNITED

Judging by past accomplishments, Peamount United’s Sadhbh Doyle has a bright future in soccer ahead of her

just returned from the Nations League Campaign. Being a Peamount player could mean a great future for Doyle. Eileen Gleeson, the interim coach of the Irish women’s national team included her Peamount compatriot McLaughlin in her successful Nations League campaign which saw Ireland get promoted to the A League, giving them a chance at qualifying for the Euros. Given Doyle’s successful playing year with Peamount, perhaps she will have a bigger role with Ireland in years to come. Doyle has already represented the Republic of Ireland at the U17 and U19 level. Some highlights of her career for Ireland include the World University Games in Naples, Italy where Ireland faced up against prominent teams such as Brazil and South Korea. At U17 level, she reached the European Finals along with seven other national teams. Before this Ireland had topped their group in the qualifiers. This tournament included matches against major sides such as England, Norway and the Netherlands. Her prowess playing for her country did not go unnoticed as shown when she won the Three Ireland-sponsored FAI U19 International Player of the Year Award for 2019. In a previous interview, she told the University Times about her experience playing at international level. “It’s just when you play against teams like the Netherlands and Spain: it’s such a step up, it’s crazy. They are just so technically good and so hard to mark – it’s such a learning curve because they’d be training everyday with the likes of Barcelona, so it just shows you what level you can strive to be at.” In the same interview, on the prospect of playing for the senior Ireland squad, she added, “It’s quite hard, because more and more now if you want to make that jump you have to think

about turning professional. But when you want to get a degree as well, it’s difficult to balance and get everything right.” Doyle’s ability and achievements at both underage and adult level borne in mind, we are left with the question of could we see the Trinity starlet on the Euro or World Cup stage anytime soon? Her future may have been solidified at the recent SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division awards ceremony, a glittering affair that saw Doyle and many fellow Dublin-based players dominate proceedings. Not only did she receive a coveted spot on the Team of the Year along with Peamount teammates Niamh Reid-Burke, Jetta Berrill, captain Karen Duggan, and Ireland international Erin McLaughlin, but Doyle was also crowned Women’s Premier Division Player of the Year. A serious accolade to receive at such a young age, yet a fitting testament to the gifted performances on the pitch that were exhibited with aplomb all season long, it may well be only a case of “when” rather than “if” the call-up for senior international duty comes. The Awards were furthermore a night of great success for Peamount as a whole, even excepting Doyle’s limelight. As mentioned, four other players also made it onto the Team of the Year, including goalkeeper Reid-Burke who also received the Bank of Ireland Golden Gloves award for her prowess between the posts. Manage James O’Callaghan also received the Manager of the Year Award, while club administrators Katie Thompson, Chairperson, and Elaine Harrington, Secretary, were presented with special awards for Services to Women’s Football. The sweep came as Peamount claimed their first league title since 2020 and only the fourth in the club’s history since its founding in 1983.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

Sport

Boat Clubs open season at Erne Fours Head of the River DUBC and DULBC saw success in Enniskillen at the first race of the 2023/24 season Jane Prendergast Sport Co-Editor

PHOTO BY BECCAN GRUENBERG

in the Senior 4x- (also taking home the John Mills Cup for fastest men’s time), another in the Senior 4+, and second and third place in the Senior 4-. The Women’s Head followed at 2pm, and DULBC fielded entries in the Senior 4+, Intermediate 4+, and Club 1 4+ categories. With no other entries in their category, the Club 1 4+ (Sophia Mulvihill (Capt.)), Annie Moore, Sadhbh Merriman, Amélie Ní Roibeáird & James O’Brien (cox)) took home the pennant with a time of 21:46.8, while the Intermediate 4+ (Sarah Tavey, Rachel Alexander, Eliza Barrett-Cotter, Emma Moloney & Lily Hassett (cox)) came third in 21:19.3 after St. Michael’s RC and fellow Islandbridgebased Neptune Rowing Club. Incidentally, the Neptune boat was composed mainly of DULBC alumnae, with Laura Brown, Lily O’Keeffe (Captain 2019/20), Miriam Kelly (Captain 2018/19) & Hannah Devitt (cox), and one Orla O’Loughlin in the 2 seat, taking the category win in 20:22.3. The performance of DULBC’s Senior 4+ was the major success story of the day for Trinity, however, with the crew placing third overall in the Women’s Head as the fastest senior, fastest four-oared, and fastest coxed boat. Comprised of Addy Telzrow, Jen Forde, María Mezquita García-Poggio, Imogen Cooney & Maeve Hannan (cox), their time of 19:41 outstripped both Senior 4- entries from University of Galway BC and was less than 10 seconds off the

fastest women’s time of 19:31.8 from Enniskillen Royal BC’s J18A 4x-. DULBC’s entry in the category is a close replica of last season’s Intermediate 4+ crew (Telzrow, Forde, and Mezquita García-Poggio raced together almost all season), a side which won the Academic 4+ at London Metropolitan Regatta last June. DUBC and DULBC are expected to next race in early March, making the journey to Enniskillen once again to compete in Erne Eights Head of the River. Eights Head will officially close out the winter season before the Colours Boat Race, a historic battle between the respective Senior and Novice VIIIs from Trinity and University College Dublin, is held in midMarch. Last year’s clash saw UCD

take a tight win in the Gannon Cup and a comfortable victory in Corcoran Cup for Senior VIIIs, while Trinity saw successes in the Dan Quinn Shield and Sally Moorhead Trophy for the Novice VIIIs. Following Colours, the University Championships in April will kick off regatta season in earnest, culminating in July’s National Championships where crews from the length and breadth of Ireland will battle it out to take home a coveted “pot” as national champions. If interested in learning more about the Clubs, check out @ duboatclub and @dulbcrowing on Instagram. Contact captain@ duboatclub.com and captain. dulbc@gmail.com for further information.

PHOTO BY BECCAN GRUENBERG

ublin University Boat Club (DUBC) and Dublin University Ladies Boat Club (DULBC) travelled to Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh on 11 November to participate in the third annual Erne Fours Head of the River. Erne Fours, modelled after the UK’s Fours Head, sees a variety of four-athlete boats compete for both category wins, and the title of overall fastest mens’ and womens’ crew. In line with the time trial format common to the head racing season of the northern hemisphere, Erne Fours sees crews released at fifteen to thirty second intervals from the top of the Killyhevlin Straight, marking the commencement of the notoriously challenging (twists, bends, bridges, and stream galore) three-and-a-half mile course. Correspondingly, catching up with or passing a

crew released ahead of yours is an mid-race indicator of success, while the inverse – having your boat be passed out – signals a poorer performance. It is more common, however, for relatively few passings-out to occur; the crews are released in the order that, on paper, they are expected to finish in. With the Men’s Head being held first at 11am, DUBC opened proceedings for the Trinity encampment in Enniskillen. With three entries in the Intermediate 4+ category, DUBC aimed to defend their win in the same from the 2022 head, and to ensure strong performances across their entries. Success was taken in this respect, with DUBC A (Ethan Coplan, Cormac Feely, Ben Reid, Anrijs Lorencs & James O’Brien (cox)) claiming the category win from five entries in a respectable time of 18:33.9. DUBC B (George Roberts, Alfie Hales (Capt.), Ross McAuley, Andrea Grasselli & Caroline Welch (cox)) took third in 18:47.9, while DUBC C (Luke Gilderdale, Morgan Brennan, Sam Walker, Pearse Mooney & Maeve Hannan (cox)) came fourth in 18:56.7. DUBC A’s time, however, was only fourteenth overall, compared to last year’s win in the same category which was fourth fastest of the day. The culmination of the 2022/23 season saw a number of DUBC’s athletes depart to cross the river and join Islandbridge rivals Commercial Rowing Club. Former Trinity athletes old and new representing Commercial saw some impressive performances, including a win

PHOTO BY BECCAN GRUENBERG

Tuesday 28 November | TRINITY NEWS

Sport

MTU Kerry end Trinity football’s league campaign Trinity GAA bow out in Tralee after a positive league campaign Séaghan Ó Domhnalláin Sport Co-Editor

TU Kerry 1-12 – 0-6 Trinity College Trinity GAA’s senior footballers ended their Division 2 league campaign after a spirited display

away to MTU Kerry (formerly Tralee Institute of Technology) in Tralee’s North Campus last Wednesday, 22nd of November. After a four and a half hour road trip, with a number of students flying to Farranfore Airport instead, Trinity arrived in Tralee ready for their crunch semi-final in the Kingdom’s capital, 299 km away from the front gates of Trinity. If only Queen Elizabeth opened Dublin University one kilometre to the west of its current location, Trinity GAA could have availed of the rule that states that colleges more than 300 km away must play each other at neutral venues. Unfortunately, Elizabeth put the college where it is and perhaps cost Trinity GAA a Division 2 football final. Undoubt-

edly, the near 5 hour journey impacted the visitors, with MTU Kerry much fresher through-out the match. MTU started quickly, pulling ahead by 3 points to 1 early into the first half and managed to keep a 2 point lead at all times as the first half progressed. However, Trinity almost found the net on two separate occasions during the first half, with shots from Ben Kane and Con Smith saved by the ‘keeper. While there’s no point talking about ifs and buts, it would have been a much different game if one goal was scored, but MTU went in 1 point ahead at half-time, the scoreboard reading 0-5 – 0-4. However, it was Trinity that struck first in the second half and took the lead for the first time

(0-5 – 0-6). But, silly turnovers punished Trinity and MTU took a 3 point lead before scoring a goal, the final nail in the coffin. Trinity adopted a much more attacking style of play in search of a much needed goal, but MTU punished the lack of defence and ended the match with a 9 point win. Trinity College: Jack Jenkins, Conal Cunnigham, Luke Casserly, Gearóid O’Brien, Lee Pearson, Adam Treanor, Benny O’Neill, Leo Cunnigham, Conor Leonard, Connel Ruddy, Liam Fenton, Ciarán Murphy, Ben Kane, Con Smith, Seán Purcell. Substitutes: Ryan Askin, Daragh O’Callaghan, Leo Potschild, Liam Cribbin. Management: Don Holmes, Keith D’Arcy

Want to let students know what your club is up to? Email sport@trinitynews.ie or editor@trinitynews.ie to have your club updates listed in our issues.

DUFC vs Ballynahinch in photos: 15-21

PHOTOS BY RORY O’SULLIVAN SEXTON

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

A long hard look at love languages page 3

Eating and orgasms page 8

Ag Foghlaim an Ghaeilge page 15

LIFE

Pullout Pullout section section ART BY JESSIE HUANG FOR TRINITY NEWS

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

Table of contents Academic bibliophobia

- page 5 Anachronic Ages

- page 7 Campus couture is the anthem of success - page 8 Interviewing Evie: The haunted house of Irish music

- page 10

An Dearcadh ar Éireannaigh thar lear

- page 13

Euro-summer is out, and e Amelia Flynn guides us through 2023’s most student-friendly Christmas markets

lthough this summer we were all bombarded with an influx of American, Australian, and other international influencers’ take on Euro-Summer across our social media pages, Europe has just as much to offer several months later when all the leaves have fallen (and we are that bit closer to saying goodbye to our sanity as assignment deadlines approach…). But don’t let the bureaucracy of exam season get you down. Instead, create a light at the end of the tunnel; book a snowy trip to Prague, Budapest, or Krakow to indulge in some festive fun and get in the Christmas spirit. Below is a comprehensive list of budget-friendly winter getaways. From flights and accommodation to the overall cost of living, these three European cities simply scream winter wonderland. However, please keep in mind all

prices may be subject to change from the date of writing. Prague, the enchanting city born straight from Hans Christian Anderson’s imagination… First, we travel to Prague, Czechia’s capital and largest city. The buildings in the old town could be mistaken for huge gingerbread houses and the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn is said to have inspired Sleeping Beauty’s castle! There is no better setting for a Christmas market. To get to Prague, Aer Lingus offers the cheapest flights. If you fly from December 18-20, your round trip will set you back about €154, including a 10kg bag. I appreciate this is not cheap, but these countries are extremely popular this time of year. This famously well-priced city is the epitome of Christmas all year, with small Christmas shops open constantly, even during the summer months. All this festive spirit comes to a head in November and December. The market itself sits proudly in the old town square and offers a variety of traditional Czech food and drink, from pints for under €3 to svarak, a citrussy, Czech take on mulled wine. If it is crafts you are after, the stalls are well-equipped with trinkets and hand-blown glass decorations. For some musical entertainment, you can venture to one of the

many famous jazz bars the city has to offer. Often tucked away in underground settings, these bars

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This is arguably the closest one could get to living out their winter wonderland fantasies while overlooking historic buildings which are perched at the lakeside are usually free to enter and always supply live music! There is also a good tram system if the weather is

Final girls soundtrack

- page 15

Life staff Editor-in-Chief Life Editor Life Deputy Editor

Kate Henshaw Abby Cleaver Lara Monahan

Arts & Culture Editors Deputy Editors

Jayna Rohslau Ciara Chan Ciana Meyers

Sex & Relationships Editor Deputy Editors

Anna Lyons Catherine Grogan Alice Matty

Societies Editor Deputy Editor

Honey Morris Sofia Rooney Siobhán Walsh

Student Living Editors

Emma Rouine Elisa Eckstein Akshita Hunka

Deputy Editor Food & Drink Editor Deputy Editors

Eoghan Conway Lara Bhakdi Hannah Viljoen

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

euro-winter is in

ART BY JESSIE HUANG FOR TRINITY NEWS

overlooking historic buildings which are perched at the lakeside. You can travel here with Ryanair for approximately €114 return from December 11-13 or the 18-20 (with a layover) for €136 return. The cheap accommodation certainly takes the sting out of flight prices, with hostels such as Avenue Hostel and Hive Party Hostel for less than €30 for two nights, including breakfast. However, even Airbnbs are less expensive here and will only set you back between €25-€50 per night for a central apartment close to the river, castle, and transport links such as trams and metro. Krakow: for Europe’s best value Christmas market experience… Finally we journey to the city has been praised as Europe’s best value Christmas market experience: Krakow. This marvellous Polish city is home to Rynek Glowney, Europe’s biggest mediaeval plaza,which is also where you can find Krakow’s Christmas market. Younger crowds and students are often drawn to the city for its low prices (and cheap vodka). This place is perfect for sampling some pierogi dumplings or partaking in some carolling. The young crowds give the market a quirkier, fun feel. Although the official opening of the market may be a little too early (last week of November) for some to start watching Elf and putting up a tree, the grand opening is not something you want to miss. With a live nativity scene involving real camels and a band, it’s a fantastic way to kick off the Christmas hysteria you will inevitably be travelling home to. There are over 100 venders that supply food, drinks, and gifts, but if none of this takes your fancy, the city offers lots of alternative food options. The traditional Milk Bars (reminiscent of the country’s communist history) offer a canteen-style dining experience for between €4-€6 per person. But if you are looking for something else, you can find what are rated average/good restaurant experiences with meals cheaper than the cost of a sandwich within a 5km radius of Trinity…. It’s not just food that you can get for a decent price here, but accommodation too. Hostels will of course be the cheapest option, but there is always the possibility of a hotel or aparthotel for a more private experience, starting at less than €45 a night. Ryanair offers cheap connecting flights from €98 for return flights on December 11-13 or from December 18-20 for just under €200 (once again with layovers). I believe that any of the aforementioned options are respectable choices for your festive getaway. All these cities are sure to offer a magical experience and satiate everyone’s festive craving this December.

Hazel Mulkeen questions the love languages, and asks why we place so much value on them

f you’re reading the Sex and Relationships section of Trinity News, it’s probably fair to assume you’re familiar with the five love languages. They’ve found their way into Gen-Z culture and become a shorthand for what kind of person you are. Free online quizzes let everyone decide whether they most need physical touch, acts of service, words of affirmation, quality time, or gift giving. It’s given that this identifier unlocks key knowledge about our needs; we can use it to judge each other or predict the inevitable crash-and-burn of our relationships. We — meaning the general Gen-Z student cohort — love defining ourselves using categories created by other people. Most of us know our Myers-Briggs personality type; we know what mental illnesses or neurodivergences allow us to experience life differently, and we know what aesthetic we belong to (I like gorpcore, but in reality I am “frail Victorian child”). These definitions are helpful to us, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with using proper nouns to help guide our identity. Especially in the awkward pre-stage of late adolescence and early twenties: before we have careers, before we have families of our own, we can stake out common ground with others, as clean girls or sigma males. On Hinge, you’re allowed — even encouraged — to list your love language, and sort your potential matches based on theirs. It’s nice just to have another factor against which to test your compatibility with a stranger. In a way, love languages serve the same purpose as star signs, but ostensibly with a stronger basis in reality.

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In a way, love languages serve the same purpose as star signs...

PHOTO VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

not walk-friendly. In terms of accommodation, hostels are the cheapest option. Prague Dream Hostel and Hostel Homer both offer mixed dorms for less than €20 a night and private rooms for around €60. Budapest: ranked as Europe’s best Christmas market Moving on to Budapest, we find what has been voted Europe’s best Christmas market for three years running: Basilica Christmas Market. As well as crafts, the market is hugely focused on gastronomy; anyone for goulash? In addition to this, there are other free-of-charge spectacles to enjoy. A laser light show and movies will be projected onto the Basilica for everyone to enjoy. If you somehow find yourself bored of this fabulous bazaar, there’s another one in Vörösmarty Square! This offers all the charm you would expect from Budapest’s oldest Christmas market. Here you can indulge in one of the many free concerts as well as all the other classic stalls and merchandise you would expect. If you travel beyond the market scene you may find yourself ice-skating on Lake Vároligeti, which is free for children and €4 midweek but €6 on weekends for adults. This is arguably the closest one could get to living out their winter wonderland fantasies while

A long hard look at love languages

The problem with love languages is that they aren’t the construction of people seeking common ground; they aren’t a community creation. They were invented by one man, with whom I hope to have as little common ground as possible. North Carolina Baptist pastor Gary Chapman published The 5 Love Languages in 1992, quickly becoming a global sensation: the book has since sold over 20 million copies, according to his own website. He’s since published no less than 62 self-help books about family and marriage, and 11 more books on love languages alone, including but not limited to: The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, A Teen’s Guide to the 5 Love Languages (distinct to The 5 Love Languages of Teenagers) and A Student’s Guide to the 5 Love Languages: True Love Waits. Gary Chapman opposes premarital sex. In an interview, he said that “God reserved (sex) for marriage – it’s a deep bonding experience. … when we have multiple partners before marriage, and that bonding is broken and broken and broken … we are far less likely to be committed to each other.” The suspect background of the inventor of love languages could easily be ignored if love languages had value for us in and of themselves. But do they? Studies have never demonstrated any truth behind the love languages. A 2006 study by Egbert and Polk, conducting a validity test of the five love languages concept, found that Chapman’s five languages lack statistical validity: the behaviours that we consider loving could be condensed into four languages, or even three. Looking over Chapman’s bibliography, the number five pops up again and again. According to him, there are five languages of apology, and of workplace appreciation. There are five signs of a loving family, five ways to strengthen your marriage (but six secrets to a good marriage), and five ways to handle conflict. Maybe, instead of there being five distinct ways in which we express love, Chapman just really likes the number five. Love languages are a way to improve your relationship by thinking more about what your partner wants. Unfortunately, this

emotional labour is statistically more likely to be the woman’s responsibility in the heterosexual married couples that Chapman concerns himself with. Sex — and lack of it — in long term relationships is always a fraught issue. In his book, he advises a woman in a failing marriage to “rely heavily upon [her] faith in God” in order to have sex with her husband when she doesn’t want to, in order to repair the relationship. Putting a lot of stock in love languages could make you feel like you’re obligated to provide a certain kind of attention for your partner even if it makes you uncomfortable. Worse, social factors will always affect what we want from our partners. The idea that we have an innate love language that can be unlocked doesn’t really make sense. A cluster analysis of 100 couples’ self-reported love languages in 2018 by Bland and Mcqueen, focusing on heterosexual longterm relationships and marriage, revealed that among couples where women reported more “relational distress” than men, physical touch was reported as the man’s first love language. One key byproduct of toxic masculinity is intense pressure on men to want to have sex, and as much of it as possible; this could have influenced why men overwhelmingly reported that they valued Physical Touch above any other act of care. In other groups of surveyed couples, who were in relative agreement about which love languages were most important to them, acts of service were on average more important to women than men. Knowing what we know about the unequal division of unpaid domestic labour within straight married couples, isn’t it possible that claiming acts of service as their love language was just the result of an unmet need among women for their partners to do their fair share of work? Love languages were only ever designed to improve your heterosexual Christian marriage, not to dictate how you as a student relate to the collegiate dating world. We’ve allowed this thought exercise from a self-help book to turn into a personality test dictating what we expect from those around us. Maybe we should go back to star signs.

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

Ag baineadh na speaclaí de nós díom Labhraíonn Martha Nic Mathúna linn faoi slí éascá chun draíocht an saol a choimeád beo lá i ndiaidh lae

IMAGE VIA TRINITY NEWS

á mo chairde ar fad bréan dom ag labhairt faoi na spéaclaí de nós. Mar sin, bheartaigh mé go labhróidh mé faoi anseo. Caithfidh mé a admháil gur tháinig mé ar an gcoincheap seo ar Tik Tok; ‘ag baineadh na spéaclaí de nós díom.’ Tá ort dul tríd na gnáth rudaí laethúla ar nós go bhfuil sé do chéad uair iad a dhéanamh. Más rud é go dtógann tú an bus gach lá, samhlaigh go bhfuil sé do chéad uair riamh ar an mbus. Más rud é go shiúileann tú an bealach céanna tríd an páirc gach lá, cuir ort nach bhfaca tú na plandaí seo riamh. Tá ár ndomhan chomh draíochtúil, chomh speisialta sin, ach tá an ionadh curtha faoi glas againn ar an drochuair. Is dócha go bhfuil an rud is mó atá i gceist leis na spéaclaí de nós ná athrú intinne a thosnú ar thaobh do shaol. Tá an saol sa lá atá inniu ann an-deacair. Ní féidir le héinne dorchadas an tsaoil a sheacháint. Táimid ag féachaint ar nuacht brónach ar ár bhfóin. Tá aithne ag gach duine ar neart daoine óga a bhfuil in ísle brí nó go bhfuil muid féin ag streachailt leis an tsaoil. Bhí a fhios agam go raibh orm mo shaol a athrú tar éis dom a bheith ag labhairt le mo chara. D’inis mé di go bhfuil an ghráin dearg agam do mo shaol féin, nach raibh mé sásta le haon rud a thuilleadh. D’fhiafraigh sí díom faoi na rudaí go féidir liom sult a bhaint as fós. Ní raibh freagra agam di agus thuig mé go raibh sé de dhualgas orm níos mó rudaí dearfacha a aimsiú i mo shaol féin. Is ansin gur tháinig mé ar an físéan atá ag @stringbeanboy13. Deireann sé; “Losing the goggles of habit and experiencing the pure joy of my daily routine as though it’s my first time seeing it all.” D’fhan an smaointe sin liom, ní raibh mé in ann dearmad a dhéanamh air. Smaoinigh mé ar na rudaí maithe i mo shaol. Bhí mé ró-dhírithe ar m’fhabhanna. Bhí orm mo dhearcadh a athrú. Ba é mo thasc nua ná sult a bhaint as rud bunúsach, mar shampla mo thuras ar ollscoil. Tá cónaí orm i mBaile na nGabhar agus mar sin is féidir liom an bus nó an Luas a thógáil go ollscoil. Tógann an bus i bhfad níos mó ama ná an luas ach is cuma liom. Bainim an-sult as m’aistear. Smaoiním ar ais ar mo chéad uair

ar an mbus i mBaile Átha Cliath. Is cuimhin liom an sceitimíní a bhí orm, cé chomh sásta is a bhí mé ag dul trí na bruachbhailte. D’fhéach mé ar na páistí ag dul ar scoil, na seandaoine ag dul ag siopadóireacht agus na daoine eile a raibh ar an mbus liom. Is rud draíochtúil é seo, muid ar fad ar an mbus le chéile. Bhíomar ar fad ag roinnt an taithí álainn seo. Níorbh fhada go raibh mo thuras ar an mbus an páirt is fearr liom de gach

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D’fhéach mé ar na páistí ag dul ar scoil, na seandaoine ag dul ag siopadóireacht agus na daoine eile a raibh ar an mbus liom

lá. Spreag an taithí seo mé. Lean mé ar aghaidh ag céilúradh gach rud a tharla gach lá, go háirithe na rudaí beaga. Thosaigh mé ag tnúth le na bráillíní a hathrú. Bhain mé sult as a bheith ag cócaireacht mo dhinnéir gach trathnóna. De gnáth, b’fhearr liom comhluadar daoine eile. Nuair a athraigh mo dhearcadh ar mo shaol áfach, bhain mé níos mó suilt as mo chomhluadar féin. Bhí an saol níos fearr. Is iad na rudaí beaga na rudaí is tábhachtaí. Tá orainn ár súile a oscailt chun na rudaí maithe a aimsiú. Más féidir linn taitneamh a bhaint as na gnáthrudaí laethúla, beimid sásta. Nuair a thosaigh mé ag tnúth le na rudaí beaga i rith an lae, d’éirigh na laethanta níos fearr. Ní raibh sé chomh deacair ná a bhí sé ag éirí gach maidin. Ní raibh obair na hollscoile chomh dodhéanta ná a cheap mé. Bhí an saol fós crua cinnte. Níor réitigh mo nós nua gach fadhb a bhí agam ach bhí gach rud níos éasca. Is dócha sa lá atá inniu ann go bhfuil muid ar fad míshona ach ag mothú nach bhfuil aon cumhacht againn é sin a hathrú. Is fíor an rud é, ní féidir línn teacht ar éiteach gach fhaidhbe. Tá sé an-tábhachtach áfach cuimhniú ar na rudaí maithe fós. Is fiú dúinn níos mó ama a chaitheamh ar na rudaí beaga a spreagann muid. Níl gá ár n-am ar fad a chaitheamh ag obair, nó ag déanamh rudaí ar son daoine eile. Tá orainn am a thógáil amach as gach lá dúinn féin. Ciallaíonn sé sin rud éigean difriúil do gach duine. Dar liom féin is fiú dom níos mó

ama a caitheamh ag cócaireacht gach trathnóna. Is féidir liom mo scíth a ligint agus mé ag gearradh

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Níl orainn an lá ar fad a chaitheamh le chéile ach bíonn mo shaol féin i bhad níos fearr agus mé ag caitheamh ama leo glasraí nó ag ullmhú rís. Aimsím síochán le linn an noiméad sin. Is féidir liom dearmad a dhéanamh ar imní agus mé dírithe ar an tasc amháin atá os mo chomhair. Tá a fhios agam nach féidir le gach duine é seo a dhéanamh, ach is fiú triail a bhaint as ar a laghad. Is dóigh liom gurb é ceann de na rudaí is fearr faoin ár nósanna áirithe ná go féidir linn iad a roinnt le cairde. Thóg mé an bus abhaile le mo chara seachtain ó shin agus bhí sé go hálainn.

Bhí an ghrian ag dul anuas agus bhí na duilleoga ór ag titim ó na crainn. Mhair ár dturas beagnach uair an chloig ach b’é an páirt is fearr de mo sheachtain. Caithim a lán ama i mo chomhluadar féin agus táim sásta leis sin. Caithfidh mé a adhmháil áfach go mbíonn uaigneas orm uaireanta. Is minic a bhíonn an iomarca tuirse orm eachtra a phleanáil le mo chairde. Nílim ag lorg oíche amach ach amháin cara a bheith liom agus mé ag déanamh mo shiopadóireacht nó mo níocháin. Tá sé tábhachtach dom cairde a bheith páirteach i mo shaol gach lá. Níl orainn an lá ar fad a chaitheamh le chéile ach bíonn mo shaol féin i bhad níos fearr agus mé ag caitheamh ama leo. Nuair a bhainim mo spéaclaí de nós díom, feicim mo chairde álainn atá anseo liom i gcónaí. Ní fiú iad a ghlacadh go deonaithe ach táim buíoch astu chuile lá. Tá an saol bunaithe ar na gnáthrudaí. Tá orainn a bheith in ann taitneamh a bhaint astu. Caitheann gach duine sa lá atá inniu ann an chuid is mó dá saolta ag fanacht ar an mbus, nó ag déanamh an siopadóireacht, nó ag athrú na bráillíní. Tá an t-ádh linn faoi sin. Bíonn an deis againn ár saolta a athrú i mbealaí beaga gach uile lá. Táim buíoch as an deis a bhí agam na spéaclaí de nós a bhaint díom. Feicim mo shaol i mbealach difriúil anois. Feicim na dearudaí in áit na drochrudaí. Nuair a thagann an báisteach, smaoiním ar na plandaí sona a mbeidh ag fás. Tá mo ghnáthshaol ciúin go leor agus táim lánsásta leis sin.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

How to avoid academic bibliophobia: Discussing the terminal effects of academic reading on a book nerds psyche Eimear Feeney discusses the stresses of academic reading and how it can affect a genuine love for reading

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inals are approaching and it is the universal student experience to feel agitated over the amount of assignments that keep piling up. It can be even more difficult if you are running away from an activity you used to enjoy, leaving an arduous library session saying you are getting some fresh air before, inevitably stumbling into Hodges and Figgis. Throughout my life, bookshops have always been the ideal safe haven away from academic pressures. Yet browsing the titles recently, I became increasingly disheartened. The reality is I simply had no time to actively engage in any of these books and at that exact moment I had ten tabs opened each dedicated to a different article to read alongside a tilting tower of books on my nightstand. If my younger self saw me she would wonder why I was “acting up” about achieving our literary dream. While I will never regret my degree choice, I find it upsetting that a desire for academic success has replaced my pure love for reading. This

internal conflict is not unique to me. I suspect that everyone has lost interest in a former passion because of stress in university. Along with always being asked what you want to pursue in the future, humanities students have a particular fear of losing their interest in reading since it sets the foundation for their degree. This fear extends to the entire student body losing their previous pastimes. Personally, I am an English Literature and History student who spends roughly 7080% of her time reading a week. When I was a kid, I was enamoured with reading because it was a form of escapism for my boundless imagination. A book was a portal into another dimension, where I could climb into someone else’s unfolding story. The same applies to nonfiction, and I enjoyed history as the study of stories from the past. By choosing to study literature academically, I have relinquished the ability to read a book just for the fun of it (never say never, maybe in my retirement). No longer can I read a book passively. Instead I must search for the biases or omnipotence of the narrator’s position in the text, watch out for societal issues hidden and judge the use of language and its effectiveness. In my childhood brain, I deeply respected an author for crafting the text but that doesn’t hold up now when I am studying Formalism and reading The Death of the Author. Since academic readings are a burden carried by the entire student body, I thought it would

be insightful to interview some students and investigate if their interactions with reading has changed since entering thirdlevel education. Senior Freshman History and Law student Emily Sheehan remarked that the term academic reading “is synonymous with convoluted and complicated reading”. When asked if it is a struggle to keep up with coursework she stated: “My course is very ‘independent reading’ heavy and it’s stressful just looking at the reading list”. One of the biggest struggles in a student’s life is time

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management, balancing time between academics and personal life. Personally, I find that it is hard as a student to isolate time for my separate interests while studying and socialising. Asking Sheehan if her interest in reading has been affected by academic reading, she replied: “It feels like if I have time to read at all I should use it doing academic or college reading rather than reading for pleasure”. Additionally, after a long day at College: “the last thing you want to do is delve into another book even if it’s just for pleasure.” Senior Sophister Philosophy student Nadia Lemfadal has a balanced outlook on her own academic reading. She detailed: “I don’t have as much time to read for pleasure and as my course involves substantial academic reading, if I have some time off I am more drawn to other activities”. She continued with a positive note: “I would not have come across a lot of books and papers I now love if it hadn’t been for my course.” In response to the question that attaches stress to academic reading she commented that: “my reading lists have always been proportionate to the module content and at least in my experience they tend to work more as a depper research than a necessary requirement”. Senior Freshman Physics student Aoibheann Kearins showcases a different perspective, stating: “Luckily, since words is [are] something my course often lacks, it means books are a great escape and getaway for me as it is removed from my degree”. She highlights that reading is less of a burden for her as her course “is more numbers than theory based”, but still regards academic reading as “a bit of a scary word when it’s brought up because none of us

quite know what it entails.” Her main experience with academic reading would be “references for lab reports”, where there is little communication: “research with absolutely no guidance [on] how to do so.” Everyone has their own ways of dealing with stress, and mine happens to be ranting in a university publication. Readings and coursework are stressful but they are also engaging when you set yourself in the right mental state. Here is a list of things to reignite your extinguished love of reading and prolong academic burnout. Romanticising your coursework is beneficial because designing anything as aesthetic and appealing will make anyone more inclined to actually do the work. Attempting to improve your mindset by thinking of the library not as a dungeon where dreams end up destroyed, but as an arena where you can challenge your mind also may help. This strategy works terrifically if you are a competitive person. Listening to music and remembering snacks also renders studying more enjoyable. I also recommend audiobooks for a nice break from reading and studying. They enable you to continue that dusty personal reading list that you started at the beginning of the term (that probably hasn’t been touched since). Avoid doing readings during mealtimes in favour of an activity for yourself like personal reading or journaling! United in this struggle as a student body, we can all rant and rave about our academic coursework and remember that it could be worse. We are all studying in an influential institution and in the end, the exhaustion and stress will be worth it (fingers crossed).

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

How these Trinity students are using chalk to create change Anna Lyons interviewed EmpowerHer* -Voice Dublin about their use of chalk to tackle catcalling on the streets of Dublin

ombine chalk and passion and beautiful things can result. I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with the founding members of EmpowerHer*Voice Dublin, Esme, Sully, Kitty and Niamh, about how they use chalk to instil change on the streets of Dublin. EmpowerHer*Voice is a non-profit community-based platform for women and people of marginalised genders. While EmpowerHer*Voice (EH*V) was started across the pond and has its headquarters in London, Esme is the founder of EmpowerHer*Voice Dublin, which has seen surreal growth in recent weeks after the beginning of

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“If [that first year] had heard that, and that was the first thing that was told to her after her first experience [of assault], that’s going to inform everything she thinks about what she deserves and how she deserves to be treated by men”

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By putting these words in writing, EH*V hope that people realise how abnormal the excessively normalised behaviour of catcalling is

the #chalkback campaign. Inspired by @catcallsofnyc, EH*V wanted to give due attention and space to the derogatory words which are so commonly and casually strewn about on the streets of Dublin. “She’s not as pretty as I thought” is an example of a comment made by a passer-by about Molly Malone. This was the comment that would inspire Esme and Sully to come back to Molly Malone with chalk, and write “groping isn’t good luck” beside her, hoping that people would think twice before touching her breasts for good fortune. “We feel it’s indicative of such a bigger issue, because people of marginalised genders experience groping on a daily basis.” That same day, Sully took chalk to the pavement outside of a wellknown club in Dublin, WigWam, to tell her own story: “I was groped here, the bouncer said ‘What did you do to instigate it?’”. The event in WigWam was a fresher’s week event. While Sully was there with friends who supported her, she recognised that there could have been a first year in her place, who could well have gone to that event alone. As Esme put it: “If [that first year] had heard that, and that was the first thing that was told to her after her first experience [of assault], that’s going to inform everything she thinks about what she deserves and how she deserves to be treated by men.” EH*V posted Sully’s catcalling post on November 9, when they had just 720 followers on instagram. Within a day this number doubled, and within a week it rose to 2,500. Their stories were hitting home and people were resonating with these situations. According to Niamh: “It’s been nearly magical what’s gone on this week for us.” EH*V opened up a Google form for people to submit their own stories of being catcalled in Dublin, which they would then chalk in the places where the events occurred: “It’s chalking back, it’s taking back the power of the words they’re saying.” By putting these

words in writing, EH*V hope that people realise how abnormal the excessively normalised behaviour of catcalling is. When someone reads what was said and when words becomes tangible, perhaps they will remember it. This leads to significant progress in recognising how damaging catcalling actually is, in comparison to the blasé attitude typically given to most instances of it. With an increased amount of followers can come increased levels of criticism. While 90% of the feedback the community has received has been astoundingly positive and inspiring, some have said that calling out clubs in particular could be a negative thing for the already suffering Dublin nightlife: a don’t-kicksomeone-while-they’re-alreadydown mentality. However, while EH*V acknowledge that they will make mistakes in navigating a new space with a new audience, the goal is not to boycott or shut down any club or institution, it is to make these places check themselves, and to improve nightlife for the better for everyone. At the moment, it seems as though going out in Dublin is a trade-off situation. You can’t have both fun and safety. Having a night safety monitor in a club is a luxury, but it shouldn’t be: it’s the bare minimum and a necessity. After calling out WigWam, the club took EH*V on board to help them improve safety in their clubs, with a new and improved code of conduct, and the introduction of a night safety monitor. The goals of EH*V’s #chalkback campaign have started to realise themselves as they’ve continued, and they hope to see this role become a reality for

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The goal is not to boycott or shut down any club or institution, it is to make these places check themselves, and to improve nightlife for the better for everyone every club in Dublin. However, clubs aren’t the only institutions which are in need of change. In terms of Molly Malone, EH*V want to put bodyguarding the statue on their weekly agenda, and help people realise that groping her really isn’t all that normal: something which causes people pain and upset on a daily basis shouldn’t be seen as good luck. Adding a plaque which acknowledges this or receiving some other form of recognition from the tourist board could be a

goal well within reach for EH*V. We also discussed the need for improved resources with regards to consent workshops and training for Trinity staff and students alike. Having received an anonymous submission about being catcalled in Trinity by construction staff, Esme was in disbelief: “I don’t think catcalling should happen ever, in any environment, but there is something particularly upsetting about someone being catcalled in their university. And not that it is ok, but you expect it in the street, you do not expect it in the place you’re being educated.” EH*V were ambitious about making Trinity a safer place for its students, and changing the culture around the way people of marginalised genders are treated. The future of EmpowerHer*Voice Dublin goes far beyond chalking, however. While Esme, Kitty, Sully and Niamh want to keep chalking for change, they’re adamant about not dropping the ball on anything that they’ve already been doing, and what they do best. EmpowerHer*Voice provides safe community spaces for people “to feel safe and relaxed and heard and seen”, whilst providing them with the opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills. They run regular art classes, as well as larger exhibitions which often feature art from their workshops, the profits from which are all donated to charity. Speaking from experience, the events EH*V organise are truly extraordinary and special. EH*V hope that since gaining a new audience they can bring new faces to their events, and provide a space for even more people “to rest their bones”.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 31 January

Anachronic ages: A night to remember Honey Morris gives a detailed review of TAF’s annual GMB take over

night of spectacle, a night of wonder, and a night of timeless pieces filled the GMB from top to bottom on 17 November. Trinity Arts Festival (TAF) hosted yet another fabulous evening in the GMB in collaboration with multiple Trinity societies. This year’s theme “Anachronic Ages” focused on periods in time that are ageless, decades with reputations that will always be iconic and will never change. To begin the night, the TAF committee invited every society down for the opening ceremony. Festival Director, David Yague, took the post dressed in his best toga and wel-

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This year’s theme ‘anachronic ages’ focused on periods in time that are ageless

comed all who were participating in the event. He gave his thanks to the committee who helped organise the night and the societies who worked to decorate and fill each room. Once his speech concluded, a classical string quartet began playing, taking the audience back to a time of Greek philosophers and dinner parties. As the music faded to an end, the societies moved to take their positions in the rooms and the night began. As the audience walked in, they were introduced to a land of Irish Folklore, with vines flowing from the ceiling and traditional music playing in the corner. The atmosphere danced with tales of the past and brought to life the rich history of Ireland. The room was alive with greenery, and what felt like a bit of magic. Following the land of fairies, guests were taken back to ancient Greece where the string quartet sat playing beautifully through the night in the back. In the middle of the room, a long table dawned with decorations of busts and candles, sharing history-filled legends and lore. As the audience climbed the stairs, clocks and decorations hung around the stairwell, making the ascent into the ages immersive. Arriving on the second floor, Renaissance art covered the room from wall to wall. Guests were encouraged to add their own spin to the famous artworks sketched on paper. By the end of the night, the well-loved pieces had turned into a unique representation of how different time periods interact with sketches from today’s time. Accompanying the room, a band played at the front, including a variety of instruments from a violin

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS EVANS FOR TRINITY NEWS

to an electric guitar. Climbing again, now to the third floor, the audience was transported to yet another anachronic age. Walking into the 1920’s, the dusky room was decorated in red and vintage activities. Jazz filled the air and guests could gather around and indulge in their own craft making (fitting to the era, of course). Those decorating the room helped bring the theme to life with their outfits of the decade. Pinup dresses and pearls floated around, bringing forth an overpowering feeling of prohibition and secret parties. Across the hall, a 1970’s disco dawned the room. Mirrored streamers and disco balls covered the room and a band played in the front, adding a new-age sound to the room. Sound art was projected behind them, bringing another sensory experience to the room. Circus performers walked around the dance floor with hand held props, encouraging guests to try their hand at a new trick. In their final climb up the stairs of the GMB, visitors were brought to the future. Inside the melodramatic room, large tapestries were draped from the ceiling, with lights, creating futuristic energy around the room. Throughout the night, time travellers tended to enjoy experiencing the visual effects of the room from the couches placed around the floor. Descending the stairs and watching as the centuries began to pass by prepared the audience to leave the night of wonder-filled ages. Outside, all those entering and leaving were met with a building layered in colourful lights and a gathering crowd at the door. While it was a simple night for the attendees to enjoy, it was no simple feat to host. Planning a GMB takeover required all hands on deck to orchestrate such a smooth event. Booking out the GMB, planning a feasible theme, communicating with a variety of societies and ensuring they are able to attend and work with their partners was all part of the pre-planning for the event. Then, laying out the rooms, handing out wristbands, promoting the event, and covering all technical difficulties were done the week and day of the takeover. TAF brought together societes from across Trinity to participate. Societies that would not be traditionally thought of working together were partnered to create a room for the night! Some of these included the TCD Trad Society working with TCD Botanical Society, and TCD Fashion Society pairing with TCD Juggling and Circus. The amount of collaborations that came from the 2023 GMB takeover is a spectacle of itself. While I was only able to see a fraction of the collaborations made for the takeover, many connections were brought to life to make the event happen!

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS EVANS FOR TRINITY NEWS

As the night ended, the music stopped and the overhead lights were turned on, those working the event were brought back to the 21st century. All of the decorations

were gathered and carried downstairs as the decades bid farewell to the GMB and a large thanks to TAF for yet another wonderful takeover.

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS EVANS FOR TRINITY NEWS

Tuesday 31 January | TRINITY NEWS

Campus couture is the anthem of success Alice Caroll interprets our excessive buying, overconsumption and dying for the latest microtrend

to be. Fashion is a distinctive medium of art which undeniably infiltrates our everyday life. To those of you who may scoff at this,

first step on campus, many cast off the shackles of conformity. Gone are the days of the Catholic school uniform, in its replacement: a new canvas for reinvention. One walks around campus and an amalgamation of different textures, patterns, colours, and style beg for attention, a kaleidoscope of different outfits, some similar and others stark in contrast. How we dress has always carried a certain weight. It’s our outward projection to the world, our first impression, our armour, a reflection of the person we aspire

I refer you to the revolutionary cerulean sweater monologue in The Devil Wears Prada, ultimately proving the argument that the decision to not care about fashion and what you wear is as conscious as pouring over your outfit in the mirror for hours. Yet, trends have risen in the chronically online age alongside the demise of subcultures. The desire for the categorisation of trends permeates throughout life. The romanticism of mundanity, possibly accelerated by being stuck inside for two years due

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Fashion is a distinctive ollege: the era of new medium of beginnings and a new wardrobe, according art which to the phenomenon undeniably which is Fashion Soc’s Campus Couture (at least if you infiltrates our can afford the gentrified vintage shops). everyday life As each new student takes their

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to Covid, has borne a time of cores, aesthetics and trends which present an often-confusing restriction to exploration. Subcultures are sourced, regenerated, and often reduced under a ‘microtrend’ banner. The lines between varied subcultures have blurred, with campus as a perfect example of how different elements of subcultures have been

Eating and orgasms Honey Morris discusses how her relationship with sex helped develop a healthier relationship with food, and how the two may be linked

n a dim Friday evening, in the back corner of a newly decorated pub, I ate a slice of birthday cake from an old cracked plate with my bare hands and nearly cried tears of joy. I enjoyed the cake, the smiles on my friends’ faces, and not having to count how many skipped meals I would have to pencil in to make up for this wonderful evening. In the depths of disordered eating hell, food was something to be desired, but was a pleasure I had to earn. Every meal and each

piece of bread was something to be accounted for and tracked. It was debated by this court system that was embedded in the forefront of my mind; and every single time it found me guilty for eating. Even though I felt immense guilt for eating, I did not feel guilty for having sex (thank God!). I enjoyed having sex and feeling intimacy with myself and the person I was sharing that experience with. It felt nice to have someone enjoy my body as well. Feeling someone touch, kiss, and explore my body with me was such a grounding experience. Through different people, I was able to learn

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Pleasure was now something I had come to adore about and explore different desires, kinks, and dynamics. Even though each situation was vastly different from the last, in no

context was I put in the position of having to earn or do something to deserve my pleasure. Finally, there came a point where I enjoyed experiencing this connection with my body so deeply, that if I was going to continue living so freely, I had to give my body what it needed to continue to thrive. I still viewed food as pleasure, but pleasure was now something I had come to adore,I was not willing to give it up. It started off small, like with any new partner, when you give missionary a shot before you bring out the candle wax. I started with a few safe foods, slowly adding in a new dish every week or two. With every orgasm I gave out, I started to feel less guilty for each meal I was putting in my body. There was such a freedom that came with exploring my body’s wants and needs, and I was no longer restricted by my arbitrary rules around food. I enjoyed trusting someone to pleasure my body, and I enjoyed trusting the carbs to fuel my body. When I started eating, I began to feel so much better. I had never realised how bad my body felt before, and how deprived I was of energy. I thought I had enjoyed sex

acquired into the mainstream. Doc Martens, once a shoe signifying grunge rebellion, is now a staple in the wardrobe of any stereotypical Trinity student, extra points if they’re a Phoebe Bridgers fan. The pace in trend cycles has rapidly risen. Regarding microtrends, the time taken between adding an item to your online basket is one step closer to

the gradual expiry date and death of the clothes. The 20-year trend cycle asserting that it takes at least 20 years for a past trend to re-enter the present fashion world has been all but forgotten. In its place all trends simultaneously happening at once. That said, the co-opting of subcultures outside the originally intended cliques can be seen as the blurring of lines within the

in the past, but being able to give and do more with my body was life-changing. The sex that I previously liked became sex I loved. One-hour sessions became much longer. Kinks became much more intense, and sensations became so much better. Meals were no longer something I had to fight, but something that I had started looking forward to. Flavours became my friends, not an object

of guilt. My body started to heal and become more connected with the sensations I was experiencing. The next step in my journey was to value how my body looked. Eating enough food after a period of starving your body will make you gain weight - which is an excellent thing! However, seeing weight gain on myself after I had tried so hard for years to limit it was a new experience. I did not like it at first. I did not like that

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 31 January

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Capitalism, that unpleasant, if stylish, big bad wolf once again rears its ugly head atmosphere of acceptance. It allows the youth of today to play around with clothes and fashion without choosing an item representative of permanency in their selfidentification.The chase for originality has led unsurprisingly to a surge in vintage and secondhand buying with frequent calls by consumers for more sustainable clothing production. Capitalism, that unpleasant, if stylish, big bad wolf once again rears its ugly head. Uniqueness and the desire for the selfish pleasure of uttering the line, “Oh, it’s actually thrifted” has changed the nature in how we shop, scouring charity shops, your mom’s old vintage and the rise in online outlets such as Depop. Fashion’s accessibility within an oversaturated market had been absorbed by monetisation with overconsumption and greenwashing. Before, subcultures produced trends but due to the commodification of goods, my body was softer and fuller, but I had to decide whether I was willing to go back to the body I was used to, or continue with the body I had gotten to experience all of these great things with. I decided to continue to grow. Living indefinitely in a state where my body starved at my own hands meant giving up feeling good about myself, and all of the other pleasures I experienced from other aspects of my life. I decided that the benefits of weight gain much outweighed the drawbacks. This change was a good thing, and it was worth it. In that moment, I chose to nourish my body; the one that

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Sex did not heal me, but sex helped me fall in love with my body and the different ways pleasure can touch me

this operates in reverse as large corporations manipulate the media to convince consumers their product is essential. As trends and product availability work in tangent with one another, the fashion market goes into over production to meet the everincreasing demand for clothes. College students have become both victims and culprits of this environment, vulnerable to the promises of sustainability. We act as targets for companies who exploit the term ‘sustainable’ when their production is anything but. Thrifting, an alternative to fast fashion has become a trend upon itself, which has resulted in overpricing. Depop, although a platform for entrepreneurship, encourages the excessive hauls which engulf our social media and only further to distinguish socioeconomic disparities . Fashion, a visual representation of college, allows for experimentation, self- discovery and fun, whether it’s gaining inspiration from the looks that pass you by or frantically swiping through the weekly campus couture post. Still, this view can be, at times, ignorantly simplistic, failing to address the exclusionary seams of fashion in today’s world. It is impossible to understate the importance of conscious buying amid innovation in layering, wearing, and styling for success. That said, it is also impossible to deny its appeal. If you drop fifty bucks for a Tola sweater, you too can be absorbed into the mass of happy, thriving and emotionally intelligent arts students.

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So the lesson that has been learned: have your cake and your orgasms too

I had grown, and the one that I had come to love. Gaining this acceptance was certainly not an overnight endeavour, but now I love looking down at thighs that can be held and a stomach that is beautiful and prominent even when my back is arched. Sex did not heal me, but sex helped me fall in love with my body and the different ways pleasure can touch me. Food is a necessity and something that can be so thoroughly enjoyed. So the lesson that has been learned: have your cake and your orgasms too. I expect my body to live a life of experience and pleasure, and I need to ensure she has the energy and nutrients to do so. I will not be ashamed of my food, my sex, and how much I enjoy both! I am so grateful for the freedom my sexuality has brought to me and the new light in which I am able to enjoy my body.

Restaurant review: Hawksmoor Eoghan Conway reviews the British steakhouse chain Hawksmoor on College Green

PHOTO BY GORDII SPELLMAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

nyone who was a teenager in the 2010s remembers 34 College Green for one thing and one thing only. The flagship Abercrombie store, whose front door was once home to semiclad male models wearing that quintessential neck brace-esque collared rain jacket. Today, however, the building is home to Hawksmoor, the awardwinning and highly touted British steakhouse chain. Yet as I entered the cherry wood doors of Hawksmoor, it wasn’t the overwhelming aroma of Abercrombie’s FIERCE cologne that had greeted me like in the past. It was a calm and cool air of refined grandeur. The building that was once home to the aroma of stale teenage discos and cordial-laced vodka has been put to better use. Now it’s a shrine of sophistication and a pantheon of peppercorn sauce, porterhouses and prime rib. I am glad, however: that this is a fitting homage to the building that once housed the first National Bank. You see, Hawksmoor seems to be run with the same precision and principles that the first National Bank was. Efficiency and impeccable customer service with a degree of slight grandiose lauding. There is of course an irony in a British chain taking over the site of the National Bank founded by The Liberator Daniel O’Connell himself. An inevitable contrast is bound to exist in having a carving of Hibernia herself and the inscription of “Éire go Brágh” on the outer balustrade of a restaurant that radiates the exuberance of a London private dining club. I am being slightly cynical, however. Steaks and syncretism- what’s not to love. A cultural amalgamation in the áit áitiúil, and when it’s done as tastefully as in Hawksmoor, I am certainly here for it. Especially when the steaks are as good as they are. Hawksmoor’s sourcing of produce does not play around. It includes Angus and Herefords cows who graze the Burren, Cloud Picker coffee in the desserts, Kelly Gigas oysters and Bread 41 sourdough. The team behind Hawksmoor have done their research. This isn’t a case of another British chain transposing themselves into the Irish market in a quick cash-grabbing venture. Yes, Pret A Manger, I am looking at you. This wasn’t to be expected, however. One of Hawksmoor’s restaurants had been listed as the World’s Best Steakhouse in 2022.

I will say one thing, though. Hawksmoor isn’t a spot to doddle into looking for a casual feed. Its certainty in save up and splurge territory. An express 3 courses €33 early bird menu is available, as is a €23 roast beef on a Sunday. Both offer exceptional value. €5 corkage for BYOB on Mondays is a handy option if you want to keep the prices down as there are few bottles under €50. So with a bottle in hand and a fiver stowed away from cash tips to cover the corkage on a dreary Monday evening, a friend and I ventured in. Firstly starters. Beef tartare, as to be expected, is top-notch. The Worcestershire sauce and egg yolk tap dancing on the tongue. Roasted Bone marrow à la St. John served with a slowly stewed onion marmalade could have been bottled up and sold as a panacea to any nameable aliment. In an attempt to not contract gout in one sitting we did decide to stray away from the beef, well to a certain extent. Seasonal Kelly Gigs Oyster Thermador cooked in roasted bone marrow to cap off the starters. It’s here I’d like to mention the food writer MFK Fisher. In her novella “Consider The Oyster,” she states, “Life is hard, we say. An oyster’s life is worse.” Admittedly, life can be hard, more than hard in fact, but it’s certainly a lot less arduous with three of these Kelly Gigs looking up at me. If the world is your oyster, I sure hope it’s more akin to these than the ones which may leave you fighting for your life against vibrio vulnificus and sending you to whichever doctor’s office you find yourself near. There is one clear choice when it comes to mains. Steak. We are in a steakhouse, after all. Served by the weight, a Chateaubriand large enough to trigger its own PETA campaign emerges. The collective silences and groans from me and my mate are a testament to how good it is. Medium rare and sliced perfectly for sharing. The bone marrow gravy we had with it could

be served by the pint glass and would give the term liquid lunch a new lease of life. In case you haven’t picked up on it yet bone marrow is a recurring theme throughout this meal and for good reason. Beef dripping chips are a must, also sharable, only if you move fast enough though and haven’t already finished your bottle of wine. At the behest of my mate and in a frugal attempt to get a free dessert, I put the occasion on the booking down as a birthday, which it was. Sticky toffee pudding on the house with a candle and an Irish coffee Tiramisu rounded off the evening. The tiramisu was as if an Italian nonna missed her Ryanair flight home and ended up in the back kitchen and had developed a slightly problematic taste for whiskey. Great for the customer, maybe not so good for her. The sticky toffee pudding recipe felt like it belonged to the local sacristan, and she had finally divulged it to the dessert chef, making an extra dollop of golden syrup a perquisite. Big thumbs up from me. Arbitrary scales are by their nature arbitrary, yet Hawksmoor isn’t. It’s definite, constant and orderly. Not in the manner of a drab account, but more comparable to a well-refined actor in the running for the next Bond role. That said, it’s pushing on a 5-star meal and venue. My weighing scales may be on the higher end of the kilogram after that feed and my arteries akin to the clotted cream served with dessert, but it was certainly worth it. Every last penny. As I looked up at the 40-foot dome and skylight and a fully booked crowd on a Monday night scampered off, well fed and watered, albeit the wallets a little empty, I couldn’t help but let out an endearing expletive or two under my breath. Fecking hell. Respect might be the highest compliment, but after a meal like that, my murmurings could perhaps surpass it.

Tuesday 31 January | TRINITY NEWS

Interviewing Evie: The haunted house o Lara Monahan sits down with the chair of DU Music Evie Kelly to discuss her upcoming EP Shiny Things

ver the clink of mugs and the boiling kettle, chair of DU Music, fourth-year politics student and talented artist and producer Evie Kelly begins by telling me about her stage name. “I just go by Evie in the music world. I didn’t want to use my full name; I just thought Evie on its own was pretty good.” The personal nature of this stage name, putting listeners on a first-name basis with her, fits beautifully with her musical style, which she describes as “very domestic.. charming, but neighbourhood.” Evie created her first EP, Since The Fire, during lockdown. Since then, she has played at sold-out venues in Dublin, appeared at Sligo Arts Festival for her Wild Atlantic debut, two of Doyle’s famed Ruby Sessions and further afield in the CCI in Paris. She doesn’t have any plans of slowing down, celebrating the release of Devil – the first single from her next EP Shiny Things with a launch gig in Whelan’s. I ask Evie how her next EP, coming out in the new year, will compare with the last one. “It is mature…more mature than what you have heard in every sense, in lyrics in production — for starters, I’m not producing it in my bedroom this time. The music, the arrangements, the decisions taken on how to make the songs. It’s a bit creepy. Haunting…that’s to do with the style of the vocals. A lot of reverb, a lot of synth, kind of ominous.” She characterises her vocals: “They’re not happy, they’re not very sad…they can be poignant.” Her meditative but confident tone as she speaks is recognisable in her music too: Evie’s distinct sound has emerged from a whole life of creating music. “I just wrote songs all the time and recorded them on my voice notes on my phone for years and years. I have like a thousand voice memos that date back to 2013.” She sips her tea and explains that the “last EP included songs that I’d written when I was 16 or 17, and new ones, whereas these songs [on Shiny Things] are all brand new. They’ve all been written since the last EP; none of these have been harboured away for years.” Reflecting on Since The Fire, she tells me life in lockdown informed the album: “Everything was stood still…but I was supposedly in this new phase of life, which is just the story of Covid.” The EP, featuring

both music from years before and the songs she was creating at the time strikes a chord – if you pardon the pun – with the feeling of growing up in stasis during the pandemic. “We grew up but through zero experience, which is kind of strange. We didn’t stay the same people, even though nothing changed.” She assures me Shiny Things

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A lot of the songs are about places by the sea, and I like to add those little effects like waves and water

will even surpass the strength of this first EP. “I think it is some of my best work thus far. I want it to be distinct, and not like something people have heard before.” Evie’s vocals, often layered and harmonised in her work, have an airy, weightless quality that soars above the accompaniment like a gull over water. Continuing to speak of Since The Fire, she says: “I grew up by the sea…a lot of the songs are about places by the sea, and I like to add those little effects like waves and water”. Shiny Things will depart from Since The Fire’s emphasis on home: “When I wrote all those songs [on Since The Fire] they were very like ‘Dublin’ and ‘home’ because that’s all I knew, and that’s all I wrote about. There really wasn’t anything beyond that in terms of my life.” Evie’s music is a by-product of her experiences, and in the last few years, Evie’s new experiences have been both various and impressive. Animated, she describes the last year or so: “I lived in Paris for six months, I grew up, my siblings grew up. Seeing people around you change, losing friendships, gaining friendships. I was suddenly able to

write about all these things that I never had experienced before.” Evie’s dynamism is evident – the artist dubbed the haunted house of the Irish music scene works hard for her accolades. “I did the first semester here, which was great because that was when I started gigging. I gigged from September to Christmas, did my final show on the 3 January, and went to Paris the next day on 4 January. I didn’t come home until 4 May, when I supported Last Apollo, and the next day I went back to Paris for a final month.” She speaks of her move abroad as instrumental in creating her new music, from the independence it offered her to being surrounded by artists in residence in the CCI, right down to the cultural resonance of the city. “It was an amazing time of my life. Great city.” She gives me a knowing smile; we met for the first time last year in the French capital. How did the move abroad affect her musical style in Shiny Things? We have been talking for nearly an hour now, and Evie remains buoyant – gesturing over the dregs of tea in our cups as she explains: “I think [the EP] is still very

inherently Irish…it feels domestic, homely. But also feels like it’s not comfortable…but I like that.” Even if Evie wrote the new songs elsewhere, Dublin is woven into the fabric of the recording process; she recorded in Sun Studios, Temple Bar, and it was produced by Jack Joyce and mastered by Killian Taylor. People she met in Dublin played for the upcoming EP: Joe Barford plays bass and guitar on some of the tracks, Matthew Wood percussion and Clara Lee plays the violin on all five songs of the upcoming EP. A particularly affecting detail is when Evie tells me that her brother, Oscar, did a piece for one of the songs: “He’s the piano at the end. Got him in after school, he came on the Dart, ran through Temple Bar. Had him in for about 15 minutes, we were very much on the clock. Played his piece and scooted to football training. Nice to have him in.” Evie has created a musical community that extends beyond just her family, and she begins to tell me how Dublin’s music scene, Trinity, and DU Music have contributed to her musical career: “It’s a community, and everyone is

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 31 January

of the Irish music scene

welcome in that community, but you have to go and find it. You have to embrace it… that was my experience of DU Music. I wouldn’t be where I am now without the people I met through it last year. I met Matthew, the drummer, at a Music Soc. event. I supported Last Apollo at The Grand Social at her headline show — she was on the committee…I met my producer for this EP through the Music Soc, the master through the Music Soc.” Now the chair of the society,

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That was my experience of DU Music. I wouldn’t be where I am now without the people I met through it

Evie has ambitions to continue this legacy of an energetic musical community: she wants “to give a load of exposure to artists that feel like they’re doing it on their own”. Our conversation quickly turns to Dublin and Ireland as a whole and the country’s relationship with the musicians which make up so much of its cultural capital. Evie has talked of “packing up, moving to London and giving it a go” as one of her potential next steps. As we contemplate the lack of support for artists based in Ireland and their resulting mass exodus, I am reminded of Evie’s flair for not only music but politics too. “The creatives go elsewhere and they do what they need to do, and they won’t do it here because there’s no money in being a musician here. [Ireland’s] losing out here.” The revolutionary impact of music has been significant in Ireland’s history, and Evie explains: “It is a major identity in Ireland — even at the Rugby World Cup, everyone was singing Zombie. That’s one song — and it brings the entire country together.” She suggests that the importance of Irish musicians staying in Ireland for the sake of Irish culture cannot be overstated: “It’s important for the people in Ireland that they

you’re gonna have in your ears and that you are gonna play on repeat…it is more of a statement.” The song brings all the haunting intimacy of Evie’s previous work to a culmination with its “talksinging”. She talks me through how “two lines [are] going at the same time, so one is kind of singing it, and the other is just there to be a buzz, like right up in your ear…an atonal hum. To give it that extra layer of [being] menacing, haunting.” Evie used the acoustics of a church to craft Devil, focusing“the big echoey sounds, the vastness of the way sound is travelling in a church.” We are into the technicalities of the song, and she is passionate as she describes how “from the beginning it comes in, there’s like a dun, dun dun…that’s a violin put through an octaver, taken down something like six octaves, and it is basically making a double bass kind of sound. It sounds like a pulse. And that goes through the whole song, and gives it that drive and pump, like your heart.” The song’s chorus also incorporates an allusion to church bells: “Instead of playing the bassline on a bass, we played it really low on a piano and it just gave it this ring. The whole thing is supposed to be this big swarm of ringing…the way that the vocals were mixed really brings them forward so they’re right in your ears, in your face.” Evie isn’t afraid to break away from the norm. She doesn’t want to put out songs that only cater to

“what you think people will like, or what you think the music industry wants to hear.” Even though she says this is easy to fall into, and sometimes strategic, she went with Devil as the first song from the EP to release because of how unique it is. “I had reservations about it because it is not like, say, another song that I’m sure half the girls in the library might have in their

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Breaking the rules is central to Evie’s work ear tomorrow. But we went with this one because it says something maybe a little bit different.” Breaking the rules is central to Evie’s work. Shiny Things will feature “a lot of the songs in a minor key, dissonance, a lot of rule-breaking in the classical music world.” She muses on these rules and how breaking away from them defines her sound: “’You cannot put those two chords one after the other Evie!’ But I’ll do it anyway. That’s where you get the disjointed awkwardness of the songs, which I love.” Evie is one to watch as she breaks the rules, dancing with the devil after the release of her new single. No doubt, by the release of Shiny Things, we will all be dancing with her.

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The creatives go elsewhere and they do what they need to do, and they won’t do it here because there’s no money in being a musician here stay, and it’s important for the rest of the world [too]. The entire revolution in Russia was built on a rock movement; there’s a lot to be said for the mediums through which you communicate with people.” Devil is the first song released from Shiny Things, and it marks a new era of Evie. “It’s not one that

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Tuesday 28 Novemeber | TRINITY NEWS

Trinity’s most serious society: Comedy Soc Honey Morris sits down to analyse the rigid functions within the core group of Comedians Against Trinity

recently sat down with TCD’s Comedy Soc and got the inside scoop on what it takes to be able to withstand the turmoil of college with such comedic brilliance. Their answers are, as expected, filled with wit, satire, and humour – all requirements for a good interview with Trinity News. Throughout this interview, I was brought face-to-face with the intrinsic and complex atmosphere that follows the Comedy society, as they so dutifully uphold their reputations of serious jokesters and extremely unserious lawyers. Honey: How does the comedy society go about planning an event? Does it begin with an invitation to perform or is it built from the ground up in the society? Comedy Soc: The way we

plan events typically is we book a venue for around 25 to 40 ish people and then decide if it’s going to be an open mic or what we call a half-and-half. A half-and-half is normally three to four acts in each half, with a blend of students and professional comedians. We are yet to be invited to perform. Honey: If someone felt they weren’t funny enough to join the Comedy Soc, what would you respond? Comedy Soc: Firstly, the comedy society is as much about watching comedy as it is performing. Secondly, everyone is bad at stuff when they start out. Most people in the society have done less than 10 shows, if they even want to perform. We just want people to give it a go if they have any inkling of interest at all. We assure you, go to any open mic and be astonished at how low the bar is. We are not talking about Comedy Society open mics of course, where [it is…] both at a professional standard and totally attainable to newcomers. (PLEASE GOD COME TO OUR EVENTS) Honey: Do you feel there is a good balance between work and play among the committee? Comedy Soc: We get on well. Our committee is diligent but after all we are all there to have a good time, so fun comes first. Our Chair, who is currently replying

to these questions, is terrible at organisation. Our first meeting of the year (last week) really showcased this dynamic. Honey: Do you have any advice for someone wanting to join the society, but who is nervous about being too introverted?

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Our committee is diligent but after all we are all there to have a good time, so fun comes first Comedy Soc: A lot of good comedians are introverted and it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be good on stage. That question gets asked a lot and I feel it has to do with fear of bombing. But that also relies on the misconception that bombing is bad. Bombing is when a gig goes bad and that is more like having tired muscles

from a workout. (Not that any of the committee have been to a gym, but we’ve heard stories, it sounds pretty scary, EEK) But introverts can be pretty observant, which helps in looking for material. Really, it doesn’t matter if you are introverted or extroverted. If you put the hours in, you will get funny(ish). Also, you don’t have to do stand-up to be in the society; a lot of people like to watch and that is great for the rest of us who have a crippling need for attention. Honey: Is it hard to balance college work and being involved in the society? Comedy Soc: It can be tough, but it’s rewarding. As with any extra-curricular, the more you are involved, the more difficult it becomes to manage your college workload, but we all genuinely enjoy doing it so that’s a price that we are willing to pay. Also we all study business so it’s pretty much no big deal. If we don’t hand in an assignment we just say that we are negotiating with the professor. They get it. (That was a joke. There is one business student, who is made fun of accordingly.) End of the interview of the century. If you are looking to get involved with the society or even would like to watch some very mediocre stand-up, there is a society collaboration in the works

that will be announced in due time (before 2027). The society does recommend a few places around the city that are good places to catch a glimpse of some live comedy. The list includes, but is not

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It becomes to manage your college workload, but we all genuinely enjoy doing it limited to: In Stitches Comedy Club, Hysteria, Punt Comedy, and The Cheeky Monkey. Comedy Soc would like to note that: “If any of these venues would like to thank us for this shoutout, they can repay us for the meagre price of a paid 10-minute spot.” In my humble opinion, this is a very low price for the amount of good press this groundbreaking article will no doubt generate.

Soup: A new recipe book for winter Thana Elshaafi reviews the latest cookbook to put on your radar

n the world of food, no dish holds the universal appeal and comfort that a bowl of steaming soup does. That is what the authors of Soup, a recipe book that includes a versatile selection of soups from around the world, said when they sat down to discuss their new book with their audience during an event for the Dublin book festival . Blanca, Dee and Mei have been hosting their award-winning podcast Spicebags, where for four years they have discussed the Irish culinary scene. Each with a slightly different culinary background, they came together to create Spicebags, which eventually led to the creation of Soup.The recipes included in the book reflect the authors’ culinary experiences and those of their friends, who all came together to create a collection of recipes, each of which holds a special story to its authors.

The identity of soup itself is somewhat controversial. As mentioned by Dee and Blanca, each person has their own idea of soup. In some countries soup can be cold, in others hot and depending on which type it is, it can be blended or a combination of meat and vegetables in a flavourful broth. While writing this book, they mention the clash in cultural backgrounds when attempting to define what soup is. Dee mentioned her shock at gazpacho, a cold soup that is often consumed in Spain, since her idea of soup was something warm to have during the winter months. This led to each of them writing an amusing introduction to the book where they discussed what soup means to them. One of the remarkable aspects of soup is its versatility. From the more hearty stews to the spiceinfused bowls of Nigerian cuisine, this book has a soup for every taste and occasion. Whether it’s a creamy garlic soup or a chunky harira soup, the variety of soups in the book allows for the exploration of the typical flavours in each cuisine. Due to the uniqueness of the soups, the ingredients are often hard to find in Irish supermarkets. The authors decided to create

a list of specialty stores where all the ingredients they used for their recipes may be found. On their website, Spicebags, they also

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Garnishes play a pivotal role in transforming a simple bowl of soup into something much more appealing and flavoursome created shopping guides based on the cuisine that the recipes originated from. However, in some cases, the authors did not even need to get

the ingredients themselves. They mention how they were invited to the house of the Colombian ambassador and were served a traditional soup known as Ajiaco, that has also been included in the book. The hosts of the Spicebags podcast had many of these fun experiences as they tried soups prepared by individuals who had grown up on these traditional recipes. While trialling all the soups which they intended to include in the book, there were some soups that did not quite turn out as they intended. Dee and Blanca mentioned their first attempt at making a Nigerian soup and how that did not turn out as they had planned. A similar experience was encountered while making the French onion soup. The recipe had been provided to them by a French chef who had his own unique twist on the recipe which created an unfamiliar flavour to what they were accustomed to from this soup. Through trial and error, the soups were perfected by the trio to create a delicious collection of recipes. Garnishes play a pivotal role in transforming a simple bowl of soup into something much more appealing and flavoursome, which the authors took into account

for each of the soups. Beyond mere decoration, these additions contributed to the overall sensory experience during the meal as they influenced the taste, aroma, and visual appeal of the dish.The vibrant colours and textures of fresh herbs, sliced vegetables, or cream not only make the soup visually appealing but also more appetising. Garnishes provide an opportunity to introduce diverse textures to a soup. Crispy croutons, crunchy nuts, or finely chopped chives can add a satisfying crunch, complementing the smoothness of the soup. Blanca mentions how often garnishes are what elevates the soups into a more enticing dish, the addition of various textures and colours adds to both the flavour profile and appeal of the soup. Among all cuisines, soup stands out as a timeless and comforting meal. Cooking soup is an enjoyable experience and the range of difficulty in preparing it makes it suitable for anyone from those who rarely spend time in the kitchen to seasoned chefs. So, if you would like to add more variety to your soup recipe rotation or impress a friend, consider Soup to introduce you to an array of flavours that you may not otherwise experience.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

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An dearcadh ar Éireannaigh thar lear: Na steiréitíopaí agus an fhírinne Is minic a chloistear na steiréitíopaí faoi na hÉireannaigh ach an fíor iad? Déanann Niamh Ní Lideadha imscrúdú ar an dearcadh atá fúinne sa Fhrainc

ad a cheapann daoine idirnáisiúnta orainne nuair atá muid thar lear? Is mise Niamh, i láthair na huaire, agus táim ar Erasmus sa chathair álainn Bordeaux sa Fhrainc. Creid é no ná chreid, táim i mo chónaí anseo os cionn teach tabhairne Éireannaigh! Nach íorónta é sin? Tá deis agam chun stáidear anseo i dtír álainn lán le cultúr nua agus difriúil ach tá roinnt daltaí ina gcónaí is ag obair sa phobal Éireannaigh, fiú thar lear. Mar sin, táim chun léargás fíorúil a thabhairt daoibhse ar mo thaithí anseo mar Éireannach agus mac léinn idirnáisiúnta- agus na réamhchlaontaí ag na bhFrancaigh agus na mic léinn idirnáisiúnta fúinne. Ar dtús báire, cad é an steiréitíopa Éireannach? Conas a mhothaíonn sé chun a bheith Éireannach thar lear? Tá fios ag cách faoin íomhá áibhlithe a fheictear ionainn. Bíonn na ceisteanna céanna steiréitipiciúil curtha ormsa go minic anseo sa Fhrainc. An bhfuil tú gafa le Guinness agus alcól? An seineann tú gach uirlis ceoil traidisiúnta? An ólann sibh an iomarca tae? Ceaptar go leipreacháin beaga atá gafa le prátaí muid, agus go mbíonn bogha báistí thar na páirceanna i gcónaí. Níl ionainn ach lucht racánach, glórach atá tógtha leis an ólacháin. Ar ndóigh, tá timpeallacht agus atmaisféar go hiomlán difriúil thar sáille. Mar sin, ní ionadh é go mbíonn na hEireannaigh suaithinseach, mar chág i measc péacóg. Téimid thart i ngrúpaí. Thar lear, tá difríocht súntasach maidir leis an aimsir i dtosach báire, ansin is féidir le cách muid go léir a fheicéail lenár dó gréine. Ní creidítear go forleathan i measc aon náisiúntach eile go bhfuil muid in ann aon dath gréine a fháil. Tá sé dóshéanta. Ach ar laghad, tá bricneach againn, agus tá siad chomh uathúil. Is dócha go bhfuil éad orthu fúinn. Mar dhuine, is féidir liom a rá go gceaptar go bhfuil na hÉireannaigh dothuigthe. Tá ár gcaractar chomh difriúil agus ait do heachtrannaigh. Mar shampla, bhí ionadh an

domhan ar roinnt buachaillí Gearmánach agus Ollainnise ar ár gcuid iompar maidir le Corn Rugbaí an Domhain. Mar is gnáth, thosaigh muid ag canadh cúpla port spleodracha tar éis ceann de na cluichí a bhuaigh foireann na hÉireann, cósúil leis na seanamhráin ‘Fields of Athenry’ agus ‘Oró sé do Bheatha Bhaile’. Bhí meas agus náire acu dúinn. Ní ligfeadh siad an náire sin orthu. Ní fheicfí iad marbh ag canadh os ard. Léirítear ár n-intinn oscailte agus aerach i gcomparáid le tíortha eile níos dolúbtha nó cúthail. Níl aon náire againn, bronntar bua na dteangach orainne go léir. Ní stopfaimis ár gcuid cainte d’fhéadfaimís comhrá a bheith againn leis an mballa. Chuir mé ceist ar roinnt do mo chairde as tíortha éagsúla. Sa chás seo, Is as an Ghéarmáin, an tSualainn, an Iodáil, agus fiú Peiriú agus Meicsiceo siad. Seo céard a dúirt siad dúinn. Mar phobal, feictear go bhfuilimid thar a bheith bródúil as ár gcultúr agus ár n-oidhreacht dhúchasach. Tabhairfidh mé shamplaí daoibh - bímid ag lorg na hearraí Éireannaigh anseo le haghaidh an compoirdeachas cosúil le Heinz Beans agus barra seacláide Dairy Milk, nó tae Barry’s agus Lyons - cibé ceann ba mhaith leat. Fiú tairgim cupán tae Éireannaigh do gach cara idirnáisiúnta atá agam anseo - an tae is fearr a bhlasfidh siad riamh ar ndóigh. Chuir mé an ceist ar an siopadóir, conas gur tháinig an siopa seo i mBordeaux? An bhfuil aon baint aici nó na hoibrithe eile le hÉirinn ? Bhí ionadh orm nuair

a dúirt sí nach raibh nasc ar bith acu leis ár dtír. Léiríonn sin, áfach, go dtaitníonn ár gcultúr agus earraí go mór leis na Francaigh. Tá gá ann don siopa Gaelach sa Fhrainc, i ngach cathair.

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Ceaptar go leipreacháin beaga atá gafa le prátaí muid... Dúirt mo chairde go léir an rud céanna, tá ceann ann i bPáras, Grenoble, Strasbourg is a léithéad. Dúirt mo chomrád tí go bhfánaimid lena chéile inár mboilgeog Gaelach den chuid is mó. Is féidir leat a ra go uaireanta is maith linn a bheith ar ár sáimhín só. Nuair a théann muid thar lear, freastalaíonn muid ar na dtithe tabhairne dár dtír féin. Tá an seanfhocal cáiliúil fíor sa chás seo‘níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin.’ Is féidir le héinne é sin a fheicéail go soléir. Déanfaimid gach uile iarracht a bheith an duine is Éireannaí agus muid thar lear. Cinnte, thosaigh mé ag imirt peil ghaelach arís anseo, tar éis sos beag ar feadh sé bliana. Gach oíche a théim amach, ceapaim go

bhfuil mé an damhsóir Gaelach is fearr ar domhan, cé nach ndearna mé é i gceart ó bunscoil. Ach is léir go bhfuil borradh mór tagtha leis an gcultúr Gaelach ar fud an domhain. I ngach treo, feictear an tóir mhór atá ar cheol na hÉireann, agus tá clubanna CLG ar fud na háite chomh maith le scoileanna rince Gaelach. Dúirt mo chairde anseo domsa go bhfuil sé an-ghleoite go bhfuilim chomh bródúil as agus paiseanta faoi mo thír agus teanga dhúchais. Níor bhuail siad le héinne riamh leis an mbród agus grá sin don oidhreacht féin. Is rud annamh é sin agus tá an t-ádh linn go bhfuil ár n-oidhreacht agus cultúr chomh láidir agus luachmhar timpeall an domhain, ní hamháin in Éirinn. Níor mhothaigh mé chomh Éireannach is a mothaím anseo. An sampla is fearr chun an ceist seo a fhreagair ná an taithí a bhí againn le linn an Corn Domhanda Rugbaí anseo sa Fhrainc. Bhí an t-ádh liom a bheith anseo i mBordeaux agus an cluiche ar siúl. Bhí an deireadh seachtaine sin craiceailte. Bhí an cathair clúdaithe i nglas don seachtain ar fad. Chaith mé éadaí glasa don téarma iomlán. Deirtear go han-minic, ní bhíonn in aon rud ach seal. Ní bheidh mo mhuintir anseo i mo chathair nua arís ar an méid céanna agus mé anseo. Tar éis an bua mór a bhain an fhoireann Éireann amach, bhí ceolchoirm iontach ar díon an tábhairne. Bhí an áit dubh le daoine- bhí an príomhsráid dúnta don oíche! Dúirt mo chara Sasanaigh gur tharraing sí an ghearróg gan a bheith as Éirinn an oíche sin. Níl aon dabht faoi ach go

daonra speisialta muid. An gcloíann muid le steiréitíopa na nÉireannaigh mar mheisceoirí? An ceist is tábhachtaí ná an ólann muid an iomarca alcól gach aon uair? Cibé am, cibé áit- beidh an craic agus ceol ann linn. Bhain cluiche rugbaí Éire i gcoinne Albain ar an 7ú Deireadh Fómhair curiarracht nua amach ar an méid piontaí díolta. Bhí 137,000 pionta beoracha díolta ag Stade de France i mbliana leis an 78,459 lucht féachana i lá amháin ag an gcluiche sin. Sháraigh an taifead seo an curiarracht roimhe de 90,000 pionta le linn ceolchoirm Metallica ag an staidiam. Mar a dúirt Rugby International: “Bhí an corn domhanda buaite ag an Afraic Theas, ach ní bheidh Albain ná Éire buailte go deo ag an gluiche dí.” Is é an steiréitíop is láidre fúinn ná go mbíonn na hÉireannaigh i gcónaí ag ól go hard na spéire. Ní bhíonn lá leadránach ag obair nó ag ól sna tithe tabhairne éagsúla riamh. Síos an staighre, bíonn karaoke, damhsa salsa nó swing, tráth na gceist, seisiúin ceoil agus cluichí spóirt freisin. Is léir go bhfuil cultúr agus carachtar ar leith againne mar dhaonra i gcomparáid l’éinne eile. Táimid bródúil as ár dtír, cultúr agus craic álainn. Tá cúis ann go bhfuil an oiread sin tithe tábhairne Éireannaigh ar fud an domhain. Tá aithne agus meas ag na daonraí ar fad orainne. Níl éinne cosúil linn. Is spraoi iontach muid ar fad. Pé áit a dtéann tú, tiocfaidh tú ar Éireannaigh. Is muid na hÉireannaigh ar fud na cruinne ag scaipeadh ár n-áthas agus gliondar.

Tuesday 28 Novemeber | TRINITY NEWS

A slice of the Caucasus on Moore Street Ailis Halligan enjoys a taste of Georgian hospitality

escending the escalator into the bowels of Moore Street, I was already breathlessly anticipating that first bite of cheesy Georgian deliciousness. A fanatic for the strong and savoury flavours of the South Caucasus, to say I had been thrilled to learn of a newly opened Georgian eatery is an understatement. Tucked away in a subterranean food court just north of the Liffey, “Georgian Delight” sits snugly alongside a Chinese all-you-caneat buffet. The menu – printed in both English and Georgian – offers well-priced traditional dishes from the region – khachapuri (baked cheesy bread), khinkali (handmade dumplings), and lobio (rich bean stew) to name a few classics. On my most recent visit to this little piece of the Caucasus I had the pleasure of meeting “Georgian Delight” managers Alexandre Khonelidze and Akaki Berulava. Over tea and khachapuri we discuss their achievement of bringing Georgia’s most-loved

dishes to Ireland. Akaki explains that the plans for a restaurant were put into action when lots of Georgians began arriving in Dublin – the number who call the city home now stands at a surprising 50,000. “People missed their national cuisine,” adds Alexandre, nodding, “I can cook these dishes for myself at home, but a lot of people don’t know how to or don’t have time.” Attracted by the work opportunities here, Alexandre moved to Ireland from Georgia’s second biggest city, Kutaisi, four years ago. “At first we had the idea to start a bakery and sell lavash (a thin flatbread common to the South Caucasus), and after doing that for a while we decided to give this a go,” he continues, gesturing proudly to the tables around him. The idea has certainly come off. “Georgian Delight” caters to large groups of friends looking to enjoy a hearty weekend meal but is also an ideal place to get an affordable bite to eat after a long working day. “People like to get together here,” says Alexandre. “We get Ukrainians, Russians, Dublin locals, not just Georgians.” This happy fusion of cultures, enticing smells wafting from the open kitchen, and the constant hum of chatter in different languages makes for a homely and easygoing atmosphere where anyone feels welcome. At breaks in our conversation

Akaki and Alexandre jump up to greet new customers, warmly embrace regulars, and hurry in and out of the kitchen to fetch

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There is no doubt that the hospitality Georgians are so famous for is not something confined to their homeland

tea and baskets of bread – there is no doubt that the hospitality Georgians are so famous for is not something confined to their homeland. A chef in a Georgia baseball cap laughs as he works in the kitchen, crafting dishes from age-old family recipes learnt by heart. “We bring a lot of our core ingredients

over from Georgia,” my friends tell me. Clearly the mix of mozzarella and feta often used in the West to mimic sulguni (the salty Georgian cheese used in khachapuri), isn’t going to make the cut here. The decision to use native products certainly pays off – “Georgian Delight’s” versions of the staples are even more tasty than some I have eaten in Georgia itself. Every element of each dish, from the fresh parsley stirred through the lobio, to the twists of dough which seal the tasty meal-filled khinkali, to the egg which is cracked atop the runny cheese of the boat-shaped khachapuri Adjaruli, is a homage to one of the most ancient civilisations in the world. This food has a certain magnetism to it – you are left wanting still more even when you are bursting at the seams and, somehow, can always find room for that last khinkali. You feel part of something spiritual, enjoying dishes adapted and perfected over hundreds of years, and come away from the table feeling replenished, relaxed, and at peace. Our conversation (with difficulty!) moves away from Georgian food. I am interested to hear about Alexandre and Akaki’s experiences living here in Ireland. “This country has given me the opportunity to realise my abilities. I have big respect for Ireland. I came here with no English and

people were always warm and helped me a lot,” says Alexandre, who could not speak highly enough of the place he has called home for the past four years. Meanwhile, the two men have concerns about Georgia’s future. “Candidate status doesn’t educate the people” Alexandre replies simply, when I ask whether he is pleased about the recent advancement in Georgia’s progress along the path to EU membership. “I want people in Georgia to be educated first – candidate status or not, that should be the first step.” Life in Ireland, according to the guys, has opened their eyes to the extent to which their home country remains stuck in its Soviet past. “I see how people live here in Ireland,” continues Alexandre, “how children live. I bought my family here so they could see it too and see how happy people are.” With whom else then, Akaki concludes, smiling, if not the Irish, would they have wanted to share Georgia’s delicious culinary secrets? Where else other than in an underground food court in the heart of the country that has treated them so well? On ascending back up to ground level, I gaze confusedly at the Lidl next door, so immersed had I been in the Georgian world of cheese and bread below. Lazily, I wander back down Moore Street, definitely a few kilos heavier than I had been on arrival, but truly delighted.

Ag foghlaim an Ghaeilge: An bóthar fada Labhraíonn Dusk Mac Buideach ag foghlaim an Ghaeilge mar mac léinn idirnáisiúnta

s féidir le foghlaim teanga nua a bheith scanrúil, dúshlánach. Tá rialacha nua, gramadach nua, agus fuaimeanna nua ann. Is féidir leo go léir a bheith mearbhlach. Tá sé seo fíor don Ghaeilge gan dabht. Is ábhar éigeantach í an Ghaeilge sa chóras oideachais in Éirinn. Mar sin, bíonn taithí ag fórmhór den pobal leis an nGaeilge - fiú na bonnprionsabail. Ach do mhic léinn idirnaisiúnta atá ag foghlaim í, is féidir leis an nGaeilge a bheith deacair go leor. Dusk Mac Buideach is ainm dom. Is as Meiriceá mé agus thosaigh mé ag foghlaim Gaeilge anuraidh. Bhí spéis agam sa Ghaeilge agus í a fhoghlaim mar is breá liom ag foghlaim teangacha nua agus

ceapaim go bhfuil Gaeilge ansuimiúil mar teanga. Ach ní raibh acmhainní nó an am agam i gCarúilín Theas, mar sin bhí sé deacair í a fhoghlaim ansin. Nuair a tháinig mé go hÉirinn, bhí mé ag iarraidh Gaeilge a fhoghlaim arís. Mar sin, thosaigh mé ag glacadh páirte sa gCumann Gaelach. Gach uile lá, bím ag triail níos mó Ghaeilge a labhairt nó a fhoghlaim. Mar sin, lá i ndiaidh lae tagann feabhas ar mo chuid Gaeilge. Cé go mbíonn sí andeacair agus bearránach uaireanta,

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Is féidir le foghlaim teanga nua a bheith scanrúil, dúshlánach

lean mé ar aghaidh léí. Agus le ádh mór, tá a lán acmhainní ar fáil ar an gcampas. I mo chéad seimeastar, ghlach mé páirt sa Chumann Gaelach. Ceapaim g’acmhainn luachmar í an Cumann Gaelach agus ba cheart do mhic léann ar fad an acmhainn seo a úsáid. Fiú muna féidir libh Gaeilge a labhairt, ba cheart duit cuairt a thabhairt ar Sheomra na Gaeilge. Is é an bhealach is fearr chun an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim ná í a labhairt. Thug mé faoi deara go raibh mo chuid Gaeilge ag feabhsú tar éis freastal ar imeachtaí an Chumann Gaelaigh. I mo dara seimeastar, thosaigh mé ag scríobh dánta as Gaeilge agus chabhraigh sé sin liom an teanga a fhoghlaim. Bhí mé i gconaí ag scríobh toisc go dtaitníonn an filíocht go mór liom. Thosaigh mé le dán simplí ag díriú ar mo shaol i Méiriceá. D’úsáid mé focail agus gramadach simplí. Ansin, chuir mé faoi bhráid go Tuathal é (irisleabhar liteartha an Chumann Gaelaigh) agus d’éirigh liom go maith. Mar sin thosaigh mé ag scríobh níos mó. Ceapaim go gcabhríonn an scríbhneoireacht le teanga a

fhoghlaim toisc go féidir leat triail a bhaint as gramadach agus focail nua. Le gach botún a rinne mé, d’fhoghlaim mé coincheap nua nó riail nua. Le gach dán, le gach píosa scríbhneoireachta, fuair mé

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Táim ag feabhsú gach lá níos mó taithí leis an nGaeilge. Ach, gan mo chairde Gael, níl a fhios agam dá leanfainn ar aghaidh le Gaeilge a fhoghlaim. Tá pobal tacúil anseo i gColáiste na Trionóide, agus bhuail mé leis an méid sin daoine dochreidte anseo. Bíonn gach duine chomh spreagúil maidir le mo chuid Gaeilge agus mo chuid foghlama. Níor mhothaigh mé rud ar bith ach spreagadh ó phobal na Gaeilge, agus cuireann sé sin áthas an domhain orm. Chomh maith leis sin, tá Roinn na Gaeilge

i gColáiste na Tríonóide thar a bheith iontach agus cabhrach liom. Tá a dtacaíocht agus a n-acmhainní chomh luachmar dom. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil dóibh as na ranganna Gaeilge a chuireann siad ar fáil do mhic léinn, agus an solúbthacht a thaispeann siad dom. Tá mé paiseanta faoin Gaeilge, agus tá mé ag súil go féidir liom lean ar aghaidh léí a fhoghaim agus a labhairt. Ceapaim go ceart do níos mó mic léinn, Éireannach agus idirnasiúnta, páirt a ghlacadh i saol na Gaeilge. Tá an teanga deacair ar dtús. Ach, éiríonn sí níos éasca. Cuireann sé áthas orm an suim sa Ghaeilge ag méadú a fheiceáil. Chomh maith le sin, ceapaim go bhfuil sé tábhachtach go gcaomhnaíonn muid ár dteanga agus í a chur chun cinn don chéad glúin eile. Is cuid an-tábhachtach dár gcultúr í, agus is cuid antábhachtach de mo taithí coláiste í. Cé go bhfuil mé ag tús m’aistear le Ghaeilge, táim ag feabhsú gach lá. Aimsím níos mó grá don teanga gach uair a labhraím í. Agus ní trádálfainn í ar ór ná ar airgead.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 28 November

Navigating the world of casual sex as a 21st century woman Amy Gallagher explores the history of casual sex for women, and whether our sexual liberation is really as liberating as we think it is

ating in the 21st Century , as a heterosexual woman, is often an overcomplicated endeavour. Amidst the age of the cursed “situationship” (a romantic or sexual relationship that is not considered to be formal or established, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary), women are increasingly questioning themselves; in both their eyes and those of men. Women, throughout history, have presented themselves (and one another) with an abundance of unofficial dating guidelines. Perhaps one of the most infamous of such, as discussed at length in the TV series Sex and the City, is the “don’t sleep with him on the first date” rule. The series’ distinct characters championed and challenged this theory. Steadfast advocate of such rule was the old-fashioned, hopeless romantic Charlotte York, who firmly maintained that you must not sleep with a guy you’re somewhat seriously interested in for “at least five dates”. However, one nightstand aficionado Samantha Jones strongly rebutted this theory: “Who cares? Just fuck”. Such polarising narratives demonstrate the degree to which society and its various structures directly influence real-life women in their choice to (or not to) have sex. Whether or not you sleep with someone on a first date is frankly your choice and, advisably, not up for lengthy discussion with others. But the broader discourse sparked by Charlotte and Samantha’s conflicting approaches to sex is significant. In the series, Charlotte feared that an immediate expression of her sexuality, i.e., having sex on a first date, could fatally alter the outcome of a potential serious relationship. But what if Charlotte did end up wanting to have sex on a first date? By sticking to this “rule”, Charlotte may decide not to have sex for the sake of a potential relationship (i.e., the guy) rather than herself. Do Charlotte’s self-interests come last? Do women apply rigid sex and dating “rules” to themselves to disregard their personal sexual

preferences? Now more than ever, as 21st century women, we should consider the reasons for which we are choosing to have sex, or to remain abstinent. I believe that one should have sex purely based on their personal preferences. Nevertheless, it can be much more difficult to decipher our personal preferences than one might assume. Are we really doing it (literally) because we want to? The rise of casual dating and sex can blur the lines between sexual liberation and control. Casual sex, i.e., less partner-based sexual relations, can be great and sometimes just what the doctor ordered (well… not quite, but you know what I mean). Nonetheless, there is increasing sociological and scientific evidence to suggest that heterosexual women benefit less, emotionally and physically, from casual sex, compared to the benefits experienced by heterosexual men from the likes of a “situationship”. But why is this? It is argued that women enjoy sex, i.e., are more likely to orgasm, once an emotional connection with a sexual partner has formed. And so, women often crave the emotional intimacy offered in a monogamous relationship.

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Are women, by engaging in situationships, simply mirroring male behaviours to achieve sexual equality within the patriarchy? Whereas men arguably prefer sexual physicality in contrast to the emotional aspects of sex. Thus, heterosexual men are apparently more inclined to enjoy multiple sexual partners, i.e., engage in casual sex, in comparison with heterosexual women. Despite such evidence, and the common narrative, sexual and emotional preferences are ultimately personal and dependent on the specific individual. Some heterosexual

women may ultimately prefer casual encounters rather than sex within a serious relationship. In addition to this, there are certainly men who prefer to participate in committed relationships instead of casual sex. But if there is truth in this research, such that women are better suited to sex within serious relationships, why are 21st century heterosexual women engaging in so much casual sex? The liberation of women has taken shape in several forms since its inception and today, women continue to fight for their equal place within society. One could argue that 21st century women engage in casual sex as a means of sexual liberation. By having more sex, women often believe that they are in better control of choosing their sexual activities and partners. Nevertheless, women may feel emotionally and physically unfulfilled by having “meaningless” sex. Previous generations of women were subject to sex within the confines of arranged and/or generally subservient relationships. Consequently, does the “situationship” offer 21st century women a modern outlet for exploring their sexual preferences? Or are women, by engaging in situationships, simply mirroring male behaviours to achieve sexual equality within the patriarchy? Modern understandings of feminist theory encourage women to take back control of female sexuality via sexual liberation. Nonetheless, women ultimately may not necessarily be liberating themselves by engaging in unknowingly unwanted casual sex. It could be said that women are appeasing to the idea of the “situationship” to appear less “emotional” or “highly-strung” towards men. Women have unfortunately been socially conditioned to often fear that men will lose interest if they seem “overly interested”, and so, the situationship presents men with perfectly minimal emotional and physical commitments. Are women simply ignoring their emotional needs to better cater to the wants and needs of men through a situationship? If this is the case, one could argue that the age of the situationship could be causing women, in a broader context, to unknowingly feed into patriarchal sentiments and digress from feminist ideals. Are situationships making us bad feminists? Perhaps not, but it’s certainly food for thought. 21st century women are presented with many different considerations when deciding whether or not to have sex (casual or not). Ultimately, all that matters is that we, as women, are making this decision for and by ourselves.

Final girls soundtrack Seasoned exams veterans Ciara, Ciana and Jayna provide words of wisdom and listening recommendations

ays like these, we agonise over our exams all day and all night. Or at least we do in theory, but your editors will be the first to admit that it can be difficult to focus when the daylight hours are shrinking and the nights beckon with opportunities to wander the halls, park, and underneath the Campanile, avoiding the murderous claws of what we should presumably have been studying during the day. That said, procrastination time is over. It’s time for us arts students to knock back a shot of espresso or three, queue up our upbeat recommended albums and take all our pent-up aggression out on a book (if you study business you can go murder an Excel spreadsheet or dissect a girl or something). After all, someone has to survive the finale. It might even be you (provided you follow our advice). Ciara Finals advice: “Get up the first time your alarm clock rings. And coffee. Without a doubt solves all problems”. Music rec: The Titanic Soundtrack – a very apt summary of my finals feels. Ciana Finals advice: “Finals season not only marks the end of a semester, it’s also the final chapter of 2023. When I remind myself of this, I’m

reminded of things greater than an exam where every minute counts. I think of ongoing things, gratitude, autumn to winter, the fallen leaf to frost. This awareness helps me find balance, wonder, and assurance in a time that wants my answer to everything asked.” Music rec: Source to Sea, a trio of songs forming Julie Fowlis’ digital EP. Fowlis unites riverscapes, spoken word and melody. Jayna Finals advice: “As an English major, I find comfort in knowing that the characters in the books we consume have it much worse. For instance, we could suffer consumption on the windy English moors or morph into a gigantic insect. Both of these fates would be terrible. Instead we just have to take exams, so I guess we should all just consider ourselves lucky. Also, you should summon a malignant spirit and promise the life of your firstborn child in exchange for a first.” Music rec: When Fiona Apple said “I thought it was a bird, but it was just a paper bag”, I really felt that. I see seagulls everywhere. What can I say, finals make me really paranoid. New Trinity students should know that finals season indicates the Darwinian survival of the fittest. If you don’t adequately prepare for your exams, a dark fate awaits. Possible futures for failures such as yourself include a corporate job where your artistic talents are not recognised and you must shuffle papers around from 9am to 5pm before going home to four brats and a loveless marriage to an auditor with too many chin hairs, to eternal torture in a perpetually chilly and damp chamber underneath the RDS exam hall. We wouldn’t wish these destinies upon our worst enemies, which is why the arts and culture team urges you to follow our advice, channel good vibes through music, and begin studying yesterday.

PHOTO VIA PEXELS

Tuesday 28 November TRINITY NEWS

Puzzles Across

1 and 4. There are statues to these two TCD graduates outside the west front of College (5, 9) 9. In Dublin it could be by train, ‘bus or tram (9) 10. You’ll find this pitch to the west of the physics department (5) 11. Discharges or outflows (9) 12. In Ireland, it could be Grand or Royal (5) 14. A Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline which is practised for health and relaxation (4) 15. It could be an abbey in

CROSSWORD BY RANDAL HENLY FOR TRINITY NEWS

Co. Mayo, or a southside Luas stop or a chain of coffee shops (8) 19. Silver as found in a language (2) 21. The first day of August, formerly observed as harvest festival (6) 23. It’s the capital of Bosnia (8) 24. An award or privilege granted as a special honour (8) 27. Sir Terence, English playwright; his best-known work is The Winslow Boy (8) 28. Count Leo, Russian writer, best known for his novel War and Peace (7)

Down 1. Popular eating place in College (7)

instruments; one was played by Galileo (5)

2. The post-graduate one is in the 1937 building, but there are numerous ones in other buildings (7,4)

6. A Mediterranean wind that can reach hurricane speeds in Southern Europe (7)

3. Makes something less difficult or unpleasant (5)

7. A genuine innocent or inexperienced girl or young woman (from the French (7)

4. This department is housed in the Museum Building (7) 5. Early stringed

15. Leg joints (5)

8. Dried grass (3)

16. Irish province, or the Government house in Kildare Street (8)

13. The main chamber of the Old Library (4,4)

17. Relating to motherhood (9)

18. It’s the capital of Iceland (9) 20. Where you’ll find Queens University (7) 22. Natural planetary

satellites (5) 25. Before the present time (3) 26. Engineering degree (3)

Crossword solutions from Issue 4