Trinity News 09-10 Issue 1 by Trinity News

Irish Student Newspaper of the Year 2009

MY CHEMICAL ROMANACE

KELLS: GIVE BOOK BACK

SCIENCE, P19

NEWS FEATURES, P9

Tuesday 22 September 2009

A REAL TOUR OF FRANCE TRAVEL, P20

www.trinitynews.ie

Issue 1, Volume 56

JCR bashful after one night stand Lisa Byrne College News Editor THE JUNIOR Common Room committee have dismissed reports that the cancellation of venues during their “3 Night Stand” was as a result of a drinking holiday they took two days before the “Stand” began. The JCR declined to comment on the matter at first, as they felt, according to JCR

Ents Officer Will Courtney, “we’re aware that we’re not going to come out of this very well.” This comes in the wake of promoter Ed O’Riordan blaming the cancellation of events he’d organised, on “incompetence” and “poor communication” among the JCR Officers. Courtney said that he would only comment after he had spoken to the entire committee. Having done this, the committee made a u-turn and

Stokes increases powers

released a brief press release. The press release sent by President Richard Varini read that the Committee had only found out about the price quoted by promoter Ed O’Riordan for the “Stand” on Friday afternoon and it was at this point decided that the price was too high. O’Riordan has since dismissed this allegation and has said “the JCR didn’t tell each other the costs until the day, we

discussed it with them a couple of days until Tuesday, although admitted when before the event”. O’Riordan claims pressed, that it was actually in to have tried to get in contact with fact Wednesday. O’Riordan the committee but says that as they declined to comment were “all away on their free, selfon whether he described “pissup” in Newcastle believed the JCR the week before the residents had done enough arrived” and so they were in preparation for “uncontactable”. The JCR do Freshers’ Week. 3 Nig not dispute the fact that they Varini has claimed hts, 1 were out of the country up that the committee ticke 1

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No room at the inn for Scholars

USI FEES PROTEST

Accommodation Office are left red-faced after withdrawing campus room offers in mix-up Kate Palmer Deputy News Editor

» Junior Dean given increased power over activities of clubs, societies and publications » Student welfare cited as cause for change Lisa Byrne College News Editor THE COLLEGE Board has past an amendment in the College Conduct and Regulations which will increase the Junior Dean’s power to discipline students. The amendment, which was officially past at September 16th’s board meeting, makes an addition to paragraph four of Section Three. The paragraph now includes the ability to discipline: “Actions of students responsible for, or contributing to, the activities of student publications and/ or student societies and/or sports clubs which may be injurious to the health, safety and welfare of any person.” The addition comes less than a year after Trinity News revealed that the Junior Dean, Dr. Emma Stokes, had gone outside of her power to discipline Andrew Booth, the then-Editor of Piranha! magazine. At the time, it was revealed in an email by Dr. Stokes herself that “following a request for legal advice, I understand that, under current arrangements, the Office of the Junior Dean does not have a role in dealing with what you, as

Editor, allow to be published”. Dr. Stokes has now succeeded in her bid to legally increase her ability to discipline, something which is a cause of concern for many students. Luke Maishman, Chairperson of Trinity Publications, feels that this addition will limit the fundamental rights as students. According to Maishman, such a move “represents a creeping censorship that is a blow to our proud tradition of freedom of speech in Trinity College.” Such freedoms, he believes, are the “foundation stones of an enlightened community.” Sally-Anne Fisher of the Communications Office defended the addition, saying that the College has a “duty of care to its staff and students to ensure that the College is a safe environment in which to work and study.” Asked as to the reasons the College felt it was necessary to increase the Junior Dean’s power further, Ms. Fisher replied that it was necessary for the College to “specifically define all students who would come within the remit of the Junior Dean should

IT APPEARS that even Foundation Scholars are facing difficulty finding on-campus accommodation for this year. Many applications were not marked as ‘scholars’ during the Campus application season last Trinity term, thus sacrificing their automatic entitlement to rooms. The issue was not resolved until mid-June, by which time some room offers had been made to other undergraduates, postgraduates and students on sabbatical with entitlements. This occured in conjunction with a number of room-offers being withdrawn by the Accommodation Office. In at least one case a deposit on the offered room had been made, which has yet to be refunded. Executive Accommodation Officer Ms. Caroline Kelly denied any such offer had been withdrawn by College, stating “this would never happen”. TCD have yet to confirm the withdrawal of room offers had anything to do with the Scholars’ accommodation mix-up, on which the Communications Office refused to comment. Room offers were taken away as late as September, leaving newly unsuccessful applicants just days to find a place to live in one of the most expensive places to rent in Ireland Competition for digs or house-shares is indeed fierce in the Dublin City Area, and campus accommodation and Trinity Hall only cater for approximately 10pc of the student population.Accommodation Officer Anthony Dempsey commented on his “regret of the late notice”, whilst confirming the withdrawal of room-offers had taken place under “exceptional circumstances”, contrary to other sources. The Registrar of Chambers Dr. Emma Stokes justified the Accommodation Office’s recent decision to strip Trinity affiliates of their campus rooms, saying “every year the demand for rooms far exceeds the supply.” In this case it was the promise of rooms that far exceeded the supply, much to a few applicants’ misfortune. Protesters outside the Dáil last Tuesday taking part in the USI anti-fees campaign. Estimates put the total number of protesters at approximately 150. Photo: Yuliya Bespala

Provost called to heal by HEA on recruitment ban Kate Palmer Deputy News Editor EVIDENCE SUGGESTS that Trinity College Dublin is not adhering to the Higher Education Authority (HEA)’s restrictions on the recruitment, replacement or promotion of staff at third-level institutions. The government embargo, introduced in March, has received strong opposition from both the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) and the Union of Students in

Ireland (USI). A further Employment Control Framework was issued by the HEA in July, stating that “no public service post, however arising, may be filled by recruitment, promotion, nor payment of an allowance”. The University sector has been instructed to reduce the number of teaching posts by 3pc by December, of which there are currently 4,500 full-time positions. Described by the IFUT as “anti-democratic” and “hugely damaging”, this latest recessionary measure impacting upon higher

“only found out during the afternoon on Friday that we had to pay a figure that we deemed far too much. So we cancelled the club and arranged an alternative venue ourselves”. O’Riordan, however, has since refutted this claim and says the committee “okayed them, then cancelled last minute”. On Friday night, Courtney informed halls students that there’d been a change of plan. According to a student who

education is part of a wider policy to cut the 20 billion Euro public service pay and pensions bill, which accounts for approximately 36% of Government expenditure. It is also understood that the state funding TCD currently receives is contingent on adherence to the Framework, created in coordination with the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Education and Science. Provost John Hegarty has expressed Continued on page 2

Kells bells!

Provost John Hegarty, above, claims the university must manage its own affairs. File photo.

THE TOWNSPEOPLE of Kells, Co. Meath have called on Trinity College to do the “honourable and right thing” and return at least part of the famous Book of Kells to the town it originated from. The Kells Heritage Centre, which has been in operation for the past ten years, has recently closed due to a lack of funding. The Centre had been running at a loss of €88,000 a year and is in need of significant investment and repairs to the building. The book has been in the College since 1661, when the town of Kells sent the book to the College for safe-keeping during the Cromwellian invasion. A source at the Centre has said that “safe it may be, but for all the value it now is to Kells it may as well have been taken

by Cromwell and burned”. Trinity College Librarian, Robin Adams, said he couldn’t comment on a request for the donation as he has not received “any request on these lines”. However, he has said that it is College policy that the manuscript is not loaned elsewhere for exhibition. He has also said that the College is conscious of the responsibility to share the manuscript with the wider community which they do through the exhibition in the Old Library and the production of an electronic facsimile on DVD. Mr. Adams said the College would give due consideration to any request received by it in relation to the loan of the manuscript to Kells, but to date it has received no such request. Meadhbh McHugh

COLLEGE NEWS “Fully fit sabbatical team!” Cónán Ó Broin on the health of his SU after a USI conference leads to swine flu outbreak.

“Creeping censorship” The DU Publications Committee’s view of the extension of the Junior Dean’s power to discipline publications seen as injurious to the “health, safety and welfare of any person”.

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

THIS FORTNIGHT THEY SAID...

“If they wanted to screw me over, they did an excellent job.” Promoter Ed O’Riordan’s response when asked if he felt the JCR’s cancellation of an event he was asked to promote was in retaliation to previous disputes between the two.

“We never looked like losing.” Coach Smeeth on the DUFC loss to Limerick last week. Limerick snatched a late victory during the annual Cill Dara RFC Tournament. “Climate of intolerance” Accusations made by foreign students in Australia after a wave of racist attacks and accusations of exploitation by universities.

Compiled by Kate Palmer “The demand for rooms far exceeds the supply” The Registrar of Chambers, Dr. Emma Stokes, on why some people had their on-campus room offers taken away from them this month.

NUMEROLOGY

“Be honourable and do the right thing.” Cllr Sarah Kelly of Kells Town Council in her appeal to Trinity College to return the historic book.

College opposes HEA embargo

Compiled by Kate Palmer continued from page 1

€116,000 » The profit made by the Pavillion last financial year

1,000 » The number of students the proposed Ballymun accommodation development will house.

11% » The number of Irish graduates who are currently unemployed

1661

“We hope to heat up our campaign.” USI Vice President Dan O’Neill referring to the current fees campaign. The Union is considering joining with left-wing group FEE.

his opposition towards the decision of the HEA, having “stressed the importance of protecting the University’s autonomy in the management of its affairs”, during a meeting of the University Council. The new directive explicitly prohibits TCD from filling any vacancies without the consent of the Minister for Finance. Even then vacancies may only be filled in “exceptional circumstances”. In order to cope with the reduction of staff levels, TCD employees are expected to increase the scope of their roles. In a Moratorium on Recruitment and Promotions in the Public Service, the Minister for Finance has suggested the “redeployment” of staff where “sudden surges of activity cannot be adequately met by the existing staff.” The University Communications Officer Ms. Sally-Anne Fisher revealed that, contrary to the above regulation, the Minister for Finance and HEA

are not involved in the recruitment or promotion of TCD staff. The Staff Office are continuing to advertise vacancies, even for administrative posts which “generally may not be filled” as stated by the Moratorium. According to TCD Communications, the College have yet to agree to the conditions of the Employment Control Framework. Despite noting that posts funded by the Government could not be filled without external consent, the Provost says “the College would not be seeking HEA approval for core-funded posts”, effectively excluding the HEA from TCD’s regulatory process. The College will continue to fill posts which are self-funded or financed through research projects such as the Science Foundation Ireland Funding Scheme. New TCD positions are being created on these grounds, such as that of Civic Engagement Officer which is financed by the Student Services Committee.

Mike Jennings, general secretary of the IFUT, describes the changes as a “blanket ruling which undermines all decent norms of security of employment”. Mr. Jennings says that the Framework is a breach of both EU contract law and the 1997 Universities Act, which states universities may “appoint such and so many persons to be its employees as it thinks appropriate.” Other measures adopted by the Government to combat the recession include a graduate training scheme for unemployed university-leavers, which has led to accusations of conflicting policy interests among trade unionists. “Figures show that more people want to get into higher education now. In the past few months the Minister, with great fanfare, announced not one but two new schemes to encourage jobless people to return to university. Yet, at the same time this same Minister is slashing the number of staff who should teach these new entrants”, says Mr. Jennings, who

Dean in power grab

ADDITION TO REGULATIONS Section 3, paragraph 4 of the College and Conduct Regulations, as laid out in the College Calendar, now states that the Junior Dean has the power to discipline the “actions of students responsible for, and contributing to, the activities of student publications and/or student societies and/or sports clubs which may be injurious to the health, safety and welfare of any person.”

» The year in which Trinity College Dublin acquired the Book of Kells continued from page 1

130 » The age of the late horse-chestnut tree, which was situated outside the Arts Block entrance in Nassau Street

€1.8m » Cost in equipment donated to TCD’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Studies by Helix Health technology.

INFORMATION Editor: Deputy Editor: Website: Business Manager: Copy Editors:

Photographs: College News: National News: International News: News Features: Features: Opinion: World Review: Travel: Business: Science: College Sport: TN2 Editor: Film: Music: Fashion: Books: Theatre: Art: Food and Drink:

David Molloy Aoife Crowley Tom Lowe Jennifer Finn John Colthurst Aoife Fleming Bina Dangol Eleanor Friel Tess O’Leary Yuliya Bespala, Jean Morley Lisa Byrne, Kate Palmer Fearghus Roulston James Coghill, Stuart Winchester Hugh Taylor Charles Baker, Sarah Fulham Claire Brett, Shane Quinn Grace Walsh, Paul McDonnell James Lee, Ralph Marnham Jason Somerville, Lisa Keenan Ronan Lyne Paul Galbraith, Alexandra Michael Armstrong Rebecca Long, Alex Towers Verity Simpson, Karl McDonald Patrice Murphy, Ana Kinsella Niall O’Brien, Cillian Murphy Rachel Parker, Kamie Leptien Theresa Ryan, Aisling Deng Kara Furr, Kiera Healy

All Trinity News staff can be contacted at firstname.lastname@trinitynews.ie. Trinity News is funded by a grant from DU Publications Committee. This publication claims no special rights or privileges. Serious complaints should be addressed to: The Editor, Trinity News, 6 Trinity College, Dublin 2. Appeals may be directed to the Press Council of Ireland. Trinity News is a full participating member of the Press Council of Ireland and supports the Office of the Press Ombudsman. This scheme, in addition to defending the freedom of the press, offers readers a quick, fair and free method of dealing with complaints that they may have in relation to articles that appear on our pages. To contact the Office of the Press Ombudsman go to www.pressombudsman.ie

there be an alleged action which would be injurious to the health, safety and welfare of any person.” Graduate Student Union’s President Ronan Hodson said that he and thenWelfare Officer Orlaith Foley had been invited to discuss the intended changes by the Acting Secretary last July. As their respective unions raised no objections, Hodson and Foley felt that the addition “made good sense”. Trinity Publications are not the only student representation wary of such a

move. Student Union President Conan O’Broin has also expressed concern with the Junior Dean’s new powers. “I would like to state that this decision was taken prior to this year’s sabbatical team taking office.” O’Broin continues, saying that “the Student Union will be monitoring the situation closely” to ensure that the new powers will be used in a manner that is “keeping with the intentions of the Board of the College when granting them.” The Junior Dean was not available for comment and did not attend the Board meeting on Wednesday 16th September.

denounces the Government’s policy as “politically stupid”. SU Education Officer Ashley Cooke supports the view that universities should remain autonomous in their own affairs, saying the Government do not possess the “necessary knowledge and expertise” to determine interdepartmental needs within the College. USI President Peter Mannion says “students are going to be the big losers again due to this recruitment ban.” The USI launched an appeal to the Department of Education to review the ban which it claims will “only further impede the education of students.” The Department of Finance denies that its policy is an embargo introduced to reduce public sector employment, stating it may be waived in “very limited circumstances”. It expects to review the Employment Control Framework in July 2010.

The Junior Dean, Dr Emma Stokes, who is empowered by the changes. File photo.

HE SAID, SHE SAID... Compiled by Michael Armstrong

ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT SWINE FLU IN HALLS?

LYNSEY FRYERS JF THEOLOGY

“No not really, it’s just something you get, and if you get it you deal with it. It’s not like it’s going to kill you, I suppose in some cases it has, but in general if you catch it you’re going to be fine. So I’m not worried about it.”

SOPHIA SMITH JF PHILOSOPHY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE “No, not at all, because I know a lot of people who have it, and they’re fine. If you get it you just deal with it, it’s nothing scary really. I lived in a boarding school for two years so I know that when one person gets sick inevitably everyone else will follow, and you just deal with it. We’ve been

told to wash our hands, and if you cough into a hankerchief you should throw it away, that sort of thing.”

ORLA MAHONY JF HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE “Swine flu? Oh shit! Yeah I’m a wee bit worried about it, I’ve heard it’s not that bad but I really don’t want to have to stay in my room all day, it might ruin the partying. I just don’t want to get sick during Freshers’ Week, you know?”

LEWIS MOONEY JF LAW AND POLITICAL SCIENCE “Not really, I don’t think I’ve really thought about it. I would be worried if I got it obviously, I’d feel a

bit shit! We’ve been told if we get it we can’t be treated by a doctor, they just want us to stay in our rooms and take some paracetemol. I think that’s the national plan, it’s not just the way Halls are doing it.

TARA ROCHE JF LAW “Yes I am worried, contact in college is pretty intense so I’d say there’s a good chance it’ll make the rounds. I’m not really worried about Halls though, I haven’t met some of my flatmates yet but they don’t seem too diseased so far!”

AIDAN CONNOLLY JF ENGINEERING “Not really no, I’m not that worried about getting it. I think

the whole controversy over it is overblown, it’s not as bad as people make it out to be. We’ve got leaflets in the post, the Wardens have been telling us that if you do get it, try not to spread it around, like a quarantine kind of thing.

AOIFE VAN WOLVELAERE JS FRENCH AND PHILOSOPHY

“My mother certainly is! She set me up with some masks and some sanitizing spray on the off-chance that I get it in my house with my flatmates. But my sister’s best friend has swine flu currently, if I were to get it, I wouldn’t be overly worried about it.”

COLLEGE NEWS

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

ECB council banks on Trinity lecturer Conor Sullivan College News Writer PROFESSOR PATRICK Honohan of the Economics Department has been appointed Governor of the Central Banks and Financial Services Authority, as announced by the Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan this September. Mr. Lenihan says “throughout this financial crisis I have sought (Prof. Honohan’s) views and he has consistently provided valuable advice. I look forward to working with him in his new role”. Honohan will succeed the present Governor, John Hurley, who will retire at the end of this month. Other candidates for the role reportedly included former finance minister Alan Dukes and Department of Finance Secretary General David Doyle. Honohan’s appointment marks the first time a non-civil servant has been

appointed to the position. Honohan will head the proposed new Central Bank Commission, which will integrate regulatory functions for the financial sector with the traditional macroeconomic functions of the Central Bank. At present the two bodies operate autonomously. He will also sit on the 22-member governing council of the European Central Bank, which sets monetary policy for the Eurozone including interest rates. Professor Karl Whelan of UCD said the appointment would increase Ireland’s influence on the council. “There’s some incredibly impressive people on the ECB council, and if you want to have your voice heard, it helps to have a resume like Patrick’s”, says Prof. Whelan. “He’s not just an Irish expert on banking, he’s an expert of international renown”. Prof. Honohan worked at the Central

Bank from 1976-84 before moving to the World Bank in 1987. He remained there until 1990 and returned again in 1998 where he provided policy advice on the financial sector to governments and central banks in developing countries. He moved to Trinity in 2007, taking the post of Professor of International Financial Economics and Development. He has also worked at the ESRI, the Central Bank, International Monetary Fund and for Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald as an advisor. Honohan’s research has focused on finance and financial crises, and government policy in the financial sector. He co-authored the chapter “Banking Crises” in the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Banking and is considered an expert in his field. His appointment was broadly welcomed, with many praising the choice of an independent academic to the

“If you want to have your voice heard, it helps to have a resume like Patrick’s” said a colleague of Prof Patrick Honohan, above. File photo.

position. Opposition finance spokesman Richard Bruton said the move could weald a new era of regulation for the Irish financial sector. “I welcome the fact that this appointment involved a broader search for an appropriate office holder. The tradition of automatically appointing a former secretary general from the Department of Finance has not always been the best option. Professor Honohan is eminently well qualified and will bring considerable experience to this important post – particularly in relation to the difficult problems facing the banking sector.” Honohan has been critical of Irish economic policy in the past. He said that membership of the Euro and consequent low interest rates are not solely to blame for Ireland’s credit-fuelled economic boom of the last decade. Irish policies were “not retuned to take account of the fact that, following Euro membership,

financial markets were no longer offering an early warning system,” he said. In a recent paper for the World Bank entitled What went wrong in Ireland? he summarises why the Irish problem: “Until about 2000, the growth had been on a secure export-led basis, underpinned by wage restraint. However, from about 2000 the character of the growth changed: a property price and construction bubble took hold. This boom sustained employment and output growth until 2007 despite a loss of wage competitiveness. The banks fuelled the boom, especially from 2003, exposing themselves both to funding and solvency pressures.” Speaking of his own appointment, Prof. Honohan commented briefly, saying he was both “honoured and delighted” to have been asked to “help stabilize” the economy.

Dozy USI campaign ignored Lisa Byrne College News Editor THE STUDENTS Union President Conan O’Broin has started his year off in the way he plans to continue it – in protest to fees. The SU President was among 30 Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Officers who slept outside government buildings. The ‘sleep-out’ marked the eve of the deadline Minister for O’Broin admits turn out “could have been better” at fees protest Education Batt O’Keeffe had set his Cabinet colleagues, to submit their views on his proposed implementation of fees. A USI press release anounced that “hundreds” of “angry students” would be taking to the streets to oppose Minister O’Keefe’s plans. However, official numbers estimate the crowd to be approximetly 150 people. O’Broin has admitted that turnout “could have been better” but has said that the protest was a success. O’Brion, who has met with over 30 TD’s to voice his concerns, is adamant that Minister O’Keeffe’s plans for fees are not right for the current situtaion. “It just won’t work, it’s as simple as that” explains O’Broin. He continued saying the SU’s main concern is that no-one knows exactly what the Minister is proposing. “The Minister is refusing to hammer down the particulars. We don’t know exactly what Batt O’Keeffe is proposing, and that’s a big problem.” Such ambigious particulars include whether the fees will be means-tested and which institutions will administer the fees. “I get the impression that it will be a state-run scheme but from what I hear no-one wants to touch it”.

It has been suggested that either the Revenue or the National Treasury Management Agency will run the scheme but as far as O’Broin is concerned “neither state body wants anything to do with it”. If it is a private institution, O’Broin is worried about the level of interest that will be charged and when the interest will begin. “If banks are running the loans, will interest be charged from the first day of College or after graduation?” If plans for fees go ahead, O’Broin has said that Junior Freshman could be asked to contribute fees as early as this month. USI plan to continue their protest throughout the year. February 4th is being billed by the USI as a “Day of Action” however O’Broin declined to comment on what would differentiate this day from the other protest’s, saying “it was a matter for the USI”. However many are concerned as USI protests appear to be becoming more and more hostile. USI VP Dan O’Neill has said that the USI “hope to heat up our campaign” and has admitted that the USI may resort to occupying offices if their objections are not heard. SU President O’Broin was wary of the idea, when questionned about it, but agreed that “if it has an objective” he would “absolutely support it”. Other signs of an increase in hostile action are the links being suggested between radical group Free Education for Everyone and the USI. USI President Peter Mannion has recently said that co-action with such groups is “something we will definitely have to investigate over these coming months.” While O’Broin has said that while he is realistic about the current Economic situation, he believes that the intoduction of fees is “not only the wrong move for the students, it’s the wrong move for the country” and will be a “disaster for education in the country”.

The scene at the Pav on 12 September. Photo: Martin McKenna

Gutted Pav “still operational” » Bar will be open for pints during the week » Freshers’ events unaffected by continued construction work on Pavilion Bar » Buttery could offer contingency plan Thomas Raftery College News Writer STUDENTS HAVE been promised that the Pavilion Bar will be “operational” during Freshers’ Week, despite fears to the contrary as reconstruction continues at the popular student bar. Contractors have promised both SU Ents Officer Mick Birmingham and the student body that while the redevelopment will not be complete, it will at least be open for students to enjoy a drink or eight. The bout of unusually good weather enjoyed at the end of last term is said to be the main reason behind the delay in the development. The Dublin University Central Athletics Committee wanted to maximise their summer profit margin as much as

possible, as the revenue represents a significant percentage of their income. Part of the Pav’s €116,000 profit for the last financial year has been put towards the development which will provide wheelchair access, improved female toilet facilities and an expansion of the indoor seating. The development comes as part of Trinity’s commitment to providing universal access across campus. A lift will be installed at the North-East corner of the building to allow wheelchair access. The improvements will increase the floor area by 89 sq m, offer sports clubs and societies the option of a function room, and should see the end of long queues for the toilet during busy periods. The Pav has traditionally been the

focal point of Freshers’ week, playing host to the formal meetings that are held in the day, and the less formal debauchery of the evening. The Buttery is licensed to serve alcohol and could offer a potential Birmingham confident Freshers’ week will remain unaffected contingency plan if the Pav cannot open for safety reasons, but whether or not this happens is up to the catering management, not the Student Union. Mr. Birmingham has said he is confident that the Freshers’ week calendar will not be affected by the development. He attributes this confidence to the plethora of activities he has arranged that are independent of the Pav’s availability. Among those planned are a traffic light ball, foam parties, a neon rave and live music nights throughout the week. Mick’s election campaign promises a star-studded itinerary of live music throughout the year with The Flaws playing music off their hit album

“Achieving Vagueness” on Wednesday night, and the Japanese Popstars playing for students on the 1st October. Students can also take part in a spot of sumo wrestling, enjoy comedians and live music in the day and devour the free pizza that will be provided throughout the week. The Students’ Union are currently trying to secure a “night-bus” contract for late-night discounted travel from College green out to Bray and Howth via areas of student housing, and are currently in negotiations with bus companies. Birmingham has won lucrative sponsorship deals primarily with Meteor, along with securing just under €30,000 to spend on events this year. By cross-subsidising, making money on some events to allow a loss on others, he hopes to deliver big acts without the big prices, as promised in his campaign. The sponsorship will cover some of the shortfall that the Ents team experienced last year. Mick has however commented that his main job was “not to make money, or even break even, but for students to have a good time” and says as long as that happens he’ll be happy.

New location for student residences an awful long way from Embassy Row Aoife Moore College News Writer BALLYMUN COULD be the location of Trinity’s newest student accommodation, if proposals from the Ballymun Regeneration Limited (BRL) are accepted. The College is currently seeking tenders from contractors to build a complex large enough to accommodate 1,000 students. The College has specified that it is looking for proposals that offer developments within a 2.5km radius of the university or a 30-minute

rush-hour commute. BRL was founded by Dublin City Council in 1997 to oversee the development of the town. €2.5 billion later, the town has seen a huge change. Following the demolition of the Ballymun Towers, affordable housing and apartments have been built, as well as eco-friendly private developments. The area has also seen the construction of parks, playgrounds and playing fields. As part of the regeneration, the new town has recently opened the BRL Umbro Sports Arena that is one of the top FAI Futsal (indoor

5-a-side soccer) facilities in Ireland. Ballymun has a new Arts and Community Centre and a new Leisure Centre with swimming pool and gym on its Main Street. A civic centre and theatre have also been added. It is believed that these new facilities have been highlighted in the proposal as examples of how the town now provides the cultural, sporting and ancillary facilities necessary to providing students with top class accommodation. Student accommodation already exists in Ballymun, known as the Gateway Student Village. The

project boasts 109 new apartments, built especially for Dublin’s student community. Located on the main Ballymun Road, the complex is within easy walking distance of shops, sports facilities including a gym, swimming pool, pharmacy, banks and a library. The Omni Park Cinema and Shopping Centre in Santry are just ten minutes walk away. However, located at over eight kilometres from the city centre, Ballymun is outside the required catchment area as specified by the

College. Nevertheless, BRL argue that the town is well serviced by bus routes and within cycling distance of campus. The prosed Metro North Luas line would also mean that Ballymun will be just five stops from the centre of Dublin. This line is due for completion in 2013. Trinity College Student Union President Conan O Broin commented, saying that: “we will be discussing this matter with the relevant college officials in the near future and keeping the students fully informed as to developments.”

Extenisve redevelopment has been underway for some time in the area. Photo: Stephen Brow

COLLEGE NEWS

SHORT CUTS SOCIETIES

COLLEGE WELCOMES NEW SOCIETIES THE PIRATE Society, the Fashion Society, the Russian Society and the Indian Society will make their debut as societies at this years Freshers’ Week. The societies have been granted provisional recognition by the CSC and will be given full recognition by the CSC after the first financial year and once they have demonstrated their contribution to the College community. The societies must also remain financially stable throughout their first year. Lisa Byrne ENTERTAINMENT

TRINITY GRADUATE CROWNED ROSE OF TRALEE A TRINITY scholar and previous student of management sciences and information systems has won the title of the 50th Rose of Tralee. Charmaine Kelly (27) secured victory as the London representative, after sharing with the judges some footage of her as a weathergirl in Japan. After graduating from TCD, Ms. Kelly worked in London as a management consultant. She recently left to take part in the international competition, which she says “provides a girl with a megaphone and it’s up to that girl to use that megaphone as she wants”. Charmaine plans to become an entrepreneur after her year as Rose ends. Kate Palmer

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

College ready for pandemic » » » »

Asian Flu ad-hoc group “re-activated” Hand hygiene dispensers installed Students offered masks in exam repeats Reported cases set to increase

Lisa Byrne College news Editor STUDENTS TAKING exam repeats in late August were offered masks should they have fears of contracting swine flu in the packed exam halls. This is just one example of the precautions the College Pandemic Planning Group have taken in a bid to limit the impact the influenza virus may have on the College community. The group, which was formerly the Asian Flu Group, was reactivated once the Swine influenza virus spread to Ireland. The ten-man ad-hoc committee have so far held two briefing sessions in the College. Most recently, a meeting was held in the Davis Theatre on September 8th. Chairing the meeting

was Interim Chief Operating Officer Tony McMahon, Director of the College Health Service, Dr. David McGrath and Patricia Callaghan, the Academic Secretary. Mr. McMahon said that it would hard to estimate to what level the College will be affected by the pandemic, but the group had laid out plans to deal with staff and student absences. The group has completed the installation of hand-hygiene dispensers positioned in key locations on campus. Posters have been put up throughout the Campus and the updates from the Group can be followed on their Twitter page. Dr. David McGrath said that symptoms included coughing, joint pain, vomitting, diarrohea, sore throat and fever. While all of these symptoms are similar to a regular flu, Dr. McGrath

Photo: Esparta has said that the symptoms in the case of swine flu come on much quicker and will take a minimum of three to four days to fully recover. Dr. McGrath is asking students to avoid college if they feel they have flu-like symptoms, and to telephone their GP who will diagnose them over the phone. While the drug Tamiflu was originally prescribed to all those showing the symptoms, now only those in the “atrisk” groups and those working with “at-risk” patients, will be given the flucombatting drug. Dr. McGrath defined those who are “at-risk” as pregnant women and those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and immunecomprised patients. Addressing the

recent deaths, Dr. McGrath said that all of these had been as a result of preconsisting illnesses. Dr. McGrath also said that the College would be looking at removing pregnant women from frontline work that would involve dealing directly with the public. Dr. McGrath said that those in the 15-19 and 20-24 age brackets are most at risk. The Swine Flu Response Committee is also dealing with the response and is the only response body with a student representative. Welfare Officer Cormac Cashman, who sits on this committee has said he is “very happy” with the College’s response to the pandemic. It has emerged that four members of

the University College Cork Student’s Union developed swine flu at a Union of Students in Ireland conference in Waterford. Trinity’s SU President Conan O’Broin has been quick to guarantee students that the current sabbatical team have shown no evidence of flu and are “fully fit and ready for work”. A helpline has been set up to provide information to students but so far there has been very little traffic. The helpline is currently open from 9am-1pm and from 2pm-5pm, however Mr. McMahon has said that the group will look into increasing these hours should the need arise. Students with concerns can contact the College helpline on (01) 896 4000.

Record number of new applicants for Trinity Claire Acton College News Writer THE 2009/2010 college year brings its new load of Junior Freshman. With record numbers of CAO applicants this year there has been a shift in points among many courses, up and down as well as the introduction of new courses hoping to cope with the latest demand. Trinity provided six new courses this year. Each course has limited places so demand has caused many of the points to start high. Law and political science allowed for only 20 places and law and business with 25 places, both courses requiring 555 points. Political science and geography with 20 places required 430 points. Business and computing

with 30 places came to 365 points. Ancient and medieval history and culture came to 385 points with random selection with only 15 places available. Human health and disease was another course that resulted in random selection at 515 points and finally Earth science required 470 points. There have also been significant changes in many areas of the CAO system. Medicine saw a change in its admission structure with dual exams. Admission was through the HPAT (Health Profession Admissions Test) and academic results with a minimum of 480 leaving certificate points. The HPAT is an aptitude test measuring logical reasoning, problem solving and non verbal reasoning. It is designed to

test specific skills of a person and how they relate to the health profession with the test having a maximum of 300 points. As a result of this new exam, entry into medicine in Trinity required 729 combined points, which differed from UCD where 720 points were required. As with every year some courses have seen significant changes in points, some more than others. The ever popular dentistry has risen from 555 to 570 points this year. Science is another course which has seen an increase in points across the country, points for Trinity’s science course rose from 415 in 2008 to 440 in 2009. The huge demand in the number of places shows the draw the course has for students who wish

to undertake a more general course. Similarly, points for BESS stayed high with an increase in 10 points between last year and this year with 2009’s points at 480 with random selection. The battle still continues for places in the less specific courses. One course which went to other way however was engineering. Points for the course in 2008 were at 445, however 2009’s entrance to Trinity engineering was 410 points. The majority of other courses have remained steady even with the extra demand in places. The high entry level of students into courses across the country has led to research into the top feeder schools to Irish Universities. Recent research data showed the High and Diocesan School

in Rathgar, Dublin topping the table followed by the fee-paying St. Andrews College in Blackrock, Dublin and the third being Coláiste Fhlannain in Ennis, Co. Clare. The list of twenty five schools contained only three outside of Dublin. Points were awarded to a school on the number of its students who went on to attend Trinity College or UCD and consideration was given to areas of high unemployment rates and lower socio economic areas. 2009 statistics on the number of students from particular schools who have entered into Trinity have yet to be released, this data won’t be available until final registration for the 2009/2010 college year is complete.

JCR branded “incompetent” continued from page 1 at the food and drinks reception on Friday night, “Will Courtney said that our tickets were wrong and that we were going to 21 instead. I asked him why and he said the JCR budget couldn’t afford Basebar. Apparently Basebar wanted us all to pay in but 21 were letting us in for free”. When O’Riordan was asked whether the club was free, he too said “no, it wasn’t free”. However when asked about the extra fee the JCR alleged they were being charged, the manager of Base Bar replied surprised, “no that’s a lie, the club was free in. We were only due to get commission from the bar.” When Courtney was asked if he’d spoken to Basebar he replied “yes” then “no” and said it was all “a bit confusing” as to when he spoke to them. When the bar was asked if they had been contacted by the committee, the manager replied that they’d “called me to say they’d had a row with Ed and wouldn’t be coming that night”. When

asked if he knew what the row was over, the manager replied that he thought it was over money. It has been admitted by O’Riordan that it was he who paid the cancellation fee which is reveals was so large “it pains” him to think about. Asked why he paid the cancellation fee and not the JCR, O’Riordan said “I knew I wouldn’t get the money out of them”. When asked as to whether the price he was charging the JCR for his services was higher than it should have been, O’Riordan replied that he’d provided “a good service, good marketing and great drink prices” so he didn’t think so. He said that all of his costs had been put together and agreed by the Ents Officer. The costs included champagne for the entire JCR committee. When O’Riordan was asked as to why the committee would “ok” the costs then cancel them, he replied “the JCR Ents Officer okayed the costs on our side, but the President had already okayed purchasing pizza and beer, so they couldn’t afford both. The cancellation was due to poor

communication and incompetence on the JCR committee, mainly due to their free trip in Newcastle when they were uncontactable.” When asked if he felt the cancellation was in retaliation to last years disputes with the JCR (O’Riordan was locked in halls by ex-JCR Ents Officer Amy Dunne), O’Riordan replied “if they were trying to screw me over, they did an awfully good job”. The JCR failed to comment on allegations that they had inadequately prepared for Fresher’s Week and were forced to bring in O’Riordan to organise an event at the last minute. They also failed to comment on whether O’Riordan’s heightened price had been due to the lateness of their planning. When asked for his comment on the situation, SU Ents Officer Mick Bermingham said that as far as he was aware, this “unfortunate” event had come about “as a result of time constraints particular to this case”. He did however warn students of the “difficulties” of event organisation.

Chestnut gets chop Ben Hutchinson College News Writer TRINITY COLLEGE Dublin said reluctant goodbye to one of its most well known landmarks this summer. On Sunday August 9th, the Horse-Chestnut tree situated at the Nassau Street entrance to the college was felled because it had contracted a serious fungal disease. Experts concluded that the infected tree, which for generations had been used as a rendezvous point, posed a danger to the general public and was removed for safety reasons. The removal was a necessity as nothing more could have been done to save the tree. Trinity’s Facilities Officer Noel McCann said “There are currently six hundred trees on Trinity College’s Campus...We value and care for them all”. The tree, of the Aesculus variety, was planted in the 1870s and had seen Trinity students come and go for over

130 years. It bore witness to many significant changes in the student body including the admission of women in 1904 and the mainstream attendance of Roman Catholics without dispensation from their Church in 1970. Over the ages, it had seen changes to the architectural landscape of the University. It was planted in what was originally the Fellow’s Garden in the late 19th century and witnessed the erection of the Arts Block in 1978. The tree was an easily recognizable object that visitors and tourists used as a reference point. Furthermore, since the advent of the smoking ban in 2004, it had found a new lease in life as a shelter for smokers. It has been proposed that the empty void left by the HorseChestnut tree’s removal be replaced with another tree. A press release from the University Communications Office confirmed “The College’s Grounds and Gardens Committee is currently seeking a suitable replacement tree species for the site”.

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

October revolution for library? Aoife Moore College News Writer TRINITY LIBRARY faces challenges in the coming months as it struggles to maintain its services and facilities in light of recent budget cuts. The library is hoping that despite these cuts, staffing levels can be maintained and any disruption of services can be kept to a minimum. The issue of library opening hours is currently under review. Last year, the library agreed to open at weekends with restricted desk service. This is being reexamined to assess whether or not this service can be continued. A comparative study will be conducted to measure the use of the Sunday service by students. However, a decision will not be made

until the first meeting of the library Committee, which will take place in mid October. Student Union Education Officer, Ashley Cooke, has insisted that the Union will do all it can to ensure that this service remains undisrupted. He also stressed the importance of a quiet study area for students; “When students are on campus it is essential that they have a comfortable and quiet place to study... this should be through having the library open or a smaller study space available.” The SU will be ensure that any decisions made regarding library opening hours will be put through the proper decision making process. Cooke ensured the SU would take a “dim view” of any decisions that were made without the consultation

of the proper committees. The library usually opens on Sundays in Hilary term to facilitate students studying for end of year exams. Both the improvement of library services and the increase in study space, were key promises in Ashley Cooke’s sabbattical campaign, promises Cooke is determined to keep. There are also plans in place to open a 24 hour study space on campus. This project is part of the Office of Buildings project list, however it is not yet known where on campus the study area would be made available. Two 24-hour study rooms are currently maintained by the college. One is adjacent to the Ussher Library and the other is the Postgraduate 1937 Reading Room. A third would greatly reduce any inconvenience

caused should library opening hours be changed in the coming weeks. The library website also received a makeover during the summer break. The changeover took place between the 24th of July and the 10th of August and involved transfer of the library catalogue and databases to the new system. The new website has been planned for a number of months and is designed to be more student-friendly and interactive. New features include the ability to tag books for course lists online as well as usual services such as online stack requests and the online catalogue. The website is now much easier to navigate with direct links to popular pages as well as a faster search engine. Links to Myzone mail, WebCT, as well as a facility to bookmark the library site on

popular sites such Facebook, Bebo and Twitter are now available. Students no longer require a student number and PIN to log into the catalogue system. Instead, the student’s college username and college network login password will be required. These details are issued to all Trinity College students and staff when registering in college for the first time and are the same details students use to log into college-owned computers or when accessing external websites from within the college network. This change will eliminate the need to memorize a PIN and barcode number to access the library system. Students can access the Library website on www.tcd.ie/Library

Generic Headline Seamus Donnelly College News Writer TRINITY ACADEMICS have been behind two key scientific breakthroughs in recent weeks. A team working with Professor of Experimental Immunology Kingston Mills, have made a discovery that could lead to the development of more effective auto-immune therapies. Meanwhile, a fresh discovery by Dr David Gonzalez Knowles and Dr Aoife McLysaght may have found genes that are unique to humans. The discovery by Prof. Mills and his team may help Multiple Sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes patients better understand how their diseases develop. The research has shown that a cytokine messenger molecule (IL-17) which is the major cause of cellular inflammation was brought about by a group of cells unsuspected of doing so until this point. These cells, called gamma delta T cells, orchestrate the inflammatory process. Auto-immune illnesses such as Multiple Sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes affect and inflammatory bowel disease affect 20 percent of the world’s population. In Ireland, rheumatoid arthritis affects one in 100 people, or around 40,000 people, while multiple sclerosis affects one in every 800 people or 4,500 people Commenting on the significance of the discovery, Professor Mills stated: “Our findings have considerably enhanced our understanding of the mechanisms which cause the cellular damage in autoimmune diseases, and should help in the design of more effective drug treatments.” Meanwhile research in the School of Genetics and Microbiology and the Smurfit Institute of Genetics in Trinity College Dublin by Dr David Gonzales Knowles and Dr Aoife Mc Lysaght has discovered genes that are unique to humans (as distinct from other primates) the first such discovery of this kind. While the DNA of humans and chimpanzees is 99 per cent identical, the small genetic differences have a key role in making us human. TCD scientists have now identified for the first time human specific genes that originated during the evolution of humans following the separation from chimpanzees. It had been believed new genes could only evolve from duplicated or rearranged versions of pre-existing genes. It seemed highly unlikely that evolutionary processes could produce a functional protein-coding gene from what was once inactive DNA, until now. They managed to uncover three human genes that had no counterpart in any other organism, not even in our closest relative the chimp. The key to the research however was to “demonstrate that the human DNA is really active as a gene”, commented Dr McLysaght.

THE SCHOOL of Computer Science and Statistics has announced new parttime diploma courses as part of a Higher Education Authority (HEA) scheme to get unemployed graduates back into education. The courses, which have their first intake of students next month, will be composed of undergraduate and postgraduate modules from the current Computer Science and Linguistic courses at Trinity College Dublin. The degree of flexibility will allow students to tailor their course to suit their career plans. Its primary aim is to improve the skill-levels of employees of vocational sectors considered by the HEA as important for future economic growth. Such sectors include the digital

MEDICINE

UNUSUAL GENDER RATIO IN MEDICINE CONSIDERABLY MORE males than average have been given medical place offers as the result of a new aptitude test. The male:female ratio for 2009 medicine entrants to Trinity College totals 48:52. According to the Higher Education Authority, 75pc of medicine students across the university sector are female. This apparent incongruence is due to the introduction of a Health Professionals Admission Test (HPAT) introduced this year, which is largely based upon problem solving, interpersonal understanding and non-verbal reasoning. The HEA commented the rise in proportion of male place offers was “certainly anticipated”, as females tend to do better in the Irish points system. Kate Palmer

POLITICS

The abandoned former banking hall, now used for miscellaneous storage of documents and other items. Photo: Martin McKenna

Trinity “superpub” plans rejected by City Council Kate Palmer Deputy College News Editor DUBLIN CITY Council have rejected planning permission sought by the College to convert the former Bank in Foster Place into one of Dublin’s largest pubs, it emerged last August. The development involved converting the building’s Victorian Banking Hall into a “restaurant and public house”, according to the application lodged by the Provost, Fellows and Scholars of the University. The cost of submitting the proposed renovation to Dublin City Council was in excess of €15,000. A total of seven buildings were put forward to Dublin City Council for conversion, including former banking buildings in Foster Place and Anglesea Street. The creation of a shop and 1,341sq m of licensed space was expected to provide significant revenue for the College, which has owned the buildings since the late 1990s. Alterations to the buildings between Foster Place and Anglesea Street include the removal of a 19th Century banking vault and all subsequent additions to the structure in order to make way for new academic accommodation. It is understood the creation of administration offices, teaching rooms and study rooms is in response the shortage of space among the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences faculties.

The plan has received strong opposition since its proposal in June 2009 from both the Temple Bar Cultural Trust (TBCT), a subsidiary of Dublin City Council, and members of the public. The Trust is aimed at maintaining Temple Bar as Dublin’s “Cultural Quarter”. It claims the creation of a “superpub” would be contrary to its Urban Framework Plan, a 6-year old project designed to regenerate and encourage Temple Bar’s commercial success. The Plan says licensed premises such as the Foster Place development tend to create “an intimidating, aggressive and sometimes violent atmosphere” in the community. The TBCT described the development as a “drinking gateway” linking College Green to Temple Bar, an area already renowned for its high instances of alcohol-related anti-social behaviour in Dublin. Its statement of opposition, drafted by Séan Harrison architects on behalf of TBCT, argues that “another licensed premises would further intensify this already critical mass of drinking establishments”. According to the 2004 Urban Framework Plan, Trinity planned to convert the Banking Hall into a University Registration Hall, “effectively becoming Trinity’s front door”. The Buildings Office chose to create a restaurant and public house to be privately leased instead. “It’s proximity to Temple Bar could lead to the more unsavoury aspects of late night revellers

extending to this location”, says Gary Solan of Architectural Construction Technology. Mr Solan envisaged the transformation of Dublin into an alcohol-fuelled holiday resort comparable to Benidorm, which “got a name for cheap alcoholfuelled holidays and stag and hen nights”. In its rejection of the plans, the Council put forward a policy to “avoid an over-concentration of large pubs” describing it as “excessive” and “unacceptable”. The building plans, designed by Moloney O’Beirne Architects, are described by Dublin City Council as a serious impact to the “character and integrity” of the buildings in Foster Place, which have a Protected Status. Mr. Solan reported the drawing plans to Dublin City Council as “wholly inaccurate”, accusing the University of failing to provide basic provisions for parking, deliveries or waste removal. The College is choosing not to contest the decision of Dublin City Council, whose appeal period expired earlier this month. The University Press Officer Ms. Caoimhe Ni Lochlainn said the Buildings Office, responsible for architectural developments in College, are “considering the full decision of Dublin City Council with its design team”. Ms. Lochlainn stated the necessity for the College to “make full and efficient use of the buildings”, which have lain dormant for years.

Trinity launches new courses as graduate unemployment rises Conor Sullivan College News Writer

SHORT CUTS

media sector, software development, financial services computing and green technology. They are open to college graduates who have been unemployed for six months or have been made redundant. One programme, the Postgraduate Diploma in Computing with an Advanced Interdisciplinary Outlook is targeted at graduates in cognate disciplines, and the other, the Postgraduate Diploma in Computing (Conversion) with an Interdisciplinary Outlook is available to all third level graduates. There are 25 places available between the two courses, and students are charged €500 a year for the course. Tuition fees of €2,500 per year will be paid by the government. The courses are being funded by the government through its Labour Market Activation Strategy and similar courses

have been launched in other universities. However Trinity are falling behind as they only offer 25 places whereas the likes of UCD are offering 190 and DIT, 130. The OECD warned this month that unemployment rates worldwide might be kept higher for longer An extra 2,500 part-time government-funded places are being provided nationwide at 15 different universities and institutes of technology; 1,500 are undergraduate courses with the remainder at graduate level. The funding for these comes from existing resources and is supposed to be at “marginal additional cost”. Graduates must have been unemployed for six

months prior to the course, and are still eligible to receive unemployment benefits while on the part-time courses, once they are “available for and actively seeking employment”. Unemployment among graduates has been rising for the last two years, as the recession worsens. 11 percent of those graduating in 2009 are currently seeking employment, up from nine percent in 2008 and four percent in 2007 and 2006. The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) warned this month that unemployment rates worldwide might be kept higher for longer, partly because economic conditions deteriorated so quickly. Countries like Ireland, the UK and the US have led the pack with sharp increases in unemployment, as labour

laws place less restrictions on the hiring and firing of workers. Conversely, when the recovery does arrive, unemployment might be expected to fall. This doesn’t appear to be on its way soon however, with the ESRI forecasting Irish national income not to start growing again until mid-2010 and for unemployment to peak at 16 percent of the labour force in 2010, up from 12 percent at present. In response to the recession among Trinity’s existing student body, the Careers Workshop have teamed up with other Dublin universities to offer four workshops entitled “Taking Control of Your Future: How to recession proof your career”, which were attended by 30 students over the summer. A College spokesperson added that “as the academic year progresses it is likely that more initiatives of this kind will be required.”

CHANCELLOR OF TRINITY COLLEGE PRESENTED WITH MEDAL OF FREEDOM MARY ROBINSON, Chancellor of the University. has been decorated with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the President Barack Obama. Hailing the former Irish President an “advocate for the hungry and the hunted, the forgotten and the ignored”, President Obama presented Chancellor Robinson with the highest US civilian honour at a ceremony in the White House. Chancellor Robinson was among 15 other receipients of the award on the day. Other receipients included actor Sidney Poitier, physicist Stephen Hawking, tennis player Billie Jean King, former supreme court justice Sandra Day O’Connor and South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Lisa Byrne SCIENCE

HEALTHCARE COMPANY DONATES €1.8M TO TRINITY COLLEGE HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY company Helix Health have agreed to provide €1.8m worth of IT equipment to the School of Pharmacy and Parmaceutical Sciences. The donations, made by Ireland’s largest healthcare IT company, include computer equipment, accessories, an IT infrastructure and the pharmacy management software used by Helix Health. The new facilities will allow students to learn about dispensing, drug interactions and pharmacy management practises contained within 40 independent pharmacy systems. A spokesperson for Helix Health described the new technology as “by far our biggest commitment to thirdlevel education so far”. The equipment is expected to be available to students later this year. Kate Palmer

NATIONAL NEWS

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

Rare artefacts donated to Kennedy Exhibition Fearghus Roulston National News Editor RARE ARTEFACTS from John F. Kennedy’s 1963 state visit to Ireland have been donated to an exhibition in Queen’s by Dan Fenn, an aide who worked closely with the president during his short time in the White House. A handwritten poem about the river Shannon which the President scribbled on the back of a tour schedule is included in the donation. Mr. Kennedy had copied out the poem after hearing it recited by Sinead De Valera, wife of Irish President Eamon De Valera. A copy of the speech delivered by the 35th US President to the Dail on June 25th 1963, only five months before his assassination, is among the collection going on display in the exhibition in Queen’s New Library. It will also showcase a selection of pictures taken during the five day state visit to Ireland. The artefacts were transported to Belfast by Mr. Fenn, who founded the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston. Mr. Fenn, a Boston native who lectures at the Harvard School of Business, was a staff assistant at the Whitehouse during the Kennedy presidency. He was invited to Ireland to deliver the inaugural JFK Memorial Lecture at Queen’s, and to provide leadership training to officials from Stormont’s Department of Social Development. He was accompanied by

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his son Peter, who is a political advisor to current US President Barack Obama and a commentator on political affairs in America. Peter Fenn also spoke at Queen’s during the visit. The iconic Irish-American President remains a popular figure in Ireland, and Mr. Fenn stressed Mr. Kennedy’s close affiliation with the country of his ancestors. “Jack had a real love affair with Ireland,” he said. “I remember during the planning of his visit to Ireland one of his aides joked with him that the real reason he wanted to go was for a vacation and to have some fun. Jack turned to him and said: ‘That’s right, and I’m going!’ He had very warm, close ties with this land, both north and south.” Mr. Fenn, (86) went on to describe his shock at the President’s untimely death, at only 46. “I was just totally numb after his death,” he recalled. “On the Saturday after he died I remember watching people take his rocking chair out of the Oval Office - that was all I wanted to see of that. It was just so painful.” These painful emotions were sharpened by the recent death of the last living Kennedy brother, Senator Ted Kennedy, who passed away earlier in the month. As a close friend of the extended Kennedy family, Mr. Fenn admitted to feeling similar emotions on the senator’s death. “Jack was great fun

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“... Mr. Fenn expressed his hopes that their political legacy would continue to reverberate well into the future.” to be around, as was Teddy - they were just wonderful people to know,” he said. “It was a strange coincidence that I worked on the arrangements for Jack’s funeral, and my granddaughter, who was working as an intern in Teddy’s office, worked on his funeral service. It’s sort of come full circle.” Despite the death of the last politically active Kennedy, Mr. Fenn expressed his hopes that their political legacy would continue to reverberate well into the future. “I am reminded of the phrase, ‘men die but the dream lives on’. And I’m sure that will continue to be the case. Young people, who of course didn’t know Jack - it was their parents and grandparents who were around at that time - are still intensely interested in JFK and those years. It was the optimism, the enthusiasm for that era that still catches people’s hearts and minds today.” An example of the lasting appeal of the Kennedy mystique was the enthusiasm with which the idea of

a permanent memorial to John F. Kennedy in Queen’s was greeted by those attending the event. Chris Johnston, a former student of Mr. Fenn’s in Harvard, helped to organize the event. “The Kennedy memorial will celebrate the legacy and values of JFK,” he said. “It would be hoped that such a memorial in Belfast will inspire a new generation of political and civic leaders locally.” Mr. Fenn said he hoped to convince the current curator of the Boston-based museum to release more artefacts to Queen’s in order to extend the exhibition. This enthusiasm was echoed by Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie, who hoped her staff could learn a lot from Mr. Fenn’s political experience, and especially from his time working with the Kennedy administration. “They wanted to look after those who were deprived, disadvantaged and marginalised and in the DSD we are also trying to bring communities together by tackling disadvantage and deprivation,” she said. There has been some controversy in the US over the political legacy of Edward Kennedy, amidst conservative accusations that President Obama has used the senator’s death to shore up his stuttering campaign for healthcare reform. “The Democrats are playing the death card again, wrapping their wildly unpopular healthcare bill in the sentimental gauze of Ted Kennedy’s

A NEW £6 million research programme into nanoplasmonic devices has been launched at Queen’s and Imperial College London. Nanaplasmonic devices’ key components are tiny nanoscale metal structures, more than 100 times smaller than the width of a human hair. They are designed to guide and direct light. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is funding the two universities in an attempt to establish a world-leading research programme into the possible uses of these devices. There is hope that the structures

could be used in new kinds of superhigh-speed “optical” computers, which would process information using light signals rather than the electrical currents used by today’s computers. In order to achieve this, scientists at both universities are developing a host of new nanoscale devices, including tiny sources of light, nanoscale “waveguides” to direct the light along a certain route, and receivers to process the signals. Professor Anatoly Zayats, from the Queen’s University Centre for Nanostructured Media, is heading the programme in Ireland. He emphasised the preliminary nature of the research, saying, “this is basic research into how light interacts with matter on the nanoscale. But we will work together

US presidential aide Dan Fenn, who donated the artefacts to Queens. memory,” said Laura Ingraham, a conservative commentator. “It is disgusting.” A spokesman for the President dismissed these allegations, stating that “Our country has lost a beloved leader, and the politics and implications of that are the last thing on the president’s mind right now.” But despite this political squabbling, it is evident that the lasting legacy of the Kennedys in Ireland has been overwhelmingly positive.

with and listen to our industrial partners to direct research in the direction that hopefully will lead to new improved products and services that everyone can buy from the shelf.” His colleague Stefan Maier, who will lead the research team in London, echoed these sentiments. “This is an exciting step towards developing computers that use light waves, not electrical current, to handle data and process information. In the future these optical computers will provide us with more processing power and higher speed. This will also open the door to a world of possibilities in scientific fields at the interface with the biosciences, and perhaps even in the world of personal computing.”

Ulster Bank lapping it up Cutbacks the order of the at Tallaght IT day in UCD as year begins John Fitzsimons EVERY SEPTEMBER without fail, the banks in Ireland battle to sign up as many new college students as they possibly can. The logic is that because the Irish are so notoriously reluctant to change bank accounts, once in, a student will be a customer for life. Therefore, the banks arm themselves with “goodies” to entice students to open accounts. These “goodies” range from free flights and student travelcards to simple cash amounts. While these incentives are generally seen as healthy competition, this year Ulster Bank upped the ante. The story broke on Joe Duffy’s Liveline programme when the concerned mother of a Tallaght IT student rang the show to complain that Ulster Bank were offering tickets to an “exotic dance” show, along with a Toblerone, a bottle of water and €100, to attract students. Suzanne Keagan angrily claimed that the bank’s scheme was “just immoral.” She described how students raced over to the Ulster bank stall where bank representatives were busy signing up students to, in the words of one student, the “stripper account”. The bank was quick to deny any affiliation with the incident. A spokesman stated that “Ulster Bank has no involvement in the organisation of this event and once the nature of the event was realised, the Bank immediately withdrew any association with the event”. Meanwhile, Tallaght IT distanced itself from both Ulster Bank and the event, stating that the “Institute

of Technology Tallaght has no association with Ulster Bank and has no further comment.” This story is a serious one however, despite guffaws about asset management. Even though lap dancing is not illegal in Ireland, the industry has an unsavoury reputation. It is not all that long ago that the notorious Peter Stringfellow was forced to close his table-dancing club in Dublin city amid persistent protests from residents and lobby groups. Lobby groups like the National Women’s Council reacted angrily to the events in Tallaght. Council Director Susan McKay referred to the event as demeaning and said: “It’s important that people understand that this isn’t just a bit of a laugh. Many of the women working in that kind of trade, on the fringes of the sex trade, are extremely exploited”. She was furious that women should be “put on a par with Toblerones and bottles of water”. She went on to argue that “women in USI should also organise against this type of thing being organised for freshers, it’s anti-feminist and anti-women.” Furthermore, Labour Youth criticized the offer, saying that it showed “clear disregard” for women’s rights. It is understood that the Tallaght IT Student Union were responsible for organizing the controversial offer. They declined to comment on the event or its aftermath. The event, which was due to take place at 3pm in the off-campus Metro Bar on Thursday the 24th September, has now been cancelled by the organisers.

Salaries and bonuses cut for staff, student health centre charges introduced; Brady claims debt will increase by €20 million. Seamus Donnelly UNIVERSITY COLLEGE Dublin has agreed to abolish an allowance and special payments made to senior academics following anger surrounding the high salaries and perks enjoyed by some staff members. Special Allowances for 60 staff members have been abolished following talks between the Higher Education Authority and the college. UCD President Hugh Brady will lose out on a yearly allowance of €12,271. These talks saw agreement reached that twelve staff members, seven vicepresidents and five college principals would each lose up to €25,000 in expenses. Furthermore the thirty-five heads of the various schools in the college will miss out on between €7,000 and €18,000 per annum dependent upon the size of the school. The HEA has also been examining special payments made to staff across the University sector and indicated that any payments found to have been unauthorised would have to be repaid in their entirety. Meanwhile special performance related payments made to 16 senior academics in UCD have also been abolished. This has seen one senior academics’ salary package drop in excess of €80,000 per annum from a peak salary of €400,000. The ending of performance related pay packages has also been announced by UCD, with academics losing out on bonuses worth between 5 and 30 per cent of their salary. These performance related pay packages had been seen as a key weapon used by the university

to attract more top staff and improve UCD’s position in performance league tables. Unions representing the 3,500 staff had raised concerns regarding the receipt of special payments to senior academics and administrators. UCD has had to embark upon a massive cost cutting programme with debts estimated at around €13-15 million. Such levels of indebtedness have been a major problem for many Irish universities with UCC also showing serious deficits. Annual turnover in UCD is believed to be around €384million, of which the payroll accounts for 74 per cent . During a meeting which was attended by 1,000 of UCDs 3,500 staff last January, Dr Brady had warned that a number of measures were being considered to deal with the problems that existed. These solutions included voluntary pay freezes and cuts, early retirements, and reduced hours. Indeed a government intervention to try and stem the problems late last year saw a government recruitment ban across the entire higher education sector. Dr Brady has stated UCD’s debt could increase by up to €20million Euro in 2009 as a result of a number of factors. These include a reduction in government funding down from €13 million, under-funding of a number of academic disciplines including the veterinary school in UCD which accounts for €7 million of the deficit. With the possibility of further government spending restrictions facing the third level sector over the next year there may be even more cutbacks on the way across all third level institutions.

SHORT CUTS

UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK

Queen’s receive funding boost for computer research Conor Doyle

STUDENT SERVICES CUT UCD has partly responded to its funding issues by introducing charges in the student health centre. The move was openly supported by the UCD Student’s Union, whose President, Gary Redmond, said the health service “was not the most important one in UCD.” Instead, the union decided to maintain current funding levels to the academic library, a decision which was based on a survey carried out in the previous academic term. As of September 6th, students in UCD are being charged as follows for services: €10 to see a nurse €25 to see a doctor €40 to see a psychiatrist Annual savings are in the region of: €750,000 former annual cost to the university for doctor and nurse consultations €650,000 former annual cost to the university for student counselling services Source: The University Observer, 15 September.

TAOISEACH TURNS SOD ON GRADUATE MEDICAL BUILDING

AN TAOISEACH Brian Cowen hailed the imagination and drive of the University of Limerick as he officially began construction on the new graduate medical school to be built over the coming year. He called the development an “an important addition to the wonderful facility that is the University of Limerick”, and went on to say that the university was “providing wonderful leadership in the education field in this region. I think it is another example of how the university is forging ahead in providing a great confidence boost to the region and providing a wonderful educational resource here as we build up our skills and get ourselves in position for the upturn when it comes.” More than 150 people will be employed in the building of the centre, which could cost up to £16 million euro. The finished project will accommodate up to 300 students and provide the laboratories, facilities and equipment necessary to house the courses provided by the University of Limerick. It will also provide extra training for local GPs, allowing them to stay up to date with the latest advances in their field. The centre also plans to develop new postgraduate research programs when it is fully operational, which is expected to be in September 2010. Fearghus Roulston EDUCATION

A THOUSAND UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES RETURN TO COLLEGE The CSO unemployment statistics for July 2009 reached 12.2 percent ahead of the announcement in August by the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD, that 1000 part-time postgraduate places for unemployed graduates have been created. The 70 programmes are spread across the country’s seven universities and thirteen institutes of technology. The available courses range from information technology to sustainable agriculture. The courses are to commence this September and the unemployed graduates who avail of them will avoid the burden of post-graduate tuition fees and student registration charges. Students may have to pay an annual levy of up to €500, yet students will be entitled to retain their social welfare payments while on the courses. Catriona Ryan of the Higher Education Authority told RTE that students who get a job before their course finishes will be entitled to complete the course and won’t be required to pay tuition fees for the academic year during which they re-enter the workforce. The scheme follows on from the announcement that 1500 undergraduate places are to be provided for jobless workers this September. John Fitzsimons

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

Scotland reels as fees debate pipes up Stuart Winchester Deputy International News Editor

fees that universities may charge to supplement their government funding and which are paid either outright or through a student loan. Currently capped at £3,225 per year, and with most universities filling in this amount, Westminster politicians seem to have been taken by the principle of deferred payment only in so far as they have chosen to wait until after the upcoming election to lift the limit, possibly by a multiple, putting the long finger on a review due in June 2010. Lord Sutherland’s proposal differs from the “top-up fee” structure in that only students who could afford tuition would pay it and this would be reciprocated in the provision of more scholarships for those who could not

afford it. The hope is that some of the financial impetus for university education could be taken off of the government without the widespread perpetuation of student loans. Since his comments however, there has been significant disagreement in the press. The current rector of the University of Edinburgh, Iain Macwhirter, wrote in the September 14th issue of The Herald that “Scotland is being forced down a road it never chose to travel and I hope it will resist.” Mr. Macwhirter argues that a concession to tuition fees, even in the form of Lord Sutherland’s proposal, would be a dangerous step towards the privatisation of higher-education in Scotland. In his own words, “the lifting of the

cap on tuition fees will simply turn English universities such as Oxbridge and UCL into the equivalents of Eton and Westminster. University entrance will be based on ability to pay.” The Scottish Government went on to echo Mr. Macwhirter’s concern, stating “We believe that access to education should be based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay.” The idea of higher-education as a right for all people, regardless of financial standing, has been a common trend throughout the fees debate in the U.K. and Ireland. Various student leaders and university officials have often cited a tradition of educational egalitarianism in support of this argument, with differing levels of

success. However, it is still uncertain whether the current system can survive this recession without some sort of change. Mr. Macwhirter himself recognises this point. For example, he acknowledges that universities are increasingly leaning on other sources of income. He references international students at Edinburgh who pay up to £15,000 a year, “No egalitarian education for them. Edinburgh is by no means alone in relying increasingly on international students to help pay the rent.” It is clear that the right to a free education is valued and acknowledged as a just and admirable goal by both sides of the debate; however, it remains to be seen when its time will come again.

Campus Watch

AS GOVERNMENTS around the world enter into the second year of a global recession, the third-level fees debate is emerging in Scotland. In an economic climate that has driven Scottish unemployment rates up to approximately 7%, compared to 12.5% in Ireland, a former principal of the University of Edinburgh has called for a conditional reinstatement of university tuition fees. Lord Sutherland of Houndwood, who is also a former vice-chancellor of the University of London, stated that if the Scottish government is not willing to charge a tuition to students who are

able to afford it, “Scottish universities will be less competitive as a result.” Shortly after the expansion of fees by the New Labour government, the First Scottish Executive repealed upfront fees for Scottish nationals in its universities, initially opting for a student loan and graduate endowment scheme in the 2001 Student Finance Bill. After the so-called “top-up fees” were brought in to bolster universities south of the border in 2006, Scotland was set further against the rest of the U.K. when the Scottish National Party abolished natives’ fees altogether in 2007. Now it appears that, as Irish students face the likely reinstatement of fees this coming September, Scotland may not take so long to catch up. “Top-up fees” refer to upfront tuition

ERASMUS LIFE By Clare Hammond I ARRIVED in Paris in mid-August, to be met at the Gare du Nord by a family I had never met before. After a few embarrassed introductions, I was driven back to my new home, a beautiful Haussman style building. The staircase was wide, and covered with a red carpet, and I was just about to become incredibly excited until the mother pointed out a tiny door marked ‘service’, and explained in stilted English that, unless I was accompanying the children, I would be expected to enter through that door, past the dustbins, and up the narrow back stairs into a tiny bedsit. As an au pair, and therefore a member of staff, I felt in no position to argue. The idea of going to Paris in order to learn French may not, in theory, sound particularly bizarre. France’s capital city has a population of over 2,000,000 and yet, after having lived here for over three weeks, apart from my aupair “family”, I’ve yet to befriend a single native speaker. It seems that, unless you literally force yourself upon a Parisian, it is extremely difficult to get him to speak to you. Many students have been educated for the entirety of their lives in the area, and are very settled in their friendship groups – those willing to make friends are predominantly Erasmus students, often English-speakers, who are so pleased to find someone to relate to in a foreign city, that all good intentions of getting to grips with the French language and way of life are forgotten. Now this is by no means typical of the “Erasmus Experience”, and in comparison to this, I have been incredibly lucky. My bedsit may be small (bed, desk, shower, cooker, fridge and sink all in one room), and the family may have been tricky to bond with initially, but as well as having the opportunity to speak a lot of French, I am provided with all my meals, I am living there for free, and my job consists almost entirely of playing Monopoly and Nintendo Wii with the children. I don’t have much free time, but I am learning a huge amount, and I can already notice my French improving. And however tough it is initially, I have every faith that it will be worth it, eventually. It might be that I return from my year abroad with no French friends, but it is more than likely that I will have befriended Dutch, Italian, Spanish or Germans instead. The joy of this year is that it is so unpredictable. This may all sound hopelessly cheesy, but I do believe that my adventure has just begun, that fortune favours the audacious, and that there is no better time for audacity than a year abroad in Paris.

Australian students rallying at a March on September 2nd. Photo: Andrew Hill

Australian international students march against racist practices in colleges Christopher McCann FOREIGN STUDENTS in Australia are becoming increasingly dismayed with what they perceive to be a “climate of intolerance”. This perception has been generated not only by racist attacks on foreign students, but also by the recent exploitation of overseas students by businessmen and colleges alike. As a result, students have taken to the streets in a series of demonstrations and protests. This discord has culminated in a delegation convening in Canberra to lobby Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister, on this myriad of issues. Australia has long had difficulty with race related issues. Such struggles were evident in the infamous “White Australia” immigration policies, which limited the immigration of non-white individuals to Australia up until 1985, and also the prevention of citizenship for Aboriginal people until 1973. More recently, the Cronulla race riots of 2005 have put racial tensions into the spotlight once more. As a result, foreign students arriving in Australia, particularly from India, feel they are being victimised on account of their race. Education in Australia is a lucrative business. Worth AU$15.5 Billion per year, education is Australia’s third greatest export and the estimated 100,000 Indian students contribute a large amount to this total. There are fears however, that these numbers could diminish with the recent pattern of racist attacks. Reports suggest that in the 2008-2009 period there were 1447 robberies and assaults against Indians. In a shocking illustration of these statistics, Melbourne based student Sravan Kumar Theerthala was left in a coma after he was brutally stabbed in the head with a screwdriver. The attack on Sravan was allegedly made without provocation. On the same day as this attack,

another Indian student named Rajesh Kumar was hit with a petrol bomb, leaving him seriously injured. These are just two of the many assaults that have prompted Gautam Gupta, founder of the Federation of Indian Students of Australia (FISA) to release a statement saying that Indian students were “in fear after these attacks.” In the face of such protests, the Canberra government has taken steps to convince foreign students of their safety. In June, Kevin Rudd PM issued an official statement insisting that Australia was not a racist country and is in fact safe for overseas students. Julia Gillard, the Deputy Prime Minister, made an official visit to India in early September in an attempt to ease relations between the states. In addition to Rudd’s guarantee and Gillard’s diplomacy mission, the legislative authorities are considering the imposition of tougher punishments for hate crimes. The proposed measures would allow judges to consider whether bigotry was the motivation behind a particular assault. However, the steps being taken in Canberra are only, if at all, addressing a component of a twofold problem. In addition to the fear of assaults or robberies, Indian students are also suffering at the hands of exploitative colleges and businessmen. Overseas students are falling victim to what is described by Amit Menghani, president of FISA, as “glossy brochure syndrome”. Menghani was referencing the unscrupulous institutions that promote their college as “state of the art” but when the student arrives however, they discover a reality that does not match the brochure representation. Former lecturers at such institutions have alleged that they lacked the most basic of equipment such as textbooks and overhead projectors. The FISA is concerned that Indian students are now being seen as “cash cows”. This perception was best exemplified by the closure of Sterling College in July. The Sydney based college went into administration leaving around 500 overseas students without education. Sterling had increased its fees by 40%

four months prior to its closure. Many students had paid up to $25,000 in tuition fees. The FISA are demanding stricter checks on institutions as a measure of protection for Indian nationals who in most cases will not have the opportunity to visit the college before registration. However, the Australian Council for Private Education and Training has defended itself by stating that it is only a small number of institutions that are guilty. Despite Australia’s apparent problem with racism, the government claims that the number of Indian students enrolling has not dropped. On her visit to India in early September, Julia Gillard stated that there had not been a drop in the number of Indian students coming to institutions in Australia. Gillard also offered assurances to potential students that policing had been stepped up in Melbourne and Sydney and was operating a zero tolerance policy. The government offered further assurances when a delegation of international students met in Canberra. Gillard called the students attention to a new complaints hotline that has been made available to students. However, the delegation, with the support of Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, want to see a permanent body established. Such a commission could deal with all problems faced by international students. Gillard emphasised that the government was open to the idea of establishing some kind of permanent body. To date however, there have been no movements to support her statement. The problems faced by Indian students have brought thousands to the streets in protest. These demonstrations are attended not just by Indian students, but also by Australian nationals and other immigrant populations. Such popular support underlines the gravity of Australia’s problem. With international education playing such an integral role in the Australian economy it is the government’s prerogative to ensure that potential students are not put off by a perception of xenophobia.

Yale University Press bans Muhammad cartoons from book James Coghill International News Editor YALE UNIVERSITY Press last month defended its decision not to publish the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that provoked international outcry in 2006. In The Cartoons That Shook The World, Jytte Klausens examines the scandal that ensued after the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published 12 editorial caricatures exploring the censorship of the Islamic faith. The cartoons led to widespread rioting in the Middle East and Africa, killing some 200 people and led to attacks on Danish and other European embassies throughout the world.

Yale University Press however declined to re-print the 12 cartoons for the new academic study, and has also made the decision to remove other illustrations including a 19th Century sketch of The Prophet by Gustav Doré. The author, in an interview with The Guardian newspaper, said the book was ready to go to press when the images were removed at the last moment, much to her reluctance. The action was taken on the advice of diplomats and counterterrorism experts who predicted that publishing the images “would cause riots from Indonesia to Nigeria.” As a result, Yale University has come under harsh criticism from academics and media across the world. Critics

say the banning of the cartoons “is an infringement upon academic freedom.” Reza Aslan, a religion expert and author of No God but god: the Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam was quoted in The New York Times calling the suppression “an act of academic cowardice.” In a statement, the president of the American Association of University Professors, Cary Nelson, added to the debate, “what is to stop publishers from suppressing an author’s words if it appears they may offend religious fundamentalists or groups threatening violence?” he said. “We deplore this decision and its potential consequences.” In response to the media outcry, the university released its own statement

defending its position. Yale stated that “as an institution deeply committed to free expression,” it was initially inclined to publish the cartoons and other images as proposed. But after consideration of the fact that republication of the cartoons had “repeatedly resulted in violent incidents, including as recently as 2008,” it decided to consult Islamic experts throughout the world, including foreign ambassadors and the highest ranking Muslim official at the United Nations. All had voiced serious concern in attaching the name of such a prestigious institution to the publishing of the images would cause renewed violence in the Islamic world. The director of the Press, John

Donatich, told The New York Times that not only was the response regarding the images “overwhelming and unanimous,” but that “when it came between [publishing the images] and blood on my hands, there was no question.” The university also noted that both The New York Times, The Washington Post and every major newspaper in the United Kingdom chose not to publish the images in 2005. But the author remains angry at the Press’s decision not to include any illustrations of Muhammad at all, including an Ottoman print and a Gustav Doré sketch portraying the Muhammad in Dante’s Inferno. “Sadness, not anger, characterises my feelings,” said Klausen to The Guardian.

“The cartoons ... one can discuss. The removal of the other illustrations poses problems for the text, which was written to the illustrations. I cannot yet judge how confusing it will be to the reader to follow my argument without the illustrations, but for sure these illustrations were intended to awake the reader to the history of depiction of Muhammad in Ottoman, Persian, and Western art - and to show also how we live with images and do not examine them. Well, they will not be examined this time.” The Cartoons that Shook The World is published in Europe in January.

NEWS FEATURE

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

A GENTLE GUIDE TO SEMESTERISATION

Students' mental health: problems, policy and politics

Johnathan Lee

Student mental health has been high on the agenda in recent weeks. It is an area that requires both sensitivity and action, writes Hugh Taylor

Hugh Taylor News Features Editor

support networks, including the counselling and health service, which is free to students, along with Niteline, Student to Student,

THE SENSITIVE issue of mental well-being amongst Trinity students — and amongst younger people in Ireland — has once again returned to the fore, after a summer that saw two tragic events in particular highlight the need for a raised awareness of mental health concerns. On August 20th, a funeral was held in Dalkey for Shane Clancy, a Trinity student who had carried out a fatal stabbing attack the previous Sunday, killing 22-year-old Sebastian Creane and seriously injuring two others, before committing suicide. The two injured consisted of the victim’s brother, Dylan Creane, and Jennifer Hannigan, a student at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology. The central motive, according to Gardai reports of the time, lay in the fact that Mr Creane was beginning a relationship with Ms Hanningan, who was Mr Clancy’s exgirlfriend. As can be imagined, the episode provoked huge publicity, but the critical problem of depression, from which (according to some sources) Mr Clancy suffered, has been rarely addressed in the commentary afterwards. Likewise, the more recent death of 27-yearold Irish Olympic Boxer Dan Sutherland, who was found hanged in his London flat last Monday, has seen little mention made of wider mental health concerns — this despite the fact that Mr Sutherland’s mental health was cited as a significant factor by his family and friends. However, a response is being formed in some quarters, specifically by one group most relevant to Trinity students — namely College authorities. In a measure of the growing significance of the issue, a specific student’s mental health was on the agenda for the meeting last Wednesday of one of the most important committees in College, the University’s Board, chaired by the Provost. Cormac Cashman, the Student Union’s Welfare Officer, was at the meeting, and was asked by Trinity News about what was discussed. While he noted that he couldn’t discuss an individual’s circumstance for reasons of confidentiality, he admitted that the SU is handling “rising cases of students facing mental health difficulties”, and called it a “massive issue”. He was anxious to point out that students have access to a range

“...the USI comments are ill-considered, at the very least, but are a classic example of the kind of heightened emotions that the issue of mental health generates.” College Tutors and of course the SU Welfare Officer. While these services are undoubtedly helpful, they are essentially passive - the affected student has to take it upon his/ herself to seek help. This is clearly often a mightily difficult step, and regularly involves close friends and family. As psychotherapists point out, it is therefore up to everyone to be more aware of the potential issues of mental health, in order that individuals who need counselling are spotted quicker and helped sooner. This kind of mental healthcare advice, doled out by professional psychotherapists and student bodies alike, may seem obvious - and it is — but it is equally questionable whether it is really taken on board and acted upon, given the recent evidence. There certainly exists a cultural reluctance to engage with the challenging and complex questions that cases of mental health problems present. More unhelpful still is when mental health is itself turned into a political football. The Union of Students in Ireland reacted last week to a report published by University College Dublin’s Geary Institute, which linked an increase in psychological problems amongst Irish students to a rise in financial difficulties. The USI President, Peter Mannion, commented that the “shocking report” revealed a “flawed student grants system” that is “very obviously failing students”, before going on to attack the government’s proposals to re-introduce tuition fees in light of the findings. In a summing up, the USI warned “that if Minister O’ Keeffe’s proposals to re-introduce Third Level fees are realised, the psychological well-being of students

around Ireland will suffer even further.” As a sensible justification for maintaining the “no-fees” status quo, the USI comments are ill-considered, at the very least, but are a classic example of the kind of heightened emotions that the issue of mental health generates. And as will be pointed out, it also shows the way the whole question of mental health is easily manipulated: both by those who sideline it as an issue, and those that see it as one of the major healthcare challenges today. In this instance, (and at the risk of sounding like a government spokesman) it is worth pointing out that it is the job of healthcare professionals to treat and resolve psychological problems, not the Ministry of Education by proxy, by keeping the prospect of fees at bay. The essential problem remains: that each psychological case is different, experienced in a specific way by a single individual, rendering it essentially subjective. This characteristic, if we multiply it to the level of the group, creates the potential for sweeping descriptions of situations to be made- like the one made by the USI- and can likewise form the basis for acrimonious debate. This, given the nature and sensitivity of mental health, should surely be avoided wherever possible. If we look at the Geary Institute’s report, its results are hardly surprising, given the current economic situation, and students are affected by the downturn along with everyone else. If the government, through it’s own mismanagement or otherwise, is forced to make public sector cuts, then its seems reasonable to accept that these cuts will target a list of sectors of society that are the least vulnerable, and students, unfortunately, are on that list. It sounds depressing, but viewed in the cold light of day, students have got the whole of their working lives to pay off the most likely form of fee, a student loan. What’s harmful is that the USI, in trying to respond to this argument -that grows in strength as the harsh reality of empty State coffers is revealed- draws upon an area, mental health, that already suffers from exposure in wrong contexts. Thus many will scoff at the idea of large numbers of Irish students suffering particularly severe psychological trauma due to financial strain. A person with a mortgage to pay, or with a business that is stymied by a lack of available credit, could also easily claim

STUDENT SUPPORTS Students’ Union Welfare Office: welfare@tcdsu.org (01) 646 8437 Student Counselling Service: student-counselling@tcd.ie (01) 896 1407 College Chaplaincy: chaplaincy@tcd.ie

- and with perhaps more weight - that they are experiencing mental health difficulties, and therefore be given assistance by the government. The upshot? In the debate, the worth of mental health symptoms are steadily eroded. In the end, both the credibility of mental health as a critically important sector of the health system and the USI ‘no-fees’ campaign are damaged. The real failures of awareness that led to the deaths of both Mr Clancy and Mr Sutherland are overshadowed. And while generalisations abound when discussing groups, significantly, for individual cases, a mental health “difficulty” becomes a reductionist “reason” for certain events or behaviours: a remote “cause” that (it is implicitly implied) can never be understood or properly addressed. This kind of attitude is blinkered and potentially extremely harmful. It is clear that in addressing mental health, the very basic starting point is to engage with the problem, both specifically and more generally as a means of dealing with a damaging cultural stigma in our society. As Trinity students prepare for the start of a new academic year, everyone will be experiencing different emotions. For those returning, perhaps an upbeat sense of seeing college-based friends again is mixed (for the rising sophister years at least) with the grim realisation that the work now counts. For the freshers, the excitement at starting college might well be tempered by some nervousness, with new surroundings and new people to contend with. But with the deaths of Mr Clancy and Mr Sutherland, we have been reminded that emotions and mental well being are vital areas of our health, that need to be looked after with care.

IT’S FINALLY happened – as part of the sinister, worldwide conspiracy to strip students of our leisurely lifestyle and secure us tightly beneath the yoke of scholarship, Trinity has implemented a new structure for the academic year. The beloved Michaelmas, Hilary, and Trinity Terms have been discarded in favour of faceless semesters that will corral us back to College earlier than in the glory days. To be fair, Trinity has resisted the change for quite some time. The surge of ECTS modularisation is mighty, however, and our fair institution can no longer stand alone against the tide. Although lectures now begin a week earlier than in years past, the summer holidays have been effectively extended. Many students will finish exams nearly a month earlier than usual. The elephant in the room is, of course, the hastened arrival of the exam period, with D-Day for many landing on April 26th this year. So, where has the extra time come from? Let’s just say that if the old March holiday were our beloved childhood pet, our parents have brought it to a farm in the country where it can live out its days in a happier, more fulfilling rural life. For the older siblings among us... it’s dead. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s true. Lectures in the second semester this year will run straight through from January 18th until April 9th, followed by a two week revision period before exams begin. The traditional four-week Christmas holiday has mercifully escaped desecration, though has suffered some modification. In the good old days, the first Friday in December heralded the end of lectures for undergraduates. This winter, the holiday has been pushed back by about two weeks and so begins instead on December 18th. In addition, the scholarship exams now take place over this period, meaning the libraries will be full and many students will be hard at work. Though, without the prospect of exemptions for the first time, turnout might be quite a bit lower. All of this reshuffling translates to a cheeky two weeks of additional teaching and a year composed of two twelve-week semesters instead of two eight-week terms and a six-week runt. Buck up, it could be worse. And be sure to emerge briefly from your study hole for Trinity Ball, tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 16th. And savour those precious bank holidays and reading weeks.

KEY DATES AT A GLANCE: September 28th:

Teaching Begins

November 9th-13th:

Reading Week

December 18th:

Christmas Holiday Begins

Christmas Break:

Scholarship examinations

January 18th:

Teaching Resumes

March 1st-4th:

Reading Week

April 9th:

Teaching Ends/ Revision Period

April 26th:

Examinations Begin

May 21st:

Examination period ends

“Book of Kells may as well have been taken by Cromwell and burned,” says Kells Meadhbh McHugh THE LOCATION of what is widely regarded as Ireland’s finest national treasure, The Book of Kells, has in recent weeks become a subject of controversy. The iconic manuscript is on permanent display at the Trinity College Library where it has been since 1661, but the townspeople of Kells in County Meath are now calling for Trinity College Dublin to do the ‘honourable and right thing’ in returning at least part of the book to the town where it originated, in light of the recent closure of the Kells Heritage Centre due to financial difficulties. The Kells Heritage Centre, which has been in operation for the past ten years recently closed its doors due to lack of funding, leaving the heritage town of Kells without a heritage centre. It was unsuccessful in getting the original Book of Kells from TCD when the centre opened but contains one of the finest facsimiles of it, in addition to a copy of the Kells crozier. The

Centre had been running at a loss of €88,000 a year, and is also in need of crucial building repairs, including some structural cracks. Chairman of the local town council Brian Curran admitted figures for the current centre “just don’t add up.” However local Meath Fine Gael Councillor Sarah Reilly insists if Trinity College committed to providing Kells with a volume of the famous Book of Kells for the main tourist season next year it would ‘ensure the reopening and survival of our centre.’ She asks Trinity to be ‘noble and just and return a section of what essentially belongs to Kells’ stating Kells’ heritage is a ‘cash cow’ for Trinity. Speaking to Trinity News Cllr Reilly said ‘Of course the centre is running at a loss, who wants to come to Kells to see a copy when they can see the real thing in TCD’ and that the logic of TCD housing the manuscript in its entirety ‘annoyed’ her as only two volumes of the four volume book are on public display at any one time. Cllr Reilly believes it could be a ‘win win situation for both Trinity and Kells, building links

between the two places’ and asks that the College might even consider loaning the original to Kells for heritage week as ‘an experiment.’ The Book is a passionate subject in the locality and a spokesperson for the Kells Heritage Centre told Trinity News that the most unfortunate thing to happen to the town was the ‘understandable but mistaken giving away of the Book of Kells to Trinity College for safekeeping’ in 1661. The source continued ‘safe it may be, but for all the value it now is to Kells it may as well have been taken by Cromwell and burned’. He said that end may have been of ‘more benefit to the poor beleaguered town than to find their treasure in the hands of another who benefits both financially and in prestige’ from the presence of this famous artefact. He claimed the result has been the ‘betterment of Trinity who could from the proceeds gained from visits easily name a faculty in honour of Kells, while Kells became a tatty crossroads in the overall plan of the NRA where traffic backs up for hours and natives cannot cross the streets.’ He

said a part of the book being returned would be a ‘wonderful gesture on the part of Trinity College and a major asset to the town of Kells which is in need of rescuing.’ Trinity College Librarian, Robin Adams, said he couldn’t comment on a request for the donation of part of the Book from people involved in the heritage centre in Kells, as he has not received ‘any request on these lines’. However he did divulge that it is College policy that the manuscript is not loaned elsewhere for exhibition. Mr. Adams said ‘The Library regards the manuscript as the greatest treasure among its collection of medieval manuscripts’ and they are ‘greatly aware of the responsibility’ they have for its ‘care and safekeeping’. Mr. Adams explained that the Book is a ‘continuing subject of academic interest’ and that recently the Library has been undertaking research on the pigments which make up the illuminations, as a joint project with colleagues in Physics, as well as acknowledging the Book’s iconic status exemplifying Irish ‘creativity and spirituality.’

om the History A lecturer from nity College told Department of Trinity und the request Trinity news he found for the return of the book to be n’t been in Kells ‘cheeky’ as ‘it hasn’t ndred and fifty for over three hundred years, when Kells was a different place’ and another source from the Library said it was unfortunate the osing but thought Kells centre was closing it was a ‘sign of thee times’ when all tourism attractionss were ‘feeling the uments esp poused pinch.’ On the arguments espoused f m by the Kells people, a professorr from rt departm men ent the History of Art department w ll we joked ‘in that case it may as well go to Iona, as that’ss where it was made!’ he most notorious with one of the lg gin examples being that of the E Elgin h Marbles, presently held by the British n. Museum in London. al Greek marb r le These classical marble sculptures were removed from the Athens Acropolis in Greece in debatable legal circumstances in the early nineteenth century, and have remained at the centre of a dispute more or less ever

since. The basic pluses and minuses off the Elgin M a r b l e s controversy extend to Trinity’s situation too. And, for both, but the reality is that the artefacts are where they are, and are extremely unlikely to be shifted.

FEATURES

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

Another country Spending three weeks in Tokyo proved to be a case of fulfilled expectations and more for Emily Monk and Bella Scott

ISA IS our mutual acquaintance. After deciding we quite wanted to go to Japan, we sent her a facebook message, the first communication since leaving the same school four years ago, and about as much as we exchanged in our six years there. Did she have any friends who might want to come and stay with us in England and in return could host us in Tokyo? A “life swap”, we called it. A cheaper alternative to regular travelling, with the additional, integral bonus of providing a genuine insight into the others’ culture and family life, the food, the manners and mores, the idiosyncrasies. Mayu was her answer. Mayu Kanai (her name really is a lesson in English grammar) and her mother picked us up from Kichijoji station after a twelve hour flight, a two hour bus journey and some incidents of miscommunication in Tokyo Narita airport. This was clearly going to be a three-week long game of charades, although maybe more exciting than the obligatory Boxing Day version. Polite, awkward conversation ensued, as might be expected when preparing to spend several days in the house of a person who one has only met (indirectly) on the internet. “The flight was fine thanks, thanks so much for picking us up. Mmmm, wow, aren’t there a lot of cars in Tokyo? Ummm, no, we’re not sure how long we’re staying. No, we haven’t spoken to Lisa in a while.” Twenty minutes after our first physical meeting at the bus stop, we pulled up to a small brown house with the name “Kanai” on a gold plaque at the gate. Shortly afterwards we found ourselves perched on a raised bamboo mat in Mayu’s tiny, cluttered bedroom, surrounded by a moat of Harrods teddies, glittery trinkets and fluffy toys crammed together beneath a ceiling of glow-in-the-dark stickers and hanging charms. Tears of joy trickled down our faces, hands in mouths stifled laughter, our faces went red with embarrassment as our staying meant Mayu would be sleeping on the sofa for the entirety of our stay. We were in Japan, and so far it was just as we’d hoped. We should mention that we were fully aware of the geeky-seedy undertones associated with the internet label attached to a holiday such as ours. We were aware of the scepticism of our contemporaries, the potential audacity of our initial emails, the possibility of a dire hostess, a scary mother, inedible

food. But we were adamant to discover even a diminutive fraction of Japan and a lack of funds, language and contacts rendered a “facebook exchange” the only solution. As it does for many Westerners, Tokyo has always held a vague attraction as a futuristic megacity, shaped by an array of Japanese images that have surfaced in Europe: the cityscape depicted in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, in which a Western audience are made to

“...our faces went red with embarrassment as our staying meant Mayu would be sleeping on the sofa for the entirety of our stay. We were in Japan, and so far it was just as we’d hoped.” feel illiterate, dumb, unable to fathom an alien urbanity; the astonishing photographs featured in Shoichi Aoki’s Fruits, a book which captures the bizarre fashion of Tokyo youth. Odd images had collected to form a strange, cartoon land where Hello Kitty ate sushi and where the great concrete cities ejected bullet trains into the surreal landscapes of the countryside. Why is Japan so utterly singular in the modern world? Is it their history? Their glorious isolation as an island state? What created such a schizophrenic contemporary psyche – fully desirous of becoming “Americanised” yet keen to stay a world apart? Maybe it is the technological progression unrivalled elsewhere, the weird all-singing, allperforming loos, the magnificent architecture, the sushi, the beautiful botanical gardens, the maintained tradition of the temples. But whatever intrigue held, and any expectation made, every single one was vastly exceeded. In Tokyo there are brighter flashing lights and bigger neon signs, glaring over taller buildings which line wider crossings for larger swarms of people en route to faster trains than we had ever dared conceive. There is only one public park and it is illegal to sit down in it. Most people work at least twelve hours a day, usually more. A beer is more expensive than in Dublin; we saw oranges selling for a crisp five euro each. Manga is a way of life. Mayu has a 10 pm curfew despite having spent a year at university in America, being 21 and just about to finish college. At 16 g school in she was sent to a boarding England without speaking one word of the language. Apparently it iss normal for

couples to pay 3,000 Yen for a night in a “pink hotel”, the room complete with a Nintendo Wii, X-box and vast double bed, so as to deceive their respective parents of the intricacies of their relationship. It seems strange that Mario is a popular addition to a surreptitious night of passion. Mayu doesn’t know if she’ll have children - she “wants to work”. They are mutually exclusive it seems. Her mother wants her to stay at home to help with the housework. Her mother has also wanted a divorce for many years but social and financial restrictions have prevented this. Monks from most types of Buddhism can marry, have children, gamble, drink, divorce and get rich. As expected, the country is awash with shrines and people breathing incense, reading fortunes, splashing water on their lips in a hope to relieve themselves of every sin. But they don’t seem particularly religious in an orthodox, ancient sense. They have slowly filtered out the best bits and as a result they still believe, not necessarily in Gods, but in spirits, in luck, in fate. When did we stop believing? After a few drinks one night, (one is enough for Mayu’s friend Sakiko), tongues loose and questions flowing, we are told that the Japanese never kiss in clubs. It is typical, should you meet an attractive partner, to swap email addresses, perhaps hold hands, possibly then go on a few dates, and then, if all goes well and you become an item, to kiss. (Followed by a night every few weeks in a pink hotel?) They say that homosexuality is not yet fully socially acceptable, that large tattoos invariably illustrate membership of a gang, drugs are absolutely reserved for addicts and nutjobs and everyone only wants to work for big brands and major institutions. Though this is exactly what we were hoping to discover: exorbitant differences between them and us, outrageous opinions, wild contrasts etc., it does not take long to realise that Sakiko and Mayu are perhaps the tiniest bit naive. But they are not alone, we meet several other young people offering similar assertions, against, admittedly, many others with more comprehendible beliefs. A wander around Shinjuku clarifies that open homosexuality is in fact far more commonplace in Japan than in many of its Asian counterparts and a plethora of fashionable tattoos on trendy young things renders their information fairly obsolete. But it’s sufficiently interesting because it’s what they genuinely think. This contrast is also abundant in its architecture, its appearance and articulation. Most of us have heard of the cities’ famous juxtapositions; ancient shrines gallantly posing in the shadows of 55-store 55-storey

sky scrapers; huge flashing electric billboards scaling buildings with brown, unexciting interiors; old m i x e d with new, bright with bland, fast with slow. But it is a greater contrast than can be depicted in photographs or illustrated by words. The subtleties are in fact heightened by the blatant expressions of everything modern. Every airport, restaurant or house that we entered was decorated with the same characterless brown and beige. This penchant for

“Apparently it is normal for couples to pay 3000 Yen for a night in a ‘pink hotel’, the room complete with a Nintendo Wii, X-box and vast double bed, so as to deceive their respective parents of the intricacies of their relationship.” everything brown is just the Japanese taste – left over from the days of gold lacquered walls and candle light. So while we considered the sandy curtains and dull chocolate-coloured floor as reminiscent of crap motorside diners, the Japanese appreciate the beauty of the shadows, the subtlety of the shades and the intensity of the darkness. Strange for a country so obsessed with change, modernity and all things bright on the outside. In typical contradictory fashion, Kyoto is much lower rise than Tokyo - older, less aggressive, less crowded, slower-paced. Petite wooden houses balance on the banks of the centrally flowing river and canal, the buildings are generally much lower, the shops more old-fashioned, the clothes less outrageous. But Kyoto station, built in 1997, was an initial warning to all things ancient. It is an immense, hugely controversial but strangely magnificent, steelstructured masterpiece, stuck

in the middle of a traditional, quiet and very beautiful city. It boasts a Louvre, perhaps an unflattering comparison to its Parisian equivalent; an Imperial Palace, (not that grand); the original Geisha district, lots of McDonalds’, and, of course, the ever-present, beautifully naff lights. But what was most unusual in Japan, and was consistent throughout the whole country, was the unwavering kindness and generosity of its people. It seemed they have an inherent duty to make visitors feel welcome, to not just offer directions to a map-reader on the side of the road, but personally take them to their destination. Maintaining the facebook theme, we occasionally updated our status along the lines of ‘does anyone know anyone i n Japan?’, and a remarkable response awarded us with friends of friends of friends to stay with dotted all over the country. Toshi hasn’t seen our friend Jasper for 11 years, but a couple of facebook messages later we found ourselves in his elderly parents’ bed in Hiroshima, whilst they slept on the floor next door and he on a c h a i r. We were furnished with multiple pairs of shoes, lighters, tissue boxes and home-cooked meals at every incredibly kind acquaintance we burdened with our stay. “Wow, those are cool drumsticks” (conversation sometimes limited). “Please have them, take them back to your family in England.” Even the shopkeepers, air hostesses, waiters want to please and deliver. Our only concern now is that every future destination may be a disappointment.

Gaelscoileanna, punts – our future of “No” Domnhall O Sullivan takes a not-quiteserious look at the impact another rejection of Lisbon might have on Ireland

UBLIN, 2035. 8.00am. Awoken by the built-in alarm in his iBuddy, a blearyeyed and hungover Liam considers rolling over and sleeping until his preferred hour of midday, but remembers he can’t afford to miss any more of his 9 o’clock Europe tutorials. After the boom decade of the “twenties of plenty” the Dole pays out fairly well now, but the folks would still disown him if he got kicked out of college. Plus, he figures a degree would drastically improve the chances of his European work permit application being accepted and he’s probably right. He claps the TV into action, and is just in time to catch the end of the headlines on Sky. The European Federation is still at war with Iran although, despite the grim-faced images of the aging President Barroso that flash across the screen, it appears to have been a relatively calm night of combat. About time they laid off

for a while, reflects Liam, sure isn’t Paris still trying to come to terms with the bombing they suffered back in February? The City of Lights will soon be the City of the Shiites if General Ahmadinejad gets his way. After storing this observation away for future (and more public) use, he rolls out of bed and starts making some breakfast, all the while thinking how lucky he is that Ireland got out of Europe when it did, and that it’s not him risking his neck in some Middle Eastern desert. No, on the contrary, life is good here in Ireland. Apart from the obvious benefit of not being involved in what is increasingly being seen as World War 3, the economy is thriving; the abolition of corporation tax by the Labour government in 2018 and the filial trading arrangement with fellow Europe deserter Britain continue to ensure this unprecedented prosperity. Immigration is also almost nonexistent, as Liam notes when he stops

tarbucks on his way into for a Starbucks Trinity that is served to him by iling Deirdre. He finds it the smiling o believe his hard to s’ stories that parents’ rs previous 30 years uldn’t move you couldn’t and without in Ireland ng into a Pole. bumping That alll changed when we rejected Lisbon for the second time in 2009 re politely and were o leave the asked to eland said ok EU - Ireland litely asked and politely all the immigrants ylum seekers and asylum in the country to go home. And although it’s truee that you reap ou sow, and that what you ays it’s virtually impossible nowadays to get your hands on a holiday visa n or France, who needs to Spain hen Ryanair can fly you to one when ork and back for less than a New York ed punts now? hundred As iff to prove this point, yet anotherr group of American touristss emerge from the metro station in Stephen’s Green,

complete with lu luggage and ridiculous singing green ha hats. A return to a more natio nationalist and traditional Irel Ireland during the last seve several decades has

outnumber English-speaking primary schools by almost two to one in Ireland. In less than a few decades we’ll have converted ourselves into a bilingual nation, he ponders. Dochreidte.

“Th all changed when we rejected “That Lis Lisbon for the second time in 2009 and w were politely asked to leave the EU — Ire Ireland said ok and politely asked all the im immigrants and asylum seekers in the country to go home.” co re resulted in a boom in th the tourism sector with A American, Japanese an and an increasing num number of Indian tourists visiting the “bea “beautiful Emerald Isle” in droves. “Dia d duit, cá bhfuil an óstán?” he overh overhears one of the Yanks addressing an u unsuspecting Garda with typical bra brashness. Liam cringes at the lousy acce accent but once again remarks on the incredible revival of Irish that has re resulted in a worldwide interest in the la language. In fact, an article he rea read recently online mentioned that Gaelscoileanna now

He cringes again as he walks past the nasally assaulting scent of the daily fish market on the pedestrianised College Green. Another welcome result of independence from Europe has been the abolition of the fishing quotas and, although the government is still careful to ensure that resources are not threatened by over-fishing, the industry has boomed. Ports from Killybegs to Kilmore Quay are once again thriving and Liam makes a mental resolution to stop by the fish supermarket on Pádraig Harrington Street to pick up his dinner on the way home later. “Don’t cod

yourself with imported meats - give Irish fish a plaice in your sole tonight”, one of the revolving electronic billboards on Dame Street tells him as he cringes for a third time, this time at the infectious cheesiness of the ad. He hurries through the metal detector over Front Arch without incident and joins the throng of students milling through Front Square. He barges his way towards the Arts Block, conscious of the “late fine” of 1£N that was introduced by the previous Provost and that is still in place. A glance at his watch tells him that it’s 08.56. Should be grand. He mutters a jaded greeting to his classmates, all visibly as worse for wear as himself after the shenanigans of the night before in the student centre. They all roar with laughter when Liam reminds them of how they had pissed on the statue of Bertie Ahern near Merrion Square on their way home, and they continue trading stories of forgotten drunken mischief until the European tutorial teacher enters at nine on the dot. “Good morning, people,” she says, “today I want us to discuss what Ireland might be like in 2035 had it ratified the Lisbon Treaty of 2009...”

FEATURES

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

Take two pills and call me in the morning Harrison Cargill warns against the frightening possibilities that Oxytocin offers in the field of human relationships

HE LOVE potion has long played a part in the tradition of literature. Shakespeare has Brabantio accuse Othello of enchanting his daughter with “drugs… That weaken motion.” J. K. Rowling, meanwhile, writes of amortentia in magic land, a potion which exudes a different aroma for each person; Hermione smells fresh parchment and Ron Weasley’s hair. Outside of fiction, however, failed romantics fluster. Save for the ineffectual Spanish fly and promising pills bought drunkenly with fistfuls of pound coins from condom dispensers in pub loos, love powders have proved elusive. There is alcohol, of course, which posters on teenagers’ walls remind us has been helping ugly people have sex since 1862. There is money, assisting hairy-backed millionaires the world over. Power, we are breathlessly informed, is the greatest aphrodisiac of them all. And there is Rohypnol, a more radical approach, like taking a sledgehammer to pop a sometimes not metaphorical cherry. Yet none of these

can necessarily promise trust, confidence and happiness – the very fruits of a loving relationship. But the development of chemicals that manipulate trust might just snatch the love potion from the realm of Hogwarts and introduce it to the muggle milieu. Oxytocin is sometimes called the “cuddle chemical”. It is the hormone released when a woman gives birth and at orgasm, and it therefore has an understandably potent effect. In 2005, Michael Kosfeld and others investigated the effect of oxytocin on human trust. Pairs of participants were asked to play a game: Person A was designated the investor and told that he could invest $0, $4, $8 or $12 in Person B, who played the part of the trustee. The amount invested was then tripled and Person B could choose how much money to give back to her investor; or, alternatively, she could decide to keep all the cash for herself. Thus, if Person A threw $8 into the pot (and kept $4 for himself ) Person B would have $24 at her disposal. The study found that investors who were given a nasal spray containing

oxytocin were significantly more generous, and accordingly more trusting, than those who were not. Off the back of such research, an American company, Verolabs, has produced an oxytocin nasal spray under the brand name “Liquid Trust”, which promises to create a “trusting and passionate atmosphere,” specifically formulated to “give a boost to the dating and relationship area of your life.” Among its contented customers, it numbers salespeople, singles and managers. A sinister, talking avatar informs visitors to the company’s website that they, too, can harness the power of the hormone and increase people’s trust in them. The spray even comes with a “full

two month guarantee”. The published testimonials are ringing and almost sound too good to be true. Joe, one satisfied customer, writes that his relationship went from “bad to wonderful.” After using “Liquid Trust”, Joe continues, his girlfriend “asked me to marry her.” Oxytocin, Verolabs would have us believe, is the love potion that works, the Spanish fly with wings. But what if Joe had harboured more sinister intentions? What if, instead of wanting to save his flagging relationship, he had wanted to meet new girls in bars? What if he were to surreptitiously spray it on himself while his intended conquest was powdering her nose? Though Verolabs states clearly that it

opposes any use of its products for “immoral or manipulative purposes”, the power of oxytocin unavoidably throws open the possibility of the subtle date rape, one step removed from Rohypnol but surely one step on from a liberal splash of D&G Light Blue. What should the attitude of society be towards these new weapons in the arsenals of the amorous, or, more generally, to the use of chemicals which can induce emotions? The question is unlikely to go away. As science continues to shed light on how the brain works and how brain processes are manipulated, the opportunities to create drugs that induce feelings of love and trust will grow. The response of the relationship counsellor who struggles

to mediate verbally between a warring couple might be temptation to reach for the pen and write out a prescription. Or perhaps air-borne oxytocin could soon be pumped through family homes in the same way some governments put fluoride into the water supply. If, as many studies suggest, broken homes are in part to blame for a broken society, then is there some social imperative to consider such means to keep parents happy and together? It would be the logical progression for a society already so reliant on anti-depressants that vets have started doling out Prozac to dogs. It is worrying that, as the magical becomes the possible, human beings are becoming disconnected both from their bodies and, more broadly, from the natural world. Technology is slowly turning mankind into machine. Denaturalisation marches on. And just as moods and feelings are increasingly determined by manmade drugs, so relationships with others may soon be formed and maintained in the same way. Conversely, there is a lingering prejudice against the unnatural, a prejudice that prompts otherwise rational, middle class people spend large sums of money in the organic sections of supermarkets. It has become an implicit, if indulgent, recognition that the close relations of human beings with the earth is important, an acceptance of the maxim that Mother Nature knows best. Thus, Brabantio, in Othello, having accepted that his daughter did not succumb to the “gross clasps of a lascivious Moor” on account of “spells and medicines” but rather on account of real love, reluctantly blesses the union. There is something persuasive and authoritative about nature: it is the way, in a quasi religious sense, things are meant to be. The frightening alternative is powered by the insidious breakthrough of science – a world where marriages are made not by needling parents, passion, true love or greenbacks but rather a nasal spray available from all major retailers.

Revelations and realisation in the Holy Lands Ciarán McCollum journeyed to Palestine this summer and met hard labour, the YMCA and was declared a princess

missing byline

LTHOUGH OUR stay in Palestine was ten days brief, articulating my travels in just one thousand words is perhaps akin to panning for gold with a comically large colander, one punched mischievously with holes the size of mini-discs (should anyone care to remember that poorly-marketed victim of time’s ruthless march): many nuggets of travel-literature gold will pass through. My depiction, like hearing the beautiful “Alone In Kyoto” by Air in mono because of broken headphones, is therefore frustratingly limited. It could be said, in summation, that it was an unusual and very enjoyable journey, both surprising and shocking, and painfully sobering. The mission was a brave undertaking organised largely by the Methodist Church, but made of more ecumenical matter. Two disparate groups of six students from The Queen’s University of Belfast and our own college came together under the tutelage o f three chaplains. The Rev. Julian Hamilton of Trinity, well known and loved by those who enjoy the serene quiet and Tuesday’s complimentary lunches in the Chaplaincy, was one of these three. They held together a rag-tag bunch of sporting vagrants to rival even the men of Inglorious Basterds in eclectic nature, subscribing to varying degrees of both faith and tact. Our hosts were the

East Jerusalem YMCA based in a surprisingly large and modern building in Beit Sahour, a mostly Christian town near Bethlehem. The weather, firstly, was seriously hot. Hotter than jalapeños dipped in a sharp wasabi sauce, served by Scarlett Johansson in a leather corset. We were housed in a spartan but obliging Greek Melkite hostel - there

The weather firstly was seriously hot. Hotter than jalapeños dipped in a sharp wasabi sauce, served by Scarlett Johansson in a leather corset were no grumbles about some very rowdy returns in the wee hours. In our mission of Christian solidarity we would be aiding their efforts in the West Bank: educating, rebuilding and helping to reintegrate those affected by the unending violence. None of us arrived with any assured expectations of what exactly this would entail, although I think we all imagined social and structural building work of a kind: many smiling faces to see us off at the end, grateful for the Western hands that humbly deigned to aid their isolated community. Four days were set aside for hard labour as we would be toiling in their “Shepherd’s Grotto”; one of several insalubrious sites in the area where the heavenly host serenaded crook-carrying men of the Nativity. Different churches lay claim to differing dusty caves, such is the case with many of the ho l y s i t e s in the

Levantine lands. In two thousand years knowledge is lost and the landscape altered (one Calvary is now a handy bus station), and it seems all denominations have their slice of pious pie. Renovations were needed here, so we ardently stripped unsightly pillars of their plaster and shovelled dirt to clear the floor, keeping spirits bobbing with synchronised hammering, harmonised sing-songs and by wearing the buckets on our heads. We warmed greatly to our task-master Rami, an energetic and burly man I dubbed - I shall type phonetically - the “merciful Malik (King)”, and who called me his princess. He never tired of the mamelukes (slaves), pointing and asking “shoe ha?” (what is that?), nor equally of requests for coffee breaks. I cannot speak for all, but although hilariously pointless, I found the work satisfying and therapeutic. Perhaps unsurprisingly in hindsight, this was not, however, to be our main task. So dire is the situation and entrenched the conflict in the Middle East, that it fully permeates all areas of daily life. Religious institutions are absolutely no exception, as can be imagined given the significance of faith in the Holy Lands, and given religion’s importance in establishing identity, even national identity, in the region. The itinerary for the trip took in many of the spectacular holy places. In Jerusalem I was astounded by the spiritual fervour inspired by the Wailing Wall as some Hassidic Jews danced. We were granted a private mass in the Holy Sepulchre by an Irish Franciscan monk, but even here it is inescapable. It is a maddening political maze. There were the callous massacres of Muslims near the Dome of the Rock’s sappharine marble walls at Al-Aqsa, perhaps the third holiest site in Islam, and inside the ancient Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, where Muslims are now frisked by gruff soldiers before entry. There was the thirty-nine day siege at the Church of the Nativity - dead bodies were piled in the Catholic church built on the ground of Christ’s birth.

The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Photo: Peter Mulligan We were eyewitness to the mild chestrated by our hosts. This is what but constant degradation that native they wanted from us: for our tongues to Palestinians are subjected to every mo- be touched by the same fires of hatred; ment they remain in the West Bank. to bear torches; to carry their story to A school for young Palestinian girls, world powers. Some felt manipulated. refugees in their own homeland, pep- There was little word of the Israeli pered casually with bullets by Israeli world view, though I doubt it could have soldiers. A city older than ages, Hebron, assuaged our troubled minds. There are the third oldest in the world, divided some similarities with Northern Ireland: and occupied by aggressive and often people’s truculent ideas of religion and violent Israeli settlers. They are pro- identity are a great cause of their “troutected by a growing army who destroy bles”. But here, as we were constantly six millennia-old archaeological sites reminded, comparisons end. What is to build brutalist watch towers and happening is so consciously unjust it actively discourage Palestinian trade, physically pains to see it. Jewish Israelis condemning entire markets with drip- have made comparisons with their own ping-red aerosol Xs and dropping their people’s tragic history, and the oppresstinking refuse into Palestinian streets sive organs are funded by American, and homes with sinister purpose from European and Irish money. It is a travabove. To cross the street here is to esty of which, in fifty or a hundred years pass a checkpoint. “If a bomb goes off in time, a popular book will be written or a London they impose a curfew” was how movie made and everyone will ask how one exasperated Palestinian put it. From we let an entire nation and diverse culHerodium, where Herod the Great, ture be forced from their home. Herod Antipas’s father, flattened the Upon arrival we were whipped into peak of a mountain to build his palace, a tornado of violent emotion, carried one can clearly see the plans of growing on wings of angry polemic and harried Israeli settlements. They are cancerous. by the often depressing reality of the They choke Palestinian villages, stealing Middle East. It was tiring, and being land and olive groves with high fences flung out of it, dumped home to normal and motorised check points. Many have life of banter with mates and familial rebuilt their homes two or three times. chores was, as one put it, “a reverse The stories of abuse from new friends culture-shock”. My presence made no were raw and harrowing. We were left difference, but it forced a change in me. in a dark mood after intransigent discus- Or at least a realisation of a need for sions with an Israeli settler on the third change. Although I and many others day and later subjected to systemic un- may enjoy the laissez-faire and luxurious pleasantries ourselves with customs and life of the modern student bon vivants, border control guards. this is not an excuse for indifference to This was, of course, completely or- suffering, or for inaction.

WORLD REVIEW

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

Cambodia needs to face up to AIDS reality Alison Spillane looks at the status of those living with HIV/AIDS in Cambodia, and the challenges faced by the governmental and aid agencies in tackling the epidemic.

UMAN RIGHTS groups were up in arms this summer, accusing the Cambodian government of active discrimination against HIV sufferers in the country’s capital. In June, groups such as Amnesty International openly condemned authorities in Phnom Penh, when twenty families with HIV were forcibly evicted from their homes in the Borei Keila district of the city. The families were then resettled in an isolated flood-prone area called Tuol Sambo, 25 kilometres outside the capital, creating a de facto AIDS colony. When the international news media started paying attention to the story in mid-July, more than forty families had been resettled in Tuol Sambo. At the end of the same month, more than one hundred international and domestic AIDS campaigners, NGOs, and human rights groups sent an open letter addressed to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Minister of Health Mam Bunheng highlighting their concerns. They argued that the settlement does not meet minimum international standards for temporary housing, and its inhabitants have no access to a clean water supply, electricity, or proper sanitation. Moreover, with weakened immune systems from the progression of the HIV virus, many of these people are especially vulnerable to disease. Living in such inadequate conditions removed from hospitals and emergency services is nothing short of a death sentence for the older members of the community. Tuol Sambo is far from the health services which supply the antiretroviral medicines crucial for living with HIV. And even those healthy enough to work have no job prospects in this isolated area, leaving them with no means of supporting their families. Recent testimonies from residents revealed that there is a serious lack of food and drinking water in the settlement, and the green metal sheds which function as housing for the families are built too close together and without proper ventilation thus making the heat unbearable and the occupants worry that their medicines are spoiling in such high temperatures. To date, the letter has met no response from government officials and the groups will now be waiting with bated breath to hear the outcome of a joint visit to the area by the heads of UNAIDS Cambodia and the National AIDS Authority which took

place at the end of August. UNAIDS estimates that there are around 75,000 people living with HIV in Cambodia, with roughly 4,400 of them children. However, widespread prejudice against those with HIV makes data collection difficult, as people are discouraged from getting themselves tested. The organisation admits that there could be anything from 67,000 to 84,000 Cambodians who are HIV positive. The organisation’s First Quarterly Report for 2009 goes on to assert that those infected with HIV face

“Families with HIV were forcibly evicted from their homes, and moved to a de facto AIDS colony” discrimination in employment and education, as well as being subjected to social exclusion. Although the prevalence rate is declining (currently estimated at 0.8 percent among adults, compared with 1.2 percent in 2003), the rate of infections is still among the highest in Asia. Almost half of new infections are amongst married women, and consequently the transmission rate from mothers to newborns is also high. According to UNAIDS, the main challenges in curbing the transference rates are found in the newly developing non-brothel based sex trade, the lack of contraception use between married couples, as well as needle-sharing amongst drug users, and homosexual activity amongst men. The evolution in the sex trade is one of the biggest difficulties faced by authorities trying to slow the spread of the HIV virus as, up until this point, Cambodia has had one of the most successful HIV prevention programs in the developing world, due mainly to its astuteness in tackling the commercial sex industry head on rather than leaving it unchecked as is the case in many developing countries. In 1998, the government launched the 100% Condom Use Program which required the use of condoms in all sexual encounters between commercial sex workers and their clients. This, combined with an intense media campaign promoting awareness of the disease, was immensely effective in

reducing the transmission rate among both prostitutes and their clients. However, as condom use within the brothels increased, the numbers of clients decreased and a sideline of non-brothel based commercial sex expanded to places such as massage parlours, bars, and beer halls where women may not necessarily identify themselves as sex workers thus making the use of contraception less common. Furthermore, in recent years Cambodia has seen the development of a “sweetheart” culture, with more and more men having extra-marital affairs that are not related to the commercial sex industry. In these instances too, contraception is often not used and between married couples themselves the use of condoms is extremely rare as they are associated with infidelity, casual, or commercial sex. This stigma towards condoms combined with sexual infidelity of husbands means that housewives in Cambodia make up the largest group of new infections each year. The success of Cambodia’s HIV prevention programs has been further jeopardised by the country’s growing drug problem. Only a decade ago, injecting drug use was virtually unheard of in the country but since 2000 it has spread rapidly, particularly in the capital. Obviously, those sharing needles and syringes are at a high risk of contracting HIV and in one year alone alone the percentage of injecting drug users found to be HIV positive increased from 14 percent in 2006 to a shocking 35 percent in 2007. As is always the case, heroin is common, but NGOs have voiced particular concern about the use of crystal meth which is cheap but highly addictive. Although usually smoked, the drug can also be injected, but NGOs are trying to draw attention to the possibility of contracting HIV while under the influence as users have admitted they are more likely to hire prostitutes after they have taken it. Although homosexuality is not illegal in Cambodia, sexuality and sexual behaviour is rarely spoken about. Furthermore, many Cambodian men who sleep with other men do not view themselves as gay and are therefore referred to as the MSM (men who have sex with men) population. The fact that many members of the MSM community are married with families means they do not speak openly about their homosexual relationships, which poses a crucial problem for those trying to address the issue. Misinformation seems to be the major cause for the high

AIDS victim waiting for the home care team’s treatment; children comfort their dying mother. transmission rates among this community as many Cambodian men believe that HIV can only be passed on between men and women having unprotected sex. However, NGOs such as KHANA (a derivation of the international HIV/AIDS Alliance) have begun to develop the first MSM networks in the country, working on educating men about the need for contraception as well as drawing attention to the presence of a gay

CAMBODIAN HIV FACTS 14,242,000 Estimated total population, July 2008 75,000 Estimated number of people living with HIV/AIDS, end 2007 29% Proportion of adults with HIV/ AIDS who are women, end 2007

“Many Cambodian men believe HIV can only be passed on between men and women having unprotected sex”

0.8% Estimated adult prevalence of HIV/AIDS, end 2007 6,900 Estimated number of AIDS deaths in 2007

which the government needs to factor into its National HIV Strategies. The Cambodian government has made great strides in reducing HIV transmission rates, particularly within the commercial sex industry, but the National HIV Strategies seem to skim over many sections of the population. Moreover, while the government is intensely focused on reducing rates of infection, the forced segregation in Tuol Sambo would appear to indicate not only serious neglect of but blatant discrimination against Cambodians who are already living with the virus. Perhaps it is naivety but considering the tens of millions of dollars of donor aid the government receives for its HIV/AIDS programs, specifically to help those living with HIV, it is difficult for this writer to comprehend how such a situation ever arose in the first place.

The first case of HIV infection in Cambodia was reported in 1991 and was followed by a rapid rise in transmission. Cambodia’s national HIV prevalence rate is now the second highest in Asia. Recent efforts to halt the spread of the epidemic, including a programme promoting 100% condom use, have enjoyed some success. Figures indicate that HIV prevalence amongst brothel-based sex workers dropped from 43% to 21% between 1998 and 2003.

The end of the democratic era? Neil Warner IS THE stability and future of liberal democracy a more tenuous and even anomalous situation for a political system than we think? Indeed, if we examine recent trends in global politics, are indications under the surface of processes working against our long-term freedoms? Looking at the particular processes which underline modernisation, particularly the current type of modernity which we are experiencing, people will often declare that democratisation is an element of it. If we study history, we find it impossible not to relate the advance of technology and economy with the parallel steady expansion of democratic governance. This is why many of us, perhaps subconsciously, feel that campaigns for democracy in Iran, and recent achievements such as elections Ghana or Indonesia, have an air of inevitability about them. But there is no automatic relationship, and in fact if we consider the three central tendencies of the modern world -- globalisation, specialisation and the advance of technology and knowledge -- each contain elements that may ultimately undermine democracy, even destroy it. So how are these processes undermining democracy? Firstly, consider globalisation. The health of a political system rests on more than just directly political institutions. It also requires a cohesive

community and forms of cultural exchange that coincide substantially with the political system. An example is the national press, but also, perhaps even more importantly, the conversations a person may have in their day-today existence. The consequence of globalisation has been to separate the determinants of community and cultural exchange from political boundaries. In economic terms, corporations become transnational and can control public policy rather than the other way round. If one state imposes regulations on these companies, they can simply move shop. But culturally also, we now spend

“Accountability and open debate, absolutely central to the health of a democracy, are in grave danger. Misinformation has become almost an art form.“ increasing amounts of time following debates over which we have no control yet which increasingly effect us, such as the politics of the United States. The consequence of this is the expanding power of global dictatorships controlled by global multinationals and the US government. Areas of discourse stop relating to that which people actually control.

This is why the left has become politically devastated in Europe, as evident in the last European elections; with the result that political discourse has been reduced to meaningless concerns over image. Britain, which opened itself up to the brutal globalised capitalism of the City of London, is a perfect example of what is in store for the rest of us down the line; three clone parties with, once Brown is replaced by Miliband, three clone public-schooleducated leaders, engaged in mock debates while the media becomes scandalised by meaningless stories about celebrities or half-truths about crime or immigration. Even short term victories are ultimately fruitless. Critics who say the Spain’s plan for higher taxes on the wealthy will create capital flight are right, it will. This is because private individuals and corporations with global power can control governments whose area of leverage is comparatively parochial. Secondly, specialisation. This is a problem long-observed by some intellectuals such as the Frankfurt School. People’s areas of expertise deepen and narrow, and as a result we have to take an increasingly wide variety of things as matters of faith. Initially this concerned only the natural sciences. We trusted physicists when they said that time and space were relative, even though we couldn’t really understand it, and it didn’t much effect are lives. But as the social sciences become more sophisticated, expertise that we are expected to accept as a matter of faith becomes increasingly integral to our lives. When a select few have studied an

“We now spend increasing amounts of time following debates over which we have no control yet which increasingly effect us, such as the politics of the United States.” issue for all their lives it is really difficult to contradict them no matter how hard you try. Consequently, accountability and open debate, absolutely central to the health of a democracy, are in grave danger. If the vast body of economists say that there is nothing wrong with the global credit bubble who are we to disagree with them? Even if they are then proven wrong as they have been, the terms of the debate remain very much in their hands. Thirdly, and related to the second issue, consider progress of technology and knowledge. This is a long-predicted nightmare scenario, central to Orwell’s prophesied dystopia in Nineteen-Eighty Four, and its failure to be realised yet is possibly the one of main reasons why Orwell’s society has not generally come to pass. But the central problem remains. Democracy arose, to cut a long story short, because the mass of the populace gained enough power, wealth and knowledge to pressurise the state apparatus and ruling elites for proper treatment. But what happens when the

tables turn? The greatest amount of knowledge and technology at any time in history always resides within those at the top. Thus far in modern history this has not been enough to compensate for the knowledge and technology which diffused downward. But there has to be a tipping point somewhere. There must be a point when knowledge and technology become powerful enough to control the entire mass of a population. When real-life telescreens and Newspeak is powerful enough control our thoughts and actions. This a trend that is already in play in terms of knowledge, as PR becomes increasingly sophisticated and capable of controlling public attitudes, as we see in the case of the recent healthcare debate in America, where misinformation has become almost an art form. Democracy, in short, may be a very exceptional and anomalous situation caused by specific historical conditions which will not only run out , since that is obvious, but sooner than we think. The final question that of course needs to be asked is that if this is true, can we do anything about it. The answer is that of course we can and we must. This is not a deterministic prediction but an observation of the perils of contemporary processes. If we become aware of these processes we can fight against them; calling building new transnational forms of political discourse and decisionmaking, adopting a balanced approach of sceptical respect for expert opinion, and empowering ourselves to resist the more concentrated power of elites, for example by becoming more aware of the tools of PR.

WORLD REVIEW

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

Free, but not fair Paul McDonnell casts a critical eye over the recent electoral controversy in Afghanistan, and asks if the election was simply an exercise of power, or a genuine expression of democracy FREE BUT not fair. This was the mantra adopted by EU officials overseeing the inaugural presidential elections in Afghanistan of the post-Taliban era. Last month, optimists hailed these elections as the first truly democratic representation of the Afghan people, and a major step toward acceptance into the global community. However, the elections are fast descending into farce amid mounting evidence of voter fraud, intimidation and misrepresentation. The question of validity has turned from whether corruption occurred, to exactly how much corruption occurred. With 110 percent of the population polled, despite voter turnouts of less than 10 percent in many districts, coalition hopes of an entirely legitimate regime appear to be further away than ever. The political landscape of Afghanistan remains a complex and dynamic hierarchy, often tainted by links to Al Qaeda and human rights disputes. Hamid Karzai became president of the first fully elected government in Afghan history in 2001, following the offical fall of the Taliban. He appointed the majority of positions of significance in his cabinet to Pashtuns, the largest ethnic community in Afghanistan. However, the dominance of the Pashtuns has waned somewhat in recent years. This is due to women seeking further equality and opposite ethnic groups, particularly the United Front, opposing Pashtun consolidation and striving to distribute

power to elected provincial councils. Preferring to remain free from the ties of a political party, Karzai maintains cordial relations with various warlords and militia leaders. Among his noticeable supporters are the Taliban leaders who reputedly aided Osama Bin Laden’s escape from Tora Bora. While the Bush administration chose to adopt a neutral standing on the presidential position, seeing him as a troublesome yet wholly necessary evil, Obama officials are said to have become increasingly disenchanted by Karzai’s continued defiance of democratic procedures and ties to illegal activity in even the most mundane procedures. So great is the level of nepotism and profiteering that Transparency International recently ranked Afghanistan 176th out of 180 in terms of government corruption. In defiance of these results, Karzai has claimed himself to be a rebel, and the only candidate willing and able to stand up to western meddling. Despite such blatant misuse of power, Karzai’s government has unquestionably made significant steps towards empowering the citizens of Afghanistan and reaching an image deemed acceptable for other nations to communicate with. One area in particular which has undergone reform is the role of women in politics. Constitutional amendments require 17 of the 102 seats in the upper house and 62 of the 249 seats in the

“So great is the level of corruption, neoptism and profiteering that Afghanistan was recently ranked 176th out of 180 in terms of government corruption.”

lower house of parliament to be held by women. In addition to this there are now 67 female judges and 447 female journalists nationwide, a significant alteration from widespread oppression under Taliban rule, when wearing the burqa was obligatory and strictly enforced. This said, it appears that for every step towards democratic unification Karzai makes, a nullifying act of human rights degeneration swiftly ensues. Media clampdowns are common, such as a press law passed last September in which media outlets must be government licensed and subject to content restrictions. These acts point to a government seeking to limit external influences and moderate third parties. Initial reports that the election passed relatively peacefully were welcomed by the White House. However, the celebrations were quickly quashed when the true scale of fraud began to become apparent. One US official backpedalled on the initial appraisal, stating “Those comments about the relative success of the elections were coming at a time when there was the fear that the Taliban would disrupt the process...the Taliban launched hundreds of rocket attacks, and Afghans still voted.” Playing devils advocate, Karzai has 54.6 percent of the vote, 3.6 percent above the all important 51 percent quota. His nearest opposition, Abdullah Abdullah, trails behind with just 28.1 percent. Preliminary turnout is estimated at 38 percent of the population. These results must be taken with an almighty pinch of salt. Figures of 1.5 million fraudulent votes are estimated (1.1m of which are in favour of Karzai), as well as voter turnouts as high as 95 percent in districts with notoriously few marked ballots.

Ladies dressed in burquas enter the voting centre on Election Day, while Afghan National Security Forces provide security at polling centres throughout Afghanistan.

The job of adjudicating the unlikely validity of the election falls to the Independent Electoral Commission and the UN backed Electoral Complaints Commission. The ECC, which has final annulment authority, has revealed it intends to investigate every district with over 600 votes or those in which a 95 percent majority was received for one candidate. A viable election remains the hinge-pin upon which the hope of a constructive Anglo-Afghanistan relationship precariously rests. Failure to obtain a lasting mandate will not only bring the allies back to square one in their democratic reform, but could further inflame the opposing parties in this most heated of political environments. The problem presented for Obama and Brown is that although Karzai currently presents the greatest threat to their military operations, there is no alternative national figure in any position to achieve a mandate. If the election is

indeed deemed void, responsibility for choosing a leader may fall to the Loya Jirga, or Grand Assembly. Therefore in all likelihood no matter what the outcome of fraud investigations, Karzai will be re-elected and attention will turn to Mr Abdullah and the future. Should Karzai offer a power-sharing arrangement, all parties should be reasonably satisfied, given the efforts taken to orchestrate the August election. Nonetheless this is highly unlikely amidst a tradition of big tent politics in the region. Abdullah then has the option of joining the moderate opposition or forming an extra-constitutional party to challenge the authority of Karzai. Suddenly of one Obama’s three pilarstones for Afghanistan, that of “good governance and rule of law”, looks to be approaching the periphery, in the hands of the man posing the most danger to his foreign policy agenda. According to Stanley McChrystal, the newly appointed US commander in Afghanistan, rather than sustaining

progress, the ISAF have no option but to focus on stopping Taliban momentum. Long term military infrastructure such as a $780m Air Field base to house 13,000 international troops starkly exhibit the sheer magnitude of the operation. Such plans are also likely to be negatively received in the 42 countries, which make up the ISAF, where support for a war with no foreseeable end has reached an all time low. The dichotomy of interests between domestic stability and sustaining a failing foreign policy is fast becoming what defines the current regimes of the ISAF. All this creates a vicious political vacuum in a country where “Operation Enduring Freedom” has witnessed an estimated 1392 coalition deaths thus far and no fewer than 7,500 civilian fatalities. Time is clearly of the essence as regards getting an election result, but how productive or indeed counterproductive the outcome will be remains to be seen.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Time to pay attention to events in Palestine

A child from Bil’in village protests against Israel. Photo: Michael Ramallah

Brendan Guildea recounts his experience of his trip to Palestine, and how it led to an empathy for the Palestinian people. THANKS TO the generous support of Trinity Association and Trust, I was able to embark on a life-changing trip to the so-called “Holy Land,” organized jointly by the Chaplaincies of Trinity and Queen’s University Belfast. The group of fifteen included six Trinity students and Trinity’s Methodist Chaplin, Rev Julian Hamilton. Our aim was to observe, listen and learn as much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as possible. In 1948, following the Holocaust, the Judean people were given Israel as a homeland. They were to share this region with the indigenous Arabs, who were removed to a separate country called Palestine. In 1967 the State of Israel won the “Six Day War” and have occupied Palestine ever since. Facts on the ground today suggest that the State of Israel intends to extend its borders until Palestine ceases to exist. The only thing standing in the way of Israel is the Palestinian people, the vast majority of whom view simply getting out of bed in the morning and peacefully raising a family as the best form of resistance. More than thirty years of unsuccessful peaceful resistance is taking its toll on the spirits of Palestinians, because they realize they are going backwards. For example, the 1990 convention held at Oslo between the heads of Palestine and Israel resulted in the signing away of Palestine’s water to their occupying oppressor. Every week the Israeli army, comprising mainly of conscripted teenagers, grabs Palestinian land by force. This captured land becomes a “settlement”. The Israeli government subsidises its citizens who agree to live in the newly built settlements. Each “settler” is protected by up to four Israeli soldiers stationed close by. The United Nations and the European Union have declared Israeli settlements a major violation of International Law, yet they continue to be built. Simply put, indigenous Palestinians are regularly replaced with Israeli settlers through illegal use of force. Since opposing a heavily armed army with stones or even presenting title deeds to the land earns one a lengthy prison sentence at best, the homeless Palestinians have no choice but to move into refugee camps or nearby towns. Some bring the keys to their old homes with them in the hope they will return.

A minority of settlers, calling themselves “Orthodox Jews for Zionism”, believe the entire Westbank is theirs by birthright: “A land without a people for a people without a land!” I have seen these Zionists terrorise children, farmers and families with my own eyes. They regard scaring Palestinians from their own land as a religious duty. The rest of the Israeli settlers have no idea they live on stolen land. They commute to work in Israel on protected roads, which no Palestinian may use. Their choice to move into the “Occupied Territories” is purely economic and one, which any reasonable person might make. There are over half a million Israeli citizens living on Palestinian land today. The entire Westbank is riddled with settlements, which seem to be strategically placed in order to isolate and break up the remaining Palestinian communities. The Israeli army, as an occupying force, restricts the movement of Palestinians. No Palestinian may enter or pass through any settlement. Consequently, Palestinians need to travel large distances, often in excess of 10km, around settlements in order to visit their friends and family living as little as half a kilometre away. Then there’s the wall: nine-meters of vertical concrete slicing Palestine into hundreds of sections. While the stated purpose for the wall is security, the path it takes suggests otherwise. The wall passes through Palestinian villages, separating families and communities. It surrounds refugee camps, preventing children from accessing adjoining fields for recreation. Frustratingly for the Palestinians, it has also been declared illegal by the International Court of justice, yet is still being built. Every members of our group was asked uncomfortable questions like ”why and how is Israel being allowed to consistently violate international law?” Our shamefully embarrassing answer was that people in Ireland and Europe really don’t know what is happening in Palestine. Sometimes we gave the excuse that the media doesn’t cover events in the Near-East in as much detail as they cover the latest celebrity break-up. And their response was “You need to tell them. Don’t be afraid of coming across as biased. Just tell the truth. Tell your friends what is happening here. If enough people do it, international assistance should follow.” Thankfully a handful of Israeli soldiers have decided to “Break the Silence” and speak about their experiences in Palestine. One account describes soldiers fighting amongst themselves over who got to fire the next rocket into a neighbouring Palestinian town as if it was a computer game. It was a deeply enlightening experience to live among a people who live in constant fear their home could be demolished at any time. For them each day truly is a gift. As for the Israelis, I was surprised by their attitude. They have forgotten how a spirit longing for freedom can never be defeated.

OPINION

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

Night fever: we know where to go for it New to the dublin pub and club scene? This handy guide will give you the down-low on all the hot places to be and be seen this year “DRINK RESPONSIBLY. Don’t stay out late. Get a taxi home. And don’t go anywhere on your own.” These are some of the perennial rules all worried mothers, from Athy to Australia, make to their offspring before they fly the coop for university. It’s safe to say these perennial rules are broken as soon as possible. My experiences as a Fresher are still, well, fresh. I know there’s nothing like the thrill of independent living and the dawning realisation that you don’t have to be home by any given time, or indeed at all, to get people in the mood for going out and having a good time.

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Dublin is a brilliant place for going out and don’t let people tell you otherwise. Countless people have told me how amazing Berlin or London are for clubbing and nightlife, but really I’m more than happy with going out in Dublin for the moment. Clubs are everywhere and there are about eight pubs on every street, so we’re spoilt for choice. I make no claims to be a source of knowledge when it comes to going out and clubbing, but here are some of my own opinion and experiences from my first year of going out in Dublin. As Trinity students we really don’t realise how lucky we are with our

location. You walk out through Front Arch and the city centre is at our feet. The Pav is a great place to start a night. They sell cans pretty cheap (Bavaria and Druids will become your friends) and there’s always a bit of banter there. They have a wide selection of drink if you can’t stomach the cans. “Pav Fridays” are the stuff of legend and really the Pav is an excellent place to meet people, whether on a night out or even for a cheeky pint after lectures. Usually Mondays through Thursdays are the main student nights in Dublin, but this year there are a lot Friday night offerings, the best of which is WAR in Spy. It’s a bit of a mad night, lots of war paint and squirting guns involved. More and more clubs during the year will start to offer student nights because of the recession and the need to keep afloat. Last year, weekends were very much the preserve of people who work and the leaving cert crowd, so we’re lucky to

now have a whole extra night out for us college kids to enjoy! Most college students, however, will be “feeling the pinch” this year, and by that I mean they will be broke. That eternal question of whether to eat or save your money for going out will be even tougher this year. Luckily, clubs have clued into this and so far this year a lot of places have dropped the price of the cover charge or lowered drink prices. Some clubs, like The Village have taken the original idea to offer ‘brand’ drinks like Smirnoff and Budweiser instead of VK Ice and Beck’s. Keep an eye out for special offers and make sure to bring a flyer or a participating student society card to get a discount of cover charges at some nightclubs. When I think about where I spend the most time in a nightclub, I don’t think about the bar, or even the dance floor. I think about the smoking area. Ever since the smoking ban has been

introduced, hoards of people head out to the smoking area or beer garden, huddling together against the cold to have a few fags and a chat. Best of all, meeting new people can be as easy as asking for a light. While I’m not a smoker, I’m all too often found in the smoking area due to the fact most of my mates do, so there’s always a bit of craic to be found out in the cold where it’s easy to just chat away. The Dublin club scene is varied and as such, serves up an eclectic mix of music. Some nightclubs like Spy/Wax cater to a more house/electro crowd, while clubs like XXI and its ilk stick to chart and dance (I was saddened to hear that XXI’s R’n’B night, “Off the Charts” is no more.) “Antics” at Crawdaddy is firmly in the indie territory, as are “Musik” in Button Factory and “ALT” in Andrew’s Lane. Some clubs, like Crawdaddy and Tripod have separate rooms that play different genres – chart

in the main room, electro in the club room and indie in the lounge. There is a wide selection of nightclubs to choose and one for almost all music tastes. The gay community in Dublin has exploded in recent years and there are plenty of gay clubs or failing that, gay club nights. The cream of the crop us probably the ‘super pub’ The George, which is an institution for many members of Dublin’s gay scene. PantiBar and The Dragon are two other big gay nightclubs. There are various gay nights in clubs across Dublin, such as “Glitz” in Break for the Border and “Q&A” in Andrew’s Lane Theatre. This is just a brief introduction to Dublin’s excellent pub and club scene and the best way to get to know it is to experience it yourself. All I offer here is my own advice from my experiences and hope you find them helpful! Best of luck and remember, just try everything once.

HEAD TO HEAD: LOCKERBIE BOMBER

THE REALITY IS THAT HE IS GOING TO DIE JAMES KELLY

THE QUESTION as to whether Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi should be allowed to return to his home land is, echoing the sentiment of Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill, not a question of his guilt or otherwise but one of the nature of the people of “these isles”. Megrahi is judged on reliable medical evidence stating that he has less than three months to live, and as much as someone on death row is granted his last supper, granting a three month stay of execution as a weak man in pain is not liberty but a consolation prize. The reality is that he is going to die anyway, and very soon. In the West there is a lot of self congratulation and claiming of the moral high ground on the basis of being democratic and guided by “higher principles”, not only of justice but of mercy and compassion. While no one can fail to empathise with the anger and hurt of friends and families of the deceased, the virtue of Megrahi’s request for release on compassionate grounds cannot be differentiated from other similar claims for compassion on the basis of his particular crime. To look solely at the fact of his situation, this is a man near death in a prison far away from his country with only his immediate family nearby. Compare this to the case of Ronnie Biggs, the great train robber, often seen as something of an affable jack-the-lad, who was released on the same grounds a few weeks ago. Granted, Biggs didn’t kill anyone but he did show contempt for the legal system when, having escaped

from prison, he showed no remorse and in fact appeared to find it amusing. He was imprisoned in his own country and then was freed to spend his last days with his family. Equally, compare Megrahi to the release of convicted terrorists in Northern Ireland who had killed thousands, not hundreds, of people. Yet in this case, the freed men had firm support of the American, British and Irish governments, irrespective of the feelings of those affected across Britain and Ireland. How is Megrahi any worse? A further issue to consider is the validity of the case against Megrahi. While it is not suggested, except in conspiracy theories, that he was not responsible for the atrocity, it is equally highly unlikely that he acted alone. It is very likely that he was the fall-guy for a much larger terrorist network with links, both personal and professional, to the Libyan administration. Does this remove his blame? No. Does it diminish it? No. What it does tell us is that we had the monkey not the organ-grinder. The ultimate responsibility lies with those who gave the commands. The real issue of this case appears to be the response given by the Libyan authorities. He was welcomed as a hero, being escorted home by the son of general Gaddafi and meeting the man himself days later. The disregard that Libya has shown towards the feelings of the relatives who died, and towards the request of the Scottish and American governments for Megrahi’s return to be low-key, has only exacerbated hostile sentiment. But then, seeing how we in the West have taken the moral high-ground and complain about the immorality of countries such as Libya, what more do we expect? James Kelly is a Senior Freshman student of History and Politics

WHAT COMPASSION DID THIS MAN SHOW? DAN REILLY THE RELEASE of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber, last month from Scottish jail is a perversion of justice. A man responsible for killing 270 innocent people in 1988 served just eight years of his sentence, less than 14 days per victim. He was released on compassionate grounds having, allegedly, just three months to live. Using the fig leaf of “compassion”, the British Government and its devolved administrative satellite in Edinburgh have shown themselves to be guilty of cowardice and collusion with a terrorist state. This was a decision not grounded in compassion but in political expediency which undermines Britain’s status as an international bulwark against the dark forces of terrorism. To those people whose lives were taken or altered greatly by the loss of loved ones, the Scottish government has shown the gravest disrespect. It’s been claimed by Al Megrahi apologists that it was morally right that he should be allowed to die in his homeland. One solution to that was to approve his transfer to a Libyan prison –as opposed to him being allowed to live the last days of his life in freedom. Since his release, questions have been raised as to the motives behind it. Leaked letters have since indicated that the decision to release him was made two years ago, coincidentally at the same time, important trade negotiations continued with Libya over oil. While the Scottish justice secretary naturally denies any link, and asserts that the UK justice secretary, at the time Jack Straw, would not have any jurisdiction to

make such a suggestion, it would be hard not to see how the release of a man closely connected by both family and acquaintance with the Libyan administration, would not push these negotiations in the UK’s favour, and indeed that Whitehall would not have the capacity to informally influence if not dictate such a decision. So, is trade more important than the lives of their own citizens. Questions have been raised about the legitimacy of his conviction, though most objective commentators are convinced investigators did get the right man. Given his respected status within the Libyan regime, it is doubtful that Al Megrahi committed this act of mass homicide without the knowledge and support of at least some key figures of the Ghadaffi administration. Being backed by your own country at quasi-official level does not diminish his individual culpability as the perpetrator. Al Megrahi was a mass murderer. Al Megrahi has always professed his innocence, as he obviously would, but twice his appeals against conviction have failed. So Al Megrahi having exhausted all legitimate areas of legal appeal, should have spent the rest of his life behind bars. But then political expediency reared its head. Al Megrahi’s terminal illness (cancer of the prostate gland) coincided neatly with the British Government’s need to secure “Brownie points” with Libya. So under the pretext of “compassion”, Al Megrahi was released from custody to be given a hero’s welcome in Tripoli. The sickening scenes of jubilation must have left the bereaved families feeling utterly devastated and betrayed. It was a sad, sorry day for justice, a day when a few million barrels of oil was worth more than the lives of 270 people. Dan Reilly is a Senior Freshman student of History and Politics

”

A proportionally disastrous system MARCUS SPRAY “THE WHOLE world’s in a state o’chassis” declared Captain Boyle in O’ Casey’s Juno and The Paycock. Set in the Dublin working class tenements during the civil war, this line pretty much sums up the situation we’re in now. Unemployment threatens to rise to 16 percent by the new year. Huge budget deficits averaging 12.8 percent of GDP are expected, despite large tax rises and expenditure cutbacks. The economy will soon enter a technical depression, and our banking system remains more fragile than ever. The famous roar of the Celtic tiger is now but a whimper. Why has the once fastest growing economy in Europe been brought to its

knees in such a dramatic fashion? There are a multitude of reasons, many of which were out of our control, not least the slowdown in the world economy. Why is it then, that as other countries report signs of growth in their economies, we’re still on the back foot? Again there are many reasons, but how much can we attribute this to the weaknesses of the Irish electoral system? The proportional respresentation: single transferable vote’s (PR-STV) main advantage is that in theory, it delivers a result where seats are proportional to the votes cast, therefore creating proportional power. Unfortunately however, in reality it confers a large influence on organized interest groups of voters, which doesn’t always contribute to serving the common good. The unique PR-STV system is as new as Ireland is as a state. It was a key stipulation in the 1920 Government of Ireland Act, and was introduced in order to safeguard the Unionist minority, preventing a complete Nationalist

“Proportional representation confers a large influence on organised interest groups, and so doesn’t always serve the common good.”

takeover. Undoubtedly important then in creating a fledging democratic state, it could be argued, its modern relevance has lessened considerably. During the boom, successive governments pandered to every whim and desire of vested interests and dispensed largesse to solve a myriad of local issues, all for the sake of maintaining power. Elections were so close, no party could afford to marginalize potential voters. The notable examples of this pandering include government treatment of decentralization, benchmarking and crime. Decentralization was a throwaway add-on to a McCreevy budget to shore up votes around the country. It proved to be ill-considered and unworkable and was eventually scrapped. Benchmarking was a similary ill-conceived idea. This was a policy whereby public servant wages were brought in line with their counterparts in the private sector (at present, public sector wages are on average a fifth higher than that of private) - which, in the words of a trade unionist, gave the unions a cash link to the government, and secured huge political support. In the aftermath of the public outcry over the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin , the “zero tolerance” Justice Minister John O’Donoghue ordered the

need for two thousand extra criminal places against the advice of civil servants. This reactionary move was decried by criminologist Ian O’Donnell, who said that it was made “in the absence of even the most rudimentary information about trends in crime, sentencing or imprisonment. It was a purely political move.” In essence, votes were bought off, a classic symptom of the PR electoral system. The country’s interest played second fiddle to various minority ones, and as a result we ended up with a €20bn hole in our finances. Now, clearing up the mess has brought a whole new set of problems.Recently, in a move designed to maintain their constituents support, two Fianna Fail TDs resigned as party whips in protest against cutbacks in local cancer services. Again, the bigger picture was ignored. Now, as the coalition majority is being called into question, their hold on power looks even more precarious, especially with a raft of austere measures predicted over the next 18 months. There will be spending reductions affecting every interest group, and this may cause backbenchers to revolt and hinder any government attempts for financial rectitude. The likely alternative would be a Fine Gael Labour coalition, which also carries

its negatives. Whilst a fresh approach would be welcome, the marriage of two ideologically opposed parties would hamper any clear agreement on the best financial measures. This was evident when the two held power in the 1980’s during the last economic crisis. The coalition was plagued by policy disagreements and failed to contain the fiscal crisis. The PR system renders single majority governments extremely unlikely, and so manifesto commitments are lost amid the closed-door negotiations that occur when coalitions form. As Jack Straw said in defence of the first-past-thepost (FPP) system, “it enables a proper ‘contract’ to be established between parties and their electors through their manifestos”. A PR system produces coalition governments without any real contract with the people. Straw argues: “The real manifesto is not the one put before the people in advance of the election, but the coalition programme negotiated behind closed doors after the election. I know which I think is more democratic”. Watch out for the next meaningless pamphlet that falls through your letter box. It is also true that countries that use PR are much more likely to have unstable governments, than those with FPP. Often these governments are dictated

by parties with only a tiny percentage of backing from the electorate. Although the Progressive Democrats are credited with keeping a check on Fianna Fail during the Celtic Tiger, they wielded far too much influence for a party supported by only four percent of voters. Tough decisions are now needed to tackle the crisis, something that will prove very difficult due to the instability of government that PR provides. Fianna Fail on two previous occasions attempted to introduce FPTP via referenda without success. The likelihood of voters agreeing to this system is probably remote, even if it was desirable. Another possibility would be the List system as used in Germany. This involves half of the parliament being elected from single seat constituencies and the other half chosen from a party list, thus offering a viable alternative, as it combines proportionality and defuses the negativity of clientelism. The economic crisis has revealed many of the fallibilities of contemporary Ireland. Corruption, short-sightedness and cosy cartels have blurred the focus and hindered progress. It is time to question how the political system is run. Changing an electoral system that encourages parish-pump politics at the expense of legislation for the national good is a place to start.

OPINION

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

IN PROFILE

Rebel without a clue Is the famously shambolic TD Jim McDaid finally considering the country’s wellbeing, or is he still simply looking out for number one?

EBEL FIANNA Fail TD Jim McDaid last week called for a general election in February or March just half way through the political term. Whilst many on the ground, angered by the Government’s handling of the economic crisis are calling for the same thing, it once again throws into the spotlight a man with a marred political and personal life and raises questions as to his motives for his political actions. Mr. McDaid, a general practitioner by profession, was elected to the Dail in 1989, aged 40. He was appointed Minister for Defence in 1991, from which point his political career as much as his private life has been blighted by failings and misjudgments. The very day Charlie Haughey gave him the defense portfolio, he was pictured standing beside James Pius Clarke, the Maze prison escapee who successfully evaded extradition. This blunder cost Mr. McDaid a position in the cabinet until 1994. The high point of his career came in 1997 when Bertie Ahern appointed him as Minister for Tourism, or as he became known, the “Minister of Fun”. However he was dropped in 2002, the point at which he claims he

returned to his lifelong weakness for drink after several years of abstinence. In the same year, he was quite criticised for being quoted, or misquoted, for describing people who commit suicide as “selfish bastards”. His explanation, both then and now, was that he was quoting a friend who herself had a child commit suicide, and that it was an angle he had never considered before and wanted to publicise. Rightly or wrongly, it serves as another example of a political career notable for blunders rather than successes. The most memorable event in his public life, the moment that has come to define him, was in April 2005, having been at the races he was stopped driving three times over the legal limit and the wrong way up a dual carriageway outside Dublin, despite having spearheaded the 2002 drink-driving awareness campaign. Perhaps what is most surprising is that he was not dropped as a Fianna Fáil TD until November 2008 when, in the aftermath of the Jade

“The most memorable event occured in 2005, when he was stopped driving three times over the legal limit and the wrong way up a dual carriageway, despite having spearheaded the 2002 drink-driving awareness campaign. “

Goody furore, he abstained on moral ground from voting on the government plans to keep the age for cervical cancer screening at twenty five. In choosing to fail to support the government he lost the whip, becoming an independent TD. Was this a principled move or was he simply jumping a sinking ship? His private life has proved no more successful. In a much publicised tellall book, his wife of thirty two years, Marguerite, told the world of a marriage marred by alcoholism, gambling and (although he disputes this) affairs. The alcoholism he readily admits to; it has had a very public impact on his political career and more importantly an impact on his family. He frankly confesses that alcohol made him “selfish”. This honesty proves to be his redemption. Whilst he feels wronged politically, he openly admits to his failings in his marriage. He is currently not drinking but admits he cannot say he will not ever “drink again”, the sign perhaps of someone who has fully grasped the longevity of addiction. Admirably, he refused to become embroiled in public mud-slinging in the aftermath of his ex-wife’s book. To turn to the present, McDaid’s call for an early election is, he claims, the only way for Fianna Fail, who are currently sitting at a 22 percent approval rating, to avoid “total decimation”. As the current administration steers through Lisbon, Nama and the next budget, they

lose public favour, and he claims that a government made up of Labour and Fine Gael would not change “one iota”. The unabashed concern with partypoliticking opposed to the good of the country, which you may say is at least honest, suggests a lack of concern for the interests of the country. If a new government was elected, surely decisions made over Nama and the 2010 budget would better reflect the wishes of the Irish people and hold more legitimacy with them then. On a further level, the charge has been laid that his calls for an early election were not about Fianna Fail at all, but originated in personal motives. It is possible that he holds the hope that an election held when the government is at its weakest will give him the best chance of getting re-elected as a technically independent candidate in his Donegal North East constituency. The question to consider is this: would an election be good for the country? No. Whilst there may have been mismanagement and mistakes made by the current government the reality is that, as McDaid himself claims, a Labour/Fine Gael coalition would change very few of the current measures being employed to tackle current problems. This government should be given an opportunity to implement these policies, at which point they should be judged on how successful they have

been. Most likely, a new coalition will be formed to build on whatever has been achieved and, hopefully bring Ireland out of its current woes. Claire Brett

MCDAID IN QUOTES “He hates travel, absolutely detests it...He almost went down in an aircraft in America last year and he took it philosophically, that if he was going to go, he was going to go. He travels for work. He hasn’t taken a holiday since 1995.’’ Marguerite McDaid, Jim McDaid’s ex-wife, quoted while McDaid was Minister for Tourism “They gave me nothing and I owe them nothing.” Jim McDaid on Fianna Fáil “An early election would leave the party with more managable losses.” Mc Daid, quoted last month as he called for a general election “He was civilised but at the same time he did not know what he was doing...If he had met an articulated truck there would have been phenomenal damage.” An eyewitness account of McDaid’s 2005 arrest “[During our marriage, Jim was] a serial adulterer, a compulsive gambler and an alcoholic” Marguerite McDaid on her ex-husband

WHO calls on smokers to cough up Claire Brett Opinion Editor AS A pack-a-day smoker, with numerous failed attempts to quit under my belt, the WHO recommendation of a two euro increase in cigarette tax can only be a good thing in aiding my efforts. However, it brings us once again to the often debated

contention between personal choice, a “nanny state” and the duty of care of those in power towards their people. To consider first the tax itself, an increase in tax on cigarettes would be the latest in a series of measures to attempt to dissuade smokers. Smoking, aside from creating a huge drain on state health services, also results in misery for many

families. The key focus of such policies is teenagers, putting cigarettes financially out of reach and aiming to make them less attractive to the group with the highest number of people taking up smoking. Such policies however, whilst they may prevent a few, ultimately fail to address the key motivations for starting and continuing. Group mentality proves to be the strongest influence; if your friends are smokers, you may try it, and more often than not, become a smoker yourself. A further problem is not so much a sense of being invincible as being unable to compute the reality of having cancer or emphysema. However much one tries, it is practically impossible to summon up the feelings of fear and selfreproach that must come when being diagnosed with cancer as a smoker. So when someone asks “but surely you know you are killing yourself?”, you reply “yes, I do” without really believing it. Much like an illicit love affair, knowing it is wrong and allowing this knowledge to stop you continuing are two different things. Ultimately, in relation to its effectiveness as a deterrent, an economic issue raised in discussions about taxation, and applicable to smokers of all ages, is that items such as cigarettes and alcohol are seen as being “sticky prices”. An increase in cigarette tax will lead to a minimal distortion in the number of packets sold, making it a very good product to tax for a government wanting to raise

extra revenue, but a poor tactic if the issue at stake is reducing the numbers of smokers. Considering the reality that this measure, if implemented, will ultimately have a minimal effect on the smoking level, is it just another example of western Europe’s move towards creating a Europe of “nanny states”? Is the consequence of increased

“Much like an illicit love affair, knowing it is wrong and allowing this knowledge to stop you continuing it, are two different things.” interference by the state in the private lives of individual a relatively harmless symptom of something much bigger: the erosion of civil liberties? Political debate from the time of Hobbes and Locke has centered around the role of the state and the line between public and private life. The state in theoretical arguments, is often seen as a necessary inconvenience which should be responsible for justice, and responsible for as little else as possible. The UK is noted for its level of state intervention, with its largely ineffective ASBO system, and the vast CCTV network which is estimated to have one camera per fourteen citizens. In Ireland, health and safety neuroticism is such that in 2005, a Boy Scouts’ 100 year celebration was prevented from lighting bonfires.

Is this undeniable increase in state involvement a bad thing? On the face of it, no. Who really opposes CCTV on high streets to catch out thieves and people mugging old ladies, except the thieves and muggers themselves? Equally, if an ASBO was enough to prevent a group of youths terrorising an estate, it could only be seen as a good thing. However the reality raises several issues. In the first instance these state measures, much like the WHO call for increased cigarette tax, are often largely ineffective. CCTV in the UK is used to solve only one out of every 1000 crimes, despite having cost £200,000,000 for London alone, whilst an ASBO among some groups has become something of a badge of pride. Equally however some elements of the neurotic state can be justified. For all those who complain bitterly about a nanny state preventing people from living freely, smoking, drinking and walking under ladders to their hearts content, health, safety and wellbeing neuroticism can be seen to be a product of the society in which we live. In essence, much of it is concerned with covering local authorities backs and mitigating the risk of being sued for personal damages. Really the problem lies in the abuse of the powers of interference leading to concerns of a surveillance state, evoking images of Stalinist Russia or Orwell’s 1984. Local UK councils have been accused of abusing surveillance powers for trivial matters such as catching people putting out their bin on the wrong day, whilst powers brought in on the basis of combating a real terrorist threat are used to stop and search people for offences related to anti-social

behaviour and motoring. In other words, the principles behind the majority of these measures are, to the law abiding citizen, perfectly reasonable. What is needed is, on the one hand, tighter regulation on the use of surveillance powers and more justification for using them, and, on the other, more discretion by the judicial system. We need a shift in perspective so that the authorities credit people with enough common sense to know that if they put their hand in the fire, it will get burnt. In time this may, bring down the degree of neuroticism attached to health and safety. So, to return to our cigarette tax; is raising the price in line with the WHO recommendation an erosion of personal choice? To an extent, it certainly attempts to limit choice through the removal of purchasing power. Will it reduce the number of people smoking? Not materially. Should it be implemented? Yes.

“Really the problem lies in the abuse of the authorities powers of interference, leading to concerns of a surveillance state.” We all know the Irish Government is facing a huge deficit, and surely it is better to target smoking rather than taking away medical cards, particularly when we smokers are the most likely to make use of them.

OPINION

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

ROUND UP

The rising spectre of extremism David Barrett WHILE MOST people regarded the June European parliament election results with at best a form of apathy, one group was rubbing its hands with glee with the outcome – the far right. In the Netherlands, the anti-Islam Party for Freedom, whose leader Geert Wilders has been barred from entering Britain as a security risk, came a close second and easily defeated the usually dominant Dutch left. In Hungary the Joppik Party, which has its own uniformed militia, won 14 percent of the vote – only a fraction behind the governing Socialists, while in the Britain the openly xenophobic British National Party (BNP) won two seats amid a collapse in support for the Labour Party. Elsewhere in Europe, from Finland to Denmark and from Italy to Austria the story was much the same – far right gains at the expense of the centre left. It is informative to look at from where within a country the far right actually gets its support. In Britain, their two best areas were Barking and Dewsbury, both deprived inner city areas, both with large immigrant populations and both historically among the British Labour Party’s safest areas. In fact,

“Labour’s move to the centre under Tony Blair has had one effect that the party did not intend: the alienation of the working class”. Labour has gradually drifted away from its traditional policies and support base since 1989 in a bid for middle class suburbia to be able to compete with the Conservatives. Essentially they had recognised that, with the death of communism and the rise of the Middle Class Labour’s traditional coalition of working-class inner cities, university professors were incapable of actually winning elections and they needed to broaden their appeal. While it is hard to have a problem with a political party trying to implement its policies by winning elections, Labour’s move to the

centre under Tony Blair has had one effect that the party did not intend: the alienation of the working class. With Labour’s transformation into New Labour, the party became one of the middle class, just like the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, and while at first the party dragged its usual base with it kicking and screaming, this situation couldn’t last. This void seems to have birthed the current crop of intolerant extremists. The problem could actually be seen as far back as 1997, at the election where Labour swept everything before it. Labour’s triumph could be seen in the fact that it won more middle class votes than working class ones for the first time in history, but this masked future problems. Not only did the party’s vote not rise as much in West Ham as, say, Oxford, the only two constituencies where Labour lost support were both in inner city London (although they still did well, and the BNP did not surface in either area for whatever reason). Nonetheless, it was the start of what would become a pattern of weaker Labour support in core areas as extreme groups of both the right and left rise, with the left at least achieving a parliamentary breakthrough with George Galloway’s RESPECT coalition being victorious in Bethnal Green in 2005. The extremists on the right seem to have had a harder time than their left wing counterparts. Most of this seems to be down to self-inflicted damage, for instance the conviction of BNP leader Nick Griffin for incitement to racial hatred in 1998. However, the BNP at least seems to have learned from its mistakes and now appears to be making a distinct effort to brand themselves better, realising that they might seem more reasonable if they stopped brandishing swastikas. They are not flaunting what turns people off the party, which makes them a much harder target for attack. This is not to say that the BNP haven’t made these advances in Europe without doing something besides better marketing. They have tapped into genuine concerns that, whether right or wrong, are not being addressed by any of the three main political parties. The top of this list is immigration, with which Labour is, from an electoral if not ideological point of view, deeply conflicted. If it takes a harsh line, it alienates immigrants, a core Labour constituency – but if it doesn’t, it alienates the 72 percent of Britons who see immigrants negatively. This is not to say that nearly three quarters of the British

CLAIRE BRETT BUSINESS

£42M PAYOUT FOR EXECUTIVES OF FAILED FIRM A REPORT published last week into the demise of MG Rover found “unreasonably large” sums of pay and pensions had been given to the top five executives, totalling £42m. This is despite the loss of 6,500 jobs as a result of the collapse which marked the end of mass production of motors in the UK. Business secretary Lord Mandelson called for an apology by the men who, for their part, described the report as a “witch hunt”, claiming the payouts were not the reason for the collapse nor indeed disproportionately large. The Serious Fraud Office does not intend to launch an investigation.

LIFESTYLE

GET ON YOUR BIKE IN DUBLIN WITH NEW RENTAL SCHEME

Protester at an anti-BNP march in Leeds earlier this year population is about to vote BNP, but it does say that there is certainly a niche for them in British politics. This niche will continue to exist if the mainstream parties keep shying away from this and other controversial topics,

“Elsewhere in Europe, from Finland to Denmark and from Italy to Austria the story was much the same – far right gains at the expense of the centre left.” even if it is just to outline their reasons as to their support for immigration. In Ireland we have been strangely fortunate in this regard. The deeply entrenched loyalties people have for the Civil War parties, as well as the tendancy for those parties to lean to the right means that we have been insulated from this to an extent. The fact that there are only four constituencies in the whole country with large numbers of poor city dwellers – Dublin Central, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central and Dublin South West – means that the far-right can only expand very slightly. They are also hampered by the monopoly that

Sinn Fein and charismatic far-left politicians like Joe Higgins MEP and Cllr. Richard Boyd Barrett have among their target voters. However, the fear among the chattering classes is that this may nonetheless be enough, and in a hung Dail, even a small far right could wield a great deal of influence in propping up a government. This, while possible, is quite improbable for one simple reason: Ireland has no far right party with even the slightest chance of getting into the Dail. The closest we have – The Immigration Control Platform, won a grand total of 1,329 votes between all its candidates in the 2007 general election, being beaten by, among others, Christian Solidarity, Republican Sinn Fein, the Socialist Workers Party and The Workers Unemployed Action Group. This is hardly an inspiring litany and hardly one that any self-respecting, growing party would want to be a part of. So what does this tell us? It tells us that the growth of right wing extremism is dependent on a viable group to channel these various sentiments into the political process. Even then in order to become effective, the group will have to relax their image to get significant support to some extent, making them less extreme and more like any other party, which slightly ruins the point of a radical protest party, wouldn’t you say?

The decade without an idea and the generation without a name WE HAVE quite a lot to live up to when considering the highlights of previous generations. In the 1950s, Martin Luther King Junior and the African American Civil Rights Movement g a t h e r e d momentum. The 1960s was an era of social, political and cultural upheaval, where counterc u l t u r e

flourished and normality was challenged. Hippie culture faded in the 1970s, but aggression towards the establishment and the peace movement remained. Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan cast shadows over the 1980s, Live Aid rocked the world, and pro-democracy movements in the East defied authority. The bravery and passion of those who we now represent, the students, were poignantly captured in one image; that of the Unknown Rebel in Tiananmen Square. In the 1990s, New Media gained a foothold in every household as a generation displayed the need for personal expression and sociopolitical freedom after the industrialised desolation of the 1980s. This is what we remember from the decades that have come before us. However each decade that has passed comes with a caveat. The flower power of the 1960s saw a huge spread in dangerous drug abuse. The underlying catalysts for mai ’68 were clouds of apathetic bourgeois intellectualism. MTV numbed the minds of the young from its beginnings and, by the mid-1990s, the cult of celebrity killed Kurt Cobain and social responsibility was rejected. The negative aspects of passing generations are numerous, but there is a reason that the darker side of each is not remembered as well as the positive. There have always been icons, symbols and soundbites, but the one

thing that has persisted is substance, or a driving set of ideals. Since World War II, the youth of society has been active, developing ideas and agendas of social, political and cultural relevance. Youth has acted on those beliefs for better or worse, often defying the status quo. For all that I would love to believe otherwise, substance is what our generation lacks. We have undoubtedly had highlights. We have elected a black man to the Presidency of the World. The environment has belatedly emerged atop political agendas. Depending on your own leanings, we are either braving a relentless financial recession or observing the international display of some of the inherent failings of capitalism. So will we too be remembered positively? I hope not. Our generation has spat on intellectualism, making intellectual engagement something to be looked down on. We have killed social interaction, indulging in social networking sites and making sure all that was once lived is now experienced through some kind of representation, a simulation which slowly eradicates that which it initially mimicked. Our generation has seen to it that the voice of youth and the power of protest have grown to be as impotent as the old ideals that we can now barely articulate. Our generation has actively mutated some of the achievements of previous decades including repackaging the liberation of women as Sex and the City. We have made self-expression a homogenous product that can be bought in high street shops. Our generation has ignored our collective human conscience; letting the world rot despite being in the most privileged position we have ever been in.

There are always exceptions. Some people have engaged. Some people have been good for the world. But our knowledge of past generations proves that generational history is just a series of generalisations coloured by the dominant ideology. All we remember are generalisations cut into decades, maybe even given a name to be remembered by. We could prove to have been detrimental to the progression of the world of the future. It might be better if we are cut adrift. We

“We have killed social interaction, indulging in social networking sites and whatever else that constitutes reality.” could be used as an example of how a generation can go wrong, something to learn from, improving the prospects of those to come. For the future, it is essential that we are remembered as what we really have been, because only if our memory is a negative one can our legacy be a positive one. Noted social and political commentator Timothy Garton Ash, has suggested that this is the “decade without a name,” but I wonder, would the “decade without an idea” be just as apt? Our generation should be separated from what has preceded us and what will follow us. We should be judged by what we have done, by what we have contributed to humanity; very little indeed. Cathal Wogan

THE NEW bike rental scheme was lauded as a roaring success last week, with 6,000 users and not one bike thrown into the Liffey. A new iPhone app has been designed by Dublin firm Fusio, which will allow users to check instantly how many bikes are available at any given bicycle station. It is hoped that the rental initiative will help to combat health issues, pollution and the high levels of inner city congestion. Such schemes have been successfully operating in cities across Europe and appear to be having a positive reception in the capital.

ENTERTAINMENT

TINA FEY WINS EMMY FOR PALIN PARODY Comedian Tina Fey has won an Emmy for her massively popular impersonation of the Republican 2008 candidate for Vice President Sarah Palin, who resigned as Alaskan governor in July. In one notable impersonation satirizing Palin, she claimed in a fake interview “Every morning, when Alaskans wake up, one of the first things they do, is look outside to see if there are any Russians hanging around. “And if there are, you gotta go up to them and ask: ‘What are you doing here?’ And if they can’t give you a good reason, it’s our responsibility to say, you know, ‘Shoo! Get back over there!’” As the campaign came to a head in November 2008 Palin was seen as a liability to the McCain ticket, an image perpetuated by merciless attacks conducted by the American media.

FISHING NEWS

FISHY BUSINESS IN CORK CAUSES SHOCK MEANWHILE, IN abandoned pet news, The Corkman reports that an oversized eel found by the Central Fisheries Board in a seine net turned out be be a giant python. To the relief of the men who found the snake, it was already dead. However the CBF director of research, Dr. Cathal Gallagher, pointed out that exotic species can prove costly to the Irish environment. He cited such examples as zebra mussels and the lagarosiphon weed which has infested lakes in Ireland at the expense of native species. STATISTICS

LAST WEEK IN STATS POLLS LAST week shows 52 percent of people support the Lisbon Treaty, with 25 percent a firm “No” and 23 percent as yet undecided. Since 2005, in an attempt to have more officers tackling frontline crime, 900 new admin posts were approved, but just 144 new patrolling Garda officers. It is estimated that 16 and 17-year-olds in Ireland now spend in the region of €123M a year on alcohol.

EDITORIAL

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

TRINITY NEWS Issue 1, Volume 56 Tuesday, 22 Septmeber 2009 6 Trinity College, Dublin 2 www.trinitynews.ie

ANOTHER THREAT TO EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE This summer saw the College Board approve an amendment to the college regulations which gives the Junior Dean, Dr Emma Stokes, disciplinary jurisdiction over students working in publications, societies and sports clubs if their actions are deemed “injurious” to health, safety or welfare. Such an amendment is a massive infringement upon the rights of the student body, awarding the Junior Dean almost limitless ability to interfere in student activity. The terms used in this amendment are particularly troubling, as the “health, safety and welfare of any person” is a phrase so general and all-encompassing that it could be applied to almost any situation whatsoever. This amendment followed repeated attempts by the Junior Dean over the last two years to discipline the editors of student publications for the content they chose to publish. On the last occasion, she attempted to summon student editors of Piranha magazine in the full knowledge that she was acting outside of her remit, as reported in this paper. This vital protection of editorial independence has now been removed. The issue is not merely a pressing one for publications, but for the entire student community. It was only two years ago that the Junior Dean’s office banned cake sales as a fundraising activity, citing healthcare concerns, and shortly before that placed a ban on those drinks receptions before 6pm which did not receive her personal seal of approval. Health and safety regulations have become increasingly intrusive to the running of societies and events, with little discernable benefit to college life. The college’s argument that they need to “strengthen” their ability to protect students is a shallow attempt to hide behind their duty of care. We are not children, and we do not require nor do we want the intervention of college authorities in our every action. This amendment was scheduled to be approved as a matter of course, without discussion. The student representatives sitting at the time raised no objections, a fact which this paper finds most deplorable. At worst this is willing compliance with a crushing blow to student freedom, and at best gross professional negligence born of apathy. Last year’s blinkered committee members leave a legacy that will have far-reaching consequences for publications, sports clubs, societies, and by extension, the general student body. Their lamantable silence effectively signed away the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of speech within the student organised bodies. This year’s student representatives have the opportunity, and indeed the responsibility, to distance themselves from their predecessor’s negligence and truly represent student interests, and will have the full support of this paper and its editoiral staff should they choose to do so.

DUE CARE FOR NATIONAL FEES CAMPAIGN The Union of Students in Ireland has, over the past few months, launched a string of publicity campaigns aimed at criticising government policy, primarily on the proposed reintroduction of fees. Sadly, these campaigns have consistently lacked any common thread or unified purpose, and have offered neither a consistent message nor a professional appearance. Last Monday night, this paper sent a representative to a USI “sleeping-out” protest outside Dáil Éireann, and discovered a collection of less than twenty individuals who had pitched tents outside. The “mass protest” which followed the next day featured a paltry 150 individuals, the majority of whom were directly involved in the USI in some capacity. This tiny gathering is not so surprising when one learns that some of Trinity’s own sabbatical officers were not aware of the existence of any such protest only days before. The student body at large was informed late on Sunday. This demonstrates a fatal inability to communicate and organise within USI. The Union is recognised by the government as the representative body for all students in the country. The officerboard, elected representatives and full-time employees of the Union, have a weighty responsibility, and this paper feels the current officers have not yet realised this. Advance planning and keen organisational skills are far more crucial to the success of any campaign than the creation of supposedly “witty” slogans or colourful promotional material. This paper calls upon our national representatives to carefully consider their long-term view of their office, and to plan ahead with due diligence and care for the benefit of all its members.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE Editor should be sent to letters@trinitynews.ie or to Trinity News, 6 Trinity College, Dublin 2. The Editor reserves the right to edit submissions for style and length. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Trinity News, its staff or its Editor.

letters@trinitynews.ie

Nails, Gerbils, and “Service” offered Sir – God knows there have been many egregious abuses of the College email system over the years. Somehow College’s IT and Network Code of Conduct has failed to prevent regular phishing attacks and outright spam like last May’s kind offer of cheap tuxedos from Victoria, “the flirty girl getting just close enough to see what tux you’re wearing” apparently sent to the entire student body. And yes, we all know that sometimes email mailing lists get a bit muddled up because, gosh, it’s tricky to handle all those pesky requests to unsubscribe. Don’t get me started on the whole BCC debacle.

But I really must take my hat off here, on the record, to the Communications Office and their tireless updates to the entire College community (that’s admin staff, academic staff, undergrads, postgrads, and Maria Fogarty -- no less than 18,390 people according to that same office’s helpful “Facts and Figures” website, though it’s unclear if Maria is included in that number) of the fascinating array of opportunities available on the Web Noticeboard. I present below for your delectation a selection of particularly vital communiques:

Nails (21 July) Service offered (25 August) Nelsons Homeopathic Labour September) Gerbils (8 September)

Maxi cosi cabrio car seats for sale (16 June) Free Leopard Gekkos (23 June)

Martin McKenna JS Biochemistry

Kit

I know I speak for all my 18,389 colleagues when I say we are truly grateful for these messages and that we await next week’s installment with patient expectation. Yours, etc,

Reinstate the shortcut through Trinity Sir – I am writing to register my disgust at the continued closure of the Westmoreland Street pedestrian gate. In my naivetë, I had assumed that this measure was purely a temporary one, and normal service would resume once building work was completed. Now however, I find myself still in the undesirable position of having to walk out the Pearse Street exit, all the way around the gym

in order to get to the Dart. I find this walk by the glass walled gym most depressing and potentially injurious to my health and wellbeing. The prospect of receiving a card which would open the Westmoreland Street gate at any time was the main reason behind my choice of Trinity College for my primary degree. As a young adult, I have fond memories of taking the shortcut through Trinity by the Westmoreland Street gate, and it saddens me

that other young people will be denied this opportunity. It is my deepest and most heartfelt hope that something may be done to rectify this regretable situation. Yours, etc. Helen Evans SF Science

Unhappy the city where students disobey OLD TRINITY by PETER HENRY

TROUBLESOME STUDENTS exist in every generation, young louts who spend their days drinking, fighting, stealing and generally enjoying themselves. These boisterous characters quickly learn to laugh at the empty threats of those in authority, and so their crimes multiply until time runs out and they leave Trinity with mediocre degrees. One might assume that modern contempt for rules creates such types, and that the college’s past was populated by upstanding, statute-abiding undergraduates. But we live in peaceful times compared with the rowdy 18th century, when ostensibly respectable students – nobles, sons of nobles, and gentlemen – were infamous in Dublin for the havoc they caused. These good-time youngsters were known as “Bucks”, many of whom could be identified by the gold- or silver-tasselled gowns in which they strutted about. Fighting, duelling, drinking and general troublemaking were the hobbies of the Buck, who could be found in Dublin’s ale houses and more expensive eateries. Rabble rousing at the theatre was a regular pastime. In 1746 a young Galway gentleman named Kelly climbed onto the stage at Smock Alley and insulted the actress, before flinging oranges at the actors, injuring one. The theatre manager got his hands on Kelly and delivered a flogging, only for the student to take his angry friends along a few days later. They caused a riot and wrecked the theatre. The unruly gang, armed with swords, hunted for Sheridan, the theatre manager, who had a lucky escape. The Trinity-educated Jonah Barrington – not the squash player, who came much later – recounts in his 1827 Personal Sketches how students, himself included, would fling coins from their coaches, smashing windows as they were taken around the town. While on their vandalism sprees the noblemen among them would turn their gowns inside out to hide the bright tassels and avoid identification. Those who incurred the students’ displeasure would often be taken to the college pump for

a sousing. In 1775 a printer who had published some less-thanflattering articles about Trinity students received a visit to his home. He was grabbed, dragged to a waiting coach with pistols to his head, and taken to the pump. There he was nearly trampled to death by the students, but escaped when some of the Fellows interfered. Sousing was no novelty by then. Over 30 years earlier a Scholar was arrested for unpaid debts and taken to prison. His faithful friends hunted down the arresting bailiff and punished the unfortunate man at the college pump. They then rioted in the town and tried to storm the prison. The mob was fired on, and two men killed. Five unlucky students were sent down, and five more given a good talking to – one of these being Oliver Goldsmith. The students were able to escape discipline relatively easily in Dublin due to the college authorities’ lack of jurisdiction outside the walls. In Oxford or Cambridge a rowdy youth would need to be always on the lookout for dons; not so in Dublin. “The character of a Buck can be very easily acquired,” records Advice to University of Dublin: “You must at one time dress in the pink of fashion, and at another time appear quite slovenly and dirty ... Let your gait be erect or swaggering, and put on a look of manly ferocity, as if you were to knock down everyone you meet.” Offensive language is a plus: “Make yourself acquainted with all the stylish oaths, and the manner of expressing them”. The 1791 work advised the would-be Buck to gain “some knowledge of bruising”, suggesting he practises his fighting skills with “a coalporter or the bully of a brothel” or receive instruction from “a skilful shoeboy”. One of the Bucks’ set, though not a Trinity man, gained fame for completing the difficult dare of travelling to Jerusalem and returning within a set time. Often known thereafter as Jerusalem Whaley, he is better known to Dublin’s modern late-night socialites by another name: Buck Whaley. The college’s attempts to control the students sometimes backfired. In 1734 one student was censured after insulting the Junior Dean. His friends stoned the Dean and wrecked his rooms. The fun continued with a riot, during which one person (not a student, in this case) tried to set fire to the college gates. That same year one of the fellows, the unpopular Edward Ford, was shot dead at his window in the Rubrics – number 25 – by

A Junior Fellow and a nobleman’s son in their academic dress, the gold tassles visible on the cap and gown of the filius nobilis. From a plate in Taylor’s 1845 History of the University of Dublin students firing from New Square. Five undergraduates were sent down for their part in the shooting, but later acquitted by a court. Popular feeling was against their prosecution, especially, says one letter of the time, among womenfolk, “who were astonished at the barbarity of undertaking so cruel a persecution against the sons of gentlemen, suspected only of a frolic!” Distaste for rules and authority is a constant feature of youth. You will grow out of it. Meanwhile, the next time the JD is complaining about your contemptible behaviour you can truthfully retort that, as Trinity students go, you’re really not that bad at all. THE SOURCE for much of the above is Constantia Maxwell’s entertaining history of the college. Reviewing Professor Maxwell’s book in TCD: A College Miscellany in 1946, Professor McDowell wrote: “A quiet reading man in 18thcentury Trinity must frequently have found the atmosphere trying.” An understatement, surely! THE FIRST of these columns last Michaelmas term covered some of the peculiar vocabulary used within these walls, both now and in the past. The omission of “Buck” has now been remedied, and I have discovered another interesting word, ripe for resurrection. Slang and its Analogues Past and Present (1891) gives the word “colfabias” or “colfabis” as “A Latinised Irish phrase signifying the closet of decency, applied as a slang term to a place of resort in Trinity College, Dublin.” The more recent Routledge Dictionary of Historical Slang corroborates, giving colfabias as “a water closet at Trinity College, Dublin”, dating the word to around 1820. Here in Trinity, therefore, a bog is not a bog, but a colfabias. pehenry@tcd.ie

BUSINESS & CAREERS

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

NAMA: a necessary evil Mark Halligan WITH THEIR approval rating at an all-time low and pressure from the Opposition to call an early election, the Government could really do with some good press. It is a wonder then that Fianna Fáil is proposing a plan that has little support from the general public. The setting up of the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) - touted as a panacea for Ireland’s banking system - is being pursued as an alternative to widespread nationalisation. On paper, the plan looks like an attractive idea. NAMA will act as a “bad bank”, buying up toxic loans and assets, in order to clear Irish banks’ balance sheets and inject more liquidity into the economy. The priority is to get the banks lending again while avoiding messy nationalisations which could put the taxpayer’s money at even more risk. A recent report published by Bloxham stockbrokers argues that NAMA can fulfil these requirements. As it stands, the total loan book held by the banks operating in Ireland comes to €534bn, with the largest portion (44%) being taken up by mortgages. On top of this there is a significant imbalance between value of the loans held by the banks and the size of the banks’ deposits. This means that there is a significant liquidity shortage in the banking sector. There are two ways to address this worrying imbalance. Firstly, the institutions can attempt to reduce the size of their loans. Reports suggest that shrinkage of €190 billion from their lending books over the next few years would be necessary. This is what NAMA is setting out to accomplish. Otherwise, banks would need massive injections of capital to increase the size of their deposits. This option leads to nationalisation. These are both viable alternatives, so why has

ISEQ ROUND UP IT HAS been a hectic fortnight for the Irish stock market with the announcement of the NAMA details and the subsequent Dáil debates. Perhaps the most positive development has been that, despite the announcement, Ireland’s credit rating remained unchanged. The ISEQ has surged 12.8% in the past two weeks to finish at 3429.1. The ISEQ is now at its highest level since August last year. The gains were led by financial stocks with AIB up 33.6% at €3.29, Bank of Ireland up 28.7% at €3.25, and Anglo Irish up 10.4% at €5.25. The positive reaction of the markets to NAMA has provided a huge boost for investor confidence, and a recovery in the stock market is now beginning to take shape. Elsewhere, Aer Lingus shares soared 38.5% to 75c after new CEO Christoph Muller warned that the airlines 4000 staff to expect an “amputation” rather than “cosmetic surgery” as he attempts to restructure the ailing airline. His comments signal that he is prepared to take the tough decisions necessary to stem the losses at the airline. Tullow shares also jumped 6.05% to €12.91 after a new oil frontier was established off the coast of Ghana. The main loser in the market was defensive food stock Glanbia, down 7.4% to €2.55 as investors flocked in the high return banking stocks.

the government chosen to target loans rather than deposits? Although recent history offers us many examples of nationalisations — Germany, Sweden and Finland have all turned to it in the past to deal with their respective crises — comparison can only go so far. While it is prudent to analyse and take into account the actions of other governments and financial institutions, it is important to focus on the unique aspects of the current situation. A measure which was successful in one economy at one point in time may prove ineffective or counter-productive elsewhere because of different fundamental issues. For example, when a similar banking crisis took place in Sweden in the early 1990s, the effect on unemployment was not as dramatic as the one that has been produced in Ireland. A recent poll of Irish economists by Reuters shows that unemployment is expected to rise to 13.9% at the end of the last quarter. Differences exist with regard to public debt also. Finland’s public debt rose from 12% to 60% of GDP over five years as its government struggled to get to grips with the crisis. Irish public debt is currently thought to stand at 60% of GDP, and the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) estimates that it could rise as high as 73% in 2010 (it is important to point out that the money used to finance NAMA will classified as “off balance sheet” and is not reflected in this figure.) Finally, it is crucial to note that the size of our loan book exceeds that of either country during their respective crises. Because of these dissimilarities between Ireland and comparable cases, an alternative solution had to be sought. The unveiling of the NAMA legislation on September 16th represents a turning point for the sector: Bank of Ireland shares jumped by 17% when the

markets opened the following morning, while AIB shares rose by 29% in just 20 minutes. This is a clear sign that investors see this legislation as a key tool in the Government’s responding to the crisis. But what about the taxpayer? One of the key concerns raised by the opposition and members of the public is that NAMA will overpay on the value of these loans. Brian Lenihan, the Minister for Finance, has announced that the loans bought by the agency will be discounted at an average rate of 30% from their peak value. This valuation has already been built into the predicted cost of acquisition with the potential for future levies to be placed on the banking sector. Mr. Lenihan hit back at critics who

“... sadly the discussion has descended into exactly the kind of political point-scoring that this country can ill afford.” argue that the recession could prove to be W-shaped, by saying that there was clear evidence that Ireland had reached the bottom of the slump. Proponents of the scheme also point to studies which suggest that the cost of nationalisation would be a greater burden to the taxpayer than NAMA will prove to be. Nationalisation also brings with it the risk of deterring private investors. No new taxes will be introduced to pay for these discounted assets. All funding comes from the sale of State Bonds which have a further guarantee from Europe. The state will

BOOKS

pay €54bn for assets with a book value of €77bn. Despite the risks associated with the scheme, the benefits are clear. But public support for NAMA has been tepid. There is the perception that it exists simply to help bankers keep their jobs and developers to keep their millions. But the real problem is that NAMA is being put forward by an unpopular Government. A poll conducted in early September showed that public support for the “bad bank” hovered around 26% while the Government was enjoying an approval rating of just 17%. The opposition parties have been very vocal in the expression of their misgivings about the proposal, with Labour supporters even going so far as to picket the Dáil while the NAMA debate was taking place. The concerns of the Opposition are valid, but sadly the discussion has descended into exactly the kind of political pointscoring that this country can ill afford. To an extent, the Opposition are right: this is a huge financial under-taking, and only the scrutiny of our elected officials will ensure that there are no major hiccups. But all sides need to accept that NAMA is now a reality and should work together in order to ensure its success. With such a costly scheme on the table, we cannot afford them not to.

THE PARADOX OF CHOICE : WHY MORE IS LESS Barry Schwartz. HarperCollins 2005. THE PAST few decades have seen the rapid expansion of the range of choices available to us as citizens and consumers. From the trivial right up to the life-altering, our range of options has never been greater. This freedom to choose, a core tenet of modern economics, is generally regarded as a positive development. Enter Barry Schwartz with his latest provocative work. Schwartz’s thesis is simple: although our freedom to choose is greater than ever before, its very expansion has resulted in a loss of liberty. Indecisiveness, a tendency to dwell on “bad” decisions, a fixation with having “the best” and the inevitable comparisons with the choices of others have all combined to reduce our overall level of life satisfaction. Disappointingly, the author does have a tendency to hammer home his point about the variety of options we must face everyday. The first chapter, for example, lists the number of varieties and brands which we must confront when shopping for a broad range of products. However, this heavyhandedness quickly gives way to carefully illustrated and wellreasoned arguments. Schwartz manages to deftly combine theory with academic studies and personal experiences, while going beyond a simple critique of the “darker side of choice”. Readers will be interested in the practical advice on offer which aims to ‘mitigate…many sources of distress” associated with choosing. A compelling read, this book is a must for anyone who has ever felt “the tyranny of choice”.

Tougher times not ahead for graduates

MORE SEX IS SAFER SEX: THE UNCONVENTIONAL WISDOM OF ECONOMICS Stephen E. Lansburg Free Press 2007

Despite the constant job losses reported in the media, the future iss not quite so dim for graduates, writes Business Editor Jason Somerville. Jason Somerville Business & Careers Editor THE PAST twelve months have seen the unfolding of the most severe economic downturn in decades. This contraction has been unique in the Irish experience in that it has occurred on a global rather than a national scale. The recession has left soon-to-be graduates facing an uncertain and unstable job market. The global nature of the current downturn makes the typically Irish solution of emigration by graduates redundant. What’s more, our economic outlook has never been so uncertain. Over the past year, the number of people signing on the Live Register has more than doubled. And coupled with the setting up of the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA), a costly “bad bank” which will buy up Irish banks’ toxic assets, this has raised serious concerns over public finances. However, despite this uncertainty, a number of recent developments suggest that Ireland could be set for a return to growth and a more robust labour market in the not too distant future. Economic commentators have long been cautioning against US President Barack Obama’s commitment to clamping down on tax havens such as Ireland. Since getting into office, he has made good on his promise. However, the target of his administration’s efforts has been locations such as the Cayman Islands and Bermuda. This has resulted

in a number of multinationals flocking to Ireland over the past few months despite our economic woes. For example, Interxion, the data centre provider, has announced that it plans to invest €12m in the construction of a second data centre in West Dublin by 2010, while Helsinn Birex Pharmaceuticals announced plans back in May to put an end to the outsourcing of certain research work and instead to keep it in Ireland. Even more exciting is the decision taken by Accenture, the management consultancy firm, to move its Headquarters from Bermuda to Grand Canal Dock in Dublin in order to avoid reforms in the way US multinationals are to be taxed. And other firms look set to follow suit. Major corporations are now reviewing their corporate structures in light of new tax laws and regulatory changes, and it looks like Ireland will continue to benefit. A report entitled “The Day After Tomorrow” by PricewaterhouseCoopers reveals the “unambiguous opportunity” that exists for Dublin’s Irish Financial Services Centre (IFSC) to establish itself as a new industry hub for the $200bn global reinsurance market. The report also highlights Ireland’s creditability as a reinsurance centre - half of the major reinsurers already have some operations here. This is unquestionably good news for graduates who have feared the flight of high-value jobs to locations where the cost of doing business is substantially

lower. Indeed, a report by BCA Research argues that too much pessimism surrounds Ireland’s prospects. It points to the country’s “overlooked economic flexibility,” and suggests that Ireland has the potential to become the next Hong Kong if it can return to the export-based growth model it relied on before 2002. Recent attempts to attract the kind of multi-nationals which will service the global rather than the domestic economy, while creating highly-skilled jobs, suggest that this is exactly the type of policy which the Government is eager to achieve. Fears of another Great Depression are beginning to fade after the return to growth of several major European economies (such as Germany) and the growing belief that the US economy is preparing to join them. In Ireland, a string of recent economic indicators have given the clearest signal yet of the bottoming out of the recession. Industrial output is beginning to rise despite tough global conditions. Lower consumer prices are providing a considerable boost to the competitiveness of the Irish economy, while a rise in monthly prices has calmed fears of a deflationary spiral. Even the rate of deterioration in retail spending is slowing: it rose 2.2% monthon-month in June. All this has set the stage for more positive economic output forecasts for the future. Just as forecasters were overly optimistic about

The error of optimism dies in a crisis but in dying it gives birth to an error of pessimism. This new error is born, not an infant, but a giant. French economist A. C. Pigou

the Irish economy in 2008, it is now evident that they have been too pessimistic about prospects for 2009. Of course, for Irish citizens at least, any recovery will be measured in terms of its effect on employment. Last month has seen the lowest number of people signing onto the Live Register in fourteen months. Many economists now believe the Government’s unemployment forecasts are too pessimistic. If that is the case, we can expect to see a considerable boost to the public finances if the actual unemployment rate undercuts Government projections (the estimated cost to the Exchequer for every person on the Register through welfare payments and lost tax revenue is around €20,000 per year). While there have been many favourable developments in the Irish economy in the last few months, they should be greeted with caution. The short-term challenges are still immense: employment needs to start growing and it is unreasonable to rely solely on foreign firms as growth engines; the budget deficit has to be addressed without damaging the recovery of an already frail economy; and easy access to credit needs to be restored if businesses are to thrive. However, once these challenges are overcome, the long-run potential for growth is present and a richer job market should await future graduates.

In recent years there has been a huge increase in the amount of economics books aimed at readers who have little or no knowledge of the discipline. Titles such as Freakonomics and The Natural Economist have tried to make the subject less abstract and more relevant to the reader’s everyday life. This is one such book. Surprisingly, its title is not the most provocative thing about this book. Landsburg views everyday problems through the lens of economics to startling effect. He suggests reforms of the American political and justice systems, while simultaneously pulling the rug out from under campaigners for zero population growth and, to a certain extent, proponents of abstinence. Some of Landsburg’s conclusions (for instance, that having more children will lead to the resolution of the problem of population growth) are difficult to swallow but the arguments are wellreasoned and lucid. And lest the reader should accuse the author of merely applying economic theory to the exclusion of common sense, there is a final chapter entitled “Things that make me squirm” in which he highlights the dangerous conclusions which a purely economics-centred perspective can lead to. Though controversial, Landsburg manages to offer a clear, often humorous introduction to neo-classical economic theory which appeals to beginners and economists alike. Reviews by Lisa Keenan

FORTNIGHT IN FIGURES

3.7% industrial output for May-July (compared with the previous quarter)

5.9% consumer prices since August 2008

26%

€25bn

of voters backing NAMA

raised this year by the NTMA to fund the deficit

2.2%

17%

retail spending May-June 2009

of voters backing the Government

€54bn total cost of acquisition of assets by NAMA

80% of forecasters polled for the Blue Chip Economic Indicators survey how believe the US recession is now over

SCIENCE

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

IN BRIEF

Who’s really filling in your prescription?

LUKE MAISHMAN TECHNOLOGY

AUGMENTED REALITY FOR NEWEST IPHONE LAUNCHED

To what extent does Big Pharma influence the medical profession? Ronan Lyne takes a closer look, with unsettling results THERE IS a war being conducted for your prescription. The opposing sides? The pharmaceutical companies who want to profit by selling you drugs you don’t need, and your doctors, whose job is to prescribe the most effective drugs to treat your condition. Unlike most other products, however, it is your doctor who decides what you take, not you. And the stakes – and profits – are far higher. But your doctors may have already fallen victim to peer pressure, subtle bribery and outright disinformation, all in the name of profit. The news that major US pharmaceutical company Pfizer, makers of Viagra, have recently agreed to pay out a multi-billion dollar

“Even peer-reviewed academic journals, supposedly the bastion of scientific integrity, are not free of pharmaceutical companies’ influence” settlement to the US government over fraudulent marketing brings the testing, promotional and marketing practices of pharmaceutical companies under the spotlight once again. The $2.3bn settlement was paid out due to Pfizer’s intentionally misbranding drugs and promoting them to doctors for conditions for which they were not tested; allegations of bribery are still under investigation. This is not the first time Pfizer have been found guilty of such practices; however, while they may have crossed a line, their competitors aren’t far behind. Suffering from high blood pressure? There can be a hundred different possible prescriptions, some of which have been tried and tested for thirty years or more, some of which are new to the market. There may be many variants, each one promoted by a different company.

TRINITY RESEARCHERS

DR. STEFAN HUTZLER FOCUSES ON FOAM

FOAMS ACCOMPANY many of our daily and nightly routines: you come across them when shampooing your hair or brushing your teeth, or when enjoying your cappucino or a heady pint. But understanding the structure of foams and how this in turn determines its flow properties is important not only for the food industry and personal care products; whenever foams are solidified they may be used as packaging or building materials. Metallic foams, for example, have been used as structural elements in cars where they help to reduce the impact of a crash. And most recently, fibres have been produced that consist of solidified bubbles and that can be woven into a fabric. The School of Physics Foams and Complex Systems Group addresses the issues above by performing experiments, theory, and simulations. The group is fascinated by the beauty and complexity of foams, not unlike the three-year old or younger visitors of the Bubble exhibition which recently finished in the Science Gallery.

Medical professionals are supposed to use their scientific training, along with published, independent clinical data to decide which of these drugs is most appropriate for your condition. But at every front, these companies and their agents are vying to sway your doctors into prescribing their products, from taking them out to expensive dinners, to suppressing the results of clinical trials in some cases. In-office marketing is conducted by drug sales representatives, who are the pharmaceutical company’s most expensive marketing tool. There is one rep for every 7 doctors in the UK & Ireland, and they command salaries of €100,000 per year and upwards. A drug rep’s job is to convince doctors to prescribe the drug under promotion, by whatever means necessary. Drug reps are trained to build a rapport with doctors, so that their word and the information they disseminate is trusted. They also supply doctors with branded pens, notepads and mugs so that even on a subconscious level, the doctor is constantly bombarded with the brandname of the drug in question. Drug reps usually promote only one drug at a time, and can be considered experts on the drug in question, thus they are a primary source of information for doctors. They are required to bring research papers containing the statistics, but by becoming a trusted source of information, many doctors barely glance at the statistics, and are more susceptible to spin. The drug reps may also hint at “off-label” uses for the drug in question – that is, prescribing the drug for conditions for which it has not been tested. For example, tricyclic antidepressants are frequently used to treat migraines and chronic pain; it is, however, strictly illegal for companies to promote or suggest this type of prescription. In Pfizer’s case, drug reps allegedly promoted their drugs in exactly this manner, and also bribed doctors to encourage them to prescribe the drugs in question. Neurontin, an anti-epilepsy drug, was promoted variously for use in attention-deficit disorder, depression, and alcohol withdrawal syndrome, all of

Money pills: are our doctors swayed by big pharma when prescribing us medicine?

which can be treated with safer, cheaper and more established drugs. As devious as drug reps’ in-office marketing tactics can be, they pale in comparison to the rest of the promotional strategies used by Pfizer and their ilk. Continuing professional development [CPD] is an important part of medical professionals’ competence, and is required for upkeep of their licenses to practice. By attending conferences and educational seminars, doctors are kept up-to-date with the latest clinical research and practice methods. However, instead of being funded by taxpayers or doctors themselves, most of these educational seminars are hosted and sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, who see it as an opportunity to extend their influence over prescriptions. In the past, doctors were frequently flown to exotic destinations and accommodated at luxury hotels to attend “educational events”, furthering the culture of gifting; however, new guidelines from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations have curbed these practices – at least somewhat. Doctors may still be wined and dined in expensive restaurants – they just can’t bring their spouses anymore.

“A drug rep’s job is to convince doctors to prescribe the drug under promotion, by whatever means necessary” However, the most worrying influence comes from pharmaceutical companies’ use of research journals to subtly promote their drugs. Leading academics and medical professionals [aka “key opinion leaders”, in pharm marketing-speak] are often bankrolled to speak at the above CPD seminars, using their reputations to support a new

drug. But even peer-reviewed academic journals – ostensibly the bastion of scientific integrity – are not free of pharmaceutical companies’ influence. Recently, US Ivy League medical schools Columbia and NYU were rocked by scandals involving academic staff attaching their names to ghostwritten papers. The papers, which are drafted by pharmaceutical companies to show their products in a positive light, and are published in medical journals for marketing purposes, generally downplay the risks of the drug in question, as well as any adverse drug reactions. Pfizer, again, are guilty of this practice, particularly in relation to Neurontin, where they either suppressed negative results or published them in foreignlanguage journals. And again, they are only distinct from their peers in that they were unfortunate enough to get caught – the practice is widespread. The practice has been condemned by medical ethics experts and US Senators, one of whom is putting pressure on the National Institutes of Health to crack down on such practices. But as the line begins to blur, it becomes apparent that it is up to individual universities to tackle the problem at the source, or risk their reputation. For smaller universities, however, the benefits of ghostwritten research – publishable and citable in journals of repute – may outweigh the drawbacks. The practical implications cannot be underestimated. If the information supplied to doctors is deliberately misleading, it jeopardises patient health and finance. So is there a viable solution? Many doctors are turning away from corporate sponsorship and refusing to accept any forms of hospitality from drug reps. Organisations such as No Free Lunch [nofreelunch.org] campaign for stricter legislation surrounding pharmaceutical companies’ marketing habits. And as a patient? Educate yourself about your treatment. Ask your doctor about generics and alternatives. Encourage him or her to take the No Free Lunch pledge, and let evidence, rather than profit, decide.

It’s the knowledge economy, stupid Not only should research grants not be cut, but increased funding for science and technology projects is imperative to get us through this recession HOW MANY Leaving Certs students did you know this year? And of those, how many chose a science or engineering course? There has been a 25 percent increase in the number of applicants to higher-level science courses, as students flock to what seems like a safe bet and a certain job. But just how wrong are they? It seems that, even before they try, many are doomed to failure - nightmarish estimations of first year failure rates of 39 percent are an unfortunate reality. Sorry, Junior Freshmen, but that’s how it is. And even for those who persevere, it

seems the future might not be as rosy as your guidance counsellor would have had you believe. Despite much-feted talk of Ireland’s Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (SSTI) investment plans, the nowinfamous Bord Snip recommends slashing the amount spent in the area of science and technology by at least €27.3 million. And amidst the recession that has gripped the country it seems the dreaded Brain Drain might once again become a reality. But why should we encourage our boffins to stay their difficult course? Do we really need the men and women in white coats with

funnily-shaped glassware and even funnier social skills to save us from our economic slump? In my naturally wholly unbiased opinion, the answer is yes. For the entire duration of the spectacular and gigantic saga of our banks’ fall from grace, our science and technology sector has not only been steady, but has actually been storming ahead. True, some jobs were lost in manufacturing sections of TEVA and Intel, but in the last few months, there have also been 95 jobs created in Galway by Lumension and the Netezza Corporation of Massachusetts, 250 jobs created by Sim2Learn, 300 jobs created by InTune, and 160 jobs created in Carlow by Sigma. Sigma also contributed to the economy with a hefty €20 million investement. With Helsinn Birex investing another €13 million in Dublin, and US insurance firm Unum setting up a software servicing centre, that’s a total of 1005 jobs created. All of these jobs were made possible by a highly technically educated workforce; by those boffins who slaved away in the Hamilton ends of their respective universities. The future for research funding in many countries looks grim, none moreso than in Britan, where academics are rushing their grants proposals in before the Conservatives cut spending after the next general election. This is now Ireland’s chance to attract bright minds from all over the globe and build a world industry of innovation and ingenuity. It’s the knowledge economy, stupid. Hugh O’Sullivan

WITH THE release of iPhone OS 3.1, augmented reality applications are finally available to purchase from the App store, albeit for users of the iPhone 3GS only. This technology makes it possible to look through the iPhone camera at a city street, for example, and have computer-generated information [such as nearby restaurants] overlaid. The applications are only available for the iPhone 3GS, as they rely on the newest model’s digital compass for direction and positional information. One such proof-ofconcept example, the Nearest Tube application, unsurprisingly helps users to find the nearest London Tube station by tilting and moving their iPhone. Similar applications exist for the Paris and New York metro systems, with varying amounts of additional tourist information.

NO, REALLY

JUDGING EACH OTHER BASED ON OUR TUNES ALONE HAVING OTHERS see the music collection on your iPod may cause them to judge your character and personality. Writing in his recent paper, “You Are What You Listen To”, Dr Jason Rentfrow of Cambridge University confirms that yes, people do make assumptions about you based on your music collection.

PSYCHOLOGY

TODDLERS NOT QUITE AS SELFISH AS EXPECTED IN CONTRAST to their apparent selfish nature, toddlers appear to be inherently altruistic, at least according to Harvard researchers. Studying 14- to 18-month old children, they found that the toddlers helped others to reach their goals, without the possibility of concern for reciprocation or the effect on their reputation. They suggest that toddlers learn to be more discriminating with their help as they age and encounter more diverse social situations and a wider variety of people. Similar research conducted with chimpanzees, our closest primate relatives, showed that they are much less altruistic by comparison, and are far less likely to share resources, making the roots of human altruism more complex than previously expected.

ENVIRONMENT

STENCH OF DEATH CAN BE USED AS PEST CONTROL BIOLOGISTS FROM McMaster University in Canada recently discovered that the smelly blend of chemicals emitted by dead cockroaches acts as a universal insect repellant. To study the process, they mashed up the bodies of cockroaches, as well as using intact corpses and alcohol extracts. They found that cockroaches avoided the areas in which the scent was placed. In addition, other species of insect were also repelled by the stench, leading the researchers to suggest that the chemicals act as a signal to other insects to avoid death or disease, and that this mechanism has been conserved across species. They hope that it may offer a new method to protect crops and repel pests from houses and buildings, but more research is needed before any of these ideas may be applied.

TRAVEL

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

The Real India Riding the rails in India, Travel editor Jimmy Lee found himself on a quest for the genuine article- and found it on the cheapest seats. Jimmy Lee Travel Editor “YOU SAID you wanted to see ‘Real India’, Mister David. Here it is.” “Well, here’s a bit of the ‘Real America’ too, son (hands Jamal a $100 note).” Much has been made of Slumdog Millionaire and its international success. Everybody has something to say about the Oscar-winning Best Picture. But this short scene has quietly generated plenty of discussion for its not-so-subtle message on poverty voyeurism and slightly more subtle allusion to foreign “aid”. Poverty voyeurism is prevalent all over the world, and often the avid traveller walks a fine line every day. He or she will not likely realise it until they are on the wrong side of that line. They are tired of the McDonald’s Happy Meal version offered by their hotel’s organised bus tour. They want to see “real India”. And fair enough to them. Tourism, rather than flourishing and exhibiting one’s own culture, often ends up cheapening it by packaging it into a box which Westerners can understand and tolerate. In short, they know what we generally go for. But then there are the dissenters. They start to realise that what they are seeing seems a little too All-American. They feel like they’re being lied to. They want to see real India. But what is “real India”? Does it exist in Mumbai, India’s Bollywoodland, where dreams come true? Is it in Chennai, where India’s tech industry propels the exponentially growing middle class? Or is it in the slums of New Delhi, visible upon entry for every train-riding visitor to see in all its “glory”? This fine line is easily found on the old tracks of India’s railways, where personal introspection meets Real India. Before he was a Mahatma (title meaning “Great Soul” in Hindi), Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi rode these infamous rails in order to see the Real India he had left so long before for

his studies and career as a barrister, in England and South Africa, respectively. By this time, he had received a certain renown for his work for the rights of indentured ex-patriot Indian workers in South Africa. Despite his status, however, MK Ghandi was adamant about riding in the third class cars, in order to get a real appreciation of the troubles of the people. Today, the third class cars are no longer available, and the lowest and cheapest seat available is a seat on

The mere sight of these greasy cardboard boxes were the bell to my Pavlovian dog.

the sleeper class cars. But the name change is simply that, and one cannot really imagine that there has been much change, if any, to this proverbial “chariot of the people”. Seats are tiered, wooden benches, which hang down from the wall by chains so rusty one can’t help but feel concern for their fellow passengers on the lower level. Each bench has a long blue cushion, which look like they were just pulled off a 1979 Dodge Caravan that had been sitting in the Rhajastani desert for the past 30 years. These benches, though supposed to seat three, will often seat five to six at a time, as train jumpers make their way to the sleeper cars, where they are less likely to be hassled for tickets. The bathrooms can be accurately described as a hole in the floor, although there are usually 2 wooden planks to keep your feet dry. In his auto-biography, Ghandi himself wrote about the woes of third class passengers and that he “had experiences of third class travelling which, if I wrote them all down, would easily fill a volume”. However, he later proclaimed his “profound regret

that physical incapacity should have compelled me to give up third class travelling”, leading one to believe that despite all its negatives, Ghandi had seen some merit in travelling via this woeful medium. Ghandi was most certainly not a poverty voyeur, and he certainly was a man of means, even without his stature. So what was it that made him declare such remorse? Well, in today’s sleeper class cars, the less-than-opulent nature of its accommodation is something that the average westerner might have trouble ignoring. However, one of the many merits of such confined travel is found in the very people you might find yourself intimately seated next to. Though it is true that, in sleeper class, you are much less likely to find fellow commuters who speak English, don’t think that you need to ride cushy, air-conditioned first class cars to find stimulating conversation. English is still truly a status language of the elite in India, but with an estimated 100350 million English speakers in the country, you are bound to come upon a few people to converse with, and you won’t find a more random cross-section of people than on a trans-India tour on the rails. Another merit of riding sleeper class are the sumptuous eatables that one can only find out on the street stalls. At just about every stop, the train cars are bombarded with entrepreneurs of all sorts. The mere sight of these greasy cardboard boxes were the bell to my Pavlovian dog. Samosas and Sambusas of all types of filling and chutney, curries with even more curious meats, and a plethora of nuts, fruits and vegetables filled the cars with so much scintillating flavour, it was enough to wake me from the deepest of slumbers on the overnight trains. Having never ridden the plush accommodations of the first class, one could say that I have some bias to my own experience. This can’t be argued. But that doesn’t take away from the many

India’s premiere tourist trap and national icon, the Taj Mahal. Photo: James Lee. reasons for riding in the lowest class. Sure, you may find palatably prepared meals in the upper class, but not to the same degree of multifariousness that jumps on board at leisure at every stop across India. If a group of young food runners carrying their delicacies came through the assigned seats of first class, they would undoubtedly find themselves jettisoned back out to their stalls at the station before the passengers would even have a chance to smell their tantalizing aromas. Many bring up the relative safety of the first class cabins, and again, there really is no argument there. But the sleeper class cars are not exactly crime-filled slums either. The patrons of sleeper class may be of lesser means, but that does not make them criminals. Regarding demographics, many of the travellers are part of the enormous, ever-growing middle class of India, and are often doing the same thing you are, which is touring the vast lands of India, usually with their families. There are tons of people packed into these cars, and no one is stupid enough to do anything serious in front of such a large group. Your fellow passengers would more than likely jump to your aid, rather than join in on the act. So if you are worried about having your wallet or

purse stolen, be smart about it. Don’t break out a wad of all your cash every time you need to pay for a 50 cent curry. If it doesn’t make sense to do it at home, it probably doesn’t make sense to do it there either. My own sojourn was, at first, one of circumstance. I did not come to follow in the footsteps of the aforementioned Mahatma, to discover and subsequently attempt to resolve all of India’s problems. I did not come because I was tired of the life of the upper class and wanted to see what “the other side lived like”. Far from it; my former place of residence was in a leprosy hospital, situated between two slums. Simply put, I was, and still am, a poor student. I, like many, live off the mercy of a bank’s fluctuating interest rates. The discrepancy between first class and sleeper class tickets differs from city to city, village to village, but it is often exponential, rather than summative. Travelling in this manner allowed me to taste more of India, see more of India, and best of all, speak with more of India. I rode nearly 80 hours on the rails, in a matter of weeks, and in that time, was able to play impromptu cricket in Bangalore, meditate in the empty side chambers of the sacred Sree Meenakshi Temple, howl to a blue moon in the

baron desert of Rajasthan, relish the flavours of New Delhi, and even marvel at the imposing tourist trap that is the Taj Mahal. The experience of sitting with your legs hanging out the doors, watching the beautiful landscape transform before your eyes, is enough of a draw for most. But what travelling Sleeper Class affords the typical cash-strapped student is the chance to see as much of “real India” as one can in a short amount of time, because, for the impoverished vagabond, the flight usually empties the bank. Claims of authenticity are always tricky, especially when throwing around terms like “real India”. Living first class (and not just in trains) can show you an India that many Indians haven’t even seen. Travelling through a country with substantial poverty can lead one to believe that the only legitimate experience one can have in it is to be exposed to the same poverty. Is that what “real India” is? A simplified beacon for destitution? To assume so is to marginalise. So when you decide to jump ship from the Range Rover culture of tourism today, remember to think about your motivations. You just might be the newest proponent of poverty voyeurism.

Racing through Paris Drawn in by the cycling at the final stage of the Tour de France, travel writer Allan Klompas found himself distracted and enamoured by Paris’ many bright lights. Allan Klompas I HAVE something to confess, something that can be a little difficult to say to an audience of strangers; I am a hopeless cycling fan and France in July is the holy land to which we all flock. Whether it is racing in the flats, suffering up the Tourmalet, or sprinting through Monaco, the Tour de France offers a window to all the scenery that France has to offer. With all the controversy surrounding the sport, I can immediately picture the rolling eyes that inevitably follow the very mention of a cycling vacation but let me assure you one thing: as challenging as it is to convince you of its merits, it pales in comparison to the challenge it was of convincing my wife, Julie, to join me. Striking a compromise, we decided to head to Paris for the final weekend to see the battered riders return to the capital and take in some Parisian sights along the way. It struck me by surprise that upon our arrival on Friday afternoon there was little mention of anything occurring at all. With France’s showcase a mere two days away from completion, I must admit, I expected a little more fanfare. The streets were bustling and the cafés were filled to the brim with patrons sipping espressos and casually smoking French cigarettes giving the place an air of effortless calm. I began to panic a little. Does anybody know what is about to happen? Where are my two-wheeled brethren hiding? I could hear an exhaustive sigh of relief from my wife, realizing that there may be more than cycling on the agenda for our weekend getaway. Bringing stereotype to fruition, our first cultural exploit was ordering crepes from a street vendor and nearly exhausting our French vocabulary in the process. With this linguistic victory behind us, we shot off toward the river Seine in search of some French tourist attractions to conquer. Meandering along the boardwalk we soon found ourselves at the entrance to the Louvre and discovered the best bargain imaginable. Admission to many

of Paris’ major attractions, including the Louvre, are free to anyone under 26, and the lineups miraculously thin in late afternoon allowing us to enter immediately. No trip to Paris would be complete without a journey through arguably the greatest fine art museum in the world. After three hours of exploring the most famous paintings and sculptures ever created, I began thinking that even the curator must still be discovering new treasures because we had barely scratched the surface. At this, our hunger got the better of us and we left in search of some French cuisine. We quickly found a bistro overlooking the river where we watched the sun set to a bottle of wine. The only way to follow a romantic dinner in Paris is with a romantic trip up the Eiffel tower. At night, the twinkling tower acts as a beacon, guiding tourists along the moonlit river to its sprawling base. Although the upper gallery is closed at night, there is nothing more remarkable than ascending the legendary monument to see the city come alive under the canvas of dark. If you can manage it, I recommend taking the stairs up instead of the elevator; it’ll save you a few euro and lets you skip the lines. Besides this, climbing the tower really connects you to the experience (and works off the bottle of wine with dinner). As midnight approached we descended the stairs amidst the white glow of the tower lights, ending our perfect romantic evening in the city of love. On Saturday morning we started our day with fresh camembert and baguettes along the banks of la Seine while a hundred locals did Tai Chi in the shade. Following another free attraction, an underground journey through the Catacombs, we returned to the Seine to take in the street performers that filled the ‘plage’ festival, the ‘beach’ in the city. Here I spotted a man in a team jersey, the mark of a true cycling fan, and my anticipation for Sunday erupted. The rest of the day was spent roaming the streets of Paris eating French bread and window shopping in the many boutiques around the city centre. Following another bistro dinner,

we walked to the burlesque district to see the Moulin Rouge, as well as the numerous adult shops that old Paris has become famous for. After being tipped off by the concierge to get to ChampsElysees early, we cut our visit to the Moulin Rouge short, finished a bottle of

I could hear an exhaustive sigh of relief from my wife, realizing that there may be more than cycling on the agenda for our weekend getaway. French wine and retired early. I quickly donned my King of the Mountains jersey and packed my bag to leave only to find Julie at the ready; it seemed my enthusiasm had become contagious. Our first stop was the shop to load our pockets with food and drinks, then another riverside breakfast and a half hour walk to the Louvre to catch the race. After securing good spots with chairs on the Louvre grounds, we proceeded to bask in the sweltering heat for five hours talking to cycling fans from around the world. Nestled beside us was a pair of Norwegians, a mass of Americans, some Englishmen, Canadians, and some Spaniards bearing a Spanish flag. It was then that it struck me; the thousands of cycling fans that were surrounding us had been there all along but the city managed to hide them from our view for the last two days by providing a myriad of attractions and distractions. Paris is much more than a one trick pony. At long last, the sound of helicopters alerted us to the fact that the show was about to begin. The final stage usually consists of a leisurely coast into Paris led by the jersey holders so that the teams can take photographs and toast champagne to celebrate surviving yet another tour; this year was different. At the end of the

processional is an all-out sprint stage consisting of eight laps around the Louvre and Champs-Elysees. The tour consists of 21 stages, spread around the country to challenge every aspect of a rider’s abilities. One of the titles, the best overall sprinter, was still up for grabs as young Englishman Mark Cavendish looked to overthrow the current leader Thor Hushovd, meaning the racing was far from over. Overshadowing the battle between the sprinters was the battle between seven time Tour de France champion and cycling legend Lance Armstrong and his Astana teammate and 2007 champion Alberto Contador. Months of infighting within the team produced an explosive display of both cycling skill and ego. Coming in to the final day, Alberto had firmly won the title and Lance had secured third, but it remained to be seen how each would react to the finality of it all. In a flash, team cars and a sea of color shot past us signifying the start of the sprint course. At the end of four laps, the field was separated by a large gap; the sprinters were in front, and the peloton lagged behind, unable to match the breakaway’s speed. In a close finish, Cavendish secured his sixth stage win of this year’s tour, but still finished with fewer points than Hushovd for the overall win. The drama at an end, the crowd cheered as the riders leapt off their bikes in triumph at completing the three week endeavour. All eyes remained on team Astana and the icy exchange that was bound to happen between two champions forced to ride together. To my surprise, even Julie was fixed on the drama and fought to the front of the huge mass of fans for a closer look. The Tour brought me to Paris and, as an addict, will probably draw me back many times. But this isn’t why I fell in love with Paris. The food and culture are so infectious that all of my strongest memories have nothing to do with the sport. Cycling’s rivalry will return in 2010 and, with a little luck, so will I. Next year will be different though. Julie will be the one pulling on a jersey and racing out the door and I am all too happy to let her.

Above: The race itself on the streets of Paris. Below: Discovering the traditional beauty of Paris at the Louvre during sunset. Photos: Allan Klompas

SPORT

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

It’s tough at the top

This Premiership season promised real change with a rejuvenated Tottenham Hotspur and a cash-rich Manchester City eyeing up Champions League places. Michael Armstrong takes a look at why, so far, a footballing revolution has failed to occur LAST SUNDAY afternoon, for all of five minutes and thirty-four seconds, Mark Hughes must have felt like he was on top of the world. No manager ever wants to settle for a draw, but when it’s the Manchester derby, and you’ve fought back from 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 to earn a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford with just six seconds left until injury time, a draw would start to feel an awful lot like a win. But fate was not smiling on the Man City manager. Instead, it was shining on another man who still looks a little unsure of why exactly he’s found a new life in Manchester: Michael Owen. Owen’s goal may have created controversy, coming at the end of a ridiculously overlong extra time period, but it was a fitting end to an epic contest, a sucker punch for City fans that ensures that on the 24th of April, when the opportunity to host their closest rivals comes, a fantastic match-up is almost guaranteed. But when that Saturday rolls around, what shape will the league be in? My instincts are that, in spite of the vast improvement of Tottenham Hotspur’s early-season form, and Sheik Mansour and Mark Hughes’ oil-andtoil game plan, by the time we get around to springtime, things will be looking a lot more like buisness as usual than many pundits are currently predicting. First, lets look at Spurs. With Newcastle United bannished to the Coca-Cola Championship, in the off-season Spurs looked set to take up their role as the Premiership’s perennial underachievers. Wheeler-dealer extraordinaire Harry Redknapp hardly looked like the man to get Spurs to the mountain top, but they surprised many with a strong start, beating a Liverpool side on the first day of the season and settling into an encouraging run of victories.

But realistically,what are their chances of breaking into the top four? Sure, they picked up ego-boosting victories over the likes of Birmingham and West Ham, but when it came to the crunch, they failed abysmally to upset the dominance of the Premiership’s real heavy hitters, falling 3-1 to Manchester United at home and following up this disappointment with a 3-0 drubbing over at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

“Were it not for Real Madrid’s multi-million euro galactico reboot, Manchester City’s spending would be the story of the summer across Europe.” All of a sudden Ledley King’s fervent belief in his side’s ability to break into the big league seemed rather foolish. Spurs still look like a side destined to dominate the race for a UEFA cup spot for years to come. Enough years in fact, for me to get used to calling it the ‘Europa League’. Speaking of the second-best cup competition in Europe, I should take the time to quickly mention two managers who really deserve to be at better clubs: the magnificent David Moyes of Everton and Aston Villa’s Martin O’Neill. Both have spent years spending wisely on good, young players, both have crafted tough little sides that manage to

TRANSFERS

be hard to beat while playing good football (take note Sam Allyrdyce), but both have had to watch as richer clubs poached their players, damning them to the frustrating limbo between the mid-table minnows and the very best. And no side has been more guilty of strip-mining other English teams this summer than the nouveu riche Man City. Indeed, were it not for Real Madrid’s galactico reboot, City’s spending would be the story of the summer across Europe. It was never really likely for John Terry to leave Chelsea, but it was a mark of the change under Mark Hughes that City could at least realistically tempt him, even if in the end it turned out that Terry was simply angling for better terms at the club that made his career. Nevertheless, City managed to nab a key player from all of their other league rivals bar Liverpool and Spurs: United’s Carlos Tevez, Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry and Stuart Taylor, Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Touré, and most recently, Everton’s Joleon Lescott. And the result? A massive improvement in both the quality of football and their league performance. Before Owen hammered home the winner, Man City had yet to drop a point during their campaign, and were it not for Adebayor’s suspension, the result at Old Trafford could have been very different. Elsewhere, while City’s man-grabbing brought discord to Moyes’ usually tranquil dressing room, the disruption caused at Everton by Lescott’s departure was not repeated elsewhere. Arsenal seemed happy to be relieved of Adebayor, a player who seemed unsettled for much of last season, and Arsène Wenger found a more than adequate replacement for Touré in the excellent Thomas Vermaelen. As for United,

Carlos Tevez (Man Utd, £47m) DESCRIBED BY Diego Maradona as the “Argentine prophet for the 21st century,” Tevez is Hughes’s coup de grace. At £47m, a British transfer record, the pressure is on Tevez to prove himself. Disappointingly, a recent knee injury kept Tevez out of the match against Arsenal, but he was recovered in time to play in the Manchester derby.

Stuart Taylor (Aston Villa, free) FOLLOWING HIS disastrous end of season with Cardiff City, Taylor sought career advice from Brad Friedel. This resulted in a free transfer to Manchester City, where he has been brought in as a cover for Shay Given. At least he’ll be used for warming the bench.

the real damage to Sir Alex Ferguson’s side was inflicted by Real’s scouts when Ronaldo swapped the mizzly murk of mid-winter Manchester for the mountains of Madrid. And even for all of that, they aren’t looking too bad so far, managing to win the important games and keep pressure on league leaders Chelsea. Arsenal are in okay shape as well, defying critics expectations with a start that only the Gunners could pull off: beautiful football that still only occasionally ends in beautiful results. It was perhaps a form of footballing karma that they lost to a fair penalty in the all-important match against Man United a few weeks ago, a sort of cosmic payback for the shameful Eduardo dive that saw them through their Champions League qualifier against Celtic. As for their loss to Man City, the match was a lot closer than the 4-2 scoreline would suggest (up until the 80th minute, the match was a tense 2-1). This weekend’s emphatic 4-0 thumping of Wigan also showed that in spite of the disappointing consecutive trips to Manchester, Wenger’s side have a focus and commitment that many have claimed was lacking in the sides of previous seasons. It seems that Wenger’s Boy Wonders are beginning to grow up. Their place in next year’s Champions League must be Manchester City’s main target, however, as both Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United look far too strong to slip up in the long run. So if it is just down to Manchester City and Arsenal for that final Champions League spot, who will get it? Comparing squads to find an answer seems of little use, as both teams have players that on their day can change a game. The oneon-one results are also not the best guides, as with such a vast array of must-win games over the course of a season, Manchester City could theoretically beat Arsenal at the Emirates in a few months but finish below them due to poor results elsewhere. Money may buy a lot of things in football, but as Chelsea have learned over the past few years, it cannot immediately solve a run of bad form. For me, the answer lies in looking at the clubs’ respective managers. Mark Hughes is a formidable presence at the touchline, and his choice of signings this summer is typical of his intelligence in the transfer market. At Blackburn Rovers and now at Manchester City, he’s shown a commitment to bulding

“As for United, the real damage to Sir Alex Ferguson’s side was inflicted by Real’s scouts when Ronaldo swapped the mizzly murk of mid-winter Manchester for the mountains of Madrid.” a team from the ground-up, and Sheik Mansour is lucky to have him. But the fact remains that Hughes has yet to win anything in his managerial career, however promising his prospects are for the future. Arsène Wenger on the other hand has won almost everything there is to win, save for that ever elusive Champions League trophy. Arsenal may be a team that is still in transition, but since Thierry Henry’s departure they have been crafted and led by a man who knows how to make a team play heart-stopping, awe-inspiring football. And this season, the erudite Frenchman has more of a glint in his eye than usual. So if, at the end of the season, the Premiership sends the boring old Big Four to Europe’s upper echelons for another year, in spite of the best efforts of the young pretenders to the throne, don’t say I didn’t tell you so.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal, £25m) ADEBAYOR HAD an impressive debut for his new club in their match against Blackburn Rovers, smashing a shot from 18 yards past Paul Robinson in the third minute. However, City may come to regret this transfer as Adebayor’s infamously mercurial temperment begins to assert itself. He has already landed himself a three-match ban for kicking former teammate Robin Van Persie in the face. Adebayor was also criticised for goading Arsenal fans after scoring against their team, causing an attemped pitch invasion and objects to be thrown towards the pitch.

THE COMMENTARY BOX PUMAS TO EAT AT RUGBY’S TOP TABLE IN 2012 ARGENTINA HAS a long history of famous and colourful players players in a variety of sports. From Juan Fangio in the early days of Formula One in the fifties, through the artistry of Ardilles in ’78; the brilliance and deceit in equal measure of Maradona’s “Hand of God” in the 1986 World Cup to the recent stunning success of Juan Martin del Potro at Flushing Meadows in this years U.S. open. The names of Hugo Porta, Augustin Pichot, Juan Hernandez, Felipe Contepomi, Juan Fernadez Lobbe could be added to that list in the field of rugby. However, there is one subtle difference in their achievements. While Argentina competed on a level playing field in other sports they have achieved a current ranking of sixth in the world against all the odds. With no regular competition between World Cups, and only five tests scheduled for this current season, their professional players scattered across Europe and without a professional domestic structure the Pumas have thrived in adversity. If 1999 was the turning point when they upset the status quo with a shock victory against Ireland, in the last 16 play off they rocked the rugby world elite to their foundations when they finished third. This was the breakthrough that the Pumas needed, as to remain outside the fold would have had long term repercussions for Argentinian rugby specifically and the growth of rugby at a global level in general. The Pumas have pushed hard for inclusion in regular competition since 2007 and SANZAR (Tri Nations organizers) have finally opened the door. This is conditional providing Argentina overcomes a series of challenges between now and 2012. Namely, they will have to guarantee genuine proof of financial muscle, sponsorship deals, TV rights, and player availability. Pichot, in a recent interview declared that “we reached third in the world because the Argentine game bothers our opponents a lot, it disorientates them”. Pichot has shown a similar determination off the pitch as he displayed on it and with him at the helm there is every reason to believe that Argentina can overcome these challenges. If the Pumas need regular competition, the TriNations need them too as the current three match format has become rather turgid and stale. In the Four Nations there will be two games against each of the other teams, and there will be two games each weekend. Rugby’s evolution is now at a critical juncture. If it is to be become a truly global game rugby needs the colour and fervour provided by the South Americans and their fans. Hopefully, it could become a template for the further expansion of the game in places as diverse as Portugal, Belgium, Romania, Georgia, Uruguay, Russia, China, USA, Canada and the Pacific Islands. Just like in football, tennis and Formula One, Argentina has the opportunity once again to set a new trend in sport.

Gareth Barry (Aston Villa, £12m) AFTER 12 years at Aston Villa, the time was ripe for a move for Barry. The only question that remained was where he would be headed. At the beginning of last season, smart money would have been on a move to Liverpool. However, his decision to switch to City caused consternation among Villa fans, who pointed to his supposed desire to play in the Europe. Barry shrugged off these negative comments, focusing instead on the task at hand.

Kolo Touré (Arsenal, £14m) FOLLOWING A recent bout of malaria, Toure is still not on top form. However, the experience and finesse Toure brings to the team have been rewarded by Hughes, who made him club captain.

Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn, £18m) THERE WAS much transfer speculation surrounding Santa Cruz at the start of the 2008–09 season, but this came to nothing. However, the rumour mill started churning again less than 12 months after Santa Cruz signed a new four year deal with Blackburn, a club Mark Hughes had brought him to during his time as manager. He initially denied these rumours,but it soon transpired that it was in fact true, and Santa Cruz signed to Manchester City on the 21st of June. Now all that remains to be seen is whether or not he has the ability to dislodge Adebayor from the starting XI.

SPORT

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

ROWING

High expectations follow a triumphant summer Peter Croke Captain, DUBC HAVING LOST all eight of the rowers that made up the Irish Championship winning crew of 2008 (some to the workforce, some to the demands of college and others still to the Irish National Squad), DUBC entered the last weeks of this year’s rowing calendar very much as underdogs. Thankfully all concerned seemed to revel in the position. The end of the year saw the club comprised of twenty eight athletes; eight senior and twenty novice rowers. Both groups were to enjoy great success in the coming months. The senior group saw their exam leadup take a back seat as the crew made plans to attend Ghent International Regatta, in Ghent, Belgium. Taking place on the 10th and 11th of May, the regatta was regarded by all as an opportunity to test the waters against competition from across Europe. No fairer way to see how one compares than 2000 metres of straight lane racing. The regatta was to proceed over two days, the Saturday and Sunday, with senior racing to be held on the Saturday and U23 racing on the Sunday. Forewarned that European racing was faster off the start than any previously experience in Ireland, we took to the waters on Saturday eager for a race. However no forewarning could have prepared the crew for what was the come. It was blistering- crews exploded from the blocks, seemingly unconcerned that there remained two thousands metres ahead of them. Sadly the crew could not recover from this early deficit and were unable to qualify as fastest losers for the final. The morning of the second day, in the U23 event, all agreed to a policy of self-sacrifice; the crew would race as if only five hundred metres lay ahead and then see where we stood in the field. This policy, it seemed, worked as the crew crossed the line first, winning the U23 event.

After the hiatus imposed on racing by exams, the first event for the club was the annual university colours against Queen’s University, Belfast. The event was to be hosted by Queen’s on the Lagan River. This was not the first time that the crews had met that year- at the university championships Queen’s had defeated the Trinity senior crew in a close fought race. The novices also had a score to settle as they too had been narrowly beaten earlier in the year. Sadly the previous losses were not to be avenged that day as both crews were beaten. Thankfully neither crew was given too long to mull over the loss as both were due to attend Marlow Regatta in

We were not shaken by the difference in size- we had come up against and beaten larger crews than us before and were keen to recreate a David and Goliath showdown

Dorney, England. This two day regatta was to be held on the course that will play host to the 2012 Olympics in London. The standard of racing here was also expected to be extremely high, as universities and clubs from as far America and Australia were confirmed to be attending. The reason behind this is that the event immediately precedes Henley Royal Regatta. With this in mind many crews arrive early to get to grips with the opposition before they race in front of the huge crowds that line both

sides of the racing at Henley. This was the reason we were attending, as we would be competing ourselves at Henley. The two novice crews also attended to get a feel for the standard outside of Irish rowing and compete against crews that they would not normally have the chance to race. The early racing on the Saturday was very successful for both groups as two of the three crews moved beyond their first heats, the Senior crew winning theirs. The novice crew raced very well in the semi-final of their event but were unable to qualify for the final. The Senior crew were, however, able to do so; winning their heat to proceed to the final. However, with the power of hindsight, it seems the crew had overextended itself in winning the two heats in the 28°C heat and were forced into the bronze position within metres of the line. However, like Ghent before, there was a second day of racing with which to redeem ourselves and, again similar to Ghent, the crew succeeded in doing just that. On this occasion the crew remained composed during the heats doing only what was necessary to ensure a place in the final. Now more focused and prepared than previously the crew entered the final with high expectations. Our start was again fast, however all could see that the crews around us had gone off equally as fast and we jostled for position over the first five hundred metres. The crew pushed at the five hundred metre mark and again at the six hundred, seeing off similar attempts from other crews. With only two hundred and fifty metres remaining we were ahead with two crews fast catching. We managed to hold out for the line and took home our second pot from an international regatta of the season. The Senior group then moved to Henley-on-Thames to begin a training camp on the Henley course before the Regatta. The camp and regatta coincided with a heat wave in the area

Students scull on Blessington Lake, County Wicklow, in early September. Photo courtesy of DUBC. at the time. This was greeted eagerly by the crew until the first effects of training in 35°C were felt, forcing the crew to train early in the morning and late in the evening to avoid the worst of the heat. However when race day arrived there was no escaping the timetable- we were to race at 2.30pm. The crew we were drawn against was Bates College, Massachusetts, USA. We, unsurprisingly, had not encountered Bates previously but even glancing at them on the river one thing was apparent- they were an extremely powerful crew and had not made the trip across the Atlantic to be easily beaten. We were not shaken by the difference in size- we had come up against and beaten larger crews than us before and were keen to recreate a David and Goliath showdown. Both crews shot away at the starter’s orders, sprinting against each other to see who would be the first to break. Then the race began to slip from us. Where we were previously able to settle and extend a lead over the competition we found ourselves losing ground with each stroke. As the race progressed their lead became insurmountable and we found ourselves out of the competition almost as soon as we started.

As this was occurring in Henley, the Novice group were undertaking a training camp of their own in Blessington Lake. It was during this camp that the final selection of crews for the National Championships was to take place. Two eights were to be entered, as well as two fours. One of these fours was certain to be the combination that had previously on at Trinity Regatta and University Championships, thereby making it the firm favourite to win the pot at the upcoming National Championships. Both crews were not willing to settle for second- neither against each other nor against the competition. With one week to go, the Senior crew returned from Henley, and the club decamped to Cork. The National Championships are held on the Lee Valley Reservoir and are the culmination of a year’s work for the club. The Senior group were to find themselves across a large number of events and boats, including singles, pairs, fours and eights. The main focus of the senior crew would be the intermediate eights, where we would be meeting, among others, the Queen’s crew that we had raced previously and a Commercial RC crew who we

were yet to encounter. This race was won by the Queen’s crew in impressive fashion, with the Trinity crew finishing in third; 0.4 of a second behind the Commercial crew. The novice men had a similar experience in the eights, losing narrowly to the Queen’s crew after what was arguably the race of the weekend. However the winning combination in the four maintained their unbeaten record to become the Irish Novice Fours champions. Of this crew, three of the rowers and the cox had never taken to the water before this year and their victory marks a huge achievement for each of them, their coaches and the club. The upcoming season promises to be an extremely successful one. With a large group having already attended a pre-season sculling camp in Cork and hopefully many new novices entering the club this Freshers Week, club numbers may be the highest they have been for many years. As well as this we have one athlete returning from the Irish Squad and a number of others currently trialling for a position on the same. It is with all this in mind that I enter this season, and this new year,with high expectations.

HOCKEY

Eventful season ahead on and off the field

Craig Moore IN TRINITY there are a wide variety of academic, social and sporting societies available. The hockey club is by far one of the most successful and enjoyable societies going on in the University. The club provides a unique hockey outlet option to up and coming players, allowing them to continue playing with many like-minded people of a similar age group. It’s a club that caters for all skill levels, from absolute beginners right the way up to international level. We have four league teams and an Under 21 side, which compete in Division 2, 3, 5 and 9 of

the Leinster senior leagues. The transition from secondary school to university can be a daunting prospect, and from personal experience, DUHC is an extremely welcoming and accommodating place where you will meet friends that will outlast your time in the club. In brief, the men’s club train twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays in Santry with matches on the Saturday. The 1st XI have a sole aim for the coming season, and that is promotion. After the 1st XI’s victory in the Neville Davin Cup earlier this year, coupled with our 3rd’s earning promotion for the fourth time in the last 5 years, the club as a whole is looking to sustain their squads for the coming years.

This is where you can play your part in restoring Trinity to their rightful place as Ireland’s premier hockey university. But it is not all the hockey, that’s just what brings us together - it’s the social side of things which bonds us. DUHC is closely linked to DULHC (the ladies club), and together we form a formidable partnership in ensuring that every member of both clubs doesn’t let a week go by without being treated to a serious night out. Some of the events that a prospective member has to look forward to are the Pub Crawl - every guy is handcuffed to a girl form the ladies club, they must remain attached to this lady for the duration of the crawl. We’ll let you figure out how the bathroom situation

works out - try and avoid stage fright. Inter varsities - basically every Men’s and ladies college team in the country, battling it out over 3 days to become varsities champions. You’ll play 4-6 games with nasty hangovers but absolutely love it. Stag Night - We don’t consider this just another night out. This is a rite of passage into the club. It is key in the initiation of fresh. Few forget their first Stag Night, but find it hard to remember it at the same time. G-man Saturdays - Every Saturday without fail, both Men’s and ladies Clubs rendezvous at what has become the official pub of Trinity Hockey, The Ginger Man. If you happen to frequent the area on such a night, no doubt you

will hear the chants and songs that have been passed down through the generations of trinity hockey. Super Santry Saturdays - These run throughout the year when Men’s and ladies teams coincide on the same day in Santry. Here is where the G-man rehearsals of our chants and songs come into force and intimidate the hell out of the opposition. Colours - After burning off the christmas fat, a few weeks into the new year we hold our annual day long tournament with UCD. In Ryder Cup style, 9 teams from both the Men’s and Ladies club go head to head with UCD in order to become Colours Champions! The day is topped off with the Colours Ball where the losers can drown their

sorrows, whilst the winners rub it in their faces. The Rebel Tour - Pack your toothbrush, pay a nominal fee, receive your complimentary hoody, and try and figure out where you are for the next three days. All tour goers meet at the pavilion bar on Thursday night, and set sail until Monday morning, and remember what happens on tour, stays on tour! So these are the highlights during the year, but it doesn’t end there. Between all these headliners we run several themed nights throughout the City to keep you entertained during the year. If you’re keen on joining, call Craig Moore on 0868070715 or pop into hockey rooms 14.02.01

SPORTS ROUNDUP Fixtures for Michaelmas term

MEN’S RUGBY

Sat 12th Dec 09 14:30 Dublin University Venue: TBA

AIL DIVISION 2

Sat 3rd Oct 09 14:30 Dublin University Venue: College Park Sat 10th Oct 09 14:30 Thomond Venue: Liam Fitzgerald Sat 24th Oct 09 14:30 Dublin University Venue: TBA Sat 31st Oct 09 14:30 Clonakilty Venue: The Vale Sat 14th Nov 09 14:30 Dublin University Venue: TBA Sat 5th Dec 09 14:30 Corinthians Venue: TBA

Terenure College

Dublin University

D.L.S.P.

Dublin University

Greystones

Dublin University

Bruff

Sun 13th Dec 09 13:00 Malahide RFC V Venue: TBA

LADIES RUGBY

DIVISION 2

Sun 4th Oct 09 13:00 Dublin University Venue: TBA Sun 11th Oct 09 13:00 Belfast Harlequins Venue: TBA Sun 25th Oct 09 13:00 Dublin University Venue: TBA Sun 8th Nov 09 13:00 Old Belvedere Venue: TBA Sun 22nd Nov 09 13:00 Dublin University Venue: TBA

Sun 6th Dec 09 13:00 City Of Derry Venue: TBA

Dublin University

MEN’S SQUASH V

Cill Dara RFC

Dublin University

Carrickfergus

Dublin University

DIVISION 1

October 12th Leinster B

Trinity A

October 19th Trinity A

Curragh B

Novemeber 2nd Trinity A

Westwood B

Novemeber 16th Trinity A

Sutton B

Novemeber 23rd Trinity A

Mt Peasant B

Old Belvedere A

Trinity A

December 7th Westwood C

Trinity A

Novmeber 30th

Portlaoise RFC

SPORT

TRINITY NEWS September 22, 2009

First place in desert for TCD graduate Hogan-Murphy This year, TCD graduade Diana HoganMurphy came first in the women’s section of the grueling Gobi March. Sports editor Paul Galbraith has the full story DIANA HOGAN-MURPHY, a 2006 Pharmacy graduate from Trinity College, this summer won the Gobi March, a staggering 250km endurance race across the “spectacular” Gobi Desert. To put its difficulty into perspective, TIME magazine named the Gobi March as one of the Top 10 Endurance Competitions in the world. The Gobi March is one quarter of the 4 Deserts marathon series run by the Racing The Planet organisation. This year the Gobi March was located along the ancient Silk Road in an area called Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture, in the Xinjiang Province of western China. As this is classified as a restricted area, Racing The Planet required special permits in order for competitors to enter. The week-long contest took place mid June, attracting 126 competitors from 28 countries, making it the largest international sporting event in Western China. Representing Ireland alongside Diana, originally from Cork City, were Shirley Potter and Shane O’Rourke both from Portumna. In brief, the 250km ultra marathon covered six stages over seven days. Each day had a different course with check points approximately every 10km. The first four days, 40km stages per day, acted as a prelude to the immense penultimate task set on day five, a gruelling 80km ordeal. Provided you had successfully completed the gargantuan

80km trek from the previous day by 7pm, day six acted as a rest day. The sixth and final stage was a mere 10km “fun-run”. All three Irish athletes successfully completed the punishing endurance test. Hogan-Murphy, a former Squash Captain and Golf Secretary at Trinity, clocked the extremely impressive time of 36.26 hours to take first place in the women’s section. Close behind finished Shirley Potter who was the second woman across the finish line. Shane O’Rourke, not to be outshone by his female counterparts, came fifth overall and first in his age group. “I must pay tribute to Dave (South African running partner) who ran every step of the way with me and Sophie who pushed me all the way as there were times when I really had to dig deep.” Hogan-Murphy, a clinical pharmacist at Cavan General Hospital, explained “From the first day, I could hardly believe it, but to my absolute delight I led the field”, and described her stunning feat as “a perfect way to end an absolutely magical experience”. Intrepid 31 year-old Hogan-Murphy’s triumph is even more remarkable when one comprehends the hostile and unpredictable nature of the Gobi Desert. The capricious weather and terrain, including sand and dust storms, floods and extreme heat and cold, make the Gobi March arguably the toughest test on the four desert series.

Hogan-Murphy, a former Squash Captain and Golf Secretary at Trinity, clocked the extremely impressive time of 36.26 hours over the 250km ultra-marathon.”

FENCING IS as evolutionary as sports come. But while the changes to its rules and regulations are enforced by the FIE (Fédération International d’Escrime) the world over, its popularity could not be any less consistent. In Italy, for example, fencers are national celebrities. Looking at Margeherita Granbassi, pictured, it becomes understandable why companies like Nike and Lancia would pay Granbassi fortunes to have her associated with their products. That would not be fair on Granbassi, though. She is a two-time Olympic bronze-medalist and a former World Champion. Her sporting achievements, however, while incredible, are overshadowed by the unparalleled and extraordinary successes of her compatriot, Valentina Vezzali. Vezzali is the current Olympic champion. In fact, she is five-time Olympic champion and ten-time World Champion. She is almost undeniably the greatest female foilist of all time. She is clearly a remarkable woman, but her story becomes all the more inspiring when you consider the major lifechanging choice she made at the height of her competitive career. In 1996, a twenty-two year old Vezzali fenced in her first Olympic Games in Atlanta. She took individual silver and team gold. Not bad. Fours years later, she fenced in the Sydney Olympics, winning both the individual and team gold. Vezzali had now established herself as world number one, and she maintained that position for the next five years. The Athens Olympic Games arrived in 2004. And Vezzali took gold. Again. Less than a year later, Vezzali would fall to twenty in the world rankings. She trained less; she competed less; and she won less. This was, as some of you may have guessed, the year that Valentina Vezzali chose to have a child. Training and competition would simply have to be put on hold for something she

FRESHERS’ WEEK

LUCKY DIP GAA

HOW FAR CAN YOU GO WITH THE GAA TRINITY GAA club are having a “Puc Fada” and “Kick Fada” competition on Thursday 24th of September as part of their Freshers’ Week events. All are welcome, which takes place at 4pm on College park. This event will be followed by a Ceili Mór in Front Square weather permitting.

SURFING/BODYBOARDING

SURF’S UP FOR FRESHERS

Watching the sunset over the Gobi Desert. Photo: Don Lee At certain stages during the race, quite incredibly it was not the distance, but the environmental factors, which Diana found most challenging. “We crossed rivers with huge stratified rock formations jutting out sharply above us for thousands of feet. And if that wasn’t intimidating enough, the dry and desolate flat terrain looked and probably felt like Mars with temperatures that seemed to bake us from above”. Yet a recurring theme on her adventure was the overwhelming beauty of the province. “The magnificence of the scenery was awe-inspiring. Perhaps most memorable was a bend in the second stage when I was flanked by enormous flame-red jagged mountain ranges, blazing in the bright afternoon sun”. A sight the 31 year-old is not usually accustomed to now living in Athenry.

In what was the climax of the event, she determinedly ascended 3,000m above sea level to the spectacular Shipton’s Arch (also known as “Heaven’s Gate” by the locals). It’s a phenomenal landmark said to be the tallest natural arch in the world. The arch once figured in the Guinness Book of Records for its incomparable height, but editors of the book could not verify the location of the arch exactly, so the listing was dropped. It was only recently rediscovered out of obscurity by a National Geographic team almost a decade ago. Today, the height of the arch is estimated to be 1,200 feet. If intense heat, harsh terrain and unforgiving altitude weren’t an adequate amount of discouragement; those mad enough to proceed had a sizeable back-pack to contend with every step of the way. Against the backdrop of the 2nd largest statue of Chairman Mao in the

world, competitors completed their baggage check-in. Everything aside from the tent and her water virtually lived on her back for the week. The average back-pack weighed about 9kg; however she went to great lengths to ensure she got even the slightest of advantage over her competition. “Drastic measures were taken to lighten the load. I even resorted to cutting corners off freeze-dried food containers and breaking the handle off toothbrushes!” The term self sufficiency certainly encompasses what this race is all about. The emotions felt, the events witnessed, the friends made. Would do it again? Not a chance. Would she recommend it to others? Absolutely. The pain and suffering, particularly with ones feet, is inescapable. But pain and blisters subside and heal. Memories and friendships last a lifetime.

Making the point about fencing Declan Gibbons

deemed more important than all of her world titles. But when the 2005/06 season began, she was back fighting for medals or, perhaps more accurately, gold medals. By the end of the season, Vezzali had reclaimed her crown, ending 2006 ranked first in the world. She has ended every season from then on as world number one. This spell has included, most impressively perhaps, another Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She was thirty-four, far older than practically every other athlete in the competition. With fencers like Valentina Vezzali and her male counterparts, such as foilist Andrea Baldini, it is hardly surprising that fencing is so huge and popular in Italy. Many other countries throughout the world have similar set-ups, and now even Great Britain, for a long time a minor player on the fencing world stage, is able to boast the European bronze and silver medallists in Lawrence Halsted and Richard Kruse respectively, the latter of whom is currently ranked second in the world. And so to Ireland. Recession. Doom and gloom. No money for a university education let alone a sport that is perceived to be so elitist. I could not disagree more. For Ireland to make a mark on the world athletics stage, it needs to target niche sports. And fencing is one of them. The facilities are already in place - the Trinity College Sports Centre, for one, is a superb venue - and all that is needed is money for coaches, equipment and travel to competitions. London 2012 is far too soon, but for future Olympic Games and World Championships there could be a strong and competitive Irish presence. At Dublin University Fencing Club (DU Fencing Club), the committees of the past couple of years have implemented changes that have had, and will continue to have, both immediate and lasting consequences. We believe that in order to increase

the popularity of fencing as a spectacle, it was necessary to attract more participants to the sport. The rules are so complex, the sport so evolutionary, and the sparring so fast that fencing will only attract spectators who actually fence themselves – and thus appreciate the true beauty and skill of the spectacle before them. DU Fencing Club took this up as part of our philosophy, managing to recruit 305 new members during last year’s Freshers’ Week, the vast majority of whom had never tried fencing before. The more experienced members of the club took time out of their academic timetables and their training schedules to coach the beginner class every week for free. The other part of the club philosophy is “continual improvement”. This is something that we regularly talk about, and it has become well and truly engrained in our club ethos. I am also pleased to announce that the fencers of Trinity College will be competing in FIE Satellite events throughout the European continent this year. London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, to name but a few. Several of our fencers have been completing pre-season training in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. We are taking DU Fencing Club into Europe; our fencers consist of some sixteen different nationalities; and we will be competing for both club and country. While our more experienced fencers will be competing against some of the best fencers in Europe this season, including Olympians and aspiring Olympians, our budding beginners will receive some of the best coaching available in Ireland. And as the squad looks to retain our domestic titles by winning the Intervarsity and Colours titles for the third year in a row, those new to the sport will be given the opportunity to develop and display their abilities in training and competition. This is our approach. By improving the club at both ends of the spectrum, we are confident that Trinity College will remain the most eminent centre for fencing in the country. Freshers, take advantage. And Irish Sport, please sit up and take note.

THE SURFING and Bodyboarding Club have new membership cards, which will get you ten percent off in Surf Dock and Great Outdoors. There will also be raffle tickets for sale. For two euro, you have the chance of winning the first prize Surf lesson with Richie Fitzgerald of Waverider fame, a free surf trip with D.U.S.B.C. or a surf club hoodie.

KAYAKING

KAYAKERS TAKE THE PLUNGE THE KAYAKING Club are having a bridge jump on Tuesday afternoon, followed by their club night out that evening Stop by the stand for more information about this and the Inny Slalom event on Friday.

FRESHERS’ WEEK

FREE SPORTS CENTRE ACTIVITIES MONDAY 21st 11:15am

Fitness Theatre Group Induction

1:00pm

Deep Water Fit Class

3:15pm

Keiser Weights Room Induction

6:15pm

Studio Cycling Class

TUESDAY 22nd 11:15am

Keiser Weights Room Induction

1:00pm

Studio Cycling

3:15pm

Fitness Theatre Group Induction

6:15pm

Power Pump Class

WEDNESDAY 23rd 11:15am

Fitness Theatre Induction

1:00pm

Fitball Coreworks Class

3:15pm

Keiser Weights Room Induction

THURSDAY 24th 7:30am

Aurora-Cycle-Alis Class

3:15pm

Fitness Theatre Group Induction

5:15pm

Step & Pump Class

FRIDAY 25th 4.15pm

Fitness Theatre Group Induction

SPORT

MATCH STATS SCORE

ST MARY’S DUFC

Big Rugby headline

TEAM

1. IAN HURST 2. GARY BLACKBURN 3. MATT COLLIS 4. DARRAGH KIELY 5. CAOLAN DOYLE 6. BRENDAN O’CONNELL 7. WARREN LARKIN 8. JACK DILGER 9. HOWARD JONES 10. PAUL GALBRAITH 11. NIYI ADEOLUKAN 12. JOHN LYNCH 13. RICHARD ROWE 14. DARREN BRENNAN 15. ARIEL ROBLES

Trinity fought for every scrum despite being unsuccessful in the annual Cill Dara RFC tournament. Photo: Yuliya Bespala

Trinity show spirit in defeat at annual Kildare tournament Paul Galbraith College Sport Editor IT WAS a tale of missed opportunities for DUFC U20s last weekend at the annual Cill Dara RFC tournament. The competition involved six teams in two groups. Lansdowne, St. Mary’s, and Newbridge made up Group A and Trinity College was in Group B with University of Limerick and Old Wesley. First up for Trinity was a tough challenge against UL, current all Ireland champions. Trinity dominated large parts of the game and took the lead before half time with a well struck penalty from out half Paul Galbraith. However, the score line at half time did not reflect Trinity’s superiority. Playing into a second half breeze Trinity began to up the tempo of the game. Under instructions from coach

Tony Smeeth, scrum half Howard Jones, took short penalties at every opportunity. This injected Trinity forwards into life and a series of punishing scrums in the UL half led to 3 points more from another Galbraith penalty. In a match that, according to Smeeth, “we never looked like losing,” Trinity conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. From a restart Trinity failed to gather a hanging kick and thus gave UL the momentum to attack in the dying seconds. An amalgam of baffling refereeing decisions and poor discipline from Trinity led to an attacking University of Limerick scrum on the 5 metre line. Despite wheeling the scrum illegally to 90, the ref allowed play to continue and the UL number 8 picked up and drove over for a gifted 5 points. This was converted to give UL a fortuitous victory.

Old Wesley was next to face a Trinity side eager to pick up maximum points. As in their first game, Trinity dominated up front with Ian Hurst a constant thorn in the OW side. Playing with the breeze, Trinity half backs Jones and Galbraith decided to kick inside their own half and thus forced the Wesley side into their own 22. Solid Trinity defence combined with strong work at the break-down led to the first chance, a pen on the Wesley 10 metre line. Galbraith added the opening points with ease. After half time Trinity increased the pace and Wesley began to struggle with the intensity and dynamism of the Trinity pack. Centre John Lynch began to feed off quick ball and only last ditch defence from Wesley’s backs prevented Trinity scoring the elusive try. Nevertheless, points of any type were essential. After another excellent

penalty by Galbraith, Trinity eased into the last four, not playing their best rugby but knowing how to win. In Group A St. Mary’s qualified as top seeds and faced Trinity as runners up in Group B, with Lansdowne facing UL in the other semi final. Having seen St. Mary’s dispatch Lansdowne in a pool game Trinity realised that this would be their toughest encounter of the day. In a game dominated by scrappy play, neither side managed to seize control. The Trinity set piece was again very good and this enabled Galbraith to put Trinity ahead with a well struck penalty. However, it was their inability to take a subsequent restart which allowed St. Mary’s to equalise with a penalty. In the second half Trinity dominated possession, but poor decision making and faulty back alignment ensured a try was not forthcoming. Despite falling

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In a game dominated by scrappy play, neither side managed to seize control ... In the second half Trinity dominated possession, poor decision making and faulty back alignment ensured a try was not forthcoming.

16.JOHN HACKETT 17. IVAN CAMPBELL 18. JACQUES CHAPNEAU 19. HUGH KELLHER 20. NIALL ROGERS

behind to a penalty midway through the half, Trinity showed character and with less than two minutes left they initiated a series of line breaking phases. Mary’s defence finally yielded and Galbraith kicked a long penalty to force the tie into sudden-death extra time. After an uneventful period both sides were resigned to the farce of a penalty shoot out. However, this proved premature as a well struck drop goal in the ultimate play of the game eliminated a valiant Trinity side. The show piece final was a reprise of the earlier group game between Lansdowne and St Mary’s, which the latter won a close contest 12-10. After another exciting game, where the teams exchanged the lead, Lansdowne eventually prevailed against a Mary’s squad exhausted by their pyrrhic victory in the epic game against Trinity.

LADIES’ HOCKEY: SEASON PREVIEW

Bane’s changes bode well FRESHERS WEEK is here and there has already been a huge amount of interest in the hockey club from new players looking to represent their university. This has been greatly helped by the revamped website, designed by Jessie Elliott, which now includes a section allowing potential players to contact the club directly with any enquiries. Preseason for the 1st and 2nd teams started mid-August and the numbers attending each session has been increasing every session. The Dublin University Ladies Hockey Club Firsts are thankful to be holding on to coach Dave Bane who has been with the team for the past three seasons. Bane is a fantastic coach and he provides consistency that a College Team, whose members change so often, really needs. He was eager to get the team organised and fit well before the

first league match which is fixed for the 3rd of October. Between the work of himself and new fitness coach, Karl Cabena, the girls have been progressing well. The Team will also have assistant coach, Fintan Butler on board who will be helping Bane throughout the year. The team took part in a preseason tournament in Cork from the 11th-13th of September, hosted by Church of Ireland Hockey Club. This was a great weekend both for hockey and for bonding. The squad was a new one, a mix of the experienced first players, some seconds and four new freshers. A one nil win over Church of Ireland on the Friday evening was a promising start. There was some fantastic attacking play and the team looked a sharp outfit against an energetic C of I side. Trinity took on a young Galway team the following afternoon. Trinity quickly

confirmed themselves to be the better side, scoring in the first 5 minutes, and won the match 3-1. The last match for the girls was played early Sunday morning. They were beaten 4 nil by a drilled and well organised Railway side. Although Trinity did have some promising results on the field, the main objective of the weekend was for everyone to get to know each other and to get comfortable playing as a team. This certainly was achieved. It was extremely encouraging to see the freshers fit in so well on the pitch. For some of them it was their first time meeting the squad and so they were really thrown in at the deep end. Nicky McAllister, a fourth year student, played her first matches with Trinity and really rose to the occasion, playing superbly in the front line all weekend. Orla Callanan from Galway played most of the weekend

“Although Trinity did have some promising results on the field, the main objective of the weekend was for everyone to get to know each other and to get comfortable playing as a team.” in left back and proved herself to be a solid defender. South East player Eanna Horan showed strong presence up the right and initiated a number of attacks into the circle using the new auto pass

rule. Kylie Deverell, another South East recruit, was very skilful in the forward line and scored her first goal for Trinity, a memorable one whereby she kept her composure while taking on the goalie. With this good influx of players and an intense pre season, the future is looking bright for Dave Bane’s young squad. This season’s Trinity 2nd XI are really setting their eyes on promotion. The team missed out very narrowly on being promoted to the third division as the season drew to a close last year. This year will see a number of changes in the team with new freshers filling in where the old stars left off. With the recent appointment of Dutch coach Sven Galjaardt, this goal of promotion seems most achievable. Galjaardt has been head hunted over to Dublin to play for Three Rock Rovers

men’s 1st XI this season. He has played for several clubs in the Netherlands in addition to Dutch selection teams. His coaching experience includes mens, ladies and junior boys’ teams over in the Netherlands and here in Dublin he is also coaching in Wesley College. With the first league match approaching on Saturday October 3rd, the 2nd XI are trying out a new structure and working on game plan tactics introduced by Galjaardt. The 3rds, 4ths and 5ths are looking forward to starting back, with freshers’ trials starting on Monday, 28th September. As matches starting earlier than usual this year for Trinity, the club will be hoping to get the teams together as quickly as possible and would like to welcome all the players back for what it hopes will be its most successful season to date.