Trinity News, Vol. 67, Issue 3 by Trinity News

Students deserve financial support

Is the GAA doing more harm than good?

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TRINITY NEWS

Ireland’s Oldest Student Newspaper

ESTABLISHED 1953

Vol. 67, Issue. 3

Nine rugby club members test positive for Covid-19 PHOTO BY ZAHRA LOCKETT FOR TRINITY NEWS

Lauren Boland Editor

INE MEMBERS OF TRINITY RUGBY, Dublin University Football Club (DUFC) have tested positive for Covid-19. Eight members of the club’s Division 1 team have contracted the virus, alongside one coaching figure. It is understood that the transmission likely took place around two weeks ago while the team was still training before the implementation of Level Five restrictions.

Wide eyed

With the typical celebrations that students would enjoy over Halloween brought to a halt, many found other ways to mark the night and enjoy the end of autumn

Counselling Service receives over 600 enquiries in three week period Shannon Connolly News Editor

HE STUDENT COUNSELLING SERVICE HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 600 EMAIL ENQUIRIES in the past three weeks with students looking to avail of services. Many students have been availing of the mental health services available in Trinity, as this term continues to be like no other with Level 5 restrictions now in place across the country. Speaking to Trinity News, Trish Murphy, Acting Director of the Student Counselling Services

explained that the service has received more than 600 to 650 email enquiries for the past three weeks. Murphy explained that not all of these enquiries translate into one-to-one sessions, but it shows the “increasing concern that students have for their emotional and mental wellbeing”. “We are offering on-line, supported cognitive behaviour therapy modules as well as groups and workshops on a variety of topics from academic support to ‘living with covid’, bereavement and addiction support,” Murphy added. “We also have three long term groups offering students weekly sessions for up to 2 years duration.”

In August, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris announced €5 million for student well-being and mental health, dividing it among higher level institutions across the country. That funding has directly transferred into additional funding being available for more counselors at Trinity. Speaking about the funding, Murphy said: “The government has donated money specifically for student counselling services and we are delighted to say that we have new posts being processed at this time as a result of this.” “The government has singled out sexual consent and the new framework for suicide prevention

in 3rd level to be a focus of some of this allocation but all posts will work directly with students.” In the beginning of October, Harris launched the The National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework, which is the first national framework to address student mental health in the country. The aim of the framework was to effectively “address the gaps” which may exist in suicide prevention in higher education. In addition to the suicide prevention framework, the “Active Consent Toolkit: Developing a Consent Strategy for your Higher Education Institution”, was Continued on page 2>>

Continued on page 3>>

Schools fail on legal requirements to casual staff Finn Purdy Deputy Editor

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Many of us feel that this underlines the disrespect with which we are treated Continued on page 3>>

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

In this issue News

Construction on Printing House Square expected to be finished by early 2021 - page 8

Features

American students in Trinity look towards the election - page 12

Comment

Students have been unfairly vilified in the spread of Covid-19 -page 18

SciTech

Trinity biodiversity start-up wants to change the way we garden- page 24

Sport

Is the GAA doing more harm than good? - page 30

TRINITY NEWS EDITORIAL STAFF Editor Deputy Editor Assistant Editor Online Editor Deputy Online Editor Life Editor Deputy Life Editor

Lauren Boland Finn Purdy Jack Kennedy Lisa Jean O’Reilly Saba Malik Maeve Harris Heather Bruton

News Editor News Analysis Editor News Analysis Editor Features Editor Comment Editor Gaeilge Editor Scitech Editor Scitech Editor Sport Editor

Shannon Connolly Patrick Coyle Kate Glen Olivia Flaherty-Lovy Dearbháil Kent Gráinne Caulfield Lucy Fitzsimmons Cian Lynch Shannon McGreevy

Photo Editor Video Editor Video Editor Art Editor Social Media Editor Head Copyeditor

Vicky Salganik Melanie O’Donnell Kallum Linnie Márta Menta Czinkóczky Brigit Hirsch Ciara Olden

Printed at Irish Times print facility, City West Business Campus, 4080 Kingswood Road, Dublin 24

Counselling Service receives over 600 enquiries in three week period

>>Continued from front page launched in September to 22 higher education institutions across the country. The programme, which was also launched by Harris, “offers guidance” to higher education institutions in developing an Action Plan on consent, sexual violence and harassment, as well as addressing consent education through a sustainable and joined up strategy across each campus in the country. Murphy explained that Trinity has “quickly replaced any of our core posts that have become vacant and are very supportive of keeping our services fully operational” in

light of the pandemic. “We have two counselling rooms in Trinity Hall and are endeavouring to have a counsellor there as much as is possible during term time,” Murphy said. “Under level 5, we are mostly offering video and tele-counselling but the counsellors are physically in Trinity Hall at least two days a week in case of emergencies,” Murphy explained. “We hope with the new posts to cover more days there.” The Student Counselling Service offers emergency sessions every day, with vulnerable or at risk students advised to contact the service through email.

Analysis: Demand for counselling services emphasises the importance of funding Patrick Coyle News Analysis Editor

ental health has been the great secondary talking point of the Covid-19 pandemic. While some have used the effect of government restrictions on people's wellbeing as an argument against lockdowns, most of the discussion has revolved around adapting the country’s mental health services to the new normal in Ireland. The news of increased applications to Trinity’s Mental Health support service is no surprise given this, and it emphasises the importance of increased funding. The impact of the pandemic on mental health was stressed from the beginning of lockdown. In May, Head of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Lisa Molloy wrote that by looking at the effects of previous crises, we could predict the fallout of Covid-19 on mental health. She cited Hurricane Katrina and the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone as two examples of disasters which led to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among local populations. With regard to the effect of lockdown on mental health, Molloy wrote that hospital staff who had to quarantine during the SARS outbreak in 2003

also faced increased symptoms of depression and PTSD. Molloy called on the government to allow counselling and psychotherapy to play a “central role” in the public healthcare system: “This is a critical requirement that will be essential in safeguarding the longer-term mental wellbeing of this nation.” The pressure faced by mental health services as a result of the pandemic will only exacerbate what has been described as a crisis in the sector. Writing in the Journal last week, Dr. Mark Murphy, a GP based in Dublin said that GPs needed more support from the government in order to provide effective mental healthcare. He estimated that “possibly 25% of GP-workload relates directly with managing mental health symptoms, including anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms and addiction”. He said that there is an overreliance on charities such as Pieta House to provide these healthcare services, and argued that an effective response to the effect of the pandemic on mental health would need to be “streamlined, and embedded within existing healthcare services”. Eight months on from the first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Ireland predictions about the pandemic’s effects on mental

health appear to have rung true, particularly among young people, who have seen their social and academic lives cut short. A survey by RTÉ of 1,000 Leaving Certificate students found that 61% reported a low overall level of wellbeing, with 46% saying they had experienced anxiety and/or depression. Students at third level have faced similar constraints, and a deterioration of their overall wellbeing is to be expected. It is not surprising, given this, that Trinity’s mental health services have seen an increase in student enquiries. When he announced the €5 million funding package for mental health supports at third level in August, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said that the pandemic had been a challenge for students, and that it was necessary to support “student counselling services, key mental health interventions and the provision of a safe, respectful, supportive and positive environment in our higher education institutions.” The reports from Trinity’s Health Service emphasise the importance of increased funding for mental health services at third level. For many students, their college or university is the first place they look to for support.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Schools failing on legal requirements to casual staff Several schools have failed to provide teaching assistants with written terms of employment Finn Purdy Deputy Editor

U M E R O U S MEMBERS of Trinity’s casual teaching staff have not received a written terms of employment from College despite a legal requirement that came into effect in 2019. Several casual teaching staff have told Trinity News that their Schools have failed to provide them with written terms of employment. This comes despite a legal requirement for employers to do so under legislation that came into force in 2019 and a promise from College issued in January 2020 which stated that “everyone employed in Trinity receives a written statement regarding their terms of employment, including casual staff from the beginning of this year in accordance with recent legislation”. While some schools, such as the School of English, have from the start of this academic year introduced a policy of providing casual staff with written terms of employment, as has been the law since March 2019, teaching assistants and demonstrators within the Schools of Histories & Humanities, Engineering, and

Computer Science and Statistics have confirmed to Trinity News that they have received no such documentation. A College spokesperson told Trinity News that everyone employed in Trinity “should” receive a written statement regarding their terms of employment, but confirmed that it was an issue dealt with by the individual “Schools / areas in which they are employed”. The Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, which was passed in 2018 and came into effect in March 2019, states that employers must provide employees with a written statement of five core terms of employment in writing within five days of starting employment and statement of 10 remaining terms of employment within two months of starting work. These terms are required to include information such as the method for calculating pay, whether the employer offers sick pay, and the period of notice to be given by an employer or employee. Speaking to Trinity News, one teaching assistant currently employed in Trinity stated that “contractual issues have been a concern for a long time now and with the current situation gravely affecting our work, this has only been magnified”. “The college has had ample opportunity to provide a clear outline of our rights in accordance with Irish law, but has declined to do this and as with many issues, has passed the book to individual Schools and Faculties,” they added. The teaching assistant stated that “many of us feel that this only underlines the disrespect with

which we are treated”, saying that “despite the university’s reliance on TAs (perhaps as we are relatively cheap labour), we are very much second-class citizens within the structures of the College”. Speaking to Trinity News, Gisèle Scanlon, president of Graduate Students Union (GSU) said that while she could not “respond to an unspecified set of conditions where some TAs are not getting terms and conditions”, she urged postgraduate teaching assistants “to come through the GSU”, so that she might “raise this with the appropriate people and have any issue that relates to an individual who feels that they’re not being appropriately treated directly addressed”. “I believe that this may need a specific meeting between the GSU and HR and a discussion about a school by school approach”, Scanlon added. In the previous academic year, Trinity News reported that many teaching assistants in Trinity have said they feel “exploited” and “undervalued” in the way they are treated by College. A College spokesperson responded to say that Trinity “greatly values all its staff members”. Casual teaching staff are rehired by Schools at the beginning of each new academic term. With the fiveday deadline having passed for Schools to provide casual staff their five core terms of employment in writing, it is yet to be seen whether any Schools will provide the remaining statement of a further 10 terms of employment required once a member of staff has been working for two months.

PHOTO BY VICKY SALGANIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

Nine rugby club members test positive for Covid-19 >>Continued from front page Players who have tested positive have been advised to self-isolate. A spokesperson for College told Trinity News that College wishes the players a speedy recovery. Before the implementation of Level Five restrictions, Dublin was under Level Three, which allowed for some group sports training. The rugby team had been training together up until the Level Five restrictions were introduced. “This took place while people were obeying the rules,” the spokesperson said. “It’s an unfortunate side effect of the rules around elite sports that allowed this kind of training.” “People were honouring the rules, and it just unfortunately happened.” “People are isolating and the HSE are doing contact tracing,” they said. This is the first Covid-19 outbreak of its kind that College has recorded among students. DUFC was among several clubs in Trinity that were given

an exemption from certain restrictions on sports under Level Three. Alongside Men’s 1st rugby, Women’s 1st and Men’s 1st Hockey teams, Trinity Women’s Basketball, and Women’s 1st Volleyball were also granted an exemption to continue with training, matches and events scheduled to take place on and off-campus. Other clubs were subject to restrictions on training with more than 15 members, while upcoming fixtures were cancelled during Level Three. Level Five restrictions were introduced on Thursday October 22, placing strict limitations on most forms of social activity. In Trinity, most teaching is being conducted online, with some essential in-person classes required for accreditation, such as labs, taking place on-campus. The Library has remained open under Level Five, along with the student breakout spaces that were introduced on campus at the start of the semester.

Demolition works for E3 Hub pushed to next spring The demolition of parts of the east end of campus were expected to be completed by Christmas 2019 Shannon Connolly News Editor

E MOL I T ION WORKS on the east end of campus to make way for the new building is now expected to be finished by April 2021, after College originally planned to start building on the

site this autumn. The first phase of works to clear the site for the new building was completed earlier this year, with the demolition of the former Biochemistry Building and Roberts Lab. In an email to students in September, Bursar Professor Veronica Campbell explained that Covid-19 resulted in a “temporary pause” of the demolition work, but College are now moving ahead with the second phase of the demolitions, which started in October. These works include the demolition of the Anatomy Annexe building, extensions to the back of the Zoology building and works to services on the roadway alongside the colonnades at Hamilton, Watts and Panoz Institute in the east end of campus.

Speaking to Trinity News, a spokesperson for College confirmed: “Demolition works in the site location for the E3 Learning Foundry are ongoing at present.” “Works are expected to complete by April 2021 and the main contract works are expected to commence subject to Board approval in June 2021.” The Martin Naughton E3 Foundry Hub was originally announced last year, planning an extension in the Schools of Engineering, Computer Science & Statistics and Natural Sciences. Building on the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry Hub was expected to commence this autumn, with the work expected to take two years. Campbell explained the project to students and staff, stating the

building will be “an innovative, highly sustainable building for teaching and learning across the fields of engineering, environment and emerging technologies”. The Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry is being designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and will “represent timeless and enduring architecture to reflect its setting between modern and classical buildings”, according to Campbell. “The east end of campus will be renewed with extensive hard and soft landscaping, the creation of new walkways and squares, bicycle parking and places to linger.” The new building will be named after Martin Naughton, in honour of a €25 million donation from the Irish billionaire and businessman and his wife Carmel. The donation was the single

largest private philanthropic donation in the history of the Irish state. “The Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry is an important project for Trinity, supported by philanthropy and government funding from Project Ireland 2040,” Campbell stated in an email to students and staff. “The support and patience of the College community over the next few years will be greatly appreciated as the team delivers an exciting new building for students, whilst also transforming the east end of the campus for the benefit and enjoyment of all.” E3, which combines natural sciences, computer sciences, and engineering, is expected to provide physical space for the disciplines to collaborate on education and research.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Analysis: DUFC positive Covid-19 cases calls the safety of closecontact sports training into question Kate Glen News Analysis Editor

ast week, nine members of Trinity Rugby, Dublin University Football Club (DUFC) tested positive for Covid-19 eight Division 1 players and one coaching figure. All sports training and events except for professional teams and inter-county GAA are currently suspended as the country is under Level Five Covid restrictions. It is believed that the Trinity infections occurred last week whilst Dublin was under Level Three. At Level Three, most College sports events were cancelled and training was only permitted with a maximum of fifteen people who maintained social distancing requirements of 6ft. However, five Trinity teams were granted exceptions to this by the government, on the basis that they were considered to play at an elite level in their respective sports: Trinity Women’s Basketball, Men’s 1st Rugby team, Women’s 1st and Men’s 1st Hockey teams, and Women’s 1st Volleyball. DUFC published a comprehensive risk assessment and safety plan in July. This included a series of safety measures including adhering to hygiene standards and keeping a contact log. It also laid out instructions for players to be placed into “pods” of members who train together consistently and guidelines for two metre social distancing. Ultimately, however, rugby is a close contact sport. Social distancing cannot be adhered to in a scrum or while tackling. Speaking to the Hard Shoulder on Newstalk, the Director-General of the Health Service Executive (HSE), Paul Reid, pointed out on October 15 that sports that have “team huddles” see a much higher level of positive Covid-19 cases.

Concerns about holid travel, accommodatio brought to light in su international student TCDSU is surveying international students on challenges of Level 5 restrictions Audrey Brown

Deputy News Editor

C A memo on October 1 from the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) sent to country boards instructed clubs to ban huddles. However, scrums are a vital part of rugby and cannot be so easily dismissed. Other teams have been impacted by Covid-19 cases too. The final match of the Women’s Six Nations, set to take place in Donnybrook between Ireland and France was called off due to an outbreak of Covid-19 in the French team. Had the match gone ahead, or had detection of the virus been a few days later, the Irish team would have been exposed to the virus. Professional sport also requires a lot of travel. While the rest of the country is restricted to a 5km limit, the Men's Rugby team flew to France last Sunday, Dundalk played Arsenal in London, and GAA and League of Ireland teams are travelling around the country. Despite all the guidelines the DUFC had in place, nine members tested positive for Covid-19. The fact that the virus could spread to so many players before detection, regardless of protective measures, unavoidably calls into question the safety of continuing training for close contact sports during this pandemic, especially for teams at a non-professional level.

ONCERNS ABOUT exams, accommodation and travel during the Christmas period have been highlighted by the first responses recorded in a survey of international students on challenges posed by Covid-19 regulations. Last week, international students were alerted to the release of a virtual, anonymous student survey in order to determine the status and response of international students amidst Level 5 restrictions. Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) International Officer Patrick O’Mahony said that the union is “keenly aware of the uncertain situation that many of you have been placed in and we are actively seeking answers as to how you will be accommodated in light of the new government guidelines”. In the survey, students have been asked to record their home country, year and course, and they were asked a series of questions about their situation, including whether or not they had to procure or renew a student visa and what their plans for the coming weeks were. Following recommendations made by TCDSU Welfare and Equality Officer Leah Keogh, O’Mahony dedicated one page of the survey to gauging student mental health. Of the responses received so far, two prevailing issues that O’Mahony has seen repeatedly brought forth by international students are that of securing accommodation over the holiday break if students are unable to return home and the question of exams.

“Some people would like to go home but are having issues getting money back for accommodation, and that is one of the things just holding them back.” Regarding exams, O’Mahony stated that “with all that’s going on at the moment, it will be particularly hard to plan”. Michaelmas Term examinations are currently set to take place after the conclusion of the Christmas break, running from January 11 to 21. Although O’Mahony is unsure if at this point, the union will have any control over changing this plan for concerned international students, “we’re going to look at everything and see what we can do to help”. One question asked whether or not the move to Ireland had impacted the respondent’s mental health, and students were given the choice to tell whether their mental health had been impacted positively or negatively, or not at all. In response to the questions monitoring student mental health, O’Mahony noted that “one of the unfortunate things to see is that a lot of students said that their mental health has been impacted negatively since moving back to Ireland”. “I think that it’s been quite a hard time on everyone, but I think in particular with regards to people having to self-isolate, that can’t have been easy.” O’Mahony stated that he saw results indicating that students moving to Ireland for study for their first year of college were the most negatively impacted. He attributed this mainly to an inability to socialise in shared living settings. “This year, there are less students who are in Trinity Hall, and so more first year students are spread out throughout Dublin. So I think it’s making it hard on some students to be able to interact with other first years because they may not be in an apartment with first years as they would have been in other years in Trinity Hall. So it’s making it hard for them to make new friends.” Students were also polled as to whether or not they planned to return home during reading week or for the December to January

“

Some people would like to go home but are having issues getting money back for accommodation, and that is one of the things just holding them back

holiday break. O’Mahony stated that he felt it was important to include both “yes”, “no” and “maybe” options for those questions because when speaking to people one-on-one, “they might be saying, ‘oh, no, I’m not going home for Christmas’, whereas in actual fact they would like to go home for Christmas”. In light of fears about travel restrictions in response to the return to Level 5 lockdown status, O’Mahony believes that students might be unsure about their future plans, so he instated an anonymous system so that students could share concerns in a way that might not be conducive to personal conversation. “If we as a students’ union want to be able to answer, to be able to fix the issues which international students are facing, the issues are so diverse because people come from different countries with their own different issues,” stated O’Mahony.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

day on urvey of ts He hoped that the survey would prompt students of many situations to share their concerns with the union, and “in turn help TCDSU know what were the issues that needed to be dealt with”. After Level 5 guidelines were released by the government, O’Mahony edited the survey to include questions about whether students would remain in Ireland or return to their home countries in response to the lockdown. “In my mind I thought that people were going to stay because of Level 5 restrictions, and in actual fact, there have been more people who want to go home from Level 5 restrictions, which has been interesting,” reported O’Mahony after surveying the results of the first four days of responses to the survey. He said that to alleviate problems like lack of social contact and uncertainties regarding returning home during winter holidays, the union is working to organise events “so that students can feel supported”. When asked whether these events would be geared particularly for an international audience during the holiday season, he said that “ideally, it would be events which would be attractive to international students, but if Irish students wish to come along, they’d be more than welcome”. “As an international student myself last year, I thought one of the best things about Trinity was...I didn’t feel like there was that much of a divide between international and non-international students. And that would be something that I’d want to keep up,” he said, especially as the Christmas season approaches for students. O’Mahony hopes that the responses generated by his recent survey, especially regarding concerns in light of travelling in the face of Level 5 restrictions, will allow TCDSU to cater to international students’ needs. “We are aware of the issues which international students are facing, and we are working hard on it, so things will be coming through,” O’Mahony said. “It just is a difficult period for everyone. And that is not an excuse, but hopefully the SU this year will be able to help international students more.”

PHOTO BY SABA MALIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

No recalled sanitiser products in use in Trinity Virapro products, which were widely recalled, had not been used in Trinity Lauren Boland Editor

ANITISERS THAT have been removed from the Department of Education’s list of biocidal products approved for use in schools following a government review are not in use in Trinity, College has confirmed. Primary and secondary schools have been instructed to cease the use of over 50 sanitising products after a joint review from the Departments of Education and Agriculture could not confirm that the products’ registration status was satisfactory. Trinity’s sanitisers have not been impacted by the review. Speaking to Trinity News, a spokesperson for College said that “College can confirm that none of the sanitising products highlighted by the Department of Education are in use in Trinity”. Multiple types of wipes, hand sanitisers, hand sanitiser refills, hand soaps and detergents have been removed from the approved list, amounting to 43 biocidal products and nine other products.

The review of sanitising products followed the recall of all Virapro products, a type of sanitiser that had been used by schools, the HSE, and retailers. College has confirmed to Trinity News that there were no Virapro sanitising products in use in Trinity before the recall of the products was issued. College first introduced hand sanitisers in campus and offcampus locations to try to prevent the possible spread of infection before Ireland’s first lockdown, and before the first case of Covid-19 in Trinity had been confirmed. Hand sanitiser stations have been installed in Trinity at entrances to campus and in many frequently-used buildings. A number of schools around the country were forced to close early the day before the mid-term break due to the sudden recall of the Virapro products. The Virapro recall prompted a review of other biocidal products obtained through the Department of Education’s PPE procurement agreement. In a statement, the Department of Education said that the removal of more products from its approved list for schools was made because it “had not been possible to satisfactorily confirm their registration status as part of the review”. The department said that the products would not be included on the list again until their

registration status is confirmed, but that the department has no evidence the products are unsafe. “The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and the Education Procurement Service are engaging directly with the suppliers concerned regarding the status of these products and it may be possible to reinstate these products to the agreement at a later date,” the Department of Education said. Schools were advised last week to stop using the removed products and store them securely until they are collected by their supplier. “Schools impacted by the removal of these products will be provided with funding to source new supplies.” “The suppliers and products on the agreement will be monitored on an ongoing basis and any further changes to the list will be notified to schools,” the department said. “The Education Procurement Service has engaged with suppliers on the agreement in the last few days and there is sufficient stocks available for schools to order.” “Schools seeking new product to replace stock should contact any of the suppliers on the agreement directly to process orders. The Department is working with suppliers to ensure that stock is provided to schools in time for reopening on Monday November 2 where needed. Suppliers are ready to prioritise school orders they receive.”

“Any school that is impacted by this will be provided with funding for an Aide for two days to assist with dealing with these issues.” “Schools that have any difficulty sourcing an alternative supply or are concerned about a funding shortfall to cover this additional cost can contact the Department’s Covid-19 helpline or email address and Department staff will work to support schools.” Guidance on on-site activity for higher and further education published during the summer said that institutions should supply functioning hand was facilities and consider introducing hand hygiene or sanitiser stations before reopening for the new semester. The guidance outlined that stations should be located in entrances, exits and “high touchpoint areas and high footfall areas”, but without leading to “bottlnecks/congregations of staff and students undermining physical distancing of two metres”. “Where bottlenecks are likely (for example, ‘teaching buildings’ with multiple lecture halls), institutions could consider multiple stations within a building,” the guidance said. “As campuses reopen, institutions are advised to pay particular attention to such locations, use effective signage and respond quickly to prevent any activity that impedes distancing.”

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Provost applications open as change to Statutes to allow electronic voting considered A new provost is to be elected next year as Prendergast’s term comes to an end Shannon Connolly News Editor

HE appointment procedure for College’s next provost, who is due to take up the role next year, has opened, with applications for the role closing on December 4. Consideration is underway on a change to College’s Statues that would allow voting for the election to take place electronically if needed. The term of office for the current provost, Patrick Prendergast, expires at the end of this academic year on 31 July 2021. An email circulated to academic and administrative staff last week said that the “process is now underway to appoint his

successor”. “The appointment of a new Provost is a very significant event in the life of the university,” the email, signed by Registrar and Chair of the Steering Committee Brendan Tangney, said. The timeline for the appointment process was approved by Board at a meeting earlier in October. “It is a process which I hope we will all embrace and make time for in our busy lives. The appointment is taking place against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and this will present certain challenges,” Tangney said. “A change to the College Statutes to allow voting to take place electronically, if circumstances prevent a physical gathering, is going to the Fellows for Assent.” “If approved, this will give us a fallback option if the need arises.” The new provost will receive a salary of around €200,000, as well as the use of the Provost’s House on campus. Interviews will take place after the application closing date in December and January, and are to be carried out by an interview committee chaired by Professor

Rose Anne Kenny. Following the interviews, a list of candidates will be forwarded to the Steering Committee who will then invite these candidates to seek 12 nominations from the electorate in order to have their

names on the ballot. The formal campaign period will run from 5 February to 7 April 2021. The election for the position will take place on Saturday, 10 April 2021. The name of the elected candidate will go to Board for approval and the new Provost will take up office on 1 August 2021. The electorate is made up of full-time academic staff who have been in post for at least 12 months on the date of the election. Certain part-time members of academic staff are also eligible to be members of the electorate along with some student representatives. In the email circulated to staff,

Tangney wrote: “The appointment of the new Provost is a very valuable opportunity which comes around every 10 years. It allows us an opportunity to reflect on, and to take stock of, where we are as a community and an institution and to debate, in the best academic tradition, our vision for the next decade.” The provost is College’s chief officer and is responsible for academic, administrative, financial and personnel affairs. They chair several governing bodies within Trinity, including Board, University Council, and the Finance Committee.

PHOTO BY DANIELLE OLVARIO FOR TRINITY NEWS

Trinity ranked lower for student experience compared to several other universities Despite having a lower student experience ranking, Trinity has ranked top in the Sunday Times Good University Guide for the 19th successive year Shannon Connolly News Editor

RINITY HAS been ranked lower for student experience compared to several other universities in the Sunday Times’ annual Good University Guide. The guide ranks higher level

institutions in Ireland for the next upcoming year at a time when prospective sixth year students in secondary school are expected to start making their decision for next year. Trinity has increased from its standing last year to 11th in student experience rankings; however, College still remains lower than several universities in the country. The guide has ranked 11th the student experience at Trinity at 49.5%, lower than University College Dublin at 50.8%, Maynooth at 49.9% and Athlone Institute of Technology at 52.9%. The student experience part of the rankings is calculated on a scale of 60 points across nine areas, such as effective teaching practices, student faculty interactions and a “supportive academic environment”, which are then averaged to produce an overall scaled score for each university. Despite the low ranking in student experience, Trinity has ranked in the top position in the

Sunday Times Good University Guide for the 19th successive year, followed by University College Cork (UCC) in second and University College Dublin (UCD) in third. College has remained first in the Good University Guide this year due to remaining first in subjects such as points for entry, research income, progression rate and the amount spent on services and facilities. The Sunday Times described Trinity as “buzzing”, remaining 1st in Ireland for the 19th year in a row, and commended College’s “cutting-edge research profile”, which includes projects such as Stevie II. Among the attributes listed by the Sunday Times were research grants, which stood at over €119 million in 2019, that the paper described as being “by far” the most in Ireland. Points for entry have remained in the top position in the guide between last year and now, with an average of 489 this year and an

average of 520 last year. Unemployment from Trinity is down to 7th position at 4%, while students graduating with Firsts and 2:1s are up to 4th at 69.9%. Progression rate in College is second this year, with 92% of students progressing from one year to the next at Trinity. There are currently 12,131 undergraduate students and 3,412 postgraduates at Trinity, with 702 teaching members of staff. 10.1% of students at Trinity are mature students, while 24.2% of students are from international backgrounds. College’s worst performance was in student to staff ratio yet again this year, where it was placed at 17th for a ratio of 17.3 to 1. Rents for Trinity or in the near vicinity of the college remain at one of the highest in the country, at €750 to €920 a month. Speaking to the Sunday Times, Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) President Eoin Hand identified the “worst feature” of Trinity being no student

parking, ranking the facilities at Trinity at eight and half out of 10. Hand said that the “deal clincher” for College was its location, “in the heart of Dublin City”. In a year that has been like no other, the Sunday Times University Guide identified the lack of access to laptops for students who are distanced learning as one of the biggest problems, while some students have argued that the new learning format has made it easier for students to ask questions. The guide also identified “technical glitches” in the blended learning environment that have been the main source of frustration for many first year students. Trinity has ranked highly in many rankings this year, rising to 155 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, up from 164 in the rankings last year. Trinity also rose seven places to joint 101st, in the QS world university rankings 2021 earlier this year.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Analysis: What we can learn from the last time Trinity elected a provost? Patrick Coyle News Analysis Editor With Patrick Prendergast’s term set to expire next year, we take a look at the 2011 election that saw him elected as Trinity’s 44th provost

ast week, applications opened for the position of provost. The provost’s term in office lasts ten years, and Patrick Prendergast’s tenure is set to expire early in 2021. Prendergast was elected in 2011, following a campaign process characterised by the issues most relevant to third level at the time. The 2011 race was initially contested by six candidates, with one candidate - Robin Cunningham - dropping out of the race in early March. Of the five candidates on the ballot, only one came from outside of Trinity. Candidates for Provost relied on the votes of Trinity academics and had to publicly declare their wish to run for the position. These were cited as two key factors for the insularity of the race. The Irish Times Education Editor, Sean Flynn, argued that by not attracting more external candidates, Trinity was holding itself back: “By any standards, this is a ‘blue-chip’ educational appointment. It should draw the best and the brightest from Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford and the rest. Just don’t expect any of them to make it to No. 1 Grafton Street.” The five candidates who made it to election day were Patrick Prendergast, Jane Ohlmeyer, Colm

Kearney, Des Fitzgerald, and John Boland. Their campaigns were, predictably, characterised by the most topical issues relating to Trinity in the 2010/11 academic year. These included the relationship between the government and Trinity, the crisis in funding, and the issue of academic freedom. A number of candidates sought to diversify Trinity’s income stream by attracting more international students, increasing fundraising, and introducing a student fee on top of the student contribution charge. Also relevant was the notion that Trinity had, in recent years, lost ground to University College Dublin (UCD) and needed to reassert itself as the dominant force in Irish academia. Prendergast was the favourite for the position from the beginning. He was referred to as “the quintessential Trinity insider” by the Irish Times and it was not difficult to see why. His academic career began in Trinity in the 1980s when he completed an undergraduate degree in engineering, followed later by a PhD. As his career progressed, he became a key figure within Trinity’s administration, serving as chief academic officer, as well as vice-provost to John Hegarty. He was also a key figure in the “Innovation Alliance” research merger between Trinity and UCD. Prendergast’s manifesto emphasised the need for Trinity to distinguish itself among other institutions in Ireland, calling for the university’s status as a global representative to be recognised by the government. He also floated the idea of leaving the Irish Universities Association (IUA). This came after it was revealed that Trinity paid an annual subscription in excess of €250,000 to the IUA. Prendergast later walked back on these comments, saying that Irish

“

Prendergast was the favourite from the beginning universities would need to “pull together” to overcome present difficulties. Jane Ohlmeyer, a professor of Modern History at Trinity, was running to become the first female head of a university in Ireland’s history (a milestone not reached until 2020 when Kerstin Mey was elected president of the University of Limerick). Dubbed “The Queen of the Humanities” by this newspaper at the time, Ohlmeyer was seen as popular among students and academics alike, but was at a disadvantage campaigning for a position that is characteristically dominated by STEM. As well as campaigning to defend academic freedom and put an end to “overly controlling” models of governance, Ohlmeyer emphasised the need to support students in financial difficulty, and increase the number of students from under-represented groups. Colm Kearney, a professor of international business in Trinity, was ranked as the second favourite for the role of provost. A former economic advisor to the Australian Labour government, he ran an effective campaign, taking out ad space in Trinity News and The University Times. Like Prendergast, he raised concerns about the

IUA, and described the model of all universities being treated as one sector as “Stalinist”. Des Fitzgerald, the then-vice president of research at UCD, was the only external candidate to appear on the ballot. He was, at the time, the highest paid academic in the state, with an annual salary of €264,602. This figure had originally been €409,000, but was reduced after UCD faced significant criticism. Fitzgerald advocated reducing the number of undergraduate students, and increasing the number of postgraduate and international students. A late entry to the race, John Boland was seen as an outside candidate. He was a founder and director of the hugely successful CRANN nanoscience institute at Trinity, one of the leaders in its field. The campaign process was largely friendly, with the Irish Times noting that all candidates ran very polite campaigns. The University Times reported that, at a debate hosted by RTÉ’s Brian Dobson in the GMB, each candidate suggested at one point or another that their opponents’ talking points would be better suited to the Harry Potter themed table quiz that was taking place upstairs. Voting took place in April, with the electorate made up of full-time members of the academic staff, as well as members of the board and council. Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) had a total of 11 votes. Each of these votes went to Colm Kearney, after a separate election among students to decide who to vote for. The Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) was accused by some of ignoring students’ wishes when it announced that the four votes given to its sabbatical and faculty officers would be assigned based on a vote by the twelve members of the GSU executive.The executive planned to gather an impression of GSU members’ preferred candidate through meetings and emails. One member of the executive said that they could not run a poll similar to TCDSU because “postgrads just don’t turn up”. Prendergast’s victory was a comfortable one, beating runner up Ohlmeyer by 70 votes in the final round. Ohlmeyer’s impressive performance was seen as an upset, as she received 175 votes in the first round. The Irish Times reported that around 570 of 700 eligible voters turned out to elect the Provost. The election to decide Trinity’s next provost will take place on 10 April 2021, and it is likely that the election will be dominated by the issue of Covid-19 and its fallout on staff and students, funding, research, and the wider landscape of higher education. The pandemic is set to deepen the crisis in third level funding that has characterised Prendergast’s tenure. Candidates will need to present an inventive and comprehensive plan to help Trinity to bounce back over the next ten years if they are to be in with a chance of success.

What they said “Village Magazine has published an article in its current edition which is both inaccurate and grossly defamatory. The Tánaiste has sought legal advice on the content of the article.” Statement on behalf of Tánaiste Leo Varadkar

“No student parking” Eoin Hand, TCDSU President, when asked by the Sunday Times what Trinity’s worst feature is

“Varadkar should be sacked immediately. But the whole rotten government should also go. We need an election now.” People Before Profit

“We need to: Build bridges, not walls. Open our arms, not clench our fists. Focus on the ties that bind us together, not tear each other apart. We need to be what we are at our best: One America.” Joe Biden , US Presidential Candidate

“Our numbers are looking VERY good all over. Sleepy Joe is already beginning to pull out of certain states. The Radical Left is going down!” Donald Trump, US President and Presidential candidate.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Beyond Trinity

A lockdown scene in Autumn Shuttered shops on Dublin’s Grafton Street and leaves turning brown in St Stephen’s Green

Maynooth University has told students in an email last week that given the current public health situation, and the “likely” trends, the university plan to have no on campus exams in January, and the exams scheduled for January will be replaced by alternative assessments. The university also added that they will be replacing May assessments with remote assessments, though they hope to retain some exams on campus. The email sent to Maynooth students also added that the “bestcase” situation for the rest of term means students will only be in for laboratories, tutorials and small teaching groups (under 50) for the rest of the academic year. The university currently has no in-person classes under Level 5 restrictions.

PHOTO BY VICKY SALGANIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

Construction on Printing House Square expected to be finished by spring Although construction on the accommodation complex is expected to finish in spring 2021, further delays may occur Shannon Connolly News Editor

HE CONSTRUCTION of Printing House Square is expected to be completed for spring 2021, after facing several delays over the last few years. The accommodation complex was expected to be completed this summer; however, construction on the site had to halt due to the lockdown following the outbreak of Covid-19 in March. Speaking to Trinity News, a College spokesperson confirmed: “At the last Student life Committee meeting (October 13) the project sponsor Professor Kevin O’Kelly reported that Printing House Square is currently due for completion in spring 2021.” They added: “He also reported that productivity on building sites is currently at below fifty

percent due to hygiene and social distancing requirements, and this may impact on delivery dates.” The on-campus accommodation is expected to house 250 students. At the Dublin University Central Athletic Committee (DUCAC) AGM last week, Head of Trinity Sport Michelle Tanner when asked about the delays to Printing House Square said the delays were due to disruptions caused by the pandemic as well as unspecified “legal issues”. Tanner explained that College “should make a statement on [Printing House Square] soon”. In July, TheJournal.ie reported that concerns over students’ “latenight” behaviour at Trinity Hall had prompted residents to reject College’s plans for 358 extra bed spaces. As well as providing six storeys of accommodation for students, Printing House Square will house a new Health Centre, the Disability Service, and sports facilities, including a rifle range, squash courts and a handball alley. The building will be located on the former site of Oisin House and beside the Printing House, and will feature a courtyard that will serve as a new public entrance to campus. Demolition of the east end of campus is also expected to finish in springtime of next year, with construction set to start by the end of April 2021.

Students issued with letter to present to gardaí when travelling to College The letter is to be presented alongside a valid Trinity student ID Finn Purdy Deputy Editor

tudents have been issued with a letter that they are to present to Gardaí should they be stopped and questioned when travelling into College or to sites for work placement as part of their course. The letter must be presented alongside a valid Trinity student ID. Level 5 restrictions are currently imposed across the whole country due to a rising number of Covid-19 cases, requiring everyone to stay at home other than for essential travel. Among the exceptions to the stay at home order is included travel into colleges for “essential onsite activities”. The letter was sent last Friday in an email to all students from Brenda Walls, the director of student services. The letter states that “in presenting this document the student confirms that they are aware of the government

restrictions on movement/travel and will comply with those guidelines by only using this certificate for movement/travel directly associated with essential education activities of Trinity College”. The letter is signed by the Academic Registry. In her email to students, Walls warned that while the country remains under Level 5 restrictions, those students travelling into College “may be stopped by Gardaí and asked to show a letter of authorisation from the University”. As well as a student ID card, the letter may also be presented alongside a confirmation of course offer. Earlier in the month, when the current restrictions were imposed it was outlined that colleges are deemed an essential service and physical presence is permitted for higher education “insofar as onsite presence is required and such education activities cannot be held remotely”, according to the Department of the Taoiseach’s and Higher Education Minister’s websites. In person research has also continued under the new government rules and the Library has remained open with reduced opening hours.

More than 70% of graduate entry level medical students in University College Dublin (UCD) are withholding fees over further fee increases in light of the Covid-19 pandemic meaning much of their tuition is being held online. Fees in UCD have increased every year since 2017 for medical students, this year the tuition stood at €16,290 for Irish students and €55,140 for non-EU students, representing an increase of €1,000 and €3,000 respectively since 2017. Students have claimed that there has been several disruptions to their education due to online learning. In light of the protest, the School of Medicine in UCD said it would consider freezing fees for the 2021/2022 academic year.

Thousands of courses are to be made available in the midwest of the country, following an investment in a government initiative to upskill people in response to the economic impact of the pandemic. More than 3,000 modular courses are to be made available in higher level institutions in the Midwest of the country, which will be “short and focused” and “will be offered in a flexible manner”, to allow people to upskill without taking a considerable time period out of working. 271 additional post-graduate places and 2,769 additional modular places will be available at the University of Limerick (UL), Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) and the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) after an investment of €30 million earlier this month.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Government to provide extra higher education places with reduced fees Kate Henshaw Staff Writer

INISTER FOR Further and Higher Education, R e s e a r c h , Innovation and Science Simon Harris announced last Tuesday funding for 14,000 places in higher education that will be made available without fees, or with reduced fees. This funding will serve to support the provision of 11,597 places in short, modular courses and an additional 2,555 places in postgraduate courses. The funding for the 2,555 postgraduate places will be open to those returning to the workforce, those in employment and recent graduates. These places will be on 207 courses in 23 public and private higher education institutions. Individuals who are receiving Social Welfare Payments, including those receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will be eligible to undertake courses without paying

fees. The places are to be available across a range of skills areas including data analytics, environmental sciences, engineering, tourism and hospitality, information and communications technology and health and welfare. Speaking to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Harris said that the courses “will form a further response to the impacts of the global pandemic, providing upskilling and reskilling places for those who have been most affected and ensuring that they have the skills most needed by employers today”. Back in September, Harris announced that a further 2,225 places in higher education were being made available in high demand courses, such as nursing and law, following the highest leaving certificate grades being given to students this year. Later, an error in the calculated grades system resulted in additional places being made available in higher education courses in October.

Sinn Féin says 35% of students expected their course to be entirely online Connie Roughan Contributing Writer

TUDENTS HAVE expressed feelings of having been “misled into securing accommodation” despite the move of most learning online in a new report published by Sinn Fein. Sinn Féin Higher and Further Education Spokesperson Rose Conway-Walsh has published the results of the Sinn Féin Student Accommodation Survey 2020. The survey of 329 students emphasised the financial effects of fixed-term contracts and online education on third-level students facing a transition to online education. Among the small sample size of students surveyed, students reported their courses were on average more than 80% online prior to the move to a state-wide level 5, with 35% of students surveyed stating they expected their courses to be completely online - prior to the move to a state-wide Level 5. The majority of the students surveyed reported issues

with online teaching. Various accounts in the survey’s findings supply evidence of lecturers not providing the contact hours that they are timetabled for, whether due to technological difficulties or inaction. The report notes that students took on accommodation contracts on the basis of university and government indications that inperson classes would still occur. The survey by the opposition party Sinn Féin claimed that students felt they were “misled into securing accommodation” for this academic year. Until the announcement on September 25 that only essential laboratories and tutorials were to take place on campuses, classes under 50 were allowed. Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris advised students to reconsider leaving home and moving into student accommodation. A student is quoted in as saying it was “ridiculous” that the government suggested that students reconsider moving when many had already signed leases. The report noted that some students have not received refunds for accommodation they had to leave early in March.

TCDSU to call on College to halt international student fee increases The union is now mandated to lobby for lower fees for non-EU students Shannon Connolly News Editor

RINITY COLLEGE Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) Council is now mandated to lobby against fee increases for international students, after the passing of a motion on Tuesday evening proposed by international students. The motion presented to Council centered on international students’ fees, mandating the union to support international students to reduce their fees, while the second called for a reduction in all students’ fees given the reduced access to campus facilities this academic year. The motion regarding international students comes as non-EU students pay nearly three times as much as EU students, with these fees subject to a 3-5% increase annually. The motion cited the pandemic as a time to reexamine the fairness of these rates. Speaking at the Council, Rucha Benare said that international students need support “now more than ever”, with Julia Bochenek adding that with tuition raising again this year, it has been “working against” their college experience. Bochenek added that the motion is asking the international students to be added to the Union of Students’ (USI) campaign to reduce EU fees.

Speaking to Trinity News about why she proposed the motion, proposer Rucha Benare said: “We have put this motion forward because it is high time the university formally recognises the ever-increasing difficulties international students have to face to get an education overseas.” She continued: “We have seen amazing support from some of the officers from the Union and hope that the Union in its entirety will help establish more reliable and sufficient lines of communication to help international students on a case-by-case basis so no student is lost in this ever tangential chaos.” “Moreover, we wish to get non-EU students included in the ongoing movement for lowering of the EU fees.” Evan Rork urged the council originally to vote against the motion due to “failure to acknowledge the lack of engagement from the SU with international students”. He then asked a procedural motion to be added to the proposed motion, however that will be delayed until a later date. With the passing of the motion, the union is mandated to lobby against the annual 3-5% increase in non-EU fees. Benare went on: “Regardless of their EU status, every student should be entitled to having a good academic future (which now seems bleak due to ever-increasing tuition fees during a global pandemic).” The motion further stated that more support is needed for international students in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions, mandating the union President and International Student Officer to ensure that there is “adequate provision of information” to students by College, including the planned methods of teaching for the rest of the academic year.

Council also mandated that the union president lobby to ensure that support for students is made readily available by College on a case-by-case basis, relating to difficulties such as travel status to other countries and finances. Another motion relating to fees was delayed due to President Eoin Hand suggesting further consideration be made to the motion before putting it to a vote. The second motion on fee reduction was proposed by two senior fresh class representatives, and calls for TCDSU to circulate a petition on the reduction of fees in general. This motion was discussed but moved to a later date to pass. Dillon Broaders, SF Physical Sciences Class representative, who proposed the motion said that it was “unfair to force students to pay full fees” during the Covid-19 crisis, and that the pandemic is “no excuse to exploit students”. Broaders added that “250 euro is good but not good enough” in the reduction of fees. Leah Keogh, TCDSU Welfare Officer, also added that she was “fully behind the sentiment of this motion.” This motion was discussed but moved to a motion K by President Eoin Hand, as he also supported the sentiment of this motion, but believed several changes could be made to it before passing the motion. The motion noted that student access to facilities is severely restricted due to the ongoing pandemic and that fees have not decreased to reflect this. Council voted that the union adopt a formal stance on the issue in favor of lowering college tuition, and that the President establish a petition on the subject. TCDSU Council took place last week over Zoom. Additional reporting by Adam Balchin and Kate Henshaw

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Sabbatical officer campaign spending to be cut in half under proposed rule changes Education Officer Megan O’Connor presented a number of proposed changes to the way elections and referenda are run within TCDSU Shannon Connolly News Editor

EVERAL CHNAGES ARE to be made to the way Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) elections are run, following a motion passing at Council last week.

At Tuesday night’s TCDSU Council, it was proposed that several updates be made to the rules that govern how sabbatical elections and referenda are run within the union, which are collectively known as Schedule 3. Among the updates are changes to the amount of money which candidates are required to submit as a deposit to enter an election and the amount of campaign spending that candidates will be permitted. Candidates would only be required to enter a deposit of €20 with the secretary of the union’s Electoral Commision (EC), whereas previously this was €50. Under the proposed changes campaign expenditure would not be allowed to exceed €100, whereas this was previously set at €200. An additional of €50 would be permitted for stunts, whereas currently €80 is allowed. Speaking about the proposed updates, Education Officer Megan O’Connor noted that the overall

TAKE A GLOBAL VIEW

aim of the change is to make running for a sabbatical position “more accessible for everyone”, and there should not be financial barriers for students who wish to run. Communications and Marketing Officer Philly Holmes also noted that the proposed changes “facilitate all students to run” in an “equal and impartial way”. Updates to article 1.3 include a stipulation that officers of any organization to which the union has a memorandum of agreement may not be part of any campaign team, and must remain neutral to candidates unless they themselves are candidates. However, the rule stipulates that the EC may grant exemptions to specific individuals on a “case by case” basis. Changes to the campaign materials section would mean that while it is still the case that only one poster and manifesto design will be allowed for candidates this design may now be printed in

several different languages. Updates were also made to article 3.3 of the regulations, stipulating that any number of flyers by a candidate is allowed and is only limited by the €100 spending limit that may be used by candidates. Flyers are now allowed to be made in any colour that is not monochrome black or purple. Candidates may now also have multiple flyer designs. Changes to the clothing section (3.4) of campaign materials now allows for any number of printed items of clothing is permitted, and is only limited by the €100 spending limit. While the rules and regulations previously only accounted for t-shirt designs, the updates now stipulate that campaign clothing includes, but is not limited to, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, badges, wristbands and other accessories. All sabbatical campaign materials now must be submitted to the EC for colour scheme approval. The EC May reject any

sabbatical campaign material which contains offensive or vulgar language or imagery or content that could “otherwise damage the reputation of the union”. An update to the election briefing article added that the EC shall “publicize general, simplified election regulations ahead of any and all campaign periods”. In the new updates to the election regulations, the EC’s will be “final in all matters regarding these regulations unless overturned by Council or the Appeals Board”. Previously, the EC only stipulated that they be in charge of the “fair running” of Sabbatical elections, enforce the regulations and investigate any complaint made against a candidate or campaign. Updates to elections briefing, article 1.4, of the rules stipulates that nominees and campaign managers must sign an agreement to abide by the regulations made at the election briefing, when previously only nominees were required to sign such an agreement. The EC may now limit the campaign area in which a stall for a candidate is set up, if the candidate or their campaign team have breached the rules and regulations. Online presence may also be limited in the updated regulations. Elections for TCDSU sabbatical officers takes place annually before the reading week of Hillary Term, with a vote held after nearly two weeks of campaigning. Additional reporting by Adam Balchin and Kate Henshaw

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Features

American students in Trinity looks towards the election Sean Gordon Dalton

page 12

Making the old new with the revamp of Trinity’s Old Library Phoebe Norwood

page 16

A student social hotspot put under social restrictions

Trinity Hall residents are finding ways to maintain the community and energy of Halls Olivia Flaherty-Lovy Features Editor

ucked away into a corner of Rathmines, Trinity Hall is, for many, a sentimental milestone from first year, often associated with the rows of dimly-lit kitchens late at night, cold walks back along Dartry road, and the famously vibrant social scene. Throw together a global pandemic, the move to a nationwide Level 5 lockdown, and hundreds of first years living within the same block in South Dublin, though, and it’s safe to say that the Trinity Halls experience this year is vastly different from what past residents will remember. In line with the IUA recommendations, Halls has enforced a no-parties, no non-residents on site, and no movement between apartments policy, meaning first years, JCR members and wardens alike have been forced to find ways to maintain the traditional positive aspects of the Halls game on a vastly different playing field. “When students arrive here I take seriously the fact that Trinity Hall is their home for the year,” said Dr. Roja Fazaeli, the Head Warden. “Everyone should feel safe and secure in their home and these new regulations help to ensure that we are protecting Trinity Hall as a home for the students who are here at this difficult time.” However, Dr. Fazaeli admits that these restrictions do not come without consequences for residents, particularly in terms of increased physical, emotional and mental health needs. “It has been very difficult to advance the vital public health demands and regulations while also fostering the camaraderie that makes Hall a special place,” she said. “College Health Service, Student Counselling,

Disability Service, and Trinity Sport, amongst others, have been tremendous in their responses to this. But the reality is, of course, that many of these needs are inextricably tied up with the social side of Trinity Hall.” Indeed, with the vast majority of Halls residents being first years, many are finding one of the biggest difficulties to be replicating the social aspect that normally comes with living away from home in the midst of strict regulations and government guidelines. “For me, the biggest challenge of living at Halls this year was becoming accustomed to being by myself almost all of the time,” said Catherine Tamarelli, a first year from New Jersey. “Halls is normally supposed to have a really vibrant social scene, but as a first year student, I have trouble imagining that because I’ve only known it in the semi-dead state it’s in now.” Amidst this “semi-dead” state, however, residents have been finding ways to make friends and form connections where they can find them. First year Senia Magzumos is among

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Everyone should feel safe and secure in their home and these new regulations help to ensure that we are protecting Trinity Hall as a home for the students who are here at this difficult time

“

I think finding new ways to meet people and make friends has to be the biggest challenge residents are facing this year those who have found that a side effect of the restrictions has been the communal aspect of Halls becoming just a little more tight-knit. “I must admit I imagined spending less time at the accommodation and more on campus, but in general it’s been pretty cool, and I’m getting along with all my flatmates really nice,” she said. “I have to admit I am grateful to not live alone. It is really nice to have people who feel the same as you are, and it makes you feel like you’re not alone.” This sense of community is exactly what the JCR, the studentled body of previous residents dedicated to running events and providing support for residents, has been striving to provide this year. For second year and President Alex Clark, maintaining the energy and excitement that typically comes with Halls in such an unconventional time is one of the top priorities of his team this year. “The team has been working incredibly hard to make sure that each and every resident has the opportunity to get everything they want from this year, whether it be socially, academically or athletically,” he said. “The JCR are working so hard to plan an active and engaging social calendar, compliant with all college rules and government advice in order to give residents an outlet and chance to maximise their college experience all whilst staying safe.” Clark, too, recognizes that the recent national move to Level 5

and subsequent push for stricter lockdown measures has thrown in additional obstacles for first years set on making new friends, but also encourages Halls residents to stay optimistic and take advantage of their chances where they get them. “I think finding new ways to meet people and make friends has to be the biggest challenge residents are facing this year, but that in itself presents opportunities for really strong connections with the people you meet doing your laundry, or outside by the benches, or in a ‘state of the art’ JCR Virtual event,” he said. “Ultimately, we recognise that the new rules are leaving students feeling isolated and the JCR are here to support any student who is having difficulty right now.” For Dr. Fazaeli, the evolution of the JCR to adapt to the changing times and needs of students has been one the most gratifying side effects of the year so far. “Having the chance to get to know the JCR each year is frankly one of the most rewarding things about this position. I must really thank the JCR once again for the way they have been leaders at Trinity Hall this year,” she said. “It is not the year they had planned for and yet

slowly they are making it into a year of their own.” In this same spirit, Clark would advise residents to embrace the opportunity of living at Halls and make the most of their time there, no matter how unconventional the year may be. “Every second counts. The year will fly by, and before I know it, I’ll be congratulating next year’s president on their win,” he said. “Make the most of every opportunity, don’t take yourself too seriously and have fun.” As Ireland approaches the remaining five weeks of lockdown and the school year continues, albeit largely online, Dr. Fazaeli emphasized the growing focus on the importance of community in these times. “One of the things this pandemic has compelled us to consider in a new light is how the meaning of community here changes when the work of building friendships and social outlets must be done at a distance,” she said. “By and large residents have been tremendously respectful of each other and the staff here, and I think that most are handling this situation with a sense of determination, good humour, and a modicum of innovation.”

PHOTO BY EUAN CARROLL FOR TRINITY NEWS

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Features

American st look toward Na scrúdaithe is cáiliúla sa Choláiste Labhraíonn Anthony, duine a fuair an scoláireacht sa Ghaeilge agus sa Bhéarla anuraidh, faoina thaithí leis na scrúduithe, agus pléitear na deacrachtaí a bhaineann leo i mbliana Gráinne Nic Cathmhaoil Eagarthóir Gaeilge

e deireadh na bliana seo ag teannadh linn, diríonn caint i measc pobal an Choláiste ar na scrúduithe Scoláireachta. Más olc maith leat é, chomh deacair is a bhíonn na scrúduithe, tá argóint ann le rá go mbeidh na scrúdaithe i bhfad níos deacra an bhliain seo. Tagann na scrúduithe salach ar scrúduithe na Nollag—níl ach coicís eatarthu. Labhair mé le hAnthony, duine a fuair Scoláireacht sa Ghaeilge, faoina thaithí leis na scrúdaithe, a thuairim fúthu, agus faoi lochtanna na scrúduithe is cáiliúla sa Choláiste. Labhraíonn gach duine faoin leas a bhaintear amach as na scrúduithe maidir leis an dara téarma sa bhliain. Deirtear go mbíonn an t-ábhar ar fad déanta agatsa do na scrúduithe Scoláireachta, agus is féidir leat suí thiar ar gcúl maidir le do chuid staidéir. Bhíos ag labhairt le cúpla comhscoláirí faoina scrúduithe, ag fiarfraí dóibh an bhfuil siad á dhéanamh, agus bhí cuma ar an scéal go raibh scrúduithe an tsamhraidh ceann de na príomhfháthanna a bhí acu chun iad a dhéanamh.

Ach an fíorscéal é sin? Nó an dreas cainte atá i gceist? “Ní chuidíonn sé ró-mhór leis na scrúdaithe ag deireadh na bliana,” a léiríonn Anthony. “Ó thaobh na Gaeilge de, cuidíonn sé beaganín ó thaobh an scrúdú gramadaí de a bhíonn ag deireadh na bliana, ach seachas sin, ní déarfainn go mbeadh siad mórán cabhrach d’éinne ó thaobh sin de.” Mar sin, má tá an buntáiste sin ar bharr do cheann i gcomhair scrúdaithe an tsamhraidh, b’fhéidir nár chóir sé a bheith do phríomhfhath chun iad a dhéanamh. Ní féidir liom a shlamhlú cé chomh deacair is a bheadh sé chun tabhairt faoi na scrúdaithe Scoláireachta an bhliain seo. Chun a bheith buartha faoin bpaindéim, a bheith ag cothromú gnáthimní an tsaoil, agus a bheith ag tabhairt faoi dhá shraith scrúdaithe idir Nollaig agus na Scoláireachtaí. Sin gan trácht ar na deacrachtaí a bhaineann le foghlaim ar líne, le do dheifiúr óg ag screadach thíos staighre le linn na léachta, d’idirlíon ag teacht agus ag dul uaireanta, agus má tá tú ag iarraidh, nó b’fhéidir go bhfuil sé ag teastáil, do phost páirtaimseartha a choinneáil don bhliain acadúil chomh maith. B’fhéidir go bhfuil go leor forluí maidir le scrúdaithe na Nollag agus na scrúdaithe Scoláireachta? “Cinnte go raibh cuid den ábhar céanna clúdaithe ag an dá rud,” arsa Anthony. “Mar shampla, rinne mé Béarla, agus bhí ceist ar Shakespeare ar an scrúdú scoláireachta [a bhí déanta agam] cúpla seachtain roimhe sin.” Ach, is dócha nach bhfuil aon dearbhú: “[Bhí] mé níos buartha faoi na scrúduithe Scoláireachta ná a bhí mé faoi scrúduithe na Nollag mar ní raibh ach scrúdú amháin agam um Nollaig, agus bhí an t-ábhar ar an scrúdú Scoláireachta.” Ar ndóigh, ní bheadh sin an chás do gach duine, ach is dócha gur féidir forluí éigin a bheith ann. Ach, ní bheinn ag brath air. An rud a chuireann isteach ormsa ná bíonn saghas brú ann ó dhaoine i do shaol agus tú fós ag déanamh cinneadh faoi na scrúduithe, nó chun dearmad a dhéanamh orthu amach is

amach. Bheifeá as do mheabhair ag smaoineamh go bhfuil seans agat iad a ‘fháil’, agus bheifeá as do mheabhair gan an deis a thapú. Rogha an dá dhíogha atá ann. Cuireann sé drithlíní fuachta liom nuair a chuireann éinne an ceist orm mar measaim gur ceist lódáilte í d’éinne sa dara bliain. Ach fós féin, is deis iontach iad na scrúduithe. Mar a dúirt Anthony, “Is rud é go bhfuil siad in ann do shaol a athrú go huile is go hiomlán.” Anuas ar sin, bíonn sé tábhachtach cumais na mac léinn a aithint, agus is maith an rud é go mothaíonn mic léinn go mbeidh duais ann nuair a oibríonn siad go dian. Ach bhí mé fiosrach faoin gcóras Scoláireachta seo go háirithe, agus mar dhuine a rinne é “as [a] stuaim féin”, ar thug Anthony aon rud faoi deara a spreag sé chun smaoinimh, ‘is féidir sin a bheith níos fearr’? “Tá aithne agam ar dhaoine anois a fuair é, agus caithfidh mé a rá go raibh cúlraí rachmasach go leor ag an gcuid is mó [acu].” Leanann Anthony ar aghaidh, ag rá go bhfuil argóint ann le rá nach mbíonn “an Scoláireacht de dhíth orthu i ndáiríre, agus is dócha go bhfuil daoine ann sna blianta eile atá ag streachailt.” Conas a réitíonn muid fadhb an éilíteachais sna scrúduithe, agus fírinní an tsaoil? Is cuma le fóstóirí faoi do chúlra airgeadais agus mar sin, cén fáth ar chóir an Coláiste? Níl an freagra sin agam faoi láthair, ach idir an dá linn, leanfaidh an traidisiúin ar aghaidh an bhliain seo ar aon nós. Agus do na daoine atá chun triail a bhaint as na scrúduithe i mbliana? Aon leid, aon chomhairle? Cad é an ghnáthamh chun éirigh leis an ‘Sch.’ ríthábhachtach sin a fháil in aice le d’ainm? “Is dócha nach bhfuil aon leid mhaith agam i mbliana mar tá an rud ar fad difriúil,” a dúirt Anthony. “Ach, ó mo thaithí féin de, dearfainn do dhaoine chun an obair a chur isteach, déan do dhícheall, agus b’fhéidir go n-éiróidh leat, ach ná bí ag súil leis mar tá tú ag imirt leis an seans; níl a fhios agat cad a tharlóidh ar an lá.” Ní dóigh liom gur drochchomhairle atá ann.

Students from the US are taking nothing for granted as they await the election results Seán Gordon Dalton Deputy Features Editor

ith the United States elections upon us, it has been like watching a horror movie for some: scary, but without material impact. For many others personally affected, it represents a tipping point in history, with its impacts stretching across the world and generations into the future. At the moment, incumbent President Donald Trump is trailing former Vice-President Joe Biden in the polls, but it does not stop there. For months, the GOP have seen Trump as dead weight, dragging down incumbent Republicans’ chances at re-election up and down the ballot. The Democrats are all but guaranteed to retain control of the House, and are in a good position to win the presidency. Having completely turned

around what was once a rubyred Senate map, high profile Republicans are now publicly attempting to distance themselves from the president. Currently, Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning the Democrats need to net only three seats for a majority, with Senator Kamala Harris casting a tiebreaker vote should she be elected VicePresident. While at risk of losing 2 seats in Alabama and Michigan, the Democrats are ahead in Maine, Colorado and Arizona, and extremely competitive in North Carolina, Montana, South Carolina, Iowa, and both races in Georgia. While there is a sense of optimism among US students in Trinity, they are taking nothing for granted. Erin Buckley, a European Studies student from Texas, believes Biden will win the election with a larger share of the popular vote than Hilary Clinton, but with a very tight margin in the Electoral College. “Similar to what happened in 2016, there’s a very large Trump support group in the United States but because of the media and political bias, many of them aren’t as vocal as Democrats. This subset of Trump supporters is difficult to detect in the polling and makes the group easy to overlook,” she said. “I still think Biden will win because of Trump’s personality and his response to the Covid-19 crisis. While Trump

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tudents in Trinity ds the election did succeed in lowering taxes and helped boost the economy to record highs in the stock market and record low unemployment, his abrasive style and habit of blaming others for his and his administration’s shortcomings, in addition to the ongoing pandemic response, will resonate more with the American voters.” On the subject of a postelection transition, Buckley sees the reaction to a Trump defeat as being dependent on the circumstances of his loss. “If it is

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The elections are about more than just who controls the White House and Congress

a landslide blowout, I think he’ll have to step aside, encouraged by multiple members of the Republican party, but if it is a tight race, especially if the vote is close in one state that could swing the Electoral College vote, there will be contestations and several court cases, as he’s already said he doesn’t plan on going lightly,” she said. Morgan Hildula, a Junior Sophister PPES student from California, notes that Biden is not the “ideal shining beacon of progressive liberal thought.” However, she worries about the effect uninspired Democrats voting third party could have in swing states. “If you’re from California or if you’re from New York or you’re from a state that is automatically going to vote blue and you want to vote third party, go for it, make your point. But I can’t get over how counterproductive it is because we know that it splits the vote, especially in swing states,” she said. “I do think that a more productive way of getting involved in politics is considering ways of getting involved in communities more actively and I think protesting is an excellent thing, signing petitions, looking at how to get involved in local campaigns, local council. I’m kind of optimistic in that I think Biden is genuinely trying to be a transitional candidate and then you see who he wants to point to the cabinet, you see that in the legislation that he supports and is

willing to adopt.” However, the elections are about more than just who controls the White House and Congress. Hildula continued: “This year is also really important for governorships obviously, because 2020 is the year we’ll be redistricting after the election and that’s really important as well because that affects gerrymandering which is a huge issue for the Democratic Party. Obviously, Democrats have done it as well and do it but the Republican Party does it at a much higher rate. It’s just very despicable and again, just messes with the integrity of our electoral system.” Oliver Fisk, a Senior Fresh European Studies student from Virginia, also favours Biden’s chances, pointing to the high turnouts in elections since 2016. “Democrats have won convincing victories and with the pandemic and how the economy suffered over the last half year or so the signs are pointing towards a Biden victory,” he said. Fisk believes that although it is not an issue the election will likely be decided over, foreign policy will be one of the main areas most affected by the outcome. “Four more years of Trump would mean four more years of tensions building between the US and China, it would mean four more years of America cutting support for international organizations,

it would mean four more years of a more isolationist approach and four years of more difficult relationships between the US and its allies. Biden would seek to restore the US foreign policy of Obama but also added some progressive spin,” he said. “For example, he seems to want to cut alliances with authoritarian states in the Middle East for example. He’s not a fan of Saudi Arabia, he’s not a fan of Turkey and he would not certainly as Trump has, play to and try to form friendships with authoritarian leaders and political rulers.” On what a post-Trump America may look like, Fisk does not see the Republican party or the US returning to its Obama years. “I think if Trump loses, America is going to be an interesting place. It depends on where the Republican party ends up going, like this sort of post-Trump era. I don’t think Trump would spend four years in opposition, but I don’t think that the Trumpian brand of politics is gone from the right,” he said.“I think that there will be a battle to sort of take over his seat at the table and I don’t think this Trumpian firebrand style politics will live or die by this election. That will be a battle on the right to sort of become his successor.” In terms of domestic policy, Buckley believes that a Biden presidency would be more in step with the leftist side of the Democratic Party as opposed to the more moderate wing. “Evidence of this can be seen in the Biden campaign’s proposal for climate change, which mirrors many aspects of the Green New Deal. Many people were upset about Biden getting the nomination over Bernie Sanders and there is a sense of being forced to settle for Biden. To attract more of these voters, the Biden campaign has acquiesced to many of the demands from

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For students living in Democratic or Republican strongholds, there can be a sense of futility, particularly for those whose political inclinations are at odds with their state

the far left of the Democrat party and added these aspects to his campaign platform, hence why there are already discussions about packing the court, stopping fracking, and getting rid of the filibuster,” she said. In response to what she would like to see happen after the election, Morgan Hildula favours pushing a progressive agenda and scrapping the electoral college. “Let’s get rid of the Electoral College, we know that it doesn’t actually do anything in encouraging or fostering American democracy. And it’s pointless, we no longer need and arguably we never needed a sort of vanguard to decide what the public needs,” she said. Noting how her vote only really seems to count in her home of San Francisco or statewide elections and not much else, Hildula insists that proportionally, the Electoral College is deeply flawed and “has persisted for literally no reason other than to benefit the Republican Party and keep the majority of the population voiceless.” This tendency of many states to swing very heavily towards either the GOP or the Democrats has several students more focussed on statewide races. “My hometown of Richmond is a microcosm of the battle for the Democratic Party. At the moment in the mayoral elections there is a moderate Democrat running against a progressive and the city is very diverse, lots of young people, lots of older people,” said Fisk. “It’ll be interesting to see if the sort of Green New Deal, police abolishment brand of progressive politics will win out and win the hearts of Democratic voters or if the more moderate, gradual reformist approach for policy really will.” For students living in Democratic or Republican strongholds, there can be a sense of futility, particularly for those whose political inclinations are at odds with their own state. Democrats living in Missouri, or Republicans in New Jersey, for example, can find that their votes seem particularly meaningless. However, in some states across the US, this is changing. Candidates like Democrat Jaime Harrsion of South Carolina could well defeat Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham to become one of only two African-Americans to win a Senate seat there since the Reconstruction era. Buckely also notes that former bastions of the left and right are becoming more competitive, which could have a profound effect on the election. “As for elections in my own state [Texas], races that used to be no contest will be closer than ever before. This became incredibly evident in how close the Beto O’Rourke-Ted Cruz midterm election race was, so while the state is still red and will probably stay red through this election, there is a purple haze forming in some of the areas of the state, which could lead to the state becoming much more competitive than in the past 20 years.”

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Features ARTWORK BY MEERA ENQELYA FOR TRINITY NEWS

Volunteering with sch students in a virtual w Student societies are finding innovative ways to deliver the same personalized volunteer work in a locked-down world

Ben McConkey Contributing Writer

chools volunteering is a key activity for a multitute of societies. In the world of lockdown, these services may be even more important to the lives and well-being of the kids involved; a chance to break the monotony of school life. Trinity News spoke to two societies, St. Vincent De Paul(VDP) and the College Historical Society (The Hist) about their work with primary and secondary schools respectively during lockdown and to see how they have adapted to this new type of volunteering. St. Vincent De Paul (VDP) are one of the largest and most active societies on campus, known

for engaging in a diverse range of volunteer work. Throughout lockdown they have developed a new relationship with St. Francis Street, a primary school they had worked with in the past, facilitating various virtual volunteering activities with the kids. Peter Benson, VDP President, told Trinity News: “Over the last few weeks volunteers have been doing presentations and discussion groups with the class on influential figures in Black History. The school has encouraged us to set up a pen pal system with the kids, each volunteer sending a kid art and letter back and forth over a few weeks.” “We also run a letter writing activity, where a load of volunteers will be getting together on Zoom to write letters in each other’s company. These will be sent off to a housing with care facility,” Benson said. “We will be sending each of their residents and individual letter and will being doing so through the semester. Our activity leaders for Trinity Club and Jubilee Club, which are our activities for adults with additional support needs and older community members, have been calling their members on

a weekly basis over the summer and during term to check in with them.” Volunteering has definitely been a different experience for all

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The school has encouraged us to set up a pen pal system with the kids, each volunteer sending a kid art and a letter back and forth over a few weeks

involved, kids, schools and volunteers alike. In the past, VDP has run schools’ clubs focused on drama, art and sports, naturally with volunteers attending the school to run these events with the kids. In reflecting on how VDP schools’ events have changed, Benson said that “working with schools online has given our after-school activities a little more of a formal educational tone. We’ve been able to give more formal lessons, teaching kids about Black History and helping kids with their science projects”. For the volunteers, no longer having to commute to schools and doing all their work at a laptop has been a change too. “It has also been a lot easier to schedule virtual volunteering sessions. It’s easier to run them and the event as a whole takes up less time, not having to fit it in to your day because you’re not spending time commuting or setting stuff up beforehand,” Benson said. “It’s unfortunately less social and interactive than in-person volunteering would be. Traditionally 4 to 5 volunteers would work together with a group of kids and you could get some one-on-one interaction with the kids, you can’t get that now, talking to faces in a zoom call. Not

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It’s been a lot easier to schedule virtual volunteering having the walks back and forth from the schools and those little times that volunteers get to spend together definitely makes it harder for volunteers to get to know each other.” In spite of these challenges, there has certainly been an overwhelmingly positive response from the schools, who are looking to expand VDP’s involvement, and from the kids involved. On this, Benson said that he had been “pleasantly surprised” by how the students had received the volunteers in an online context. “The kids engage with the presentations, asking questions

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

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It’s now easier for schools from outside Dublin to be involved in the competition

hool world and laughing at jokes. These zoom activities are adding a lot of variety to their day of class. I feel they’re getting to see new faces in the classroom and some excitement to what I’m sure is a tough environment to learn in,” he said. “The schools and teachers have really welcomed us too. I think they appreciate that variety and no doubt they’re more restricted in what they can do compared to a usual year and we’re able to bring something new.” A central part of the Hist’s weekly calendar is school debating. The Hist run the Senior Leinster Schools Debating Competition in conjunction with the Literary and History Society in UCD. The competition involves around 200 speakers from 4th-6th year giving speeches on topics they are given a week in advance. Many students from the Hist volunteer to judge the competition. Although normally held on campus, the competition has had to migrate to Zoom this year. Laura Egan, the Hist’s Librarian, responsible for organising this competition, spoke to Trinity News about how they have adapted this year. Egan spoke about how moving the competition online forced them

to make changes that turnout out to be benefits. “It’s now easier for schools from outside Dublin to be involved in the competition, who might have found it harder to enter other years due to the need to travel. This has been great to see, and hopefully these schools will remain involved in the competition in future years,” Egan said. “Given the societal move towards Zoom events, we have decided to host a number of online panel events aimed at our Leinster Schools student competitors this year,” Egan said, “These will complement the topics for the debates and will hopefully spark further interest in the topics discussed. It is an exciting opportunity for students to hear from guest speakers on a range of topics the students themselves have debated.” Although over the past months online debating has become a normal part of everyday university debating, the process was entirely new for schools, which naturally has come with teething problems. Reflecting as to what the biggest challenges they faced moving the competition online were, Egan said that it was the number of small, but important, logistical details. “Between lining up the changed college calendar with when schools are open to set dates for rounds, and trying to ensure all speakers get the necessary information on time regardless of lockdowns, to delivering feedback to the relevant teams, plenty of things which are taken for granted as occurring in certain ways most years have had to be completely redesigned.” Naturally, co-ordinating the competition across schools from around the province comes with challenges too. For Egan, “there has been a mixed response from schools about moving the competition online”. “Many see it as the best option given the circumstances but have found it challenging to get used to the new format and procedures. It’s as new for the schools as it is for the volunteers, so understandably there has been some minor confusion in the early stages of implementation. Hopefully it will get easier for all as we adapt!”

People Before Profit and student socialism A look at how one of Trinity’s most active political societies is navigating this year

Jack Ryan Deputy Features Editor

rinity has many active political societies, including the Young Greens, Young Fine Gael, Ógra Sinn Féin and numerous others. These societies provide a platform for young people interested in public policy and politics to come together and discuss issues and push for policy change, both within their own parties and in Irish society. Some of these societies also organise regular social events, and can serve as a launchpad to future political careers. Networking opportunities and the chance to become noticed by the senior wing of their political organisation is undoubtedly at the forefront of many member’s minds. Current Táiniste Leo Varadkar was an active member of Trinity Young Fine Gael during his time at college. Trinity People Before Profit is somewhat of an outlier among the other political societies in that it is not a branch of a separate youth wing of its affiliated party. Rather, it is just a regular branch of the People Before Profit organisation. People Before Profit was founded in 2005 by members of the Socialist Workers Party. It differentiates itself from Solidarity-AAA, a similar leftwing party which emerged from the Socialist Party, chiefly in its stance on Irish unification. PBP is distinctly in favour of unification, whereas Solidarity-AAA does not proactively campaign for it. Trinity PBP is one of campuses most lively and influential political societies. It has taken an active part in many on-campus campaigns over the years, including the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions campaign against Israeli goods, as well as the Take Back Trinity movement. A key part of the group's effectiveness is their willingness to take direct action and agitate for change. Trinity PBP came under controversy for this in 2017, when it posted on its Facebook page “2 comrades, 1 pair of scissors, 32 vile anti-choice posters surrounding the campus. A successful evening indeed.” The post was in reference to the

actions of two leading members of the group, Conor Reddy and Sean Egan, who had taken down posters which were advertising a public meeting on abortion, and included quotes such as: “I was conceived in rape. I’m still a human being” and “My child is innocent, just like me. Our laws should punish rapists, not babies.” Reddy and Egan insisted that their actions were not on behalf of the party’s Trinity branch, or the wider PBP party, and that they took down these particular posters “because of their content and the tone that they took”. Speaking to Trinity News, auditor of Trinity PBP Clara McCormack agreed that Covid-19 restrictions were going to make most forms of direct action and protest “extremely difficult.” “We organised some socially distanced protests before Level 5 restrictions came into force, with stewards enforcing masks and social distancing,” she said. McCormack says she is going to emphasize online activism this year, in particular education, which she says is a key focus for Trinity PBP. To this end the society has organised a number of talks and Zoom events on topics such as housing, education and climate change. McCormack says that the issues they engage with are a “mixture” of issues specific to students, and wider issues relevant to society at large. She says that the college issues that Trinity PBP campaign on, such as the availability of student accommodation, are a microcosm

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Trinity People Before Profit is somewhat of an outlier among the other political societies in that it is not a branch of a separate youth wing of its affiliated party

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McCormack says she is going to emphasize online activism this year, in particular education of a larger issue in housing. She says that the campaign to end the €3,000 student tuition contribution is the primary focus of Trinity PBP at the moment. “Classes being put online opened up a whole conversation about student fees in Ireland, a lot of people were arguing that student fees should be lowered because we’re not using campus facilities, and we’re trying to push that further, that the student contribution should be abolished completely, and that the state should pay for higher education entirely,” she said. There is usually significant interest from students in getting involved with PBP, with approximately 200 to 250 students joining every year, though signups suffered this year due to the lack of in-person events and the Freshers fair. McCormack thinks the fact that other youth wings of political parties often have different stances than the party itself is “a bit bizarre”. In regards to the perception that students are naturally drawn to leftwing politics, McCormack says that students are drawn to PBP because, “We don’t just talk about our politics, we actually do our politics” and notes their focus on grassroots campaigning rather than just parliamentary politics. “I think young people are generally more left-wing, generally young people are more socially progressive, and generally don’t own properties or vast quantities of wealth,” she said. The history of student socialist politics in Trinity stretches back over a century. While this year will certainly be a challenging one for Trinity People Before Profit, students certainly shouldn’t expect that one of Trinity’s most active and influential political societies will be going anywhere anytime soon.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

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Pursuing migrant rights in anti-racism activism A student campaign has been launched in Trinity against the 27th amendment Olivia Flaherty Lovy Features Editor

hile last year Ireland saw a surge in the number of British applying for Irish passports after Brexit, desperate to cling to the benefits of EU citizenship, thousands of people born and raised on the island have been blocked from the same goal by the 27th amendment. Passed in 2004, the 27th amendment to the Irish constitution eliminates the automatic entitlement to Irish citizenship to all those born in Ireland. In short, the amendment makes it so that children born in Ireland are not granted Irish citizenship unless they were born to Irish citizens. Not only does this undermine the 19th Amendment, passed as a component of the Belfast Agreement in 1998, but it effectively means that the ability to work, vote and access an education has been severely affected for those born in Ireland after 2005 who do not hold Irish, UK, EEA or Swiss citizenship. For third year Trinity student Gabrielle Fullam, the increase in the recent global dialogue on

racism, direct provision, and the wider status of migrants and people of colour served as the perfect opportunity to bring this conversation to Trinity. “I’ve been acutely aware of it as an issue for a really long time. As I interacted with more people who were affected and became increasingly aware of citizenship rights, it started to weigh on me more,” she said. “I realised it was an important time to try and mobilise and raise the profile of the issues with those around me.” To put this into action, at the start of term Fullam launched a campaign called “TCD Against the 27th”, which aims to bring awareness to the issue and ultimately put political pressure on the Dáil to extend automatic citizenship to all children born in the state or who have been resident here for over three years. More immediately, though, Fullam hopes to promote migrant rights on campus by pressuring TDs and hosting events to raise awareness on the issue. “Our first event will be on Thursday, November 5 at 5pm and will consist of a panel of experts on citizenship, racism and legal issues,” she said. “From there, we will seek to get more people involved to organise large-scale lobbying efforts and support organisations that work for migrant rights.” The heart of the campaign is fueled by support for the Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Citizenship for Children) Bill, which was recently introduced by Mick Barry TD and which intends to restore automatic citizenship for all children born in Ireland, as well as to provide citizenship for all children who have resided

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in Ireland for over three years. Barry wrote that the legislation enacted in 2005 was racist, and, furthermore, that the Black Lives Matter movement over the summer was largely responsible for the decision to move this bill at such an early stage. “The 2004 referendum... has impacted the lives of thousands of young people, not least the hundreds of young people who have been deported from this country since that time or who face deportation today,” he said in the Dáil Éireann debate held on September 24. “It is particularly apt that the Bill is being moved at this time because a young person who was born around the time that legislation was enacted is approaching his or her 16th birthday now, and is facing the denial of freedoms and rights that their peers, their friends and their classmates enjoy.” Indeed, younger and collegeaged people are undoubtedly among the hardest-hit by the 27th amendment. Not only would those who were not born to Irish parents have to apply for work permits in order to work in Ireland, but their ability to access higher education funding or Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) may prevent them from obtaining a third-level education. For Fullam, this only increases the responsibility of Trinity students to speak out on the issue for those who are unable to. “It’s important to note that while we all lobby for Trinity to improve, we should also remember that even if you think Trinity is failing its students, the real people who are failed are those who never make it to Trinity student status, who are locked out for a number of factors,” she said. “Many of us in Trinity are privileged enough for our voices to be heard in society, and we have an onus to use it.” Though the nationwide move to a Level 5 lockdown has rendered it impossible for large groups to meet, Fullam hopes that Trinity students can bring the same energy and enthusiasm that would be found at rallies and protests to support the campaign virtually. “I’d like students to understand that migrant rights are essential to any type of meaningful anti-racism activism they ascribe to, and that we need to push for this tangible change,” she said. “We have to remember that citizenship can govern a person’s entire life, it insulates them against deportation and determines one’s ability to work, attain higher education, and vote. We hope that targeted attention on this will result in political pressure, and eventually, tangible meaningful change.”

Making the old with the revam Trinity’s Old L The redevelopment plan aims to increase cultural awareness and international outlook

Phoebe Norwood Deputy Sport Editor

landmark in Irish tourism and one of the most important buildings in Trinity, the incredibly high arched ceilings and the shelves upon shelves of books in the Trinity Long Room are sure to draw signs of awe and amazement from visitors. Though the image has appeared as the background for many inspirational quotes over the years and has become the central image of Trinity’s international profile, in 2002 the extensive damage that had occurred from years of pollution and dust accumulation became apparent. Since then the librarians and archivists have actively petitioned for a complete overhaul of the old library and have been granted that wish in the form of the redevelopment plans that were unveiled a few weeks ago. The structure that is the Old Library was built over 20 years between 1712 and 1732 and is home to an impressive 350,00 early printed books and 20,000 manuscripts which it has collected over 400 years. It also houses some incredibly rare articles of

Irish history including the world famous Book of Kells and also one of the remaining pieces of the original proclamation, which was read from the steps of the GPO by Padraig Pearse in 1916. These priceless historical articles have placed the Long Room and Trinity at the heart of tourism in Ireland as the site typically sees over 500,000 visitors a year. Susie Bioletti, a conservationist in the library and head of the steering committee responsible for the conservation during redevelopment, believes that the plans have come at a welcome time in the life of the Old Library. “When I first walked into the library in 2002 I was shocked at how dirty the collections had become. Years of a high number of people visiting had increased pollution and as a result, they were in need of a lot of work,” she said. The redevelopment itself is to focus on three main areas. The first is the conservation and protection of the building and the extensive materials contained in the library. “Everything must come out, including the busts in the Long Room so that they are all safe during the renovation process,” said Bioletti. “This is a complex process which requires step by step guidelines and cataloguing. The result is that we are gaining a fantastic amount of information and everything is now findable all the time.” This is the first project of its kind to be undertaken and is an obvious example of Trinity’s recent push in self investment and improvement which aims at improving their international standings and reputation. As revealed in 2019, after the fire of Notre Dame, which caused extensive damage to

Student poets on pandemic poetry page 2

The gentrification of Dublin page 6

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk about sexual health page 11

LIFE

TRINITY NEWS

Inside: Naoise Dolan on her renowned debut

ARTWORK BY MĂ RTA MENTA CZINKĂ&#x201C;CZKY FOR TRINITY NEWS

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Table of contents A student’s guide to sex toys

- page 4

Exciting times ahead: Interview withNaoise Dolan

- page 5

November horoscopes - page 8

Let’s talk about sexual health - page 11

Stage on screen - page 13

George Wallace at the National Gallery - page 14

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

Lauren Boland Maeve Harris Heather Bruton

Arts & Culture Editor Arts & Culture Deputies

Claire Stalhuth Elena McCrory Róisín Daly

Food & Drink Editor Food & Drink Deputy

Alfie Fletcher Seán McElroy

Sex & Relationships Editor Sex & Relationships Deputy

Kerry O’Sullivan

Societies Editor Societies Deputy

Ciara Cassidy Grace Fannon

Student Living Editor Student Living Deputy

Cian Dunne Isha Neurgaonkar

Eva O’Beirne

Creatives in Trinity

Student poets on Jane Loughman talks to student poets about vulnerability and writing during the pandemic

“W

hen I went into lockdown those first few months, I was completely disassociated from the world,” Medb Brereton Hurley tells me over the phone. Hurley is an English and music student, songwriter and poet. Despite her multiple outlets, she felt her creativity dry up once the pandemic hit. She noticed a feeling of her life being “diminished to a small room, [her] social interaction happening only through a computer screen”. She wasn’t alone in this inspiration drought during the first months of the pandemic. Final year philosophy student, MegElizabeth Lynch, had “wrongly anticipated that [writing] would be a tool that would mould itself to all emotions,” but she says she found herself frozen during the shared crisis. Similarly, drama and theatre student, Lucy Holmes, had been doing lots of writing, but that all came to a sudden halt: “Being trapped in the same place for so long, the energy definitely becomes stagnant”. Morghan Welt, also a drama student, couldn’t get herself to write her poetry. Although her creativity is boosted now, having had time to reflect on what’s happened, she is “still in the midst of the storm”. Be that as it may, these student poets did find their groove again. Hurley looked inward, creating a sense of interiority, and explored her sexuality. Her virtual multiform play Pop-Tart for the DU Players festival Resilience contained a poem about masturbation as “a metaphor for the discovery of yourself and as a woman within the world at the moment”. Welt also proved to herself that her poetry is still in her by taking prompts for mini poems about her friends through Instagram. She also found herself reading more poetry in lockdown as did Lynch, who found solace in reading Hopkins and her friends’ zines to “wait for the tsunami to come in”. Some student poets thrived during lockdown, like drama and theatre student Sophie Furlong Tighe, who was constantly writing

in their abundance of free time, working on a now self-published zine, creative nonfiction and a longer prose piece. Spanish and drama student, Leigha Plunkett, took a break from social media to focus on her therapeutic nature poems at home in Cavan: “I put away my phone ‘cause I just got so sick of social media during lockdown... I spent so much time in the evenings watching the sunset — I got so much inspiration from nature.” History graduate, Umang Kalra, also finds writing difficult during especially turbulent times. “When things are too emotionally overwhelming it feels as if [my] entire being is too saturated to be able to write,” but she still found herself writing in an attempt to make sense of the world. Kalra, who has selfpublished three digital zines and has a fourth on the way, thinks the lockdown “cemented [her] realisation” that writing poetry is a need, “if that doesn’t sound too dramatic.” The urge to write poetry originated for most of these seven students as soon as they were able to write, or in their teenage years. Welt, since she writes love poems, began writing in her early teens when she started falling in love. Hurley had always been writing songs, but took an interest in lyrics sans musique when she began college, sharing both songs and poetry on Instagram. Furthermore, Furlong Tighe moved on from their secondary school slam poetry days to eventually publishing written poems in college. Furlong Tighe, Kalra and Lynch, all good friends, began sharing their poetry to the Trinity community through Icarus magazine. Furlong Tighe has since taken over as editor from Lynch. Plunkett mentions needing that push from friends and family to share her first poem on Instagram called Nature Is Here to Keep You Living. For Holmes, her family didn’t even know she wrote poems, keeping notebooks of poetry to herself for years.

Suddenly, she was performing Complacency in front of 10,000 people at a climate strike. Holmes has performed a lot of spoken word poetry in front of crowds, yet she keeps a lot of her poems to be read internally: “Performative poems are a much more clear ‘this is what this is about,’ ‘this is what this message is,’ whereas a lot of my [written] poems are about ten different things and everything and nothing all at once.” She usually writes in a rush, in “a burst of inspiration,” much like Plunkett, who strikes a balance between thinking deeply about form and writing naturally. “Sometimes when I’m in the mood, I want something to rhyme and then I put so much effort into it, or sometimes I want to get whatever I want to get out on the page and I’m not going to think about it too much,” she admits. Others are more particular about their form. Welt has selfpublished three collections, two in German and one in English called Soliloquy. She has a different thought process for each language: “the German language has its own little uniqueness. For example, there is the possibility to make up words in German just by combining one word with another.” Writing in English is very different because of the sounds, Welt tends to focus more on verbs in her English writing process. For Hurley, being a songwriter as well as a poet, she always has music in the back of her mind: “Those words on a page are so powerful just as a poem, but I think I can always amplify them and make them even better when I add a kind of sonic palette underneath, or intertwine it through the lyrics.” Furlong Tighe, Kalra and Lynch all write their poetry predominantly in prose style. Furlong Tighe finds themselves experimenting with forms and punctuations depending on the theme of a poem. For example, in Juicy/Filthy, they use forward

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

pandemic poetry Left to right: Umang Kalra, Meg-Elizabeth Lynch, Sophie Furlong Tighe

slashes to represent sharp intakes of breath. The audience may not see that, but “as long as you shoot at indicating that to an audience,” they might pick something similar up. For Kalra, she writes many of her poems “in one shot without too much thought and they take shape as [she goes] along.” She finds prose poetry “gratifying in a restless way”. “I feel the run-on sentences and the lack of line breaks in prose poetry allows for a less reserved telling of things.” For Lynch, writing in a structured way is disconcerting to her: “there’s something about a wall of text that makes me feel like I’m left open to people who are reading it.” She thinks the narrative style of poetry is like “a defence mechanism against vulnerability”. While writing poetry can be one of the most cathartic and healing art forms, especially at this difficult time, all of the poets Left to right: Morghan Welt, Medb Brereton Hurley

Left to right: Lucy Holmes, Leigha Plunkett

agreed that there is something about publishing personal words and thoughts or sharing them on Instagram that makes you feel vulnerable. Kalra says: “I feel as if poetry almost functions as a sort of smokescreen because I have plausible deniability for anything in there, but at the same time there’s almost a brazen ownership of the content that comes with it.” For Welt, exposing oneself takes courage but she is exhilarated letting “other people see what’s going on in [her] head”. Plunkett feels empowered when readers give her positive feedback: “I felt like I was doing something good and like not only for me but for other people, like I want my poetry to help heal others at the same time.” Holmes has received many offers for her poems on climate change to be featured in books, but she has turned them down because she believes her poems are stand-alones, not destined to be used to push others’ narratives. Hurley has a soft spot for sharing art on social media as it is how her music career began. She is excited by the future of online poetry, especially after her successful play Pop-Tart: she finds it inspiring “to see something like that exist entirely in an imaginary landscape, technically, and that isn’t actually physical or real or anything but it still has such an impact”. These days, the future is uncertain for everyone, but these student poets embrace the unpredictability. Plunkett is a big

dreamer, so being a published writer is a goal, but she also aims to work on more activist poetry and to help “get voices heard.” Welt does not want to limit herself to one art form and strives to be a storyteller no matter what. Similarly to Holmes, who doesn’t want to be seen just as a poet, but as an artist dabbling in many different forms of art. Kalra thinks “it’s too much of a pipedream” to imagine a future as just a writer, as does Furlong Tighe, who cannot help but notice and find disappointing “the massive disparity between the money that you get from a poetry collection” and from a work of fiction. Lynch, the current chair of Trinity Publications, sees a future for herself in publishing. As an editor, “there’s a sort of ridiculous feeling, like somebody thinks that you can make the decision” to include or not include a work in a collection, but really, “it all comes down to a vibe check”. There are many facets to a rejection decision, and remembering this made Lynch “feel a bit freer”. While it was fascinating to hear from each of these talented creatives about their processes and purposes, it was equally refreshing to learn that inspiration and motivation does not always come easily. Writing poetry can be invigorating one day, then draining the next, but despite all, these student poets persist to get their thoughts heard and read by the masses.

Keeping Trinity’s VDP Society ticking Ella Bleu-Kiely discusses how the Trinity VDP’s charity work has been impacted in recent months

“T

he government says jump and we say how high,” states Trinity Vincent de Paul Society’s (Trinity VDP) Treasurer Alex Fish in the society’s plan of action for the coming year. Trinity VDP is the largest and most active student charity organisation in the country, working in solidarity with people experiencing poverty and disadvantage. No matter what activity they organise or what event they make an appearance at, members of the society are present with cheerful energy and smiles on their faces. Any assistance offered by the society is given in a non-judgemental spirit and no work of charity is foreign to them. Like many other charities, Trinity VDP was affected by Covid-19 and governmental guidelines, which have since halted many of their services. “It was decided for the sake of everyone’s safety to take a step back,” says the society’s VicePresident of Activities, Cathal McGuinness. Some of the work members do in tackling issues of homelessness in the city, such as the weekly street outreach and food bank, were shut down immediately due to the pandemic. Over the summer, the society has been in contact with a few different branches of the VDP charity, which has been back working in the city centre since July. “The overwhelming response, as always, is that we all need to get back out there on the streets helping out,” says McGuinness. Trinity VDP works with afterschool programs in five different DEIS schools in the Dublin area, facilitating activities in art, music, drama, homework, and sport. With the ever changing stages of restrictions, the society is unaware when it will be able to continue these programs. The committee is in constant contact with the National St Vincent de Paul Charity Council of Ireland, who have been working all summer on adapting their volunteer training for the safety of all involved. This time of year is usually peak time for the society in getting new volunteers properly trained and greeted into their community. “We’re definitely looking to push more webinars

and online activities, and have more of an online presence as usually our presence is felt around campus,” says McGuinness. Despite a growing online fatigue, the powerful momentum from society members will help make first years feel welcome and involved, even if it is held remotely. All this uncertainty puts a misty cloud over one of the society’s biggest events of the year — the panto. This annual highlight, created in collaboration with local schools, radiates enjoyment and triumph. The fate of the production is yet to be determined for the upcoming year. In the hope of restrictions being eased, Trinity VDP intends to proceed with a socially distanced panto, “which I think could work in our favour, as no one’s played with comedy while ensuring social distancing yet”, says Fish, who also directed last year’s panto. He hopes to ensure the continued collaboration with local school children and members of the society, something he believes is essential to the spirit of the panto. “Not having them involved is like missing the star of the show”. Considering the turbulence of the world we currently live in, Trinity VDP is aware of the high possibility of not being able to fully engage in their usual activities. However, the society is viewing this as an opportunity to focus more intently on other areas of social justice within the community. This semester, the Trinity VDP social justice subcommittee, led by newly elected social justice officer, Conall Keane, will focus on issues that arise due to Direct Provision in our communities. On their panel this year they also have Trinity alumnus and Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman. Members of the committee don’t believe that there will be a shortfall in fundraising this year and will continue to raise awareness of Trinity VDP’s valuable work. Although certain fundraising events have been put on hold for the foreseeable future, hopefully, by Christmas, members will have returned with their HiVis vests and Santa hats, shaking a bucket outside the front arch. “[The society] is like an insane clock with so many different parts and it sort of slowed down for a while, but I think as soon as we’re allowed to be back doing what we do it’s most definitely going to be full steam ahead — while being really careful,” says Fish. Indeed, a reign of positivity sits on the society’s committee this coming year. Social justice is at the core of Trinity VDP, and even if they can’t fully thrive in the fantastic work they do, they certainly will not lose their impact.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

A stu DU Comedy Society “

Society spotlight

It truly is all fun and games, writes Maeve Harris

hough its specific creation date remains a mystery to even the most involved committee members, Trinity Comedy Society (Comedy Soc) has been providing fun-filled humour to Trinity students for over 20 years. Founded as a Monty Python Appreciation society in the 1980s and later deemed The Dead Parrot’s Society in the 90s, Comedy Soc has taken many names throughout the years. A specific resurgence of the society in 2007, though, has given the organization the notoriety it is known for today. According to the CSC, Comedy Soc signed over 2500 members during Fresher’s Week in 2008, solidifying the group as one of the most popular societies in college that year. Though the reason for a record number of signups is unclear, the 2008 global recession may have given students a need for comedic relief. Normally, Comedy Soc boasts bi-weekly comedy gigs where members have the opportunity to showcase their own comedic style, while also getting the chance to see other comedians on the Dublin circuit in their natural element. However, as with most aspects of life, the society has had to adapt to changing circumstances. Many of their events such as weekly (and now virtual) coffee mornings can brave the severity of Covid-10 restrictions, but one element of their dogma still needs tackling: comedic timing. Even in normal circumstances,

timing is crucial, and therefore difficult to nail. Laughter is contagious, and comedians depend on it in order to gage the audience’s reception of certain bits. Owen Buckley, a third year Management Science and Information Systems Studies student and sitting Chairperson of Comedy Soc touches on the fragility of comedic timing. “Unfortunately, stand up comedy is a format that does not adapt particularly well to being done virtually,” Buckley admits. “It’s mainly a result of the fact that if you make a joke and there’s a delay between people hearing the joke and laughing and the comedian hearing the laugh, it just creates these awkward pauses. It’s very hard to avoid.” Nearly eight months into the new normal and comedy groups are still baffled by this. Regardless of the strides made by the society to adapt to Zoom and virtual platforms, some things just aren’t the same. “A lot of [comedy] places have tried to make everyone’s microphone muted while the comedian is performing, and then you get the problem of every single set any comedian performs — it looks like they’re bombing because no one is laughing. It’s very rough, so we’re currently looking at ways to avoid that,” Buckley adds. He describes acclimating to onlineonly events as no simple feat, but that Comedy Soc is committed to bringing laughter and fun to Trinity students regardless of changing circumstances. “Mostly, this year, we’ve tried to focus on different avenues of comedy that perhaps are more suited to a virtual landscape. So things like sketch comedy, like writing sketch comedy, and looking at having jack box games online. We’re planning an event with Ents

It’s not about how ‘good’ you are, it’s about how enthusiastic you are

called Clash Of The Comics in November where we’re going to have comedians from all around Trinity performing for prizes.” Buckley goes on to describe some benefits to moving comedy to an online format: “We run comedy classes every year. So we normally have six weeks of comedy classes with nine or ten people to a class, where we teach new comics how to do stand up comedy, which eventually culminates in the graduation gig where they perform to a room of their friends.” Now, the online format provides the committee members with a more accessible format to host classes. “We [now] run two classes with seven people to a Zoom call, so we have 14 people’’ who are taught by experienced Trinity Comic alumnus, Buckley says. An online format also helps reduce the expected awkwardness of entering a room full of strangers and also allows for more spur of the moment attendance. “There’s definitely benefits as we don’t have to book a room and it’s less time intensive for the teacher to organise,” Buckley adds. Society Ents officer and fourth year History and Philosophy student, Cameron Moylan, similarly touches on this idea of the uncomfortability of joining a new society, especially one that seems to require not only putting yourself out there, but also being funny. “A lot of people, at least from the Fresher’s stand from last year, were always quite skeptical about joining cause they were like, “oh I’m not funny” or whatever but like, most of the time it’s more about finding other people funny. I say that cause I’m not funny,” he adds. Buckley similarly expressed this sentiment, adding that “anyone can come to our events. Anyone can come to our coffee mornings, and if anyone wants to perform in any of the gigs we have, they absolutely can. All of the places are reserved for Trinity Comics first. It’s not about how ‘good’ you are at comedy, it’s about

how enthusiastic you are, you know, how excited you are.” Society Secretary and fourth year European Studies student, Tilly Lyons, urges students to get involved regardless of past experience or comfort in public speaking. “It’s one of the societies where there’s very different levels of participation. You could come to the coffee mornings and not talk if you wanted to. You can sit and listen to people be funny; it’s the same with the gigs. You can come to gigs and, like, watch people be funny and then go home and you’re as valued a member as somebody who is like writing sketches or performing comedy,” Lyons adds. Unlike most other societies, where direct involvement and hands-on participation is crucial to rising in the committee ranks, Comedy Soc doesn’t discriminate. “All the different levels of participation are really important to the society,” Lyons mentions. Though comedy as a whole has often been regarded as a boys’ club and a medium that specifically caters to men, the Trinity society is unwavering in its desire to create a safe, accessible space for all involved. “We want the society to be as inclusive as possible. We don’t want people feeling uncomfortable being at our events; it’s something we take very seriously. We realize, in other comedy spaces, certain groups of people can feel very uncomfortable and we want to avoid that as much as we possibly can,” Buckley asserts. To this effect, Lyons similarly agrees with Buckley with regard to the effort made to create an inclusive and open environment. “I think in the committee anyway there are two girls and three guys, so it’s quite even in that sense. And then I think the membership is quite 50/50 as well. That being said, I feel like, as with every society, there is more that can be done to ensure everybody is comfortable,” she admits. In terms of new membership involvement, the three committee members unanimously agree that attending virtual coffee mornings is the best way to get your foot in the door. “Coffee mornings are basically an excuse to catch up with people and chat about comedy and talk about stupid things, really. It’s good fun,” Moylan says. “They’re one of my favorite sort of things within the comedy society just cause, like, generally, it’s good vibes and it’s people who like comedy. It’s generally pretty funny.” It appears now is as good a time as any to get involved and see how funny, or unfunny, you truly are. With Comedy Soc, it doesn’t actually matter. Take the plunge and join. Now, more than ever, we need a bit of comedy in our lives.

Eva O’Beirne interviews Sex Siopa owner, Shawna Scott, on pleasure during lockdown

ovid-19 has changed the way we have sex. Some of us are single, some of us are separated from our partners. A lot of us don’t know when we will have our next sexual encounter. Amid Level 3 lockdowns and online lectures, it can be hard to simply “get your bit”. Speaking to Trinity News over Zoom, Sex Siopa founder and owner Shawna Scott assures that a lockdown on your social life does not mean a lockdown on pleasure. Scott founded Sex Siopa in 2012 after a notable shopping trip. “I was actually in the market for a vibrator at the time,” she explains. “When I was looking in Dublin I found most sex shops to be male-dominated spaces and very heteronormative. Any store that did cater to women was often geared towards hen parties.” Scott describes how she was inspired by American sex shops such as BabeLand when setting up her online store, and how she wanted to create a “safe and comfortable”

“

We’ve never been given a platform to talk about sex and sexuality in a meaningful way, frankly and openly

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

udent’s guide to sex toys “ There’s no particular way you can use a sex toy, there’s no set instructions

experience for her customers. Scott explains her difficulty with finding bodysafe products, a guarantee she couldn’t seem to find in 2012. “The aim of Sex Siopa is to take the guess work out of toy shopping.” The sex toy industry in Ireland is unregulated, with some toys containing unsafe materials: “PVC is the main one. When you make it into a shape for a dildo etc., you have to use tons of plastic softeners, most of which are banned in children’s toys. PVC is porous in that state and you’re using these toys internally. It will never be fully clean and will eventually start to degrade in your bedside locker.” When discussing how the Irish population use sex toys, Scott agreed that most Irish people have a complicated relationship with sex and sexuality. “We’ve never been given a platform to talk about sex and sexuality in a meaningful way, frankly and openly.” Scott notes how attitudes have changed since the founding of Sex Siopa, describing how people are more willing to talk to her and ask questions about sex: “I was met with a bit of skepticism initially and it was really tough for the first year.” She tries to discuss sex as casually as she would talk about the weather, noting that Irish people are often afraid to

initiate conversations about sex and sexuality. Scott details how consumer habits have changed since the start of the pandemic. “Vibrators have always been the best selling but in lockdown, I received so many messages regarding first-time users.” Scott notes how lubricants and vibrators have always been the most popular products on her site, but overall sales have definitely increased due to the lockdown this year. “People are unsure when they’ll see their partners again and some are just bored out of their minds! It’s been an opportunity for a lot of people to learn about what gets them going.” As the sex toy industry in Ireland is unregulated, it can be easy to buy an applicance that isn’t body safe. Scott provides a full guide on how to watch out for substandard toys. “Price doesn’t necessarily matter anymore, what you should be looking out for is cheap materials like PVC. You can test the quality of most toys by the smell. If it smells like heavy plastic that means it is probably made of PVC.” She describes how a boil test can determine the quality of your toys. “As long as it’s not electrical, boil your toys as a test, if it’s silicone it’ll hold up, but if it’s PVC an oily film will rise to the top of the pot.” Scott then reminds

all users to clean their appliances, explaining that body safe toys are very easy to take care of. “If it’s a hard plastic vibrator, just remember to take out the battery before you wash. Warm soapy water and a towel is all you need. The vast majority of toys just need gentle cleaning.” When asked on what sex toys are suitable for beginners, Scott explains that most sex toys can be altered to fit the individual’s needs. “There’s no particular way you can use a sex toy, there’s no set instructions.” She recommended a collection on Sex Siopa called Toys for Newbies, which is geared towards new users and also keeps student budgets in mind. She also went on to describe how different lubricants affect the toys you use, explaining that the effects each lube has are not discussed enough. “When in doubt use water,” Scott suggests. She cites water-based lubricant as both toy- and condom-friendly. However, she did have a word of warning for female users when using water-based lubricants, explaining that many brands in chemists can cause irritation and even thrush due to the high amounts of glycerin. Scott highlights the differences between silicone-oil-based and oil-based lubricants, underlining that although silicone oil doesn’t degrade latex, it cannot be used with sillicone sex toys. Oil-based lubes, Scott’s own preference, on the other hand, cannot be used with condoms. Scott reminds users to not use oil-based lube on a toy and then have intercourse because it can degrade the condom. “You don’t get tacky or a feeling of stickiness with oil-based lubes. It’s longer-lasting, it almost

melts into the skin.” Scott notes that for those who have issues with dryness, oil-based lubes are the best port of call as they allow the skin to stretch very gently. Scott also recommends oil-based lube for those who suffer from vaginismus, endometriosis and have recently undergone cancer treatments. Scott also underlines what never to put near your genitals, especially warning women to stay away from sugarbased products as they can cause bacterial vaginosis, thrush and yeast infections. Scott also has advice for couples looking to introduce sex toys into their relationship, noting that there are often huge misconceptions as to why people want to use toys with their partner. “People will often assume that the relationship or the sex is boring, which is the furthest from the truth. You can’t expect that having the same kind of sex the same kind of way is going to

“

When guys use sex toys, they’re almost pegged as a joke. If it’s cool for women to use a vibrator, it should be cool for them to use a butt plug, masturbation sleeve or cock ring

remain special. It’s simply adding variety to the relationship, it doesn’t matter what your skill set is.” Scott advises couples to treat the introduction of sex toys into their routine as a positive, not a negative, explaining that if it is introduced as a negative, it’ll be perceived as one. “You should be saying that you’re going to experience this together and it’ll be amazing!” When asked about how the sex toy market is changing, Scott points out how it is developing particularly for cisgender straight men. She mentions the ongoing stigma regarding men using sex toys: “Unfortunately we have pop culture to blame for that. When guys use sex toys, they’re almost pegged as a joke. If it’s cool for women to use a vibrator, it should be cool for them to use a butt plug, masturbation sleeve or cock ring.” Scott cited examples such as Sex and the City, which helped both normalise and popularise the use of vibrators amongst women, noting that men don’t have any positive examples like that. However, Scott hopes that male-oriented toys will become more user friendly, noting the emergence of more aesthetically pleasing products on the market. When asked about what advocates she would reccomend to those looking to learn more about sexuality and sex toys, Scott spoke highly of OhJoy Sex Toys, a web comic by Erica Moen and Matthew Nolan that includes discussions about sex, sex toys, sexuality, sex education, safer sex practices and interviews with sex industry workers. She also highly recommends lifestyle bloggers Aoife Drury (@drurytherapy on Instagram) and Sarah Rose (@ mypelvicpain on Instagram) as well as renowned podcaster Dr. Caroline West and her podcast Glow West. To finish the interview, Scott discussed her plans for the upcoming year exclaiming that her goal for the next year “is to survive!” — the pandemic has changed her visions for the future as she confirmed that she will most likely never open a physical store. “It’s sad because part of me would love a shop, I would be able to talk to people and interact with my customers. I’m really confident in my ability to do that, but I would feel restricted I think.” Scott compared the accessibility of a physical store to the one she currently has online, noting that proximity can be a problem. Online, she can connect with people who may be too shy to walk into a sex store in real life, from confused students to residents in rural areas. Online, she can ensure that people will always have access to pleasure.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

The gentrification of Dublin Grace Gageby discusses how Airbnbs and hotels pose a threat to local history and culture

llegal evictions, overcrowding, rough sleeping, and co-living are but a few of the cruel manifestations of Dublin’s housing crisis that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought into focus. While lockdown may have shed some light on the aforementioned, these issues have long been a scourge on the city, propelled by an apathetic government, private developers and vulture funds. Tightly bound with the housing crisis is the process of gentrification that has been reshaping Dublin over the past number of years. One such area is the Liberties, situated in Dublin 8, where residents have seen rapid increases in property development facilitating the construction of hotels, co-living spaces and luxury student accommodations. “From Thomas street, up to the Coombe, across to Donore avenue and down to Pimlico, the Liberties are the heart of Dublin,” says a local resident and housing activist, who wishes to remain anonymous. They continue to say that the heritage of the area is being continually erased “all in the name of gentrification.” The interviewee was involved in an anti co-living campaign last year which emerged after The Collective, a London based company, bought a large plot of land in the Fumbally area, and sought to build a 144 bed hotel and 69 room co-living complex. This would cost an estimated €1300 a month for a box room in which the resident would share a

kitchen and toilet facilities with many others. The interviewee calls this proposal “the newest scheme to scam the rights of renters and future generations. But residents in the Liberties are not as foolish as property developers make them out to be, as they seek to build modernised tenement buildings on the space where Dublin’s poorest generation once lived.” Community activists and local councillors objected strongly to the proposed development with the campaign ongoing and the planning permission decision being appealed to An Bord Pleanála. The campaign against co-living in the Fumbally area has extended to calling for a ban on co-living in Dublin as a whole. With Richard Barrett’s Bartra Property already having secured two co-living complexes for Dun Laoghaire and Rathmines and more proposed in Ballsbridge and Harolds’ Cross, proposed co-living complexes have caused outrage among local communities, particularly given the ongoing pandemic. Gentrification, and the developers who drive it, is also responsible for eroding local history and culture of various areas across the country. “The housing crisis comes from the government’s total lack of will to build public housing, which leads to public land being sold to private developers who want to cash in and bleed your bank account dry,” the resident continues. “In the past five years, Dublin communities have been paved over with office blocks, Airbnbs, hotels and student accommodation, giving heartless landlords an excuse to drive up the rents and block the sun from tenant’s eyes, as they have another gaudy hotel built in front of their home,” they add. “The generations raised in the area are slowly being forced out, as the community, along with its heritage, is being sold to the highest bidder.” Another local resident

ARTWORK BY DIYA MECHERI FOR TRINITY NEWS

discussed how gentrification in the area has negatively affected young people and urban horse culture specifically. “Local school children will soon see the loss of their football pitch at the Michael Malinn flats, replaced by two hotels.” They continue: “As anyone who has spent even a small amount of time here would notice, horse culture is huge for young people in this area. It is part of the history and heritage of the Liberties, and hotels are due to replace the site of many horse sheds here soon, which is very sad to see.” The developers in question are Harry Crosbie, who received permission from Dublin City Council in 2019 to build the eight-storey hotel Vicar Street Hotel destroying two horse yards in the process, and Midsal Homes Ltd, granted permission earlier this year to build another eight-storey hotel on the same site. Although the Yard is an Architectural Conservation Area according to DCC, between these two hotels, the majority of Molyneux Yard will likely be destroyed. Aaron Nolan has lived in the Liberties for two years and is a member of Community Action Tenants Union LibertiesRialto. When asked about the consequences of gentrification in the area, Nolan cited Airbnb draining the supply of housing and rental prices being driven up as consequences. He points out that Covid-19 and its effect on tourism present an opportunity for us to demand empty properties be returned to the long term letting market. “I think the wheels of development have been in motion at a ferocious speed for a while, and the changes have caught people off guard. Perhaps the impending economic crash will bring that to a halt and give the people in this area pause for thought, to reflect on the consequences of these changes in the community.” The first wave of lockdown restrictions in March of this year saw the government implementing a ban on evictions and a rent freeze, along with the need to limit close contacts exposing the unsafe nature of co-living. Overnight, what was once deemed unconstitutional and inherent was entirely possible when the political will existed. The gentrification of areas such as the Liberties serve only to further expose the brutal reality of the Dublin housing market. The erosion of community spaces and local heritage continues to be seen only as collateral damage. However, community organisation, as supported by the interviewees above, is cause for hope and can serve as a way to break with the past. Not only must we imagine something new, but we must also have the foresight to build it.

Exciting Times a Dolan on her ren Róisín Daly speaks to Naoise Dolan about relationships, LGBTQ+ representation and Marxism

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ometimes I love you and sometimes I think it would be best if a plane flew into your office and you were on the plane or in your building”. While this isn’t something we’d like to hear from our significant other, this is how Ava, the protagonist of Exciting Times, feels about a certain banker in her life. And while this statement may be rash and graphic, my guess is that a fine number of us can completely relate. The highly-acclaimed debut novel tells the story of a young Irish teacher in Hong Kong who finds herself in a peculiar love triangle with two conflicting individuals: Julian, a rich banker, and Edith, an elegant lawyer. Dolan is an expert in conveying people’s innermost thoughts, from the dark and deep to the blunt and absurd. The novel amplifies the fact that relationships can be sticky and distorted. And why? Because people are sticky and distorted. The Exciting Times author was once a Trinity student like the rest of us, studying English before going on to obtain a master’s in Victorian Literature from Oxford. Her debut Exciting Times is to be adapted into a series by Black Bear pictures, which Dolan feels is a really fun prospect: “I think a lot of the characterisation happens in the dialogue so I’m interested in how that might be brought to life.” The author, similar to Ava, is from Dublin and went to Hong Kong for a year after she’d graduated from Trinity to teach TEFL. Despite this resemblance, Dolan consciously distanced herself from the protagonist which helped her portray her character more honestly. “If I were writing a novel about myself I’d inevitably be trying to make myself look good, and I don’t think that makes interesting fiction,” she says. “I’d rather show people in all their hairiness.” When speaking about why she chose this particular setting, she explains how she initially chose Hong Kong as the setting as it was where she lived at the time, yet the setting quickly became significant: “The first few pages of what I’m writing tends to have

huge implications for the rest.” She stated that the book being set only a couple of years after the umbrella movement in Hong Kong highlighted Ava’s indifference. “I think the setting illustrates how blinkered she is about the lives of everyone around her,” she remarks. Ava’s ignorance may be linked to her tendency to predominantly live within her own mind, mainly due to her own sense of insecurity. Dolan and I talked about how this is a common trait in young Irish women. “I think everyone self-criticises to some extent, but the way society treats them will interact voice and shape their relationship to it,” she explains. “But there’s definitely an internal assumption of fault that I think draws philosophically on Catholicism and that’s been misused to shape Irish misogyny.” However, she goes on to say that self-deprecation is an integral aspect of Irish humour: “I also think, though, that non-Irish people miss our dark humour,” she remarks, “to them an internal narrative like Ava’s might seem bleak or self- flagellating where it was intended as at least partly comical”. Exciting Times also challenges conventional notions of feminism. The protagonist certainly doesn’t correlate with the archetypical “good feminist”; she sleeps with a richer older man who lets her stay in his apartment for free and often buys her things. On this topic, Dolan concluded that the ideologies surrounding “correct” feminism are quite parochial: “That microscopic ‘Am I personally a good feminist?’ level of focus often comes from commentators who think society is basically fine except that there aren’t enough female billionaires, so I think Ava is right to be flippant about it in the novel.” In both of Ava’s relationships, while one might assume Julian and Edith to be the dominant partner

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

ahead: Naoise nowned debut

Socially distanced dates

Level 5 Edition Kerry O’Sullivan details how to make the most of your love life in the middle of lockdown

The time has come where the unthinkable, yet inevitable, has happened once again. With the country once more in a 6 week lockdown, it’s time to get creative with keeping romance alive. Whether it’s a first date or you live together and don’t want to spend six weeks just binging Netflix and baking banana bread, here are a couple of ideas to keep things exciting in the midst of all of this chaos. It’s time to take advantage of any and all opportunities for flirting and fun with socially distanced dates: national lockdown edition.

in each, it’s almost impossible to detect who really has the upper hand. To that effect, Dolan says that it’s important to distinguish between power dynamics and power disparities. “A power dynamic is just how power interacts,” she says, “and I think the moment any two people invest in each other, they must be giving each other power of some sort”. The Irish author feels that some power disparities are perfectly normal and healthy: “We all have people we admire more than they admire us. There would be an immense power disparity at play if I met Lorde but I don’t suppose it would hurt me.” The complexity of the characters is likely the source of the complicated relationships that form between them. I ask Dolan if the relationships in the novel mirror the unstable nature of modern relationships: “I do think that lifelong heterosexual monogamy has come to seem inaccessible or undesirable to more people, but I don’t know how much genuine comfort that idea ever offered anyone,” she states. While discussing the representation of LGBT people in Irish literature, she observes the “certain squeamishness” surrounding how young LGBTQ+ women are depicted in literature: “We’re hardly ever shown having sex with each other in fiction, so it was important to me to include that in the novel.” She goes on to say, however, that “no fictional character will ever represent anyone’s full humanity, let alone an entire community’s.” The protagonist Ava is quick to comment on issues surrounding capitalism, especially around people like Julian, who benefit from the presiding economic system. Dolan herself is “anticapitalist in her commitments”, but acknowledges that “you can’t

just be a brain in a jar, you have to connect with however your community is organising, and that will vary from place to place”. Ava also perpetually notes the differences between English and Irish people throughout the novel, with a focus on how ‘IrishEnglish’ speech is less eloquent. This, along with the subliminal awareness of British colonialism, has led to a subtle, fabricated class distinction between the British and the Irish. When I ask Dolan about this, she affirms that “legacies of Anglo-hegemony remain” and comments on the link between Anglicised speech and superiority. “Upper-class Irish accents have become their own thing in recent decades,” she remarks, “but it’s telling that they draw on received pronunciation and general American English; the way to sound posher is to sound less Irish”. Reflecting on the recognition her debut has received and her comparison to Sally Rooney, she explains: “I try not to have strong feelings about recognition or which traditions I’m situated in, because I don’t see it as being with my remit to shape or weigh in on things.” Dolan believes that interpretations of literature shouldn’t always involve the author: “Cultural reception isn’t something that I can or should have much influence over; I believe very much in the death of the author.” Her debut is getting a lot of recognition, and for good reason. Through writing this book, Dolan has given us the brutally honest story we’ve all been craving: if anyone can turn reality into something incredibly addictive, it’s Dolan; the quick-wit and razor-sharp commentary is simply splendid, so good in fact that, who knows, maybe even Lorde might be impressed.

For when you don’t live together Bob Ross paint and Zoom Choose your favourite Bob Ross video, share your screen on zoom, grab those crusty childhood watercolours and get to work on recreating a beautiful, calming landscape so different from the current political one. Not only is Bob Ross weirdly seductive, but it’s a great opportunity to try something fun with your date that you probably wouldn’t have time to do if it weren’t for this lockdown. Get cosy, pour a cup of tea, or wine if Paint and Sip takes your fancy, and get pensive over your masterpieces. It doesn’t matter if you’re no Van Gogh – remember: mistakes are just happy accidents. Distanceed dinner Order their favourite food to their house and get them to do likewise. You can always call or facetime to share the meal together and there’ll be no arguments over what to get! It’ll be like an old timey dinner date but in your pyjamas and considerably cheaper and comfier. This would definitely work long distance too. This is a nice little treat for when things get overwhelming and you can’t see each other in person. Virtual games This idea takes “you got games on your phone?” to a whole new level. Choose your favourite video call platform and get to work planning a games night. You could definitely do this as a double or triple date to really get the party going. Personal favourites include Photo Roulette, an app that randomly takes a photo from a camera roll of a team member and everyone has to guess whose it is; not for the faint hearted. See also powerpoint parties, sporcle quizzes and Psych, another app that basically lets

everyone roast each other and then pick the funniest answer. You’d be heartily surprised by the fun you can have on Facetime and the amount of games that you can play together as a couple or a group. For when you don’t live together The TikTok Walmart challenge With limited retailers open, you could do this one online or during your weekly grocery shop. This is a game of categories in which you could do all or just a couple to let your partner know that you’re thinking of them in this challenging time. The smaller and more thoughtful the gifts the better; you could give them all at once or space them out over a number of days to give you and your partner something to look forward to. Each person goes to the same shop and buys their partner their favourite snack; their favourite drink; something in their favourite colour; something that reminds them of the other one; something they want them to try; something they need Al Fresco dining...in the park Surprise each other by cooking your favourite dinners, pop them in a flask and head out on a walk. It’ll be cold, but once the rain holds off, just wrap up warm and enjoy the change of scenery. It’s important to mix up your environment, avoid boredom as best as you can and explore the area around you, within 5km obviously. There aren’t many better feelings than cosying up on a park bench with some warm food prepared by your significant other. If you don’t fancy cooking a full blown meal, throw some coffee in a travel cup or grab a coffee from a local Irish coffee shop for the same impact. Themed days This one may be just because I’m a sucker for gimmicks, but I love a themed dress up day. Decide Christmas is next saturday and do the whole shebang, decorate a little bit and make a big roast dinner in your christmas jumpers. Or you could have a full on pyjama day, build a fort in your living room and watch all of the romcoms your heart desires. Or get out the suits and ballgowns and buy a ridiculously expensive bottle of champagne that you drink in stiletto heels on your couch. Be silly and don’t take it too seriously, there’s nothing better to do so you may as well have a bit of fun and mix it up with your partner. This too shall pass; for how long, we are unsure. One thing you can be sure of is how important it is to still make the time to have fun and enjoy your love life to the very best of your ability.

PHOTO BY ELIZA MELLER FOR TRINITY NEWS

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

November Horoscopes DU Astro Soc’s Buse Tobin helps you discover what’s in store this month

ARTWORK BY ZAHRA LOCKETT FOR TRINITY NEWS

ovember undoes October’s intense and backward energy as our retrograde begins to ease and the Sun enters Sagittarius. The blood moon on November 30 promises change and more communication. Aries You’ve been feeling a little lost but that’s soon to change as the Mercury retrograde ends in the beginning of the month. When Mars goes direct in mid-November, you’re in charge. New ideas will flow as the month ends and an intense chapter begins. Taurus The heady energy of Halloween is still running through you as November begins. Your relationships flow a little easier and love feels a little better. There may be an interesting development in your intimate life as the month unfolds, and Venus in Scorpio toward the end of the month promises intensity. Gemini Mishaps are over as Mercury goes direct. A blockage in your personal life flows again. Now may be a good time to develop acquaintances to friends, and as we enter Sagittarius season you’ll be glad to have them for new good times. Cancer After an emotional month, you find some reprieve. You’ll find it easier to discuss your feelings and be surrounded by less tumultuous energy. The end of the month offers a big shift in your daily routine so let yourself flow a little easier. Leo There’s a powerful energy this month as retrogrades end. Any arguments will find their resolution, but beware a developing undercurrent of mistrust. Love will feel a little more intense and a little more real as the month ends — are you ready for a long conversation? Virgo It’s a time for talking, Virgo, however you may want to avoid it. Romantic relationships may feel a little safer, so this month offers a

time to communicate at work over something that has been bothering you. You are in charge of your own life, however it may feel. Libra Hello, Libra, what a month October was. The sensual energy from Halloween follows into November as romance is in the air. Prepare for intensity in your love life as things start to get serious. Scorpio How is your season feeling, Scorpio? It’s a busy month for you as you are resolving a deep issue in your life. A feeling of control follows you this month. You are ready for the freedom the resolution will bring. It will come. Patience is key. Sagittarius Things are moving again, Sagittarius, and you just need to keep up. Something new and big is coming, likely in your romantic life. You’re thinking a little bigger and a little better. A massive change is coming — make sure you’re ready for it. Capricorn Your hard work should pay off soon, Capricorn, as Scorpio makes her rounds. A work problem will show its head, and you should feel a little more in control as a new beginning opens up. Keep an eye out for new opportunities — they should be bountiful this month. Aquarius A month of emotions waits for you, Aquarius. It is a good time to take up a new hobby, or read a good book as good conversation may take a turn to the deeper. If you’re not ready, it may not matter — difficult secrets will open up. A big thing waits for you at the end of the month, perhaps in spiritual or social matters. Pisces Lots of intense feelings for you, dear Pisces, as Mars goes direct and the new moon moves through Scorpio. You may fall deeply in love. Be careful of moving too quickly. Sagittarius season promises no commitment and the lunar eclipse ensures a habit upheaval.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

What’s on(line) in Dublin Lecture: Irish Country House Architecture Irish Georgian Society November 3, 6.30pm Murder One: Crime Writing Festival Murderone.ie November 6 to 8 Invisible Light: Virtual visit crawfordartgallery.ie November 6, 2pm Discussion: Diversity in Arts artsineducation.ie November 6, 7pm

What’s on(line) in Trinity Tuesday Coping with Covid: Mental Health Panel, 5.30pm Psychological Soc & TCDSU Out for the Count, 10.30pm The Hist & SOFIA Thursday Social media self-care workshop, 5pm DUGES Friday Knitting collab, 6.30pm TCD Korean Society & KnitSoc

What we’re watching

Artwork by, left to right: Márta Menta Czinkóczky, Ella Sloane, Andrés Murillo Schitt’s Creek Netflix

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Silver (coined) linings to lockdown Cian Dunne on how restrictions have led to moneysaving for some

t was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Looking back on the nationwide lockdown of March, April and May, many of us might have developed mixed feelings towards those weeks spent cooped up at home. Any mention of Tiger King or Toosie Slide is likely to elicit a strange nostalgia for that initial period when it seemed like, for maybe the first time in our lifetimes, the world was as one. We were curtailed but together, in a somewhat peaceful communal solidarity. Not disregarding the untold suffering caused by Covid-19, it was forgivable that people felt a bit upset at their lives being put on hold for the prolonged period. Yet, it was also a time full of opportunity; a time to read widely, binge freely, run fitfully, bake adventurously, or, just as valid, sleep excessively.

And all those books you read during lockdown, those TV shows you binged and those songs you discovered are likely to serve as future aides-mémoires of that period in your life. Aside from these memories, a more tangible result of lockdown was the money we saved. It turns out that being deprived of all those things we would usually spend our money on saved us quite a bit of money. When we first exited the lockdown and emerged out of our caves for the first time, it was quite amusing to see certain people for the first time in months, and even more so, to see the new shape their heads had taken. Indeed, with no prospect of reaching your favourite barber, people had a decision to make. Some opted to embrace the unruliness and allowed themselves to grow their hair longer than ever before, disregarding their previously held notion that their fade required essential maintenance every two weeks. Others decided enough was enough and took the clippers into their own hands. Though it left some of us looking like Sideshow Bob, lockdown saved us quite a bit of bob on haircuts at the very

least, while also showing us a side of ourselves we might otherwise never have had the courage to discover. During lockdown, there were none of those impromptu trips to the pub; you know, those nights beginning with the acquiescent agreement of one pint, which turns into two, and then three. Before you know it, you’re eating a kebab on the side of the street at 3:00am and it’s a you’ve-lost your-leftsock-kind-of-night. You would no longer wake up with the fear the next morning knowing that all dignity that you once possessed was potentially lost the second you mustered the courage to squint at your phone with gritted teeth and one eye open. A full lock screen of notifications was a bad sign, but now for the worst of it: you open your mobile banking app, each red figure in your statement pushes a shrouded memory to the surface. There’s you at 2:10am last night, earnestly insisting that another round of shots for all, at your expense, is the best possible idea that one could conjure at this very moment, and that €30 out of your account right there, that’s the result of your intoxicated genius.

Zoom calls and quizzes with friends were all the rage at the beginning of lockdown, until everyone realised they’re really not that fun and that they’d just rather not. Though there was not the same social justification of a night out to get unseemly drunk, there was still a temptation, or at least an excuse to drink. The first port of call might have been to raid your parents’ cupboard and empty it of all the drinks that had been resting untouched for years and that you would never have purchased for yourself. The old reliable cans were added to your parents’ Saturday morning shopping list while you slept soundly at home. TikTok tutorials exhibited the perfect method of pouring a Guinness can into a pint glass. It wasn’t quite a creamy one at the local, but it was better than nothing and it worked out that bit cheaper. The pandemic has spelled the end for the nightclub for the foreseeable future. The loss of live music in a club setting is a shame, and live streams fall well short of a comparable equivalent. Though they should really be deleted off your phone already; you’ll have no need for Vipsy or

Guestlist this year. There’ll be no first years rushing from the Luas to get into the perplexingly and already lengthy queue for Dtwo at 11:30pm just to make cheaplist, or, if you really had your affairs in order, the elusive guestlist. You won’t have to opt for O’Reillys for the upteemth time because their free entry just couldn’t be ignored when weighed up against the other clubs which have the audacity to charge for your presence. And that’s before you even start to talk about drinks once you get inside. It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. Now, we find ourselves back in lockdown again. Sure, the measures are not quite as stringent as the first iteration. It’s a far cry from the severe but serene scenes of April, but it’s still not what anyone would have hoped for. What will become the hallmark cultural moments of this lockdown remains to be seen. And though money isn’t everything, you’re likely to end up saving a little bit more of it again. Whether these savings remain as such, or whether they will serve to facilitate a post-lockdown spending spree of epic proportions, well, that too remains to be seen.

In Lockdown 2.0, DU Players demonstrates resilience As Ireland enters into Level 5 restrictions, DU Players tell Amelia Melanson that there’s “no rulebook anymore”

U Players (Players) recently put on its first Freshers’ Show of Michaelmas Term, Crop Of Freshers, which debuted on Zoom. While the show felt very different from previous performances of the student society, it demonstrated the unique ability of Players to adapt and thrive under the challenges of the pandemic era. Trinity News spoke to Seirce Mhac Conghail, DU Player’s Front of House Manager, about the ways in which Players is adapting to the changing restrictions. Throughout the summer, a time when Players’ Committee is typically organising festivals and planning shows for Michaelmas Term, both nationwide and in Trinity, authorities were frequently changing guidelines and restrictions for social gatherings. Initially, Players produced a programme which allowed for a hybrid in-person

and online drama experience. The society planned to reduce cast sizes, maintain social distancing guidelines, wear masks during rehearsal and limit audience capacity. However, by mid-September, with rising case numbers and the onset of Level 3 restrictions, it became clear that in-person performances were no longer feasible. So, Players adapted. Productions have been moved into podcast, Zoom, and film-friendly formats. Set design has been limited to the background of actors' homes. Costumes have become DIY projects. Seirce says that, if anything, the restrictions have only increased their creativity. Coronavirus has not changed the stories Players tells as much as it has changed the way in which it tells them. The visual storytelling tools once relied on, such as lighting and set design, are very limited in the online format. Other aspects of production such as sound design became more important. Seirce co-wrote Players’ podcast adaption of Little Women, a show which demonstrates the changing dynamics of theatre. In this production, sound design and music composition are used for scene transitions and ambience. Likewise, Seirce admits there are some benefits to online productions. Shows are not limited to physical rehearsal spaces, budgets are unnecessary, and the cast has more time to get

to know each other during the production process. One of the challenges Players has faced this term is planning. Given that, during key stages in the show planning process, regulations were consistently changing, many shows which were expected to be performed in person had to be adapted to an online format. As a result, some shows were cancelled and others rewritten. Crop Of Freshers, for example, initially two shows, was combined into one and prepared in the eight days before its debut. Co-Op, a 50-person show which is typically produced during Michaelmas Term, is being postponed to Hilary Term with the hope that regulations are more relaxed then. Seirce says: “There is no rulebook anymore”; in order to continue to produce shows, the committee has had to embrace last-minute changes “that normally wouldn’t fly” and remain flexible given the circumstances. Consequently, the nature of what is deemed a show has changed. Players committee has already demonstrated its ability to produce quality theatre in an online format with Resilience, a festival which spanned across four days in mid-June. The festival was run on a Tumblr platform, using a multimedia format which allowed Players to have a theatre, basement, gallery and workshop “rooms”. Each day of the festival featured a series of exhibitions with a theme reflecting the

time of day: Cockcrow in the morning, Undermeal in the afternoon, Witching Hour at nighttime, and finally, Resilience. The festival featured a gallery which spanned “a broad variety of thematic interpretation as well as use of media'' according to Seirce, including “photography, soundscapes and film”. In collaboration with DU Dance, the festival hosted daily dance workshops with a variety of themes. The festival also featured 24 different shows, including two podcast plays, Cordial Summonings and Phantom of the Oireachtas, an Instagram Live musical by Eoin Potts, and a Youtube series by Grace McEntee called Bedtime Stories which featured McEntee reading children stories accompanied with illustrations. Two plays performed at the festival, The Interview, by Julia Appleby, and Pop-tart by Medbh Hurley, both went to the virtual Irish Student Drama Association festival, earning several nominations and awards. As a means of recruiting new and improving recurring talent, Players runs weekly workshops known as Pips, covering all the areas of theatre making: writing, directing, acting, costume and set design, stage and production management, to name a few. Typically, these workshops are hosted in person, culminating in a Pips production which showcases the skills learned throughout the workshop process. This term,

Pips will be run online over Zoom and Pips leaders will be following a syllabus which will result in a large-scale show. To adapt to the current limitations, Seirce suggests that the showcase will once again utilise the Tumblr platform through a more exhibition-style show where Players will use different “rooms” tailored to each aspect of theatre-making. Given that the showcase will be adapted from a traditionally in-person show, “this new format allows the participants to have an equal chance to showcase and celebrate what they have learnt”, says Seirce. This online showcase is planned to take place during week 10. Despite this year’s setbacks, there are a few silver linings in the pandemic era for Players. The online format has allowed more students to get involved in productions. There are no longer limitations for show slots, and Players has expanded its scope as a society. Seirce claims that the Freshers have thrived most of all: “Unlike the rest of us, they’re not mourning the loss of a different college experience. This is all they know, and they have been incredibly present, enthusiastic, and resilient. I love to see the same people coming back.” Gone are the days of packed theatres and live performances, but in the meantime, in its corner of Trinity’s virtual campus, Players is continuing its traditions in whatever capacity it can.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Let’s talk about sexual health Eva O’Beirne interviews Dr Caroline West on the stigma surrounding female sexual health in Ireland

t is estimated that 3 out of 4 women will experience thrush in their lifetime. Around two thirds will get a urinary tract infection (UTI) and one third will have a form of bacterial vaginosis. With such high incidences rates, one would expect the health system to have an abundance of information available with campaigns that highlight the importance of sexual health. Instead, the opposite is the reality in Ireland today with little to no public awareness about sexual health and hardly any mention of them in the Social and Personal Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programmes. Women are often left in a spiralling panic, self diagnosing themselves on the internet, unsure as to what is causing them pain or discomfort. Speaking to Trinity News over Zoom, Dr Caroline West details how the Irish health services can do better to support women’s sexual health. A self-described “advocate for pleasure and healthy, consentual sex”, West explains that the lack of awareness around thrush, UTIs and other vaginal health issues is not soley due to a lack of knowledge around sexual health and sex. West also suggests that this lack of awareness is because Irish people do not know how to communicate with each other about said issues. West completed her PhD in Sexuality

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People are so obsessed with having what is called ‘the right kind of sex’, when there is no one correct way to have sex

Studies in 2020. She also holds a Master’s degree in Sexuality Studies and a Higher Diploma in Psychoanalytic Studies. When asked as to when she first became interested in studying sex and sexuality, West points out the difficult juxtaposition that exists between Irish people and their sexuality as her inspiration. “I suppose I was interested in the fact that Irish people have sex yet are very reluctant to talk about it. I was born during the time where Magdalene laundries were still operating. It was incredibly strange to be singing about ‘girl power’ along with bands such as the Spice Girls, meanwhile these horrors were happening.” West is certainly no stranger to discussing sexual health and in particular how Irish people have sex; she is the host of the Glow West podcast, which explores sexuality, the body and health issues. She is also currently a sex and relationship expert for the Elaine Show and Evoke.ie. West describes her hope to break down the stigmas surrounding sex and sexual health. “People are so obsessed with having what is called ‘the right kind of sex’, when there is no one correct way to have sex.” West explains how attitudes toward sex have changed since she started her first degree in UCD in 2000, noting how negatively sex was portrayed in Ireland. “It appeared horrible and terrifying. There wasn’t any space for it to be fun let alone enjoyable.” West admits that attitudes towards sex and relationships have developed greatly since then, but she also notes how forms of Catholic guilt creep into Irish society. “There’s still a long-lasting fear surrounding sex and sexuality. I think that Irish people are great at engaging in casual sex, but where they fall down is engaging in authentic sex.” West described authentic sex as sex where the particpants are happy, safe, have a pleasureable experience and also communicate with each other throughout. “I think if Ireland had comprehensive sex education, it would normalise a lot of areas of sex and hence improve communication.” Continuing on from that point, West was quick to point out the necessary changes that need to be implemented to the current RSE and SPHE curriculums in Ireland. West describes how pleasure is non-existent in RSE with no mention of the clitoris. “We go from absolutely nothing in school, straight to porn. The groundwork is of course providing clear and helpful information to students while they are in school but encouraging healthy conversations about sex is just as important.” West lists increased teacher training, a younger introduction of the topic of

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If they are shaming you or stigmatizing, then they do not deserve to have access to your body consent and more inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community as just some of the ways the Department of Education could improve the syllabus in order to equip its students for a healthier and happier life. West also highlights the need for more guidance on healthy relationships and what abuse looks like as many young people experience abuse unknowingly. “We don’t know what the red and green flags are and we can accidentally accept a toxic relationship as a normal one.” Throughout the interview, West wholeheartedly agreed that there is not enough awareness surrounding UTIs, thrush, and other vaginal problems in Ireland, stating that there is plenty of space for a campaign by the HSE. “We see so much misinformation being spread about these issues and about good sex practices. There’s countless examples in porn when it changes from anal sex to vaginal sex - that’s nearly a guaranteed UTI.” The normalisation of good sexual health appears to be the key to raising awareness. In West’s opinion, an accessible, fun and colourful campaign could help thousands of women understand their bodies better and prevent unnecessary suffering. “I’d love to see a campaign that not only teaches you what they are, but also how to prevent reinfection or recurrences. Something as simple as letting women know that UTI antibiotics will more than likely cause you to have thrush, that cranberry juice will definitely not cure your UTI.” The issue of scaremongering and shame can often prevent women from seeking medical advice when faced with symptoms they have never seen, or heard of, before. West notes there almost seems to be an expectation that women deal with these issues alone as no one, not even the sexual health programmes, acknowledge their existence. West acknowledges that many women do not know how to address their partners about sexual health issues as often they are afraid of rejection. She

explained that your partner having a negative reaction to an issue you may be experiencing is never your fault, “it just shows that they have to mature when it comes to talking about your sex life. If they are shaming you or stigmatizing, then they do not deserve to have access to your body.” West emphasises that due to gaps in communication between those who are having sex, health issues such as STIs can arise. “Not talking about problems that are affecting you won’t make them go away.” The interview then turned to the subject of positivity surrounding female sexual health in Ireland. West feels frustrated with regard to other long-term vaginal issues such as endometriosis and vaginismus and how frequent misdiagnosis occurs. “It’s making people aware of what can go wrong, what can happen. It’s not in a scare-mongering way, instead it will prevent people suffering in silence.” She then acknowledged how much misogyny is ingrained in women’s healthcare, describing the nonconsensual “husband’s stitch” where women would be sewn up tighter after giving birth, as well as hysterectomies and symphysiotomies (the breaking of a woman’s pelvis during labour). “Women were treated like secondclass citizens and continue to be treated so in certain ways. The government agencies need to step up and use these scandals as a reason to educate, empower and treat women better. They need to realise that change is necessary.” When asked if Ireland would be ready for a campaign on UTIs, thrush, bacterial vaginosis and other female health issues, West was certain that the Irish population could handle it, despite the backlash that was attached to the Tampax and Tea advertisement in July 2020. West

was quick to point out how those who complained about the ad in question would never be sexual health advocates.“84 people are not representative of the majority of the population. If we’re okay with ads about constipation and diarrhoea, we should be okay with ads about UTIs and thrush.” As women’s health issues are often swept under the carpet, West agreed that the HSE must make a conscious effort to raise awareness, especially after the tragedy that was the 2018 CervicalCheck scandal. Women’s health, especially their sexual health, has been abandoned in Ireland for too long. West then recommended several resources for those looking for sexual health advice. MySexualWellbeing.ie was her first recommendation followed by TheSTIProject.com. She notes that MySexualHealth.ie provides more inclusive sexual health information, particularly for those who are LGBTQ+. West’s podcast, Glow West, facilitates calm, rational and mature conversations about sex and relationships. “It’s the sex-ed that a lot of us didn’t recieve in school. Think of it as sex education but for adults.” The interview wrapped up with West detailing her goals for the upcoming year. “I would like my podcast to grow and to get the message out there that sex is okay and that sexual wellness should be a part of our day to day lives.” She hopes to spread more awareness around healthy relationships and communication as it’s a topic many people struggle with. “When we learn to communicate with each other we will have a better functioning society as a whole.” On a lighter note, West finished the interview with one short wish of “more orgasms and sexual pleasure for all”, a sentiment that most would agree with.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Making: Milk Allegra Della Ragione asks: is it worth ditching the carton and making your own plantbased milk?

he day before writing this article, my flatmates and I received a sixpack of Oatly, Barista Edition, obviously from Amazon, so I feel a bit cheeky asking you to try and make your own plant milk. In the morning, I drink milky coffee for the sole purpose of experiencing the creamy, frothy goodness that is Oatly. I was utterly devastated upon learning of Oatly’s disappointing behaviour: selling shares to the Trump-linked private equity firm, Blackstone, which has also been accused of contributing to the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. After experiencing the creaminess of Oatly, I just couldn’t go back to one of the other lame nut milks, so I tried to make my own at home: less waste, guilt, and cheaper. But, crucially, would it froth? Oat milk Of course, I began my experiment with oat milk. The oats do not need to be soaked overnight, unlike some nuts. This typically seems to make them slimy rather than creamy. A nut milk bag helps, which you can buy from any health or eco shop for a few euros. A cheesecloth or a T-shirt works well too. Attempt #1: This attempt consisted of blending oats, water, and a pinch of salt together with a ratio of 1:3 cups of oats to water. After blending, pour the mixture through your strainer of choice. My high expectations were obliterated — it tasted too much like porridge, was not sweet enough and had a noticeable grainy texture. 3/10. Attempt #2: I edited the recipe with this next attempt by blending oats, water, the ratio of oats to water is 1:3 again, with a pinch of salt, half a date, and 1 Tbsp rapeseed oil together, and then double straining the mixture through a nut milk bag once it had been fully blended. I hoped the addition of rapeseed oil would make the milk froth – this did not happen but it did make it creamier! This was considerably better. 6/10. Attempt #3: This time I just attempted to adjust the flavour, blending oats, water, the ratio of oats to water is 1:2, then add a pinch of salt, honey instead of date, 1 tsp of rapeseed oil and double straining again. Adding honey works just as well but is not vegan. I ended up preferring the 1:3 ratio of oats to water as it had the best

texture. 5/10. I was pleased with my attempts yet remained unconvinced that I could produce a homemade version of oat milk that could rival Oatly’s. The factor that makes homemade oat milk preferable to store-bought oat milk is the price difference. I bought a 1 kg bag of Irish oats for €4.50. 200g of these oats made 1 litre of oat milk for 90c, whereas buying 1 litre of oat milk is €2.50, so it is considerably cheaper to make it at home. Almond milk In the past, I have been dubious and dismissive of almond milk because I’ve always found it to be too sweet, watery, and bad for the environment, and so generally it has been a milk I’ve avoided. I soaked the almonds overnight in the fridge, but otherwise my method here remained the same as with the oat milk. Blend a ratio of 1:2 cups of almond to water, then add a pinch of salt and half a date. This tasted really good, it had much more of a subtle sweet taste than shop-bought almond milks I’ve tried. It also kind of frothed, which was a much welcomed surprise. I really enjoyed this one, which, to me, is a success and didn’t warrant any more attempts. 7/10. Cashew milk I soaked the cashews overnight in the fridge as well and proceeded to blend a ratio of 1:2 of cashews to water, then added a pinch of salt, half a date, and only a single strain — nut pulp doesn’t go through the nut milk bag as easily as the oat pulp does, so a double strain wasn’t needed. I also didn’t add rapeseed oil to the almond nor the cashew milk, as I thought they would make creamy enough milks on their own. The result was much creamier and tastier than the homemade oat milk, frothed beautifully, and had a perfect level of sweetness. The problem I seem to be encountering so far has been the pricing difference. 200g of cashews was €5, the same as 200g of almonds, and this goes to 1 litre of cashew milk. However, buying 1 litre of cashew milk is €2.50, so this is not very cost effective. This can be somewhat altered by making a mixture of oat and cashew milk – this was a good combination of flavours, it frothed, and it was cheaper to mix these ingredients rather than using pure cashews as these are not very economical, especially for students. I was happy with the outcome and made no further attempts. 8/10. You could take my experimentation further by using different ingredients such as hazelnut — I imagine this being incredible in hot chocolate — macadamia, coconut, rice, hemp or a mixture of these. However, if one of your main priorities is having milk that froths, for coffee for example, making homemade plant milk might not be the option for you.

What we have learned from the gatherings at the Powerscourt Steps Large outdoor gatherings have been symptoms of a lack of public spaces, write Connie Roughan and Sean McElroy

PHOTO BY VICKY SALGANIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

utside the Powerscourt shopping centre, a short stroll from Trinity’s campus, many young people have been gathering by the steps to meet and drink. Social distancing is but a distant thought. The wide steps have long been a popular resting point for weary shoppers, but throughout the summer they have become an evening hotspot for people to relax with a few cans while alternative bars and restaurants have been closed. The questions arise: are these kinds of outdoor congregations an acceptable alternative in the absence of bars; and what does this tell us about spaces for people to pause and have a drink in Dublin’s city centre? The practice has been controversial. It drew significant online attention when TD for Dublin North West Paul McAuliffe tweeted a (now deleted) picture of a crowd of young people on the steps, commenting, “It doesn’t look like anyone is halfing [sic] the number of close contacts they had last week”. The image recalled the familiar scenes of the smoking area of a Harcourt street club. Most replies lamented the lack of a Garda presence and some went further to blame the group for the local lockdowns. Some responded that the demonisation of young people simply meeting for a drink seems somewhat unjust when this level of social interaction elsewhere is actively encouraged by the state. Schools have reopened, meat packing factories remain open despite outbreaks of Covid-19 and direct provision centres are still having asylum seekers congregate to eat communally. Such a response does, however, oversimplify the rationality behind the Covid-19 restrictions. Schools being open undoubtedly has more benefit to the population, and the economy, if that’s a better success metric, than a bunch of students drinking Karpackie alfresco. But back when Dublin was in Level 3, restaurants and pubs were open to the patrons wanting to drink and able to afford the €9 meal with it. It was unfair that those who couldn’t afford it were not able to socialise in the same way. Such unfairness becomes heightened

when those who cannot afford the additional expense of a meal anytime they want a drink are also living in cramped and isolated conditions, which is the case for many students and young people in this city. Wealth imbalances have been a major problem in how people have been negatively affected by certain restrictions, and this has very much extended into how people eat and drink socially. Large gatherings such as those as the Powerscourt Steps have emerged in response to such imbalances, and as restrictions change, we should recognise this history. Although we may acknowledge how restriction issues have been dominated by various imbalances, the question nonetheless remains: are large crowds gathering for a social drink together safe? And the answer is, at the moment, certainly not. With that said, although we are currently in a Level 5 lockdown and any kind of gatherings will have to be extremely limited, we nonetheless cannot expect people to stay isolated indefinitely. People’s weariness towards restrictions has been exemplified not just with the crowds at the Powerscourt Steps, but also with scenes of NUIG students near Spanish Arch, and groups gathering around Grafton St on the eve of Ireland’s transition into Level 5. Pubs and bars have been shown to not just be a pleasant extra-curricular as part of society, but to play a necessary and essential role in facilitating social interactions that we have all suffered without. In their absence, we must ask what Dubliners are left with once they are allowed to have small outdoor gatherings once again. Apart from back-alleys and street corners, there are few public spaces for people to meet and have a distanced drink together in Dublin. This is especially true in the evenings; Dublin City Council closes the city’s parks at dusk. This frustrates even the idea of social distancing. If there were the opportunity not to

have to be in a crowd, the scenes at the Powerscourt Steps would have been largely avoided. While smaller public gatherings are obviously still not perfect in terms of viral transmission and restriction of movements, it would be a compromise for those who are defying the restrictions, having gaffs or drinking at the steps for example, regardless of safety. Of course, at the moment only two households are allowed to meet outside for exercise, but as we progress into the lower levels of restriction, having more accessible spaces would restrict contagion while still enabling people to share that all important drink or a meal together. Outdoor spaces for people to gather on a dry night and pass the time over a few drinks are not impossible to achieve either. One of the few spaces in Dublin where this has been made possible is by the Bord Gáis Theatre in Dublin’s Docklands. Under Level 3, this was another popular spot for people to meet, but by and large it never matched the large groups of people in very close proximity that we saw around Powerscourt and Fitzwilliam Street in general. This was because, something of a rarity in Dublin, there were spaces for people to sit and they were not forced to all pile on top of one another on some ill-fit stairs. If there were more spaces such as this one in the capital, one could be certain that better distanced gatherings could be facilitated. We would not fall into the trap of being demonised for wanting to enjoy a social drink together while still hoping to ensure relatively low social contact among people. In doing this, not only will we prevent the dense and uncontrolled gatherings that we’ve witnessed around Powerscourt, but we will also be providing essential improvements to the lives of those who are stuck in more restrained and isolated living conditions and who rely on going out to meet people as a crucial source of happiness and freedom.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Stage on screen Róisín Finnegan on the remote relationship between theatre and audience

f the many areas of life slowed or stopped entirely in the wake of Covid-19, live theatre was perhaps one of the most constrained. Midsummer, when social restrictions relaxed and Dublin city centre seemed to begin its tentative steps back to bustling normality, the doors of the city’s iconic theatres remained firmly shut, uncomfortably still in a world that was beginning to move again. The Globe began to release recordings of plays the public were previously required to pay for early on in the pandemic, and the National Theatre soon followed suit, live streaming plays with their National Theatre at Home endeavour. These releases were impermanent, no longer available for public viewing after a certain time, perhaps in an attempt to emulate the once-off feel of a theatre visit. There were even alternatives to festivals, such as theSpaceUK’s online theatre festival, featuring groups like the brand new Irish company anseo|anois. All of these events were certainly a great way to keep the faith of theatre lovers, but they raised several questions: what changes when what was meant to be a live performance is translated to the screen? Could the uniqueness of live theatre ever really be recreated by digital media, distanced and away from the setting it was intended to be experienced in? And crucially, does viewing theatre through a digital lense change an audience’s appreciation of it? “I think that it does,” said James Hickson, Adjunct Teaching Fellow from the Trinity drama department and the Lir Academy. “I think that we read or respond instinctually to the labour and craft of a performance when we

witness it in a shared space and time. It seems that the awe which people can have, say, for the way an actor remembers their lines is not necessarily as enthusiastic when re-takes or edits are, even seemingly, involved. I think that the virtuosity of a performance becomes less visible.” Oonagh Wall, producer of anseo|anois theatre, seems to agree. Describing themselves as “a new theatre company on a mission to tell stories for the here and now”, anseo|anois is a new Irish theatre company composed of three Trinity and Lir Academy alumni: Oonagh Wall, Amy Kidd and Éanna Grogan. “Online theatre keeps us warm in a time when live theatre is on hold; it is a worthy endeavour but is by no means a viable replacement,” Wall stated. “As the New York Times wrote: ‘Digital theatre isn’t theatre. It’s a way to mourn its absence.’” The perception of the virtuosity of a live performance when translated from its original setting into one that is remote is certainly a challenging one. On-screen performances as we have come to know them are the products of several takes, digital editing, and perhaps even manipulation of the image with CGI. Inevitably something in our mind shifts when the performance we are watching, and perhaps subconsciously judging, is moved to a screen. “The effort behind or within the performance is perceived differently by the viewer as it becomes kind of flattened or smoothened out by the screen,” Hickson added. The question remains whether or not the experience of live theatre can ever be replicated. “The experience of having a piece of work go from development to seeing it come alive on stage on opening night is one of the best parts of theatre as a theatre maker,” said Wall. That hard-todefine “buzz” that permeates the memory of live theatre seems to be where digital recreations fall short. “I think that the impression of live theatre can be captured with great fidelity and shared with audiences through digital media, but the experience of live theatre — that’s a trickier one,” Hick-

son stated. “Mostly because it’s difficult to pin down exactly what the live experience is. We tend to speak of it in elusive terms as a kind of magic or energy. It definitely creates an active state in the audience member, but too often… the digital viewing experience is a more passive one.” Many artists, especially those who worked in theatre, were hit hard by the restrictions from the beginning. “One adaptation I’ve observed since lockdown is the tendency to make work available free of charge. While incredible in terms of democratising access to theatre, it’s not necessarily a sustainable strategy under current funding models,” Hickson noted. Were the funds sufficient, however, better access seems to be a strong bonus of a shift to the digital. “One advantage of online theatre is that it engages with an audience who may not go to see live theatre on a regular basis,” Wall notes. “The nature of isolation meant that people were generally starved for entertainment and we were all more open to seeking out alternative ways to fill our evenings...Digital theatre is a brilliant way to engage with rural audiences who often, unfortunately, do not get the same opportunity to visit the theatre as regularly as theatre-goers in Dublin.” As endless as it may seem at times, the onslaught of restrictions will eventually ease and live theatre as it was known before will be allowed to return. It remains to be seen what will come of this time of constriction for the theatre; will the digital be adopted, or be seen as a last resort for times when there is no other option available? “In many ways, digital theatre could be considered a genre in its own right,” Wall points out. This time of restriction may well see the genre expand and become an art that moves alongside live theatre into the future. Having come to be known in modern times as a medium that embraces expanding the definition and supposed limitations of its form, theatre may go on to be stronger in the wake of these challenges and perhaps even bring something never seen before to the scene.

ARTWORK BY ZAHRA TORABPOURAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Scéim Cónaithe sa Choláiste Labhraíonn Hazel Ní Bhroin le mac léinn faoina eispéireas sa Scéim Cónaithe an Choláiste go dtí seo

á an Scéim curtha ar fáil ag Oifig na Gaeilge agus Coiste na Gaeilge chun úsáid na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn i saol na hollscoile. Is lóistín lán-Ghaeilge é do mhic léinn sa dara, tríú agus sa cheathrú bliain. Tá Gaeilge líofa ag teastáil agus ba chóir go mbeidh tú sásta í a labhairt sa saol laethúil agus páirt a ghlacadh in imeachtaí éagsúla trí Ghaeilge chomh maith. Osclaítear an próiseas iarratais i mí Feabhra nó Márta, agus tugtar cuireadh chun agallaimh do na mic léinn a bhaineann áit amach ar an ngearrliosta. Labhair mé le Maitiú De Bhaltún, mac léinn sa dara bhliain, atá mar bhall den Scéim i mbliana. Do Mhaitiú, seo a chéad uair ina chónaí as baile, “Bhíos i gcónaí ag iarraidh a bheith i mo chónaí as baile don ollscoil”. Don chuid is mó againn, agus muid ag fáil níos sine, bíonn gá le hathruithe éagsúla agus theastaigh ó Mhaitiú lóistín a fháil “chun a bheith neamhspleách, agus don chraic chomh maith”. Is rogha dheacair é an lóistín is fearr duit féin a phiocadh. Deir Maitiú gur phioc sé an Scéim Cónaithe, “toisc go raibh mé ag iarraidh go mbeadh an Ghaeilge mar phríomhtheanga i mo shaol.” Leanann Maitiú ar aghaidh ag rá “níl Gaeilge ag mo thuismitheoirí agus níor fhreastail mé ar scoil lán-Ghaeilge, [agus] mar sin, mhothaigh mé gur sheans foirfe í an scéim domsa”. Do Mhaitiú, rogha éasca a bhí i gceist mar bhí sé ag iarraidh imeachtaí a eagrú san ollscoil trí mheán na Gaeilge. Bhí níos mó gaelchairde ag teastáil uaidh chomh maith agus dá bhrí sin, bhí an Scéim Cónaithe do mhic léinn mar lóistín den scoth dó.

Le linn na n-amanna gan fasach seo, níl a fhios againn an mbeidh seans againn freastal ar na léachtaí go fisiciúil sa Choláiste at chor ar bith an bhliain seo, agus mar sin, caitear a cheistiú ar chóir cóiríocht ar cíos a fháil ar chor ar bith? “Táim lánsásta le mo chinneadh mar d’fhan mé sa bhaile faoin tuath don chéad dianghlasáil agus ar a laghad táim le cairde agus i lár na cathrach don cheann seo”. Tá sé deacair go leor bogadh amach as an teach don chéad uair, níos deacra le paindéim inár measc ach, deir Maitiú, “níl aon rud nach dtaitníonn liom faoin Scéim - tá sé foirfe”. Is cosúil go bhfuil Maitiú níos fearr as a bheith mar bhall den Scéim an bhliain seo. Tá sé go hiomlán normálta a bheith cumhach agus tú i do chónaí as baile don chéad uair ach, luann Maitiú nach bhfuil sé cumhach ar chor ar bith. Deirtear gur chóir tú féin a choinneáil gnóthach chun an chumha a chosc, agus sin é atá á dhéanamh aige sa Scéim faoi láthair, “Bímid ag freastal ar chiorcal cainte atá eagraithe ag an gCumann Gaelach gach Luan agus bímid ag déanamh Tiktoks trí Ghaeilge”, area Maitiú. “Beidh dhá imeacht ar a laghad eagraithe againn don bhliain seo agus táimid ag tnúth go mór leo”. Tar éis an agallamh seo, táim fágtha ag mothú an-bhródúil as an gColáiste. Chun a bheith go hiomlán ionraic faoi, tá éad orm agus mé tar éis labhairt le Maitiú, mar is léir go bhfuil sé ag baint an-sult as ar fad. “Is clann muid sa Scéim agus bheinn caillte gan a bheith anseo leo an bhliain seo”. Gluais (Glossary) • Líofa- Fluent • Próiseas iarratais- Application process • Cuireadh- Invitation • Gearrliosta- Shortlist • Neamhspleách- Independant • Le linn na n-amanna gan fasach seo- During these unprecedented times • Cóiríocht ar cíos- Rented accommodation • Cinneadh- Decision • Dianghlasáil- Lockdown • Níos fearr as- Better off • Deontas- Grant • Ionraic- Honest

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Erasmus at Trinity under Level 5 restrictions Greta Salti details the pros and cons of moving to a new country in a pandemic

PHOTO BY ELIZA MELLER FOR TRINITY NEWS

Elena Mc Crory reviews Reflections On Life by Sandycove-born George Wallace

he choice to leave home and study abroad is accompanied by mixed feelings of fear and anticipation. Generations of young international students have experienced the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies studying abroad, from the excitement and relief of getting a formal offer to the troublesome search for accommodation. This year, leaving one’s own country and buying a one-way plane ticket to Dublin required an extra dose of courage as the global pandemic has added various layers of uncertainty to the already frightening adventure of relocating in a new country. My journey as an international student at Trinity has only just begun, but it is already studded with changes and uncertain variables. When I bought my plane ticket from Milan to Dublin, just a little more than a month ago, Italy was a Green List country, so I felt reasonably safe planning my travel without considering the mandatory two weeks of quarantine. A few days before the much anticipated day of departure, I got the unsettling news that a new Green List had been drawn up, and my home country was not on it. I had been dreaming of landing in Ireland for weeks. I was looking forward to starting the semester in the wonderful Hogwarts-like campus and meeting lots of interesting people from all over the world who likely shared my mindset and interests. I even had a list of the clubs and societies I intended to join. Suddenly, I was asking myself whether getting on that plane was a good idea at all. Since the Covid-19 restrictions in Ireland were getting tighter, it was likely that lectures would be moved partially, or even completely, online. What was the point of relocating to Dublin if I might have to attend all my classes from my laptop in the uncomfortable solitude of my new room? A part of me still wanted to move to Dublin. I was hopeful that, even in these unprecedented circumstances, I would still be able to enjoy my time abroad, and I was looking forward to starting this new chapter of my life. However, another part of me was panicking. Would I end up alone and friendless in a foreign city? What would happen if I got sick so far away from home? How would isolation affect my mental health? Af-

Looking thro of George Wa

ter a few days of mental struggle, the curiosity and excitement for a new adventure prevailed. I was indeed going to leave the comfort of my home for a new life of which many essential details remained unknown. My first experience of Dublin was unusual. All I could see of the city was the street and the houses below my window. Having already experienced four months of lockdown back in Italy at the beginning of the pandemic, I expected to be somehow prepared for the 14 days of quarantine. It turned out, however, that this time I had to face some new problems that I, quite naïvely, had not considered. This time, I was going through isolation alone, not with my family, and the space at my disposition was considerably reduced compared to my parent’s apartment. The first days cooped up in my room were tough and I had to face what may be seen as very basic problems, but ones which had a large impact. I realised I had no Irish plug adapter, no shampoo and no toilet paper. Speaking on the phone with the receptionist of my accommodation proved more difficult than I expected as I realised how different the spoken Irish accent is from the pre-recorded dialogues on my IELTS exam. I was starting to understand how deeply we rely on human interaction in our daily life and how important the small things we take for granted are, such as a breakfast with friends or the possibility of printing an article for class. I regularly practice sport, mainly running and sailing, and I knew my friends back home were still training and organising regattas on the lake under the Italian sun. I have a few childhood friends who just moved to the UK and it was frustrating to know that I would be unable to visit them, even though I was so close to them. I was homesick, and the lack of physical activity was starting to impact my mental health and sleeping pattern. My anxiety worsened and, without the ability to get my energy out with walks and exercise, I had serious

difficulties falling asleep at night. Adding to this, the prolonged exposure to my computer was causing eyesoreness and headaches. The beginning of orientation week, however, helped me see the bright side of the whole situation. I attended workshops, my program induction on Zoom, and I was finally able to see the faces of my fellow master students. A workshop dedicated to getting to know each other gave us the possibility to vent about our difficulties and I was relieved to see that I was not the only one in this situation. I was pleasantly surprised to see that many of my classmates were international students as well and that many of them, like me, were still quarantined and could not explore Dublin. The simple fact that I was not the only one struggling to understand how to enrol in online modules gave me a sudden sense of relief. I started talking with my classmates regularly on WhatsApp and email and I found that many had similar doubts concerning academic activity and the organisation of Michaelmas Term. We started to cooperate to solve the small problems that come with online classes and the big ones that accompany the start of a new life abroad. It turned out that I was not alone after all. The street below my window was becoming familiar, and I realised I was getting fond of Dublin just by looking at that small portion of it. I liked how clean the air was when I opened my window and I also started to understand the Irish accent of the receptionist who delivered me my food. Now my quarantine has come to an end and I am once again excited to start exploring the city and see what this semester has to offer. I know there will still be unexpected turns in this journey, and that it might not all look as I imagined it a few months ago, but it’s a new adventure and one that I chose to embark on. It may not be the easiest of times, but we’re in the right place at the right time to still make it our own and have a chance to call it the time of our lives.

he moment I entered George Wallace’s exhibition in the National Gallery of Ireland, I knew I was in for a treat. The show runs from September 11 right up until December 13 and returning for a second look has become a priority. One hour is simply not enough to view the lifespan of his works from the 1920s to 2009 which his family donated to the Gallery in 2016, now on display for the very first time. Over 60 pieces were donated, and there is no time more fitting to display them than on the centenary of his birth. Reflections on life is an exhibition representing Wallace’s artistic influences and his many life changing experiences. Wallace used what he saw in newspapers from his time at Trinity, where he studied philosophy in 1939, to create meaningful works of art. Most, if not all, are extremely graphic, at times humorous, but never stray from realism. I began with the monoprint Young Woman in a Striped Dress. Wallace utilised what is called the “light field manner”, where his image was painted onto paper in ink and detail was worked into it using cardboard scrapers, giving this young woman in a striped dress dark sharp lines, while negative spaces are left white. The print itself is bold, dark, and rich, but her expression is soft and sincere. Wallace also made his own printing inks, mixing oil paint with lamp oil or Kerosene. I then moved thematically to his Summer Shadow etchings. I pondered how one person could bring so much life to a page. His series of 12 etchings in black and white begins with a self-portrait of the Busy Artist. I examined the 12 insights as if holding a microscope to them — I felt bad for the people standing behind me cramming to see clearly. The television set acted as the focus of the collection. As the figures go through the simplicity of ordinary mundane

life, the television set portrays a more glamorous and synthetic version of their daily routines. The television screen was an interesting theme, and, during the 1950s, acted as a parallel universe. The detail from the engravings revealed the emotions of anxiety, failure, and boredom felt within the realistic sense. The last print, Day of Reckoning, showed the TV sets being thrown in a pile like the rubbish they materialistically are, and concluded my favourite section. Wallace’s humour emerged sporadically throughout the exhibition. He satirised society’s obsession with the television set, displaying them as a trusted companion, the way one might relate to today’s obsession with smartphones. His work was realistic, sometimes extremely serious but often had whimsical qualities that made them appealing and viewable. His humour revealed itself again with his series of mugshots conveying Canadian businessmen. I viewed Another Successful Banker from 1996 and then Big Businessman from 1992. His inspiration came from Canada’s national newspaper, The Globe and Mail, and kickstarted the satirical prints. The expressionless businessmen look out at the viewer and emanate, in Wallace’s own words, a sense of “self-involvement and alienation”, and to me, sheer entertainment. No doubt religious imagery was a major theme in his work and in this exhibition. He took vivid imagery to the next level in Ecce Homo. There is no sense of divinity or superiority in this portrait — just of blatant human suffering. Religious imagery was a common theme in

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

ough the eyes allace western art since the 15th century, but Wallace’s depiction is convincingly compassionate. Ecce Homo, meaning “behold the man” in Latin, is placed upon Christ by Pontius Pilate, governor of the roman province at the time, before he handed Christ to be crucified. The raw image shows a crown of thorns over Christ’s head, a swollen lip, bruised eye, and dishevelled appearance. Wallace gives us a compelling image of cruelty and torture, yet one cannot look away. The engagement he created in his pieces, from figure inside to viewer on the outside, amazed me. He continued the theme in his pieces Christ Walking in the Garden and Death of Judas, which again are jarring to observe. I was brought to his earlier works which are inspired by his Irish roots and early childhood. He moved to Bristol in his younger years to attend art college where he taught at the School of Art and Design at West of England College where he discovered St Austell, a landscape famous for its pits and fossils. Most of his earlier pieces are inspired by this naturalistic place and his pieces, such as Joined Forms, Dark Landscape, Fortifications, and Pit Workings demonstrated this tastefully. He experimented more with colour form to create various compositions of the same pieces, often displaying two different versions as seen in Clay Pits, created in 1955. The landscape of St Austell is his primary source for depiction, and he looks at manmade objects for inspiration. These were lovely to view in contrast with his previoous images of figures. Most were simplified and flattened buildings. He wrote that these were vast scenes, “at times sinister but entrancingly varied”. From his theme of ordinary life and religious life, I was brought to a new theme of war and conflict. While Wallace studied at Trinity College, he also saw in the Irish newspapers the last remnants of World War II. Like his biblical figures, he inflicts pain and suffering into his piece, Prisoner, created in 1955, and Burnt Man in 1961. To me, the most horrific of the series were Gagged Man, Weeping Woman, and Head of a Caged Man, images in which he appears to be trying to make these figures be seen and heard. Wallace had been exposed to war images in the news for most of his life which clearly affected his upbringing. Once he was in college, the Korean war was almost a memory and the Vietnam war was on the horizon — these events were keenly observed in his pieces. He created Man in Helmet and

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His most powerful prints revolve around the feelings of grief, sorrow and pain caused by oppression, war and, sometimes, the mundane used red, blood coloured ink to depict him, attempting to portray the political futility taking place at the time. He was an artist to be admired — he told difficult stories throughout his time, often troublesome to digest. Throughout his lifetime, Wallace witnessed an incredible array of events, some wonderful and some woeful. Through the stories he tells in his art, we are thrown back to the 1950s to events that should never be forgotten. Between June and August 1988, he produced over 100 monoprints that are a mixture of loss, hope, and a longing for better. His alarmingly honest self-portrait was refreshing while also melancholy. Most of this exhibition displayed his deep empathy for humanity. He certainly used his art to comment on the state of the world around him, and his most powerful prints revolve around the feelings of grief, sorrow and pain caused by oppression, war and, sometimes, the mundane. He commented on Hogarth’s work which is very much like his own: “He thought of his prints and paintings as mirrors in which the people of the time might see themselves reflect...in their sometimes grim, sometimes humorous surfaces we may perhaps still find something of ourselves reflected back to us.” The insight he has given us with this exhibition is a story told by himself to the people of events long past. He offers us something very rare. While the exhibition includes harrowing images of brutality, torture and hurt, one can only describe it as truly beautiful.

An ode to outdoor dining Bea Buckley looks back at one of life’s biggest upsides under Level 3

lthough outdoor dining has recently, and rather abruptly, been closed off to us, I think it’s fair to say that many of us had been surprised at how enjoyable the newfound dining format had been. Previously deemed incompatible with Dublin’s temperamental weather and car-laden streets, dining al fresco had a certain continental charm and it will no doubt be sorely missed. Over the last few weeks I have enjoyed delicious food with good company and a great number of laughs at largely foldable tables on Dublin’s cobblestone streets. Although necessary, I can’t pretend that the new lockdown hasn’t put a tragic end to my love of eating out. In an attempt to remember the good times, it's time to fondly recall personal highlights from the past few weeks. Although we might not be able to pop over to any of these options in the immediate future, they are definitely worth keeping in mind for when things do start to open up again. Brunch If you are looking for a new place to brunch, keep the Taste Food Company on William Street in mind. Typically open seven days a week, their brunch menu features from 12.30-5pm and is the perfect hangover cure. This menu is vast, ranging from pancakes to the “mega breakfast” – a fabulous array of sausages, bacon, free-range eggs, mushroom, Clonakilty black pudding, beans, hand-cut potato wedges, and toast – to a good old-fashioned burger and lots of good coffee. Not only is the food delicious, but it is also extremely vegan- and vegetarian-friendly, offering a full vegan Irish breakfast, smashed avocado

toast and acai bowls among other things. The great food is also paired with great outdoor seating. Taste Food features arguably one of the best outdoor seating setups in Dublin; with a big tent out in front of the restaurant as well as roomy tables in the adjacent alley, it is easy to justify a visit. Lunch Ever been to California? Ever wanted to go to California? Ever heard of the infamous Californian food trucks? Well, fear not because you can now get your authentic Californian food truck experience right here in Dublin. Juanitos is a must-try for lunch. Located on Drury Street, the outdoor seating is hard to miss as it is a big blue tent set up on the opposite side of the street. With street tacos and glorious burgers — the halloumi burger is to die for — featured on their menu, there is something for everyone. There is also plenty of seating available in the tent, and, if you get cold, the staff are more than happy to supply you with a hot water bottle for your lap. Obviously Juanitos has upped their game when it comes to corona-dining, so I would urge you to consider placing this one at the top of your list for when restrictions are lifted. If you are looking for another lunch spot, the Metro Cafe on Williams Street does a mean lunch as well, especially if you are looking to indulge in an outing for lunch without draining your bank account. They offer a budget-friendly lunch deal of a sandwich and a cup of soup for €10.00. They have plenty of outdoor seating as well, with a bunch of strategically placed heaters to keep you nice and warm throughout your dining experience. Afternoon Coffee Ladurée is the afternoon pick-me-up you never knew you needed. Conveniently located on William Street South, it is the perfect place to rest your feet and warm up with a delightful cup of coffee and a delectable French pastry. The seating is made up

of small two-person tables that line the building on either side of the boutique; and while it may not be the best seating in the city, the Parisian charm and perfected macaroons will make up for it effortlessly. But be warned, once you go for the first time, it becomes absolutely impossible to walk past it ever again without popping in — not that it’s really a problem as it just might be the most affordable Parisian experience you are going to find. Fine Dining To continue the Frenchthemed cuisine, I must recommend l’Gueuleton if you are looking, when it becomes possible again, to treat yourself to a fine dining experience, or, for most of us, when your parents come into town for a visit. It possesses a rustic feel with candlelit, dark wooden tables and a red brick exterior, perfect for sipping wine and spreading gossip late into the evening. The menu features a vast selection of lavish entrees which both look and taste heavenly. They also offer a fine selection of wines and a substantial cocktail menu where you can find the perfect aperitif to kick off dinner. I know this one is on my list of post-lockdown celebratory dinner restaurants and I would definitely recommend that it is on yours too. I would also advise you to make reservations for this restaurant to ensure you get a table when you desire. Finally, while it is sad to see outdoor dining go, it is important to remember that most restaurants are still operating with takeaway services. Please consider supporting your favourite restaurants in the upcoming weeks as we all learn to settle back into lockdown. And not to worry, there are still ways to eat out before the weather becomes too unbearable; all you have to do is pick up your favorite entree with a blanket in hand and head on over to the Iveagh Gardens for a romcom-esque picnic by the fountain.

PHOTO BY VICKY SALGANIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Puzzle page Crossword solution, October 13 Across 1. Rathmines 3. Trauma 4. Lasagne 5. Morrissey 7. Capricorn 9. The pill 10. Covfefe 13. Linen 15. Ugliest 17. Ravioli 19. Engels 20. Hamilton 22. Ulysses 23. Admire 24. Sam McConkey

Down 2. Tesselate 3. Trinity College 5. Michelangelo 6. Hazel Chu 8. Clueless 12. Saturn 14. Marzipan 16. Gulliver 18. Glossy 21. Tits

Across

4. Ram Horn used in Jewish religious ceremonies (6) 7. ‘Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC’. (11) 8. Abnormal contraction of the pupil (6) 10. Blackcurrant Champers (3, 6) 13. London’s Taxi Test (9) 14. Australian English (6)

Down

1. Spanish Sweet Sherry (7)

CROSSWORD BY DARRAGH CREAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

2. Symbolizing Marriage; Hinduism (5) 3. The Black Panthers; “Free _ _ _ _” (4) 4. Opiate of the Brave New World (4) 5. “A spectre is haunting Europe” (7) 6. UK Coronavirus Hospitals (11) 9. Roosevelt’s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (3, 4) 11. Bach, Vivaldi & Handel (7) 12. Of chess; Queen’s _ _ _ _ _ _ (6)

WORDSEARCH BY JULES O’TOOLE FOR TRINITY NEWS

Angelic Doubts Evacuate Exponential Lover Machinery Marshmallow Philadelphia Pumpkin Quintuplets Republican Symbiotic

Trinity shouts and murmurs thinking about when you’d just spend all day going for coffee with people and then maybe a lecture but then you’d bump into someone and be like “do you have an hour?” and not go to the library go for coffee instead and maybe man a bakesale sorry i’m having a bit of a moment -@furtiso Wearing the same Halloween costume as last year call that Déjà Boo -@fluffernutter99 The middle aisle of Lidl is the biggest loss of this pandemic -@FollowTheLaoide tweeting this to remind myself to change my zoom name after DnD so i don’t log onto work tomorrow as Fenbalar -@rcareyy call me the impostor bc i need to fckn vent -@EveBelleSongs

PHOTOS BY VICKY SALGANIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Features

d new mp of Library

the French monument, constant maintenance and updating of fire prevention methods is needed. As a result, there are plans to completely redesign the fire safety and prevention systems and put in more protective measures. The second aspect of the planned redevelopment are improvements to the visitors experience. The work on this has already begun as, last week, the new display case and exhibition room for the Book of Kells was unveiled. To further improve this, there is a planned relocation of the visitor entrance to the Berkeley podium along with the gift shop. ‘The aim of this was to alleviate pressure on both Front and

Library squares so as to reduce the amount of tourists within them. This should make it look and feel more like a university rather than a tourist attraction with those big long queues in Library Square,” Bioletti said of the motivations for the move. ‘There have been regular calls from students and staff alike to reduce the pressure of tourists who flock to the university and this measure should have a positive effect although it will be interesting to see the practical effects of this.’ Lastly, the redevelopment aims to improve Trinity’s research capacity as a University and expand its outreach as a leading university in its research fields. This involves the construction of a study centre on the ground floor of the Old Library through which people can access the manuscripts in an appropriate manner. Alongside the ongoing conservation project Trinity will also be digitising its collection to increase the availability and also provide a useful preservation tool. “The research study centre is brilliant. For years it was the main library in Trinity where people studied and socialised and now that is a completely unique experience for this to happen,” Bioletti said. “Now with this possibility it can open the library up to be a more inclusive area.” There are undeniable benefits to the €2.7 million refurbishment which will be carried out over the next few years. It preserves the dual role that the library has as a place of both heritage and scholarship and also highlights Ireland’s recent push to recognise its cultural importance in the world and improve its investment in the arts. “With work starting on the building next year, it will be interesting to watch how Trinity’s plans manifest themselves,” Bioletti said. “We are all travellers on a journey, one of scholarship and discovery, and, with the library we are so lucky to be a part of this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The changing scope of students’ welfare needs Welfare Officer Leah Keogh on tackling cases shaped by Covid-19 Jack Ryan Deputy Features Editor

n a normal year, the strain on the students’ union welfare team is immense. The non-academic needs of 20,000 students are vast, and range from financial assistance to accommodation needs, to helping students seek assistance for mental health issues. Undertaking this under the Covid-19 pandemic is a mammoth task. First year students, who by all rights should be swirling in a whirlwind of free wine and pizza from societies, pouring their heart out to a new best friend as they stumble back to Dartry from town, are instead restricted from the mill of new people that typically makes first year so exciting. Many of these students will need help and guidance from the students’ union to make the most out of a constrained year and settle into the rhythm of college life in unusual times. The usual circus of the Freshers’ tents in Front Square, now empty, helps orientate those starting college and gives them a feel for the college community. In the context of this isolation, scenes like those in Galway on September 28, when hundreds of students, many of them freshers, gathered at Spanish Arch to socialise and connect with each other, seem almost inevitable. Students from countries which are considered “at risk” and staying in Trinity accommodation were required to quarantine in their accomodation for two weeks before the start of the semester. A meal service was provided for students staying on campus or at Trinity Hall, but undoubtedly, two weeks in a student apartment impacted on the wellbeing of some students. Speaking to Trinity News, one student described how the isolation period on campus could be “profoundly lonely” and that, “There have been days that have taken a toll on mental health.” Trinity News spoke to Leah Keogh, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Welfare officer, in a brief gap in her packed schedule. As well as leading campaigns on topics such as sexual health, consent and drug policy, Keogh also handles a large volume of casework, which involves students coming to her

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Keogh says that the two key issues are housing and finance with personal issues that range from mental help problems to financial and accommodation needs. However, Keogh takes this workload in her stride, saying “I love casework, and I have a huge interest in the policy behind it as well, so this is the perfect role for me I think.” Keogh says the two issues that take up most of her day are housing and finance. “With the current system of blended or hybrid learning, students are asking me, ‘Do I need accommodation in Dublin this year?’ and it’s so hard to answer that because no one knows what’s going to happen this year.” Some students are even wondering whether securing short-term accommodation is a better option than a long term lease for a college year in Dublin that may or may not happen. The SU runs a Facebook group called Accommodation Support, in which students can exchange information and listings on available rooms and apartments. With regards to finance, Keogh frequently gets contacted about the €191.75 charge students are required to pay in addition to tuition, and whether it has to be paid this year, given that most students are off-campus currently. She also helps students work their way through the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) process and provides practical

financial assistance to students in financial difficulty through the Student Hardship fund. In particular need of assistance are healthcare workers on placement, who cannot currently work a parttime job. Keogh speaks about how “the fact that we are all cooped up at the moment can take a toll on our mental health, and the most critical method in tackling that is social connection”. Fostering a feeling of community within the College is a key aim of hers. Similarly isolation is a risk factor for addiction, and it is perfectly likely that addictive patterns will emerge for students stuck in their accommodation. Leah is releasing videos with the SU with advice on topics such as addiction. She has also worked with the global Students for Sensible Drug Policy to set up a specific Trinity branch, and draft a new College drug policy focused on harm reduction. “The fact that we are all cooped up at the moment can take a toll on our mental health,” Keogh said. “The most critical method in tackling that is social connection.” She also intends to make consent a focus of her tenure and has met with Minister of Higher Education Simon Harris to help devise a strategy to eliminate sexual violence and harassment on campus. Trinity is this year going to implement this strategy, aiming to totally eliminate sexual violence on campus and facilities. “When we take young people and house them, we have a duty of care to those students, to keep them safe,” Keogh said. For students who are struggling with their mental health under the current circumstances, Keogh recommends keeping a routine, separating their study space from their living space if they can, and by reaching out to and connecting with others. She urges students to use the resources that are available if they need help. These include the Trinity Counselling Service, Niteline, the new 50808 texting support service, or indeed Keogh herself.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Comment

Deputy Comment Editor

Students have been unfairly vilified in the spread of Covid-19

insusceptible to the virus. You are hard-pressed to find students in photographs of anti-mask protests in Dublin, and the people on the bus who wear their masks under their nose or no mask at all tend to be older, yet they receive far less public vilification than students and young adults. This unnecessary fingerpointing has taken flight particularly in the face of the second lockdown; many are quick to suggest that it’s the selfishness of youths going out to see their friends and party being the sole cause of the country having to shut down again. Though it’s easy to blame one demographic of people in society for the virus, it’s unfair to suggest students are the issue when most of us aren’t receiving a faceto-face education. When there is blame on young people, we must examine their living and working situations in Ireland. Firstly, the majority of student jobs tend to be frontline, minimum wage jobs. Many have been stocking our

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Laura Galvin

ou only have to look at the comment section of any recently published Covid-19 scandal in any news outlet to see which demographic is on the receiving end of the public’s blame for spreading the virus. We have been treated to videos of house parties and mass gatherings in areas with high concentrations of students. A house party of 100 people in Sligo, nearly 1000 freshers in Galway’s Spanish Arch and a 19 year old’s birthday at the Oliver Bond flats were all subject to damning morning-time radio discourse, featuring many people balking at the selfishness of the congregations of these teenagers. Although the public are right to condemn their actions, the unbalanced prevalence of these cases in the media perpetuates the idea that Covid-19 is spreading throughout the country as a result of young adults who think they’re

Irish housing policy is unjustifiable Editorial

It’s time to give the Long Room back to students Olivia Bayne

supermarket shelves since the first lockdown. When restaurants and cinemas opened again in June, many students returned to parttime jobs as waiters, waitresses and retail workers - jobs with high risks of exposure to the virus. Despite not being paid, student nurses have been and continue to work in direct contact with the virus. This aside, the unemployment rate is at an all time high for young adults, with 36.5% of us out of a job this year. Despite many receiving the coronavirus pandemic unemployment payment (PUP), the low unemployment rate still has knock-on effects. Struggling with a lack of purpose, a lack of access to college and isolation from friends, it is really frustrating that young people are being disparaged as the primary vectors of coronavirus. Let’s not forget the housing crisis that we are in the midst of. In a sincedeleted tweet, Minister f o r Higher

Education Simon Harris suggested that young people should reconsider leasing student accommodation for this year. This was tweeted two weeks after most Irish college terms commenced. This is simply not good enough. The tweet inadvertently shamed students who chose to pay extortionate prices for accommodation this year despite the volatility of the Covid-19 situation and the amount of college taking place online. As for the students who are renting private accommodation, they are likely to live in either shared rooms or house shares with others, or overpriced private complexes housing hundreds; there are 4000 student units on Cork St. alone. This alone increases many students’ contacts and opportunities to contract and spread Covid-19. Most private rented accommodations are not offering rent refunds as a result of the pandemic, putting many students in a difficult situation. They are faced with the ultimatum of leaving and losing their money or remaining in cramped accommodation situations with a higher density of people and risk of contracting the virus. The government’s slow response to NPHET’s recommendations, as well as Tánaiste Leo Varadkar’s comment on Claire Byrne Live recently stating that NPHET’s recommendations weren’t “thought through”, have felt disheartening and dismissive. Micheál Martin’s government address announcing the second lockdown attempted to exude messages of hope, whilst also placing the onus on the public to “hold firm”. A reasonable request, but difficult to swallow in tandem with the government’s reactionary handling

the pandemic, and the impending sense of doom for the remainder of 2020. This isn’t to say that every ARTWORK BY ELLA MCGILL FOR TRINITY NEWS

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It’s frustrating that young people are being disparaged as the primary vectors of coronavirus

student has been a role model during the pandemic. People from the ages of 16-25 are developing the most socially in their lives than they ever will, and many in this age group have not sacrificed their social lives in the interest of public health. Though everyone has had to forego things as a result of the pandemic, it’s somewhat easier to follow restrictions when you are living in a family home. Schoolchildren reap the benefits of being able to socialise in school, and adults can spend more time than usual with their families if working from home. In a shared house, students may think their contact with at-risk people is scarce, if at all. This results in a cognitive dissonance that certain students may experience regarding the consequences of their actions, such as spreading the virus and making others sick. The students who experience this cognitive dissonance are more likely to become complacent when they are vilified in the media. Instead of pinning the blame on one group in society for something to rag on about to Joe Duffy in the morning, it could be reasonable to understand that people of all ages have been flouting guidelines and protesting for freedom since the beginning. In this second lockdown, people of all ages are struggling more to adhere to the rules as the end seems further and further out of reach. The blame game is not going to change anything for the better, but instead may encourage more people to ignore the collective benefits of doing the right thing.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Comment

Grace Gageby

Deputy Comment Editor

No country for young tenants

hroughout the Covid-19 pandemic, third level students have undoubtedly been disregarded. While the transition to online learning is necessary to curb the spread of Covid-19, many have criticised both the government, and the colleges themselves for taking so long to announce this, creating a situation where students paid rent and secured accommodation for which they now have no use. Budget 2021 came at a time of heightened economic anxiety, and utterly false reassurance was offered by Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Housing, when he referred to the Budget 2021 as a “housing for all budget.” Roisin Shortall, leader of the Social Democrats deemed the

document “unambitious.” While the budget includes a Help to Buy scheme and Affordable Purchase Equity scheme, this caters to homeowners, and renters are largely ignored. The budget pledges to increase funding for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), and 30 percent of the total housing budget is dedicated to HAP payments, yet this ultimately means more money being poured into the pockets of landlords in private rental, leaving the door open to the hyper exploitation renters have unfortunately become accustomed to. The budget merely attempts to obfuscate the previous broken promises of the government with regards to housing. The budget also contained lacklustre promises about building

social housing, and also pandered to developers rather than renters or council tenants. Cian O’Callaghan of the Social Democrats pointed out that the Government should be taking advantage of the current low interest rates by “borrowing to directly build thousands of affordable homes,” as the Budget includes funding for just 400 cost rental homes . “The Shared Equity Scheme was inspired by property developers who lobbied...to have it included in today’s budget.” As a result, the SES has the capacity to keep prices inflated, “much to developers’ delight.” USI President, Lorna Fitzpatrick commented earlier this year that “if...face-to-face learning is delayed, the government must act immediately to protect and support student renters. We cannot

Noelle Keogh

Contributing Writer

The SUSI grant system needs to be urgently reviewed

pproximately half of all students in Ireland receive some level of financial support from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) during their time in third-level education. SUSI is the country’s national awarding authority when it comes to assisting students with their financial needs but unfortunately the financial support scheme has been falling short of most student’s expectations for a number of years. The optimists among us might believe themselves lucky in comparison to students facing the colossal fees in American universities. However this optimism is challenged when we look at Ireland’s performance on the European stage; we currently have the highest tuition fees in the European Union, €3000 per annum, and regrettably these fees are mirrored by the skyrocketing

cost of living in major cities such as Dublin, Cork, and Galway. While SUSI might have once covered the cost of living in these cities, since 2011 there has been no increase in the maintenance grant to reflect the substantial increase in costs such as housing. The SUSI application process includes a means test by which the students household income is assessed. The means test is based on a number of factors ranging from the students income and/ or their parent’s income, to the number of dependent children in the household. While these contributing factors should paint a clearer picture of the applicants financial needs and then ensure these needs are met; the low threshold and the hard cut-off usually leave struggling students with a rejection letter in their hands, their only remaining options to put themselves into debt to pay their fees or not

pursue higher education at all. In order to rectify this flaw in the system SUSI would ideally raise the income threshold significantly. Another solution could also seek to implement more permeable income thresholds. This would effectively provide students with a cushion to prevent a minor increase in a fluctuating income from ruining their chances of financial assistance. Within the means test there lies another conundrum: at present, SUSI does not cover the day-to-day expenses incurred by the average student. If a student acquires a job to cover these costs, they may find that they are no longer eligible for SUSI. A student may work a part-time job along with their studies. However, if this part-time employment is more than just seasonal it will then be accounted for in the means test which will result in the student’s income surpassing the income

see a repeat of what happened in March where students were left hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of euro out of pocket due to deposits and prepaid rent not being returned. Fitzpatrick continued “with new leases having been signed, students will be paying rent on rooms they can’t use or don’t need. Institutions and accommodation providers must provide flexible provisions for students.” While Trinity and NUIG have offered refunds to students who wish to leave their College accommodation due to the implementation of level five, many private landlords, and student accommodation complexes failed to follow suit. Darragh Quinn is a third year medical student in NUI Galway. Speaking to Trinity News, he said: “I’m one of many students who have paid for student accommodation in advance of the academic semester who have no use for it as a result of being allocated zero on-campus hours. We were under the impression we would have on-campus hours and were urged by the university to secure accommodation, to then be told we were entirely online weeks after we were made to pay.” While NUI Galway offered refunds to any students who no longer have use for their on-campus accommodation because of Covid-19, Quinn

continued “only one private student accommodation complex in Galway (Menlo) has offered the same.” The fact that the unambitious budget seems to cater to home owners and developers, and makes promises about social housing that the government’s record indicates they are unlikely to keep, displays an apathetic attitude towards renters. The housing plan was not the only let down for students in Budget 2021, which favoured small financial consolations over a sustainable, long sighted approach to solving the third level funding crisis. While €50 million was pledged to “financial assistance” in the sector, no detail was given as to how, where, or to whom this would be allocated. As we enter a second lockdown, evictions have not been banned, and there is also no rent freeze, despite no increase in the PUP. Many students are paying through the nose for accommodation for which they have no use, while they complete their degree completely online, despite previous empty promises from colleges and the government. The budget’s disregard for renters, a group in which students are significantly over represented, is yet another indication of how students have been left behind during the pandemic.

threshold for the following year. The result will be that the student will no longer be eligible for SUSI, rendering their efforts futile. Another concern requiring attention is the lack of transparency in SUSI’s appeals process. One postgraduate student describes her experience with this process as incredibly frustrating. Like most of us this year, her financial situation has changed dramatically due to the economic upheaval created by Covid-19. Despite her household income now falling below the income threshold detailed on the SUSI website this student has now received three rejections with no further clarification on the matter. There are constant calls from students across the country to prioritise funding for higher education, most recently in Cork this September where UCC students staged a protest, calling on their local TD’s for support. It was staged four years on from the initial presentation of the proposed third-level funding strategies in the Cassells Report in 2016. The report recommends three funding options for consideration: a predominantly state-funded option; increased state-funding with continuing student fees; and increased statefunding with deferred payment of fees through income contingent loans, a decision politicians have yet to act on. Students have been vocal in their desire to implement the first option which would see a significant increase in publicly funded education, similar to most European nations. Students are vehemently against the third

option which would see the implementation of a loan system akin to the aforementioned American and British models, reasoning that this system will only serve to create more barriers to education when ideally we seek to remove them. Amidst the slurry of problems generated by Covid-19, third-level students have been feeling the financial pressure. On 13 October, the government announced plans to dedicate €50 million to assist third-level students. Each student who has paid their €3000 fee is to receive a payment of €250 in recognition of the financial burdens created by Covid-19 which only papers over the cracks of this ongoing dilemma. This kind of one-off payment largely ignores the underlying issue of student fees. The government has also raised the income threshold for postgraduate students in the 2021 budget. However there is an oversight in which they have neglected to include the students enrolled in the current academic year in this initiative. While the presence of SUSI has benefitted many students since its implementation, its reach has stagnated. Funding should strive to make third-level education equally accessible to students from all backgrounds. What is required is a sustainable increase in third-level funding that accurately reflects the financial needs of students today. An increase in third-level education funding should not be looked at as a burden but rather an investment into the future professionals who will fuel the Irish economy.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Comment ARTWORK BY MAEVE BREATHNACH FOR TRINITY NEWS

It’s time t Room ba

Sophie Hanlon

Contributing Writer

Online lectures should be offered free publicly

he coronavirus pandemic has brought about a lot of change, and of the most significant of these for students across the globe includes the transition to online learning. In person lectures, tutorials, and seminars are but a distant memory. Many students and teaching staff alike are struggling with the challenges this brings about. Yet, this transition is not without its advantages. One of these advantages is one Trinity has yet to make the most of. For many reasons that benefit both the college, the student body, and the public, Trinity should make available to the public a selection of pre-recorded lectures. A number of colleges around the world have taken this step. Many Ivy League colleges in the United States provide free courses that can be taken by anyone online. Universities in the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge, have for many years provided lectures online, posted on Youtube and their websites. Trinity now has the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of others to benefit not only the public, but college itself. Trinity already provides a variety of online courses for free to the public. They have provided Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) since 2014 in partnership with Futurelearn. These MOOCs feature an incredibly

broad variety of subjects from ‘Journey to Birth’ to ‘Achieving Sustainable Development’. These courses are remarkably interesting and educational. Trinity has proven it has the systems and capabilities in place to provide free online learning. College should now accept the invitation to publish lectures that pertain to undergraduate courses, as well as continuing to provide the MOOCs already in existence. The most significant advantage of this move would be the education provided to the public. Education is powerful, yet in Ireland it can often be considered inaccessible. About €3000 annually, Ireland will have the highest fees in the EU post-Brexit. Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris, has recently acknowledged that fees are too high but has yet to act on his own observation. Despite the aid of SUSI grant, extortionate fees render third level education inaccessible for a significant number of people. Providing a variety of online lectures for free would benefit not only the aforementioned demographic, but also older people of a time when college was for Ireland’s elite and those who were lucky enough to attend college times ago. People far and wide who, for various reasons, who have been excluded from third level education, would be invited to take a glimpse into the thought-provoking and

enlightening lectures taught at Trinity. Recently, Minister Harris announced the launch of over 14000 free or subsidised places in higher education, under the Jobs Stimulus package. This enables people to upskill and hopefully return to work following the impact the pandemic has had on unemployment. Speaking of this promising scheme Alan Wall, CEO of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) commented that “it is great to see the HEA working in partnership with higher education institutions to unlock the flexibility of third level in dealing with these difficult times.” It is this flexibility that Wall speaks of that Trinity, and other third-level institutions, must take full advantage of. It can be argued that free access to course material might lessen the value of a student’s education, but as viewing lectures provides no degree or other qualifications, this is an arbitrary counter argument. Another significant benefit of the publication of a variety of lectures, would be the enhanced awareness behind the selection of courses by prospective students. Often prospective students are left to do a lot of guesswork in relation to the content of their selected course. Most schools within the college have an indication of the classes available for students on their websites. Yet many students are left surprised come September when they discover

the course they signed up for isn’t quite what they envisioned. This often leads to one of the things college tries its best to avoid: an increased dropout rate. Students being somewhat left in the dark about their prospective course leads to disappointment, stress and ultimately student dissatisfaction. Many second level students are not familiar with the courses available to them at third-level. How can students be expected to know what degree they want to study for, if they don’t truly know what that degree entails? A 2018 report performed by the HEA shows that one in six students do not progress from first to second year at third-level. This shockingly high figure stems from a multitude of complex issues, including socioeconomic factors and academic challenges. But it also includes a portion of people who simply selected the wrong course. Year after year, hundreds of students are failed by the lack of information provided by third-level institutions on each course. If prospective students were provided with a sample of lectures from their selected course, they would be able to make a more informed decision. An insight into how the course is taught, and its content, would allow each student to make the right decision on what course is for them. This has never been more easily done than this year, as the pandemic forces us to online learning, when lectures are already recorded and provided to students. It is time for college to make a number of the lectures free to the public. The world, and Trinity, is at a crossroads. The “new normal” looms above fears that life as we knew it may never return. Yet, this “new normal” opens up many doors of opportunity to change the world. A change in accessibility to education is one of these opportunities. It is time for Trinity to lead the way in Ireland, to rectify the damage caused by extortionate education fees, and make available to the public a selection of lectures provided to undergraduate students.

ow is a very difficult time in which to write; one feels obligated to address the unfortunate nature of contemporary circumstances and as well to lament the catastrophic devastation of many lives lost and ruined. In a time of such profound confusion and restriction, we often find ourselves alone. Alone, and with the relatively unfamiliar leisure time in which to reflect. Perhaps we have received more time than we would have willingly bargained for, but one takes the good with the bad. But in those introverted hours of sitting and thinking and drinking tea, the fixation of the past needles away at our minds; it often provides more pleasant recollections than the comforts of our present daily experiences. Whether this reflection involves flicking through the social media accounts of every ‘one that got away’, or simply glancing at the buildings you pass during your mandated daily exercise walk, the feeling invoked remains the same: appreciation. Regardless of the extent of our meditation, it is difficult to resist the intrigue of the images of history. They alone remain the physical testaments to intangible time. Our engagement with it is crucial to our present, and with it our future, and our future past. But if we limit this engagement solely to appreciation, we are met with the compulsion to preserve, and in doing so, we forever distance ourselves from possibility and reality alike. Here at Trinity, the past is all around us. We are constantly reminded of those poetic figures who scurried over the same cobblestones late for a lecture, huddled on couches around the same fireplaces in Front Square, and mused over current affairs in the same rose garden. The vibrancy of such characters is palpable, and experiencing their presence is one of the joys of attending this university. But the ghosts that our generation will leave behind will not be so filled with excitement. Pavement makes paths through cobblestone, fireplaces are boarded up, and the most spectacular testament to Trinity’s history, the

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Comment

Olivia Bayne

Contributing Writer

to give the Long ack to students Old Library, has been locked away from us as a museum. Immediately within the action of choosing to preserve, we have stripped from the monument its original purpose that it was in fact designed to serve. It is de-contextualised and thus disfigured, and we are left in distant appreciation rather than authentic engagement. The celebration of our institution is a welcome one, and I am sure no students would wish to deny the wonders of the Long Room to anyone who desired to pay homage to such a noble guardian of knowledge. Fellow classmates and tourists are honoured to bask alike in the rich mapley musk of the mysterious books and marvelous looming hall. But those relics remain closed on shelves too high to reach or too far behind velvet chords, and we, the viewers, are ushered out from under the roof to keep along the moving traffic. Nonetheless, the experience of visiting the Long Room remains ultimately and quietly consuming, and I wish not to be ungrateful for such an enriching encounter; but even so, one cannot help but lament the distance between oneself and a desirable object. Greater still is such a lamentation when the distance is not purely physical. To stand within the Old Library, as a Trinity student, and fantasise perusing leathery spines, flipping open dusty jackets, and arranging oneself beneath a green lamp to drink in the novelty that surrounds you, is incredibly painful. It was not in the very distant past in which this fantasy would in fact have been reality, and here we stand in the same room, completely torn apart from the true meaning of the space, which was in fact to do all these things. Now the Long Room is a museum, and we cannot touch or read these wonderful books as they are expected instead to be preserved for the future. Perhaps these books themselves are indeed better kept away from irresponsible hands, but still the question of the room remains. Surely our presence could not harm it. Enough people walk through every day. The tall dark wood ceilings, the shiny bannisters, and that fantastic smell.

I remember in my very first week of college my professor declared in anguish to the lecture theatre that such a smell could not be bottled up and bought! Surely if students were permitted to work within such a beautiful setting we would have far more appreciation not for distant objects, but for our own hours spent. We would not be so removed from the joyful parts of life as would be the case studying in a more oppressive setting. But here we have separated ourselves from the aesthetic. If it were untrue that the Old Library is one of the most pleasurable buildings on campus, perhaps the Book of Kells would be kept in the Berkeley instead. The difference in standards is undeniable, and I do not understand the attraction of compartmentalising one’s life between the pleasant and less pleasant; all societies past have striven to spend as many precious moments as possible in the pleasant. These last few months have more than anything proven to us the turbulent nature of life. I cannot imagine I am alone in determining that when found in the unpredictable, the least one can do is seek shelter in the most uplifting and enjoyable spaces possible, and attempt to make the most of what vastly small time the human life is given. It is with this conclusion of the recognition of the continuous nature of history, and the celebration of life and enjoyable experiences, that I propose the reconciliation of the Long Room and the student body. Though the greater half of our student lives is spent focusing on academics rather than leisure, why should we not try to make this greater half equally pleasant? Our morale and work ethic would be entirely improved by spending our most stressful hours in at least relative enjoyment. It is not bound to be perfect, for all challenging study can be found to have its disheartening moments. However, I can safely say that if things go quite wrong academically, I would rather be crying in the Long Room than in the Berkeley.

The government has a moral obligation to fully restore PUP

Sophie Furlong Tighe Contributing Writer

ovid-19 has left over 125,000 people in Ireland jobless, the highest rate of unemployment we have seen in years. With the necessary close of businesses, there are people from all industries across the nation who have been made temporarily or permanently unemployed – losing complete access to an income. The government’s response to this was the introduction of a Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), a saving grace for thousands of people across Ireland. This partial restoration of wages rendered people more able to pay their bills, their rent, and to afford basic necessities. The payment started at €201 a week for all recipients. However, in March, PUP was increased to €350 for every recipient. This was an obvious acknowledgement from the Government that €201 a week was simply not enough to live on. It is puzzling then, that the government rolled back on this just a few months later. In June, a tiered system was introduced based on how much money a recipient earned before they were made unemployed. It was as if the government was admitting that €201 wasn’t enough to live on, but you did it before, so you’ll probably be fine this time. It is not the case that people who e a r n higher wages have more

necessary expenses than those who earn less than €200 a week, and yet the government has made clear that they deem them more deserving of assistance at this time. In September, the payment was split into three bands – €201, €250, and €300 – which are still based on previous earnings. In mid-October, the payment was further tiered to €350, €300, €250 and €203. However, very little has changed for recipients of the payment on an individual basis. There has been no rent freeze, and no other government assistance with bills or groceries. There have been no changes in external factors that mean people have stopped needing the original €350 in order to survive. It must be acknowledged that the fact that any worker was ever making less than this living wage is a government failing in and of itself. People do not choose to earn less because they don’t like working. It is a symptom of a Dáil unwilling to raise the minimum wage or properly regulate the gig economy for fear of businesses getting angry at them. However, this government shows over and over again that they value businesses more than they do the people who elected them. This was made harshly clear on the day of the budget, where a provision of up to €5,000 per week for businesses that have closed was announced, with no restoration of the PUP. The government has a responsibility to provide for the people it has left behind, especially now, as the pandemic has made those people more vulnerable, with significantly less opportunity to pick up extra work. The government’s concurrent mismanagement of the housing crisis is yet another thing which makes the tiered system even more morally untenable. Evictions have still not been banned, rents in Dublin land at an

average of €500 a week – the fifth highest city for residential ARTWORK BY MEERA ENQELYA FOR TRINITY NEWS

renting in Europe – and the government refuses to bring in a rent freeze. They can not justify failing to restore a payment which will likely mostly be used to aid a problem they have the power to but no intention of solving. People who earn under €200 a week, must too live in places and pay rent. Many recipients of the payment have been students. Crucially, eligibility was measured by the wages received in March, at the end of the academic term. It is incredibly common for students to take on a full time job over the summer in order to save for the next year. These savings are crucial for many students attending higher level education due to the rising cost of living, particularly in Dublin; lack of access-directed higher education funding; and high rents in Dublin, Cork, and Galway— all problems the government has made no real attempt to solve. This necessary ability to save was hampered first by the pandemic, and second by the government insisting on a tiered system of entitlement to welfare. It is true that there are people entitled to this payment who do not need it (a criticism often leveled at students in particular). Those people should not apply for it, or they should redistribute it to the people and organisations who do need it. However, there is no reasonable way for this to be means tested without some people in urgent need slipping through the cracks. There are students ineligible for the SUSI grant who rely on summer savings to pay for fees, students who balance three jobs over the year to pay for their rent and still came short of the €200 a week in March. It is not the government’s job to punish the most vulnerable for the actions of some wealthy recipients who will abuse this payment. The Pandemic Unemployment Payment is a salve – not a solution – to the plethora of problems which have been exacerbated both by the pandemic and the Dáil’s response to it. But it is an important salve for many people in need, especially those who have been left behind by the government. Their consistent refusal to tackle the housing crisis, zero hour contracts, and underfunding for access based higher education leaves this government with nothing less than a colossal moral obligation to restore the payment.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Comment

Editorial: Irish housing policy is unjustifiable Decisions made at a local and national level have costs that are measurable in human lives

hree people have died on the streets of Ireland in the past week. A man in Wexford, a woman in Clondalkin, and a man in Dublin city centre. The number of homeless people who have died in this country since the beginning of the year is now at least fifty. Their homelessness was by no means incidental to their death, and their homelessness cannot be considered an accident. According to the Department of Housing, there were 8,656 people in emergency accommodation at the end of September. This is slightly down from a peak of more than 10,500 in October of last year, it is still some 126% higher than the homeless population was in July of 2014. These figures aren’t even the extent of the problem – Dublin alone has a social housing waiting list of 30,000 households. The number of people at acute risk of homelessness in Ireland is hard to estimate but it is undoubtedly in the high tens of thousands.

This is especially serious as winter begins to set in properly, but it’s also an unusually big problem this year; on top of all the other difficulties of being homeless, it is effectively impossible to selfisolate properly when sleeping rough or living in hostel-style emergency accommodation. Those in homelessness simply have no way to protect themselves against Covid-19. This represents a catastrophic, almost unimaginable failure. It’s a failure of government primarily, but it’s also a failure of our society that we continue to allow our representatives to get away with it. In a sense, the numbers are unimportant because allowing any real amount of homelessness in the country with the fourth highest GDP per capita in the world is unconscionable. In another sense, the numbers are necessary to appreciate the monstrous scale of our collective sin. To act on any problem, three things are needed; knowledge, capability and will. Knowledge is easy; there is a huge amount of information on this issue being constantly collected by both government and NGOs. The housing crisis has been in progress for at least five years now, and arguably more than a decade. We know there’s a problem. Capability seems, initially, more difficult to establish. Asked

last year about Fine Gael’s record on housing, then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “Rather than ashamed, I’m encouraged by some of the progress that has been made in the last couple of years.” This was about two months after homelessness had peaked at 10,500 people, a figure which, it’s worth noting, does not include homeless people who are not in emergency accommodation. The impression is usually given that those in local and national government are doing their best, but it is ultimately a complex problem over which they have limited influence. This is false. There are numerous proven solutions to homelessness, the most notable among them being “Housing First”, a model whereby those in homelessness are given long-term accommodation upfront and then subsequently worked with to help solve other issues they may have surrounding mental health, addiction, or job training. Finland has managed to achieve a reduction in homelessness almost every year since 1987. There is effectively no rough sleeping in Helsinki, and only one 50-bed shelter is still needed in the city. Ireland officially adopted a Housing First strategy in 2018 but given the tens of thousands of people on the social housing list, never mind those in emergency accommodation, this is clearly

not an approach we have actually enacted. Some would shoot back with “homes take time to build”, but this conveniently overlooks the almost quarter of a million homes that were empty at last count. Effectively no effort has been put into bringing these homes back into use, either through purchase by public bodies or heavily penalising the possession of empty property. If we could make use of even one in every 28 of these houses, we would solve homelessness. Some would then argue that there simply isn’t the money to deal with the problem. There are many ways to illustrate the emptiness of this argument (chief among them the €13 billion tax windfall from Apple the state spent €7.5 million in legal fees trying not to accept) but ultimately it comes down to something much simpler; how expensive does it have to be before it’s acceptable to let someone die? Simply put, we do have the capability to solve the problem, or at least to make almost infinitely more progress than we currently are. So that just leaves will. Dublin City Councillor Anthony Flynn wrote on Twitter in the past week that “’nobody is to blame’ is not good enough in my eyes or the eyes of the bereaved”. He is correct. The reason the government makes so little progress on homelessness isn’t because it doesn’t know how

or can’t, it’s because it does not want to. I’m sure those in power do believe in their hearts that each death of someone sleeping rough is a tragedy, but they don’t care enough to devote time or resources to prevent it happening again. To read about these deaths and those overflowing waiting lists in the news and to make no meaningful change in housing policy is a choice. Our political leaders have weighed up the effort they’d have to put versus the value of human lives, and decided that the economic argument won. In that sense, the story of Irish housing policy in the last decade is not a failure, but a success; they saved the money they’d otherwise have spent and paid almost no political cost, even as real people have died. It worked exactly as intended. If we think the government has any kind of duty of care to those under its jurisdiction - and most people would agree that a liberal democracy does - then that concrete decision to do nothing while dozens of people per year perish on Ireland’s streets constitutes an act of violence. The Irish state is killing people because it considers it too much effort and too expensive to keep them alive. This is what is being done in our name, and this is what the political status quo represents. For how long will we let it go on?

Op-ed: The implications and fallout of the US elections will be felt by the Irish

Frank Barry

Professor of International Business and Economic Development, Trinity Business School

rish people tend to assume that Democratic administrations in the US look more favourably on Irish interests than Republican ones. If this has been the case in the past, it is because Irish America – and those identified as speaking on its behalf – tended to be Democratic. What Henry Kissinger’s famous dictum – “states don’t have friends, they have interests” – overlooks is that politicians determine which interests are prioritised. Like so much else in US politics, Irish America’s attachment to the Democratic Party began to change in the Reagan era of the 1980s, when the US “culture wars” that now dominate American politics began in earnest. Irish Americans are on the conservative wing of the

US electorate. And as they have worked their way up the social hierarchy, their support has been shifting towards the Republicans. And yet, most who identify most strongly as Irish American live in the Democratic heartlands and their voice remains, for the moment, more influential within that party. This is why a Democrat-controlled Congress might be expected to adhere to what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has asserted: that any Brexitrelated threat to the Northern Ireland peace agreement will scupper the UK’s chances of a speedy free trade deal with the US. The Trump administration has been so iconoclastic of course that it has been difficult to discern what it has perceived the interests of the US to be. Since the end of the second world war, America has been a driving force behind European integration. It wanted a strong, stable and secure ally to help to contain the threat from Russia. A Biden presidency would herald a return to this traditional position. So much of Ireland’s economic progress over the past

half-century has been bound up with European integration that a return to the status quo would undoubtedly be in Ireland’s interests. Thinking more globally, the looming catastrophe of climate change can only be addressed by inter-governmental agreement. If any one key player leaves the stage, as the Trump administration has done, the likelihood of any even modestly effective solution being found diminishes spectacularly. To return to Kissinger’s dictum, successive Irish governments have proved themselves adapt at defending Irish interests by showing how they align with US interests. The Irish economy remains highly reliant on US inward investment, for which Ireland’s corporation tax regime remains a significant factor. On this issue, the election platforms on which Democratic presidential candidates have campaigned have usually appeared more threatening than those of Republic candidates. Barack Obama ran on the same platform as John F. Kennedy decades earlier: that US corporations should pay to the US

Treasury any taxes they saved by operating in low-tax jurisdictions abroad. The Irish Times warned at the time of the dangers an Obama presidency might represent for Ireland because of this. This brings us to a second classic American political dictum – this time from a Democrat, Governor Mario Cuomo, the great ItalianAmerican “might have been”. Politicians, he said, campaign in poetry but govern in prose. Once in office, the pressures they face differ from those they faced on the campaign trail and their proposals are subjected to much more careful analysis, where potentially debilitating unintended consequences might be unearthed. For all that President Trump continues to rail against American pharma companies producing in Ireland for importation into the United States, he eschewed the opportunity to disincentivise this in his Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the major legislative change of his entire period in office. In documents leaked to the press last year, Democratic candidate

Biden suggested that he might consider making some changes to the Trump tax code that could prove hugely damaging to Ireland. Any such potentially damaging changes have been averted in the past by a cross-party coalition of US multinational companies with influence within the Republican Party and Irish-American politicians with influence among Democrats. Irish politicians and our public service bureaucracy have shown themselves to be very effective in the backroom work involved in supporting (and sometimes assembling) such winning coalitions. The issue of Irish illegal immigrants in the US remains unresolved. Here the Irish government strategy is similar. Any deal reached must be in both parties’ interests. The solution will involve the offer of Irish work visas and residency rights for US citizens. But it can only be resolved when the political climate in the US is appropriate. We will soon have more insight into the political climate of the coming years.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Scitech

How research at Trinity’s screening programme could accelerate testing Lucy Fitzsimmons page 24

Trinity researchers awarded SFI public service fellowships Finn Purdy page 26

Trinity biodiversity start-up wants to change the way we garden Students aim to transform lawn spaces into eco “food forests” Lucy Fitzsimmons SciTech Editor

f you’re looking for an idea on how to creatively use garden space to help our changing climate, three Trinity students have it. The project is aptly named “No Mow Gardens” and strives to move away from a culture of manicured lawns to diverse natural landscapes that can benefit us and our wildlife. Freya Bartels, a final year earth sciences student; Meabh Hughes, an MSc researcher in geology; and Linda Robinson, a second-year engineering student, have started a garden developing business with hopes to improve biodiversity. They are trying to spread the idea of productive “food forests” and to enable people to move towards growing their own food. Their aim is to use native trees and fruit shrubs and in this way to allow our natural Irish vegetation to flourish. “No Mow Gardens” is a Trinity start-up that stands out from the crowd. The business began as a one-woman project in September 2019. Bartels says the idea came to her very organically: “I’ve always wanted to plant hundreds of thousands of trees everywhere, but you can’t just plant them anywhere, where they will be cut down.” She certainly had the relevant skills for this type of project. In her gap year before starting third level, Bartels worked in permaculture farming in both Ireland and Austria. It was this experience that was a major driving force behind the set-up of “No Mow”. Bartels was inspired by the permaculture she saw being carried out: “There are a lot of incredible people out there who sort of copy nature’s design exactly. It’s a minimum effort on the person’s part and incredible output of food. Biodiversity is flourishing, you’re living in places where bees and birds are going crazy and next-door neighbours don’t have anything. They just allow nature to take over.” It was difficult for Bartels to

return from an environment where nature was allowed to really flourish to our typical Irish lawn-scape. “It was frustrating going back to Ireland then. It’s so destructive. We just chop it down all the time, we are always fighting it [nature].” She set to work in her parents’ garden, where they grow kale, broccoli, aubergine, tomatoes, cabbages, lettuces, leek and spinach. The garden includes an acre of native woodland and around 1,100 trees. The mini forest is in the early stages, with most of the trees currently less than a metre tall. “We know what the initial stages feel like. For instance, your trees are going to be a lot shorter than you for the first few years!” The garden and food forest concept gained attention and admiration from friends, but they all insisted that they wouldn’t have the time, skillset or resources to replicate something similar of their own. And so the idea was formed at this point, “at least halfways”. Bartels began advertising the start-up and was encouraged by friends to apply for Trinity’s Launch Box program. At this point, her two friends, Hughes and Robinson, had a keen interest in the project and the business became a collaborative effort between the three. Robinson is a keen gardener and environmentalist herself and keeps chickens and bees along with several varieties of berry bushes, potatoes, carrots, spinach and beetroots. “They were super excited and we started really manifesting, like when there were more people involved it was really fun. You have more motivation to keep your thoughts on the right

“

Our aim would be to have as much lawn space tuned into forest as possible

PHOTO BY DONYA BAGHAIE FOR TRINITY NEWS

track.” The idea is that whether you have substantial garden space or a few metres squared, you can create something beneficial for yourself and the environment. “They can diversify their food forest from being a very minimal effort thing to a higher effort thing. It can literally be one metre squared of ground with three different types of bushes. Also, we would love to do bigger projects, if someone says “I have an acre and I want to have a whole massive forest” that would be great.” The team think the stereotype that gardening is a tedious or boring hobby is founded on the culture of gardening and lawn maintenance in Ireland. “There isn’t a right type of garden, gardening doesn’t have to be your hobby, if you just enjoy eating food that is the first step. People not enjoying pruning their roses, I understand that is a kind of useless activity. There’s no good karma to it. Whereas planting your potatoes is the first step of dinner in ten months' time. It’s a hugely satisfying thing to do. The joy that everyone who does gardening says that happens to them when they spend time in their garden I think is universal.” “For pollinators specifically, it provides a huge amount of habitat. A single fully grown horse chestnut tree can feed an entire hive of bees. People think that planting a few crocuses and daffodils is going to help, but that’s one meal, whereas a tree gives an entire bounty for pollinators.” The compact nature of lawns and the small depth of

root for grass does not provide the right environment. “When you plant trees they can aerate the soil and invite a whole underground community to exist as well, so you get mushrooms, you get worms, you get all sorts of underground animals and that’s where the carbon is really sequestered.” Robinson remarks “It seems so counterintuitive to completely separate humans from nature too. We are such a part of nature that it makes sense to be more connected to it than we as a society currently are.” The team believes in using native species of trees and bushes, to reduce importation emissions and to preserve our natural biodiversity. “We go for species like hazel, yew, aspen, oak, birch, elder. There’s wild strawberries bushes, blackberries, mulberries, currents, all sorts of bushes and shrubs. There’s a great group named Irish Seed Savers and they provide hundreds of species of native Irish trees, shrubs and berry bushes.” On the importance of having a wide variety of plant life, Robinson says: “Soil degradation from modern agriculture methods has a huge impact globally - and it gets worse because no one seems to change their ways. Mono agriculture takes nutrients from the soil and we have to fertilise to get it back. Whereas if you grow a variety of plants, you don't get this problem.” The ethical and environmental impacts of importing foodstuffs are some of the main reasons to opt for creating our own food forests.

“Our food comes from countries where there are no standards for the workers. If you are buying your strawberries from Morocco, there’s no way the workers were getting even minimum wage, or that they were in any way looked after or that the strawberries weren’t sprayed or that the land wasn’t taken from indigenous people. There are so many layers. There’s so much karma with everything you eat. If you want to change something the best thing to do is change it yourself because then you know every step of your plant’s life. Emissions are a very small part of the actual carbon footprint of foodstuffs. In comparison, the cutting down of rainforest for a banana plantation has a much larger impact.” In turns of future plans for the business: “Our aim would be to have as much lawn space tuned into forest as possible. If people got involved and there was some sort of community that grew out of it that would be ideal. We would like to have a mobile app or maybe a website where you could design the garden yourself, and maybe ask us for tips and tricks. That would be the real eventual thing that people can create more biodiverse spaces for low cost and low effort.” The start-up seems like a novel way to revive biodiversity whilst creating a community of passionate individuals. There is much talk at the moment of what we as individuals can do to help our declining environment and this is a fantastic step to giving communities this power.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Scitech

Dear Demystifying Medicine Every issue, Trinity News’ SciTech section bringing you this new column called Dear Demystifying Medicine, where students can ask questions that spark their curiosity about health, fitness, or human biology. Dear Demystifying Medicine: Is blue light from screens something that’s actually damaging? Can you protect yourself against it? Light is a critical signal for every human’s circadian rhythm, which is the natural 24 hour sleep-wake cycle that is regulated by an internal clock located in the brain. So how does light affect sleep? Well, in short, it can affect neurohormone levels. Neurohormones are chemical substances that are secreted by neurons in the brain and travel through the blood to act a distant site. Some neurohormones are actually synthesized and released at higher rates during the night; one of which is melatonin. Melatonin is synthesized by the pineal gland located in the brain. Its production is stimulated by a decrease in light which is detected from receptors in your eyes. The increased amount of melatonin secreted in the nighttime helps to promote sleep, whereas the lack of melatonin during the day helps to promote alertness. This is all well and good, but where exactly does blue light fit in? Light is emitted at various wavelengths. For example, red light has a longer wavelength (620-750nm), whereas blue light has a shorter wavelength (450495nm). Blue light is emitted from countless electronic devices such as computers, cellphones, and TVs. It just so happens that blue light is actually the most potent suppressor of melatonin secretion. This means that more blue light is emission means less melatonin secretion, which decreases our ability to relax and go to sleep. In terms of the correlation between blue light exposure and damage to the eye, there have only been animal and individual cell culture studies that have demonstrated that prolonged exposure to a high-intensity and short wavelength of light could induce damage to the retina. These were very limited studies to solely animals and cells and therefore these results cannot be conclusive evidence that this happens in humans. We’ve all heard about these blue-blocking glasses and seen various ads for them on social media and they claim to reduce eye strain and help you sleep even when you look at your electronics at night. Overall, there is inconclusive evidence on whether blue-blocking glasses actually work to help you sleep. There are mixed and variable results, which means that there is not sufficient evidence to support this claim. However, not all hope

is lost! There are things you can do in order to help yourself sleep better. It’s recommended that you should stop using your electronics (it’s hard, I know, I love Netflix too) at least 30 minutes before bed in combination with dimming the lights. This will help put you in a relaxed mood before going to sleep. So don’t bother adding those blue-blocking glasses to your Amazon cart. You’ll save yourself a few euro, so you can add some Christmas goodies to your order instead! Dear Demystifying Medicine: What’s the healthiest type of diet to be on? The first thing to understand about food is that there are three categories of macronutrients that we all need: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. These macronutrients are all broken down by the body and used to generate energy and build tissues. Along with macronutrients, we also require essential micronutrients in order for our bodies to function, which include: iron, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, iodine, folate, magnesium, and more. Micronutrients have various roles, including, but not limited to, synthesizing DNA in cells that are being newly generated, as well as forming critical oxygen-carrying molecules in the blood. If we know that macronutrients and micronutrients are critical for many of the body’s functions, then it makes sense that the “healthiest diet” includes all of these components. However, everyone’s body is different and metabolizes certain foods better than others. So, unfortunately, in this situation, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution because nutrition is so personal. Luckily for us, nearly everything our bodies require to function properly can be found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. Fruits and vegetables are fantastic because they can be eaten in large volumes and contain low calories, but still have all the nutrition and fibre you need. So, snack away on those berries, apples, oranges, carrots, cucumbers, and whatever else you have lying around! Whole grains and beans also have plenty of nutrients such as fibre, magnesium, and zinc, however it’s important to portion these out since they are higher in carbohydrates and can cause larger fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. As much as I would absolutely love to eat multiple whole grain baguettes from Tesco in one go, it’s probably not the best idea. It’s not all bad news though! There is some evidence that increased whole grain intake is associated with lower risk for cardiovascular disease. However, in obese adults, the association with whole grain intake and decreasing risk for cardiovascular

disease is inconclusive. Overall, it’s been suggested that around 3oz of your grain intake should come from whole grains. In terms of meats and seafoods, they also contain many nutrients that are required as a part of a healthy diet. They also help you feel full for longer because of their high protein content. However, there has been a lot of ongoing research on the association specifically between red meat consumption and cancer. There has been correlation in the data in this area of research, but it is specific to certain cancers and dependent on how much red meat is consumed. This has not been proven to be the case for all cancers. There is inconclusive evidence on lean meats such as chicken and fish and their correlation with cancer. Having a moderate amount of lean meat and fish in your diet is healthy, but don’t worry - you can definitely enjoy that steak every once in a while too. Dairy products also contain various required nutrients such as calcium, Vitamin C and D, and phosphorus. They are a good source of protein and are recommended to be eaten in moderation, just like meats. However, if you’re lactose intolerant, not to worry, you can live without dairy products by getting those nutrients elsewhere. Overall, you shouldn’t have to be on a certain diet to be healthy, but instead make a healthy diet a lifestyle change. Do this in combination with physical activity and a high-water intake. Happy healthy eating, friends! Dear Demystifying Medicine says: As a medicine student, I get asked a lot of questions about body functions, overall health, and fitness. Most of the questions I get from people who are in a nonbiology/medical field are based on their own personal curiosity or from reading articles on the internet, where it can be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. We’re putting together this column to give students a space to ask basic medical, health, and fitness questions. As a Bachelor of Science graduate, a medicine student, and a member of a professional fitness organisation, I’ll be looking into the most recent and high-quality research to help answer your questions in a way that everyone can understand with the support of a team of peers in science and medicine. I will not be providing medical advice or diagnoses, so please don’t write in and ask for a cure or a diagnosis. The information that is presented is for educational use only and should not be a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult with your doctor or qualified health professional for any advice.

Trini-Screen: H Trinity’s screeni could accelerate The service uses LAMP analysis techniques which, when used alongside current HSE methods, could get results back faster Lucy Fitzsimmons SciTech Editor

rini-Screen, Trinity’s own campus-based Covid-19 screening programme, is still in its early days, but with backing from campus residents, it has the potential to change the way we test for the virus in the future. Plans for on-campus testing were in the works from early in the pandemic. In March, Professor Orla Sheils, the Dean of Health Sciences and now the principal investigator in the Trini-Screen project, was at the forefront of the medical discourse on how to deal with the emerging crisis. Sheils background is in molecular

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It might be useful to the HSE, but more importantly, it will help keep Trinity students and staff as safe as we can during this pandemic

diagnostics and the design of tests for clinical settings, so she had a vital skillset in the early stages of the pandemic and was involved in meetings with other medical leaders, ministers, and thenTaoiseach Leo Varadkar. Sheils described concerns at the start of the pandemic that the RT-PCR test, which is used in HSE testing, was time-intensive, and that multiple tests were potentially needed. Speaking to Trinity News, Sheils explained that “as the HSE was getting to grips with the scale of the pandemic back in MarchApril, it seemed giving people a one-stop test wasn’t really going to be enough because there’s a window where you might be infected, but not transmitting the virus. And, equally, you may have been positive but have stopped transmitting.” To combat this, there was talk of testing twice, seven days apart. But this would have put enormous pressure on a system that was already struggling to find its feet. So, experts like herself were looking for faster alternatives to the standard RT-PCR test if a twotest system was required. One such faster testing method is the LAMP assay, now being utilised by the researchers in Trini-Screen. From this came the twopronged aim of Trini-Screen: to gauge the viability of the LAMP diagnostic test as a supplementary Covid testing technique and to collect data that might be useful to the HSE, but more importantly “to keep Trinity students and staff as safe as we can during this pandemic”. “We were looking at ways to try and make college as robust as it could be with regards to opening,” Sheils says. “We were very aware that, as a city-centre campus, we would be asking people who were residents in Dublin to come in using public transport, maybe use coffee shops etc. So we were thinking of things that we could do that would reassure staff and students, but also the population at large, that Trinity wasn’t a risk.” The current Trini-Screen programme is in a pilot stage and is available only to those in College residence, either on campus or in Halls. This opens the trial up to a possible 2,000 participants but uptake has been unfortunately lacklustre. About 10% of those in residence and eligible for the screening programme are currently taking part. “The uptake hasn’t been very good, I’m afraid, people haven’t been keen to

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

SciTech

How research at ing programme e testing participate. I’m not really sure why because it seemed to me a bit like a no brainer.” The screenings are carried out weekly for participants on a designated day. The critical benefit of the Trini-Screen technique and the LAMP assay is that participants collect their own sample and leave it in a designated collection point. They do not come in contact with researchers at all. “The HSE test involves going to

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Participants collect their own sample and leave it in a designated collection point without coming into contact with researchers

a designated centre and having a nasal pharyngeal swab. I thought that would be a bit too onerous. So we’re doing an experiment which is using saliva.” The saliva is collected by participants using specifically designed collection tubes. These are labelled, placed in a biohazardgrade plastic bag, and deposited into the designated collection box. Then researchers at Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI) at St. James’s Hospital process all the anonymous, numbered samples. Sheils acknowledges that the LAMP assay is less sensitive than the gold standard RTPCR test used by the HSE. “To mitigate that, we feel that if we do it regularly, so on a weekly basis. you end up having a system that’s really quite robust.” This is a common practice in medical diagnostics, where less sensitive screenings are carried out more frequently to ensure similar overall accuracy. “The chemistry of the LAMP assay is different. It’s a type of assay that has been used in healthcare settings, sometimes in point of care where you want a quick result and where there are technical challenges. So a good example would be during the Ebola outbreak, when this type of LAMP assay was used because it could be deployed to field areas and it could be processed quickly.” With the continuous check-

PHOTO BY SABA MALIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

in nature of the Trini-Screen approach, small losses of accuracy are negated by the regularity of testing. Trini-Screen is less of a confirmation test for those showing symptoms or with known close Covid-positive contacts, and more of a test for the asymptomatic or those not yet showing symptoms who have the potential to become super spreaders: “We’re not worrying so much about the people who are symptomatic, because obviously if you have a terrible temperature, or if you’re coughing up a lung, you’re not going to go out and spread it. The concern is that most of the transmission or much of the transmission may be from people who are asymptomatic.” The HSE testing service does not currently have the ability to test these types of people, because there is no reason to distinguish them from those without the virus. Simply put, we can’t test everyone, as much as we might want to. So this is why quicker, cheaper, more large scale testing methods like those being used at Trini-Screen are needed. Sheil suggests this type of augmented testing could be put in place in known high transmission areas such as meat processing plants or direct provision centres to catch invisible spreaders before serious transmission can occur. This just is not feasible at the moment with the HSE’s gold standard test, and until the research comes back from programmes like Trini-Screen, the HSE cannot implement other methods. When Trini-Screen researchers detect a positive sample from a participant, they pass the participant number on to the College health service. The medical professionals at the health service can then relate this number to a participant’s contact information and contact the individual with further advice. The individual then follows normal HSE procedures, is tested by the HSE, and goes through the contact

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For the important work being done by TriniScreen to have a real impact, they need a greater uptake from those on campus

tracing process. “The idea is to try and minimise the amount of time a person would have when they don’t know that they’re carrying or transmitting the virus and to try and lock it down as tightly as possible and as quickly as possible,” Sheils says. The additional HSE Covid-19 test is necessary as a positive using the LAMP testing technique may not guarantee the same result using the HSE’s test. “It’s not a diagnostic test, what we’re doing, so I just wanted to be sure that we have all of the bases covered. It’s a different type of sample, so there could be glitches with the chemistry, that means something looks positive in our test, but to be sure, we then try and make sure that they have a proper HSE test to follow up,” says Sheils. Besides the obvious advantage

of cutting down on the time that asymptomatic spreading occurs for, using the LAMP assay is also significantly cheaper, by a factor of ten, than the HSE method. This could allow it to be used much more widely than the current testing method. “We’re hoping that the Trinity group would be a sort of an exemplar model system that would say, here’s what happens when we test people serially, and you can have that data. And if it helps the country then disperse the testing capacity that it has better than it’s a win-win.” For any of the important work being done by Trini-Screen to have a real impact, they need a greater uptake from those on campus. Sheils says in theory, there are just under 2,000 residents who could participate in the study, and at this capacity, the lab would process 400 samples a day. The program is prepared and equipped to deal with this volume of testing. Currently, however, Sheils says the most samples they have received to process in a day is around 75. It is clear that the Trini-Screen service is being underutilised, and without the student input, the programme cannot achieve its aims. Sheils acknowledges that looking past this pilot stage of the screening programme, there are uncertainties. With such poor uptake from residents, the viability of the programme has to be questioned. They may have to move to other subsets of the college community who may be more open to the testing if they even get the go-ahead to continue. “I think if there is an appetite for it and if the results were proving useful, then I’m sure the Provost would be amenable to extending it. And it may be that it’s extended beyond just students and staff in residence. So it could be that there are other targeted groups that will be added in.” The programme is still open to participants in College residences, and the benefits of participating make it very unclear why the uptake has been so low. On a personal level, participants have increased awareness of their own health and Covid status. Then in the college community, the faster identification of those transmitting the virus can prevent outbreaks in Trinity and help to resume normal college life as quickly as possible. Apart from this, the study could help on a national scale, by providing the evidence needed by the HSE to enhance their current testing facilities by the additional use of more frequent, quicker and cheaper LAMP testing in high-risk areas. It would be very disheartening to see the Trini-Screen programme, with all its potential for good, fail. I would wholeheartedly encourage those in residence not currently participating in the service to get on board. This is an opportunity for Trinity to make considerable positive change, to protect students and staff, but also to learn how to adapt our testing to return to normal life as quickly as possible. As Sheils says, the decision really is, a “no-brainer”.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

Scitech

Could AI help students pick their CAO courses? A UCC startup hopes to help students make the difficult choice by analysing past data Lucy Fitzsimmons SciTech Editor

hat CAO courses to put on their list is arguably the hardest decision students have to make in the course of their secondary education. At the time, the list of third-level courses seems to be fixing the course of their future, their career, their possible income, and even future happiness. Many factors need to be taken into account: the student’s aptitudes for different subjects, their interests, what universities are feasible for them to attend given location and financial factors, even the job prospects in various fields. The pressure placed on these 17-18-year-olds is immense. A new Cork-based startup, Yooni, aims to use artificial intelligence to help students make these difficult decisions. The company was launched by two UCC electrical and electronic engineering graduates, Darragh Lucey and Nathan Mayes. The software began in conjunction with UCC and Cork Institute of Technology but is now expanding to include recommendations from third level institutes nationwide. It has already been used by students from over 100 schools, suggesting that, though this idea is very novel, there is a market for this sort of AI

guidance. Yooni brands itself as “college course recommendation software” and claims to be able to provide students with their optimum college courses in 15 minutes. Firstly students input the subjects they are taking for leaving cert and a prediction of grades they will achieve in the June exams. The software then compares this data with that of current third level students. It examines the leaving cert subjects and grades of those third-level students, what college courses they went on to study, and their academic performance in those courses. It uses this information to assess which courses the second level student should academically excel at. Whilst the Yooni software includes personality tests and career aptitude tests, these are all separate, meaning that students could get three very different sets of results. These additional tests are also not carried out using the AI, data analysing element so in

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Yooni claims to be able to provide students with their optimum college courses in 15 minutes

essence Yooni’s main results are still those predicting which a student will excel at academically. Yooni says, “Our recommendations are based purely on your academics and do not take interests or other factors into account, meaning they are completely unbiased.” This raises questions about whether these results should be unbiased. Do the elements that bias our results, our interests, and passions, and the things that get us up out of bed in the morning not count for as much, if not more than our academic aptitudes? On a personal note, I know if my Leaving Certificate grades were plugged into a software system it would predict I would currently be studying German. But due to placing more importance on the subjects that I loved, I’m three years into a Chemistry degree which, despite probably not being my optimum academic area, keeps me interested and engaged every day. Even on the days that I’m close to pulling my hair out over Schrödinger’s equation or something equally difficult, I never regret picking the course I love rather than something I would have found easier. So I find the notion of making decisions on “unbiased” academic ability a little problematic. In addition to this, presenting students with three different sets of courses based on their academic ability, personality, and career interests, could lead to further confusion and stress for students in making their decision. Yes, if a student’s tests align nicely this is a valuable confirmation for them that a certain CAO course could suit them well. But if on the other hand, a student’s course results are very conflicting this could add to their confusion. At the fairly steep one-time fee of €69 for the use of

Trinity researchers awarded a third of available SFI public service fellowships Finn Purdy Deputy Editor

our Trinity researchers have been awarded Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) public service fellowships. These fellowships will see the researchers working on projects alongside government departments, agencies and/or the Library & Research Service of the Oireachtas. A total of 12 fellowships have been awarded, including the four led by Trinity researchers. The purpose of the programme is to foster innovation within the public sector to help inform new policy and improve the services that they deliver. The four Trinity researchers

who have secured the fellowships and will be temporarily seconded to work for the government are Dr Claire McKenna, Dr Boris Galkin, Professor David Lewis, and Dr Cormac Ó’Coileáin. They will each take the title of “SFI Researcher in Residence” for the duration of the secondment. The maximum funding being awarded to a project stands at €100,000 for direct costs. This is to include the cost of hiring a temporary lecturer to cover the classes of fellows while they are working on the project, as well as salary contribution, and travel and accommodation costs of up to €10,000. Claire McKenna, who is international funding manager at Trinity’s Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research

(AMBER) Centre, will be working at the department of further and higher education, research, innovation and science. She will be working on a project to devise a standard research classification system for tracking public investment in research. Speaking in anticipation of the project McKenna said that such a system “will enable a greater understanding of how public money is spent across the Irish research ecosystem”. “I am looking forward to using my research background in the AMBER centre in Trinity to make a meaningful contribution to the development of future national research policy”, she added. The other three Trinity researchers who have secured fellowships will all be hosted by the

the software, students would hope to gain more clarity rather than greater confusion. Also in recent months, we have seen the potential for algorithms to fail at crucial moments for students. After the mistake in the code used to predict Leaving Cert grades this summer, at least 6,500 students were left with a lower grade than they deserved. An issue in a single line of code out of 50,000 had a major impact on students, and this is something that needs to be considered in the case of software like Yooni. The software needs to be thoroughly tested and examined when it is being used to make decisions with such gravity. A very positive aspect of Yooni is its Carpool Courses series, inspired by the Carpool Karaoke segment of the Late Late Show with James Corden, where they informally interview graduates of various degrees. Particularly in an exceptional year like this, where on-campus open days have been forced to move online, it is important for secondary school

leavers to get a real feel for courses they are interested in. It has to be said that the best way to find out what it is like to be a student of a particular course, is to talk to those very students. Informal, personal opinions and experiences of courses are a valuable resource to students. While the general idea of Yooni is interesting and certainly in keeping with current moves towards increased use of AI, it is a change that certainly won’t sit easily with everyone. You could argue that there are some decisions which machine learning shouldn’t be allowed to meddle in, while others may think that companies like Yooni enable students to be more informed about their compatibility for a course. But with the Higher Education Authority, reporting 1 in 4 students do not complete the college course they began, questions need to be asked about whether students are informed enough when choosing their courses, and AI-based or not this certainly needs to be dealt with.

Houses of the Oireachtas Library & Research Service. David Lewis, who normally resides in College’s school of computer science and statistics as an associate professor, will be looking at the ethical, societal and economic impact of trustworthy AI and big data governance. He noted: “As our lives become increasingly digitised, more power is concentrated in the hands of those able to collect and process our data using AI. We therefore must find how the voices of all affected stakeholders can be clearly heard when building AI systems, to ensure there is no datafication without representation.” During his secondment to the Oireachtas Research & Library Services, Research Fellow in the school of chemistry Cormac Ó’Coileáin is due to look at the economic, social and ethical implications of nanotechnology. Ó’Coileáin has said that the fellowship is “an interesting opportunity to share scientific

knowledge and experience – to help inform evidence-based development of policy within Ireland”. The final Trinity fellow Boris Galkin, a research fellow at CONNECT, will work on a project that assesses the economic, social and ethical implications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones). Dr Galkin has claimed that the covid-19 pandemic has made his work all the more prescient, stating that it has “highlighted the need for socially distanced delivery services”. He added that “already, in Ireland, food and medicine is being delivered by drone. As this technology continues to become a more visible part of Irish life our elected representatives will need to have a good understanding of the issues surrounding it”. The fellowships are to have a duration of between 3 and 12 months if full-time, and between 6 and 24 months if part-time.

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

Sport

Return to rugby is no obstacle for Ryan Baird Conor Doyle

Protein and energy supplements Shannon McGreevy

Push by new Trinity Sport Intern for Role Model programme Charlotte Wingfield speaks on the effects the current pandemic has had on her newly acquired position. Phoebe Norwood Deputy Sport Editor

t’s easy to forget how much our lives have been impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic, yet as Zoom powers up for an interview with Trinity Sports new Recreation and Sport intern and Olympic athlete Charlotte Wingfield, our new reality becomes even more apparent. The sports industry is one of the sectors that has arguably been hit the worst by the Government’s response to the pandemic: which has been felt by all who work in the industry, including Wingfield. As a result, there has been a big push by Trinity Sport to improve their social outreach and also their emphasis on how training can help mental health especially during these strange Covid times and Wingfield has continued to emulate this in her new position. She speaks to Trinity News about some of the new initiatives she has enacted in Trinity, how these can benefit people, and how the pandemic has been directly affecting her time at Trinity. A Maltese Olympic athlete, she began her sprinting career at a young age: “In year four at primary school, I started racing the boys in the playground. There was this one lad who was the fastest in the year and all my friends told me I should race him, so I did, and I ended up beating him.” From there she ended up being scouted to represent her club, which she did until Year 10 when she earned her first England Vest. It had always been a dream of hers to go to the Olympics, “I wrote down my goals on a scrap of paper. Olympics was the one word on the page and it was something I had dreamed of doing my entire life.” After

competing for a few years she was struggling to qualify for Great Britain and as her Dad is Maltese and she has a Maltese passport, she switched her allegiance to Malta and after winning some major championships for them she qualified to represent Malta at the Olympics in Brazil in 2016. The pressures that come with high level athletic performance and also maintaining an academic life is something that Wingfield has a first hand experience of as: “My final year in University in Wales was also the year of the Olympic Qualifiers. I had to do my dissertation while also training non stop and my social life went on hold.” As a result of her achievements, including obtaining a Masters in Sports Management and Behaviour, her approach to her new position is based on her own personal experiences as an exceptional athlete. “I find people tend to always look at sports scholars as their role models and those individuals who are decent at their sport and do well academically and managing to balance the two tend to be overlooked, when they can sometimes be the most relatable aspect for some people,” she said of her motivation on implementing the new Trinity Sports Role Model programme which is aimed at

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My final year in University was also the year of the Olympic Qualifiers. I had to do my dissertation while training non-stop

providing another link in the support chain that Trinity Sport supplies to athletes who may be struggling with their work and college life balance. Speaking about her time in college she mentions that “some of my friends were too afraid to go to the welfare officer because it is just jumping straight in, if someone just looks friendly and is also much more relatable to you, then hopefully people who are struggling will be much more likely to reach out for help.” This is where the new Role Model programme will provide a vital service in breaching the gap between those who are struggling and the measures put in place to help people: “an important initiative as we head into yet another lockdown and people may begin to get lonely.” Mentioning the candidates who applied, she speaks of how she was delighted in the take up including that of the lads. “I’m delighted to see that so many guys applied! It can be so difficult for men to talk about how they feel and there has always been so much stigma surrounding this. Hopefully now that they have another guy to talk to it will make it much easier!” To help increase accessibility, each successful candidate will get a synopsis on the website with their email and a uniform so that

they are available for anyone who needs them. Unfortunately due to the lockdown and the increased restrictions which have been imposed, Wingfield’s job has become increasingly more difficult. “Trying to continue engagement over Zoom is something that has presented itself as a challenge time and time again. This is where I hope having people such as the Role Models will also increase the visibility of people who are there to help.” She speaks of how sometimes the lack of engagement can be disheartening, but that one of her favourite times during the week are when the TCPDI students come on Zoom with her, “They make my week as they arrive on Zoom and are just so bubbly and excited to be there, its moments like that, that make this job so amazing.” Speaking of her plans for the future it is obvious that the uncertainty which has been cast over the sporting world has affected her too as the future of the Olympics is called into question. She agrees that “while it does make it harder to train with so much uncertainty, it is likely that the Olympics will be moved to behind closed doors with no spectators allowed, if they

were to cancel it it would only be the second ever Olympics to be cancelled after World War 2.” Despite all of the uncertainties, she continues to remain optimistic and to train hard. While her time at Trinity has been impeded due to the pandemic, Wingfield still remains hopeful for the future of sport in Trinity, “I think and hope that by next semester we will have some semblance of normal life and by then we can actually start to implement our initiatives in person instead of it all being on Zoom! There’s a lot to be said for being able to see people in person rather than just as a box on a screen!” Her approach to her position within Trinity Sport is something of a welcomed change in structure and she has paved the way for a new approach to mental health in sport. When asked what her best advice would be to people who are pursuing sport in any capacity she states: “Don’t let anyone change who you are and do what you know would be the best for you. If there’s something you’re unsure of make sure that you do it, nothing is ever permanent.” It will be exciting to see how these initiatives help Trinity Sport and also to watch how one of Malta’s rising stars will take the Sprinting world by storm.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

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Return to rugby is no o Baird discusses his time with DUFC and what he’s learning at Leinster Conor Doyle Staff Writer

einster fans all over the world will have experienced a mixed return to rugby. The province dominated the domestic league and won the Guinness Pro14 for a seventh time, this time totally undefeated. However, this was followed by a disappointing loss to Saracens. Nonetheless, a definite positive for all Leinster fans has been the immaculate form of Ryan Baird. One of Ireland’s shining lights in recent months, Baird has picked up his season exactly where he left off—impressing everyone with his athleticism and power on the pitch. Baird’s passion for the game

started when he was young, but he never thought it would end up as his career. “I played minis and tag from about six onwards, but I never really knew when I wanted to be a professional rugby player,” he explains. At St Michael’s College, he honed his skills, impressing at senior cup level. Over the last number of years, we’ve seen the professionalisation of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup which has been called into question by some, but in Baird’s case, the structure growing up helped him develop as a player. “Sometimes I don’t consider myself a professional, it’s just what I do, I play rugby. It’s not really a job at all, it’s just a continuation of what I did at Michael’s, because the setup there was so professional that it was like going from one club to another.” Having left Michael’s behind, Baird arrived at the hallowed halls of Trinity, where he quickly joined Coach Tony Smeeth’s men at DUFC. “I really enjoyed the experience I had at Trinity. It was the first time since I’d left school that I wasn’t the biggest on the pitch,” laughs Baird, as he describes the new challenge of playing against men bigger and older than he was. “I went from playing lads

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Learning from the people around him is high on Baird’s priorities: the dressing room is filled with Ireland internationals and the coaching staff boasts an impressive roster my age, 18 and 19, to playing guys who were thirty-odd years old so it really brought me up to pace!” DUFC had a brilliant season in 2018/19, reaching the play-offs of the All Ireland League (AIL) First Division for the first time since their promotion in 2016. Baird was one of many players that were instrumental in Trinity’s success but it was Smeeth’s coaching that had an effect on them as players. “You can tell he really loves the game. You feel guilty if you’re not putting in the exact same amount of effort that he puts in. It really drove all of us and should drive anyone coming into Trinity.” As Baird’s career evolved, one of the more bittersweet elements was that he was unable to remain a part of DUFC. However, he looks back on the memories very fondly, “Not everyone can say they’ve played [rugby] in the middle of town, just off Grafton Street. And some of the away trips, was a great team vibe and everyone is around your age, so it is a special team to have been a part of. Having earned a place in the Leinster Academy straight out of school and then earning his stripes for DUFC, it was only a matter of time before the Leinster senior squad came looking for Baird and he made his debut for Leinster in 2019 in a clash with Ulster. In making the jump to the senior squad, Baird explained that “it really humbles you, playing with people with ten plus years experience,” and that it did take a little bit of getting used to. “I

would have been a leader and one of the more experienced people for my school, but then when you come to a setup like Leinster, you’re right down the bottom of the pecking order again.” Learning from the people around him is high on Baird’s priorities: the dressing room is filled with Ireland internationals and the coaching staff boasts an impressive roster with Leo Cullen, Stuart Lancaster and Felipe Contepomi among the hierarchy. “There’s a wealth of knowledge to pick up from coaching staff and players alike” notes Baird. And nowhere is that sentiment more true than in the second row where he plays. Leinster are fortunate to have an abundance of talent in that area with long serving internationals like Devin Toner and Scott Fardy alongside younger players like James Ryan. “Each player has so much to offer. When you’re my age, I think you’re trying to build your own style of rugby, how you want to play the game. For me what I do best is taking nuggets of information from every single second row there and combining it all together,” explains Baird. “Dev and Ross (Moloney) are in there, great line out callers. Scott Fardy is a brilliant leader on the pitch and defensively, he has seen everything. Hopefully I can add some of those qualities to my repertoire and use them effectively.” There are certain to be plenty of nuggets of second-row wisdom in the Leinster dressing room for Baird to pick up but few of them will have been about one of his greatest skills—try scoring. Baird scored his first try, quickly followed by two more in a game against Glasgow in 2019, further endearing himself to Leinster fans. “I would have played in the backs until I was about 13 or 14. I’d always been quite fast before migrating to the second row, but never really lost that touch. And it helped me out that evening!” recalls Baird as he reminisces about the details of his hat-trick. “Two of them were pick and goes which is what I’m supposed to be doing, the other one just happened!” There will likely be no arguments about how he scores his tries and it doesn’t look like it’s a habit he plans on giving up. Baird returned to rugby after the break in the pandemic with another try, scoring a blistering effort against Ulster, beating three men to crash over the line. Rugby disappeared from our screens for a time during the pandemic and certainly left fans adrift with no reason to scream at the telly of a Saturday evening. For Baird though, the break provided some well-needed quality time with family. “I took a lot of time just to be with my family. My brother is moving to Edinburgh

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Working away in the background on strength and fitness, Baird knew that rugby would return, but wasn’t all that concerned about losing skills. ‘Training becomes like riding a bike in a way’

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

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obstacle for Ryan Baird “

I think you can’t go as a rugby player without having a backup plan

so this was going to be the last time when we were all together as a family,” he explains, “I had to take a positive mindset into it and make the most of it that I could.” Working away in the background on strength and fitness, Baird knew that rugby would return, but wasn’t all that concerned about losing skills. “Training becomes like riding a bike in a way; you don’t forget how to run or pass the ball. You might be rusty for the first couple days but you’ll pick it up right away.” And Baird certainly wasn’t rusty. He started Leinster’s first game back after the break and continued to impress domestically before receiving the call up from Andy Farrell to be a part of the Ireland senior squad. “It was a huge moment for me. The night that the email came in I had actually already gone to bed and it was only when I woke up to get a glass of water in the middle of the night that I saw the email on my phone. I was over the moon!” Baird had previously played for Ireland U-20s in their Grand Slam winning campaign of 2018 and in March, had been included in the Ireland Development Squad, which he says was a huge learning experience. “He [Farrell] wanted to put us into the environment to see if we’d sink or swim and I learnt so much. The margins for error, even at Leinster, are so small but when you get to international level, they get smaller and smaller. So you really have to be on the top of your game.”

Baird is one of a number of Trinity athletes who has had to find a way to balance their sporting career with their college work. He is currently in the second

year of a Computer Science and Business degree and, despite the stresses of being a professional rugby player, seems to be coping with the workload. Trinity offers

a method of splitting your years, which Baird has done, wherein a student athlete can complete half a college year over the course of a full year meaning that they can

also dedicate enough time to their sport of choice. “College for me is really good. It gives you something to stimulate yourself when you’re not training.” He notes, “I think you cant go as a rugby player without having a back-up plan. It’s not like football where you sign one contract and that’s you sorted for life. There is life after rugby, so it’s about having a plan when you do retire, whether that’s tomorrow or in 10-15 years.” Hopefully, that retirement day is some time off yet for Baird as he continues to improve and impress in the game. His career is only truly beginning and will certainly do brilliant things in both blue and green jerseys.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

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Cameron Hill Columnist

Is the GAA doing more harm than good? With the new Level 5 restrictions, the GAA does not appear to be adamantly protecting players and families against Covid-19

here's a lot forgotten about in this pandemic that these lads have actually contracted something.” These were the words of Fermanagh manager Ryan McMenamin, speaking to RTE ahead of the Ernesiders’ Allianz League Division 2 clash against Clare. With Northern Ireland’s Covid case numbers rising sharply in the last few weeks, the Fermanagh Senior Men’s squad were among the hardest hit with at least 17 players testing positive for Covid-19. With that in mind, it was difficult to envisage how the game could realistically go ahead. However, according to RTE, Club and Games Administration Feargal McGill said that Croke Park had not received an official request from Fermanagh to postpone the game, and that it would be “very unlikely that [the GAA] will be granting any postponements in the Allianz Leagues." McMenamin and his Clare counterpart Colm Collins had even put forward the idea of playing the game at a neutral venue, but this too proved an unsatisfactory compromise for Croke Park. “We were told that we can't meet halfway because that'll wreck the integrity of the game,” McMenamin revealed. “At the same time, we're told that it's alright for a team to miss 20 players plus, and then expect 10 players who have contracted Covid to go out on a Sunday.” In the end, the game went ahead in Ennis as scheduled, but Fermanagh were left with a paltry

3 players on their subs bench, while three of their starting team were under 19. Clare snatched the vital win by 2 points, but it hardly matters. In those circumstances, you can call it a lot of things, but “a fair contest” would not be one of them. When the Government announced the country would be moving up to Level 5 restrictions two weeks ago, it appeared as though that, as they euphemistically say, was that. Even McGill confessed that another lockdown would surely halt any ambitions of completing— perhaps even commencing—the inter-county season. Tanaiste Leo Varadkar agreed, but added: “it is going to be a decision for the GAA, they are the right ones to make it.” In the end, the association opted to beat on, boats against the current. The decision has been welcomed by some, claiming it will facilitate a boost in the morale of the nation. Keith Duggan wrote

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The association sees itself as an exception. And it is this, not teams trying to play games at neutral venues, that has truly undermined the integrity of the game

in the Irish Times that the AllIreland Championships would “at least offer an escape, a distraction, the illusion of normality” and that “the All-Ireland championship is amazing. It is, in the truest sense, an exception.” He is right. The GAA is an exception. Or, to be more specific, the association sees itself as an exception. And it is this exceptionalism, not teams trying to play games at neutral venues, that has truly undermined the integrity of the game. Of course, it is an exceptionalism that has always been prevalent in the sport’s history, from its link to Irish mythical figures such as Cuchulainn to its painfully real place in history in the form of Bloody Sunday in 1920. It is a symbol of resistance to colonial oppression, a robust alternative to the “foreign games” of association football and rugby. And while other sports made the transition to professionalism, the GAA retained its amateur status, and has received international recognition as a result. However, amateurism is precisely the reason why it is much more challenging for the GAA to follow the lead of other sports in trying to keep the show on the road during the pandemic. It would be impossible for teams to confine themselves to a bubble like the Premier League clubs or the international rugby teams, because it’s not a full-time job for GAA players. They have to work and travel to other parts of the country, and even the island, so trying to restrict their movements is easier said than done. Indeed, it is the players who are the big losers in this whole arrangement. On top of having to defy public health advice and put not only themselves, but their families, at risk of contracting the virus, playing for their county will undoubtedly have negative consequences financially. Last Sunday, the association updated their travel protocols, discouraging the use of team buses and stating: “the safest way for players to avoid contracting the virus or being classified as a close contact is to travel individually in cars to games

or training.” The Gaelic Players Association had raised the issue of team buses to the GAA, and following the recommendation would reduce the number of close contacts a player may have, but having to drive individually to games would take its toll both financially and physically. The prospect of a long drive after a gruelling championship match is not an attractive prospect. Furthermore, merely encouraging teams to avoid using team buses and leaving it effectively as a choice could result in a varied approach to the issue. If not every team is going to follow the recommendations, then the whole scheme is pointless. However, this latest development is not the first time that GAA exceptionalism has come to the fore during the pandemic. On August 18, the government, following NPHET advice, announced that all sport must be played behind closed doors until at least 13 September. The FAI and IRFU immediately set about issuing revised guidelines to ensure training and matches could take place in line with the new restrictions. The GAA, on the other hand, set about issuing a rather surprising statement that evening, specifically aimed at then-Chief Medical Office Ronan Glynn: “Following this evening’s unexpected announcement the GAA invites

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It would be impossible for teams to confine themselves to a bubble like the Premier League clubs or the international rugby teams, because it’s not a full-time job for GAA players

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 3 November

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Out of Left Field: Wind and Wake PHOTO BY ZAHRA LOCKETT FOR TRINITY NEWS

Dr Ronan Glynn and NPHET to present the empirical evidence which informed the requirement for the Association to curtail its activities. The Association will tonight be issuing an invitation to Dr Glynn to meet with its Covid Advisory Group in this regard without delay. The GAA and its members remain at all times committed to protecting public health.” The association could certainly ask for clarification on those restrictions, but to call out Dr. Glynn seemed like a step too far on the GAA’s part, and shows that, for all its merits, there is also an ugly side to exceptionalism. The return to play has been a long and nervous journey, and even now, teams and organisations are well aware that their whole season could be cancelled again without much warning. The associations seem cognisant that they are better off learning to adapt and continue however they can. By being the only organisation to so vehemently question NPHET advice, the GAA have demonstrated an unwillingness to be a team player, so to speak. The reality is that this virus remains a very credible threat and continues to wreak havoc in all sports, not just GAA. Yet, with the right approach, the GAA could have benefitted from the pandemic in a way that other sports could not. Speaking to Trinity News,

broadcaster Ger Gilroy believed that the association would “actually come out of this a lot better, with a completely reorganised structure to the calendar - something which would have taken a generation to work through otherwise”. However, the scenes of celebrations at club championship finals, with pitch invasions, lack of social distancing among spectators and teams being paraded through their parish, proved to be a PR disaster for the GAA. What appeared to be a gilt-edged opportunity for the association turned into a spectacular own goal. Perhaps this is a bit harsh on the GAA, and to paint everyone involved in the sport with the same brush would be disingenuous, at the very least. To echo the words of Taoiseach Micheal Martin: “Many people have done everything that has been asked of them. But some have not.” Passionate GAA fans will welcome the inter-county action over the next few months as a distraction from these curious times. Maybe Keith Duggan is right when he says the return will succeed in stimulating “an extraordinary level of interest and enthusiasm and – that scarcest of emotions nowadays –- national joy”. But in terms of its players and its own reputation, it appears the GAA is doing more harm than good.

Trinity Wind and Wake committee members reveal a sports club that is passionate to maintain the vibrant community it has created Shannon McGreevy Sports Editor

n times as uncertain as these, especially with the looming Level 5 restrictions for the next few weeks, it is important to take part in safe activities outside. Trinity Wind and Wake is the perfect sports club to join and get involved in during isolation. This sport club participates in windsurfing, kite-surfing, and wakeboarding activities – all of which can be done socially distanced! In talking to club President Stefano Paparoni, Treasurer Nathan Simoncini, and Secretary Aífe Walsh, it is clear that this is a club that hopes to stay as active as possible during such unprecedented and unpredictable times. While speaking to him, Paparoni reflects on his decision to join Wind and Wake in his first year: “Once you get out on the water and meet people in the club, you can’t get enough! When I saw it at Freshers Week I thought, this is the time to try something new

and crazy.” It is interesting to see how someone could find a passion for these “quite niche” sports as Paparoni puts it. The club’s rather active social media presence caught the attention of Simoncini when he was a first year. “I saw some pictures of some members wakeboarding in Grand Canal Dock and I immediately knew I wanted to try it out!” He goes on to say that it “has given me the opportunity to try out three sports I’d never done before with other students and beginners”. It seems these committee members want to keep the appeal for bright eyed freshers and new members alive; especially for anyone who's looking for something new to try. Paparoni emphasizes that there is no need for any prior experience before giving events organized by Wind and Wake a shot: “All levels of ability are welcome. Our club is full of beginners trying things for the first time. Come for a taster session and see what the hype is about.” He clearly is a strong spokesperson for the club, and also advertises the fact that the sports they offer - windsurfing, kite-surfing, and wakeboarding require expensive equipment, but thankfully with a membership to Trinity Wind and Wake, you have access to hefty discounts, making them all the more accessible. It’s clear that with new government restrictions, sport clubs at Trinity are having to adapt to an ever changing situation more than ever. Speaking about their continued training, Walsh says: “We have been very lucky that obviously everything is outside and our members can easily socially distance. Due to the nature of the sport we do, there

is no close contact with other people and they work best in small groups anyway so we’ve felt very lucky on that front.” Blessed with being able to hold events and activities anywhere with a beach, Wind and Wake is determined to remain a vibrant community for students to participate in. Paparoni insists on safety being a priority for the club in saying: “Our safety officer helps us contact trace every session. With people being inside so often these days, going out wakeboarding or kite-surfing really clears your head.” While the life of a typical Trinity student seems to be hunched over the computer for hours on end, there still remain some fun opportunities to get outside and in the water for stress relief and fun. Paparoni really hopes to see the club grow as it is “still relatively young”. The environment created by these committee members goes to show that there continue to be students trying to hold onto some sort of normality, while safely adhering to government guidelines, of course. Trying out Wind and Wake seemed to ignite a spark for Simoncini as he is “now totally addicted to wakeboarding”. He further remarks: “The whole club has an extremely welcoming and friendly environment and the more experienced members love teaching newer members new tricks. I wanted to contribute to that environment this year and ensure others can also have similar experiences whilst in college.” The growing community created by Wind and Wake is one to be a part of during times when everything is up in the air.

Tuesday 3 November | TRINITY NEWS

ARTWORK BY VIRGONIA GINNY BERNARDI FOR TRINITY NEWS

Sport

Is the GAA doing more harm than good? Cameron Hill

Out of left field: Wind and Wake Shannon McGreevy

Protein and energy supplements: effective help or dangerous gimmick? Workout supplements advertised regularly by the fitness community are becoming increasingly popular among those who want to gain muscle mass or lose weight Shannon McGreevy Sports Editor

ue to the curious case of Covid-19, people are bound to their homes, or the five kilometres of their local area. Staying healthy in these times is extremely important, and there is an ever-increasing number of tools made readily available on the internet to help you. Home workouts, running or walking seem to garner results for some participants but what can they use to “speed up” the results they wish

for? Supplements such as vitamins, protein supplements and preworkouts give people the boost they need to achieve results...fast!.. Or do they? First off, there are protein supplements. Protein powders are designed to provide a high caloric intake, containing, as the name suggests, protein, which users then add to water or milk to drink, usually following their workout. The uses for these supplements are to gain muscle mass or to “bulk”. Protein powders paired with weightlifting and other strength and conditioning exercises build up the muscles you work and, due to the calories these drinks contain, they also help energy levels. The measurement of protein per serving is not intended to be a replacement for your recommended daily intake. For many people who are new to the exercising realm, they feel that it helps them to lose weight or be more toned when in actual fact it can actually pack on weight. This is because many powders contain high levels of refined sugar which cause a spike in blood sugar levels; if paired with a lack of exercise, it can be counter productive. A way to avoid this is to look for natural means of proteins before reaching for the scoopers. Maintaining a well-balanced diet with the right proportions of carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and vitamins is a safer, yet more challenging, way

to ensure your body has what it needs to build muscle and mass. If you wish to lose body fat,

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With users loving the effects of how much harder they can push themselves during workouts, this can lead to a dependency on the product

protein powders are not the best option. To lose weight you must eat in a caloric deficit while also incorporating a healthy balanced diet. Another very popular supplement class is that of preworkout. These are a great method to get yourself pumped for a workout or run, but they are also very dangerous if not consumed correctly or responsibly. Again, these are most commonly purchased in powder form. Preworkouts are powders full of caffeine and assorted ingredients such as creatine. Pre-workouts can give energy, focus, and endurance to the user who has consumed it. While this may seem like the miracle supplement helping people reach levels they feel they couldn’t before, they can be severely detrimental. With users loving the effects of how much harder they can push themselves during workouts, this can lead to a dependency on the product. This can be rather harmful due to the high levels of caffeine in it. The caffeine content can cause intensely high blood pressure and prevention of sleep if taken close to when you may sleep and also in some cases, anxiety or anxious behaviours to those who are vulnerable to those tendencies. If a user was to become dependent on pre-workout while on a regular workout regimen of four to five days a week, that amount of

caffeine can cause irregularities and crashes in blood pressure. Not to mention the effect it can have on the mental health and confidence of a person who feels they need these supplements to perform, which is not the case. To determine if these supplements are beneficial or not, it is down to the person who is trying to decide the results they wish to achieve before they purchase any concoctions of powders and pills. The most important part of having a fit and healthy lifestyle is education and motivation. Having a plan and end results in mind can also help to this end. Outlined below are two opposite results and methods to get there. Firstly, gaining muscle and mass. An integral part of gaining mass is how many calories, fats and proteins are being ingested and taken in by the body. Protein powders or “bulking powders” are great for gaining mass quickly. Paired with eating at a level of caloric intake higher than regularly needed is a sure-fire way to gain a lot of mass in a small amount of time. In this case, if keeping a regular diet, controlling sugars and saturated fats, and having a steady workout plan based around strength and conditioning, then protein and bulk powders are an extremely beneficial way to achieve this. If you still do not trust supplements, plenty of proteinbased foods are just as good, if not better. On the other hand if someone wants to lean themselves off body fat percentage or “cutting”, avoid bulking powders at all cost. Calculate your recommended caloric intake and eat in a slight deficit. These calories recommendations can be found on mobile apps such as Under Armour Calorie Counter. Users input their measurements and select how much weight they want to gain or lose in a time frame and caloric intake is then given and can be managed all within the app. Regular and consistent high intensity workouts are the main focus. To conclude, protein powders and supplements must be consumed properly as they can have detrimental effects mentally and physically if not. However, if somebody uses them to their advantage while staying safe and understanding all of the side effects and risks but finding a balance, they can be very beneficial. To those who may not have the knowledge about the products they are purchasing and are unsure about the usage, they can do more bad than good. To summarise, consistent exercise and determining dietary needs during these times are paramount.