Trinity News, Vol. 67, Issue 2

The changing face of tourism in Trinity

12

Transfers that could shift the Premier 30 League

LIFE pullout

TRINITY NEWS

Ireland’s Oldest Student Newspaper

ESTABLISHED 1953

Vol. 67, Issue. 2

PHOTO BY VICTORIA SALGANIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

Over 300 students deferred exams under Covid-19 “safety net” measures Finn Purdy Deputy Editor

O Study spot

In the centre of an unusually quiet campus, a student takes a moment to read a book from the Library at the benches alongside College Park near the Pavilion Bar

Trinity “reviewing” idea of offering refunds for unused accommodation Finn Purdy and Shannon Connolly Deputy Editor and News Editor

C

OLLEGE IS REVIEWING THE POSSIBILITY of offering refunds to students who have paid for college owned accommodation but are not now using that accommodation due to classes being moved online.

Speaking to Trinity News, a College spokesperson said: “Trinity is currently reviewing its policies in relation to such refunds and more information will be

available shortly.”

Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris last week told an Oireachtas committee “my very clear message to that secor is I expect refunds to be issued” in cases where students are not using the accommodation that they paid for.

Harris was responding to a question from the Sinn Fein TD and party spokesperson for further and higher education Rose Conway-Walsh, who stated that “there are thousands of students and parents who have paid for very substantial amounts of money for accommodation that they will now not use”. Conway-Walsh asked the minister what he would do “to ensure those parents and students

get their money back”.

Harris added that universities “don’t need to be lectured to” regarding this issue, citing examples of colleges who have already committed to offering refunds for unused campus accommodation.

With regards to private accommodation, Harris asked providers to “show a bit of decency”, adding that he would continue to work with the minister for housing on avenues for securing refunds for students. He also stated that he was engaging with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) on the issue “on a regular basis”.

The USI have repeatedly called for refunds as well as more flexible leases for students this year.

USI President Lorna Fitxpatrick has said that “those who have agreed contracts and leases must be supported to delay the start dates of those leases or to be refunded for rooms that are no longer needed”.

“Institutions and accommodation providers must provide flexible provisions for students. It is not good enough to require students to enter standard agreements – this is not a standard year,” she noted.

One student who has paid for a room in Trinity accommodation this year, but is not currently using it told Trinity News that the main problem for him was the uncertainty.

Continued on page 2>>

VER 300 STUDENTS A V A I L E D of measures implemented for this year’s summer assessment period which allowed them to defer sitting their exams until the end of August.

According to figures released to Trinity News under the Freedom of Information Act 2014, 361 students opted to defer their exams under the new measures implemented for the assessment period.

During the period of March to July of 2020, there were 361 deferral requests approved permitting students to defer from the Semester 2 assessment session to the reassessment session in August.

The option to defer exams was among a number of measures approved by Trinity’s University Council designed to “ease pressure” on students completing assessments during the coronavirus pandemic.

The approved measures also included discretionary powers granted to the board of examiners to consider final year students’ overall profile of marks throughout their time at Trinity when marking their work from the term.

For final year students who achieve significantly lower grades on their final modules, examiners were asked to adjust a student’s overall mark “in a manner they deem justified”.

Continued on page 2>>

2

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

In this issue News

Cut The Rent TCD no longer planning rent strike for 2021 - page 6

Features Studying from home when home is far from here - page 12

>>Continued from front page

Comment

College must prioritise fixing the annual timetable shambles -page 17

SciTech

The science behind Trinity’s new Book of Kells display page 26

Trinity “reviewing” idea of offering refunds for unused accommodation

Sport

Student-run sports podcast digs out stories - page 27

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

The student explained: “I do not know when I will be back for inperson classes, after reading week, next term or next year.”

The student stated that he “does not know when [he] can occupy” the accommodation because he doesn’t know when in-person tuition will resume.

“I have been given a provisional date, but the virus does not respect the provisional dates of university administrators.”

“While there is still the possibility that in-person tuition may resume this year. I feel unable to seek a refund for my accommodation, because I do not know if I am going to have a need for it later in the year,” he explained.

“

A ‘little certainty would go a long way’ Trinity’s website currently states that refunds will be provided if students are instructed to move out of their accommodation due to an increase in restrictions, as

happened at the end of the last academic year.

The student emphasised that residents feel need clarity on this issue: “Though I understand that it is a difficult time financially for universities and that rental accommodation is a vital source of income for them, a little certainty would go a long way in dealing with the worries raised over accommodation.”

The University of Limerick (UL) and National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) have both said that students who choose not to take up their rooms on campus this year will receive refunds.

Last year Trinity offered a partial refund to students who, barring a few exceptional circumstances, were ordered to vacate their rooms as Ireland entered into lockdown.

Over 300 students deferred exams under Covid-19 “safety net” measures >>Continued from front page Students who attempted assessments but found that they were not able to perform as expected were also able to apply for a deferral until the end of summer.

Students were also allowed to progress into the next year having failed some modules, provided they meet the overall pass mark for the year.

Trinity also said they would mark on students’ transcripts any modules taken in the time of the Covid-19 crisis which they say “will flag exceptional circumstances to any prospective employers”.

These measures, while significant, fell short of the “no detriment” policy called for by many students which would have

meant that as long as students receive a passing mark, their overall average grade would not be brought down by upcoming assessments.

An emailing campaign lobbying for a no detriment policy to be implemented was launched by students, with the provost confirming that he must have received “200 emails” relating to the policy. Two petitions calling for the implementation of the policy also circulated among students, gaining 4,200 and 1,100 signatures respectively.

A no detriment policy was also supported by Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU).

The press statement from Trinity announcing the measures,

stated that Trinity was “aware” of the calls for a no detriment policy but “believes that the measures outlined offer the best way to offset the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, in a manner compatible with its progression and award regulations and assessment practices”.

Speaking at the time, Senior Lecturer Kevin Mitchell said that Trinity “recognise the unprecedented levels of stress that many students are under and the challenges they will face in completing these assessments to the best of their abilities”, claiming that these measures would “provide a safety net for students affected by the Covid-19 pandemic”.

3

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Voting in class rep elections to open tomorrow Analysis: Students left in limbo without clarity on accommodation refunds Kate Glen News Analysis Editor

D

uring the summer holidays students were instructed to return to colleges across Ireland if at all possible, with the expectation of at least some in-person teaching. With the publishing of timetables in September, university students across the country were disappointed to see that the amount of in-person teaching was not as much as had been promised. Looking back, it is now clear that even these reduced hours were wildly optimistic.

On Friday, September 18, Dublin was raised to Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions, causing most teaching to move online for universities in Dublin. One week later, on Friday, September 25 teaching in every higher education institution across Ireland was moved online. At the time these measures were intended only for the first two weeks of the academic year.

However, now with the entire country being raised to Level 3 and the possibility of further restrictions in the future, students have no way of knowing when universities will return to inperson teaching.

Many students are doing online classes from their student accommodation, with some who

can return home choosing to do so and study from there instead.

Irish students are once again left in limbo, unsure whether to stay in the student rooms, or return home and do their online classes there.

When universities closed in March at the beginning of the pandemic, many universities including Trinity provided rent refunds to students who left their accommodation. For the 2020/2021 academic year, the majority of universities in Ireland lowered their rents for university-owned accommodation in recognition of the fact that students would be spending less time on campus. The Irish Independent reported that Trinity was the only university in Ireland who raised their rent costs for students due to the extended academic year. The increase cost Trinity students up to €100 extra per year because four days were added to Michaelmas Term.

National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) has announced they intend to remain online until 2021, and has also promised students that it will refund their accommodation fees after pressure from their Students’ Union. University College Cork (UCC) announced this week that they too will continue with

limited in-person teaching until the end of the semester, although they have refused to comment on accommodation refunds despite pressure for their Students’ Union.

Queen’s University Belfast has announced that their students can avail of a three-month “rent break” if they wish to study from home during heightened Covid-19 restrictions.

While many schools in Trinity foresee current measures continuing until after Reading Week, Trinity has so far not released any official communication about plans for the rest of the semester and has not promised any accommodation refunds. While the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has been vocal in calling for accommodation refunds, Trinity College Students’ Union (TCDSU) has so far remained quiet on the issue.

This is an important issue for students, with some accommodation in Trinity costing over €8,000 per annum. Whether students will get a refund is definitely a factor for those currently in accommodation to consider when deciding whether or not to return home, and clarity from the College would be appreciated.

Nominations for class reps were extended as TCDSU calls for students to register to vote Kate Henshaw

Contribuing Writer

V

OTING IN THE TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN’S STUDENTS’ UNION (TCDSU) elections for class representatives is due to open tomorrow in a new digital format.

In order to vote in the elections, students must register through a online form before they can place their vote.

In an email to students on Friday, Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) extended the nomination period for class representatives until yesterday at 12pm, having opened the nomination process on September 28.

The union said that voting is being carried out in different format than usual this year due to Covid-19 restrictions and invited students to register to vote with the new online voting system. This will allow all students to vote “safely and remotely”.

In order to register to vote, students have beenasked to fill out a Google form with their Trinity email, student ID number, faculty, year and their course. They are also required to give General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) consent for the processing of their personal information.

Students who are elected as class rep are tasked with representing their class group in any issues

that arise with either TCDSU or their school.

Status as a class rep also grants students voting membership of the students’ union at Council, which meets around once a month during the academic semester and deals with the general running of the union.

Depending on their size, some classes have multiple class reps.

In a previous email on October 4, TCDSU said that they were “blown away” by the number of sign-ups they had received, but there were still “many classes without a representative”.

Voting in class rep elections opens tomorrow on Wednesday, September 14 at 12pm and closes on Friday, September 16 at 4pm.

Faulty execution of a small online voting system trial last year led to confusion and mistakes in a few schools. However, overall engagement in class rep elections went up compared to previous years.

The 2019 election cycle saw an improvement in several sectors, most significantly in engagement.

The paper ballots, which were late last year, all arrived on time and there were no unforeseen issues.

TCDSU received the highest number of class rep nominations in 2019, with 790 names being put forward. This led to 371 of 494 class rep positions being filled, 93 more than last year and 49 more than the year before.

In its annual class rep elections report last year, the union did not recommend rolling out online elections in sabbat elections following several online issues with class rep elections last year that made some election ballots void.

With increased engagement with class rep elections last year, the union attributed the increase to the persuasive abilities of part time officers as well as additional incentives such as free pringles and class rep training which they could draw focus to.

1

4

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Cut the Rent TCD no longer planning rent strike for 2021 The group had previously postponed plans for a rent strike last January to 2021 Shannon Connolly News Editor

A

spokesperson for Cut the Rent TCD, speaking to Trinity News, has confirmed that the activist group will “not be able to” organize a rent strike for the upcoming year.

The campaign group was set up last September with an aim to fight the rising costs of student accommodation in Dublin..

The group had originally planned to hold a rent strike in January 2020; however, this was postponed following concerns of “low participation and exam pressure”. This made the group turn its attention to potential action in the 2020/2021 academic year instead.

The activist group has now confirmed that it will not be proposing such action this year.

Speaking to Trinity News, a

spokesperson for Cut the Rent TCD said: “It looks like we won’t be able to effectively organise a rent strike this year (but if others decided to organise, we would of course support them).”

The group were involved in a series of protests on campus last year, including a protest in which the group placed a mock eviction notice outside the Provost’s house last November.

“We have a limited number of active members, and the logistics of organising a rent strike in the next few months would demand a lot more work than we have the capacity for at the minute,” the spokesperson explained.

They added: “Hopefully in the near future we will be able to start organising again.”

When asked if Covid-19 has impacted their ability to organise, the group said the virus has “absolutely” impacted their plans for the upcoming year.

“Covid has presented very significant barriers to organising,” they explained. “We no longer have the option of engaging with students face-to-face, through stalls, canvassing, and public meetings, etc.”

“This sort of work is crucial to campaign-building and is not something which can be easily replicated online.”

Cut the Rent TCD expressed re-

gret for the lack of action this year: “The timing of the lockdown was also very disruptive for Cut The Rent - we were making good progress at the beginning of this year and then had to cease all activity suddenly and indefinitely.”

A Daft.ie report this June showed that rents rose 0.2% from June 2019 to June 2020, with the average monthly listed rent now €1,402.

However, the price of houses to buy was 3.3% lower in June 2020 than the same month a year prior.

Proposals were made previously this year that student accommodation be transformed into co-living areas during the Covid-19 pandemic. Darragh Moriarty said, speaking on the proposal, that student accommodation “always had the potential to be a backdoor for co-living”.

Co-living is a communal living system, where residents live in their own bedrooms with shared common areas or community spaces available to residents.

Union of Students in Ireland (USI) President Lorna Fitzpatrick and Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) President Eoin Hand condemned Dublin City Council plans to operate student accommodation as co-living following the Covid-19 pandemic, following the comments made last July.

Number of S2S mentors rises for first time in four years Finn Purdy Deputy Editor

T

HE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO have signed up to be mentors to incoming freshers in College’s Student2Student (S2S) programme has this year risen for the first time in four years.

619 students signed up to be mentors for the 2020/21 academic year, compared to the 566 who volunteered during the previous year.

S2S programme officer Orlágh Morris has attributed the rise to students wanting to help first years transition to Trinity “as it became clear that this would be a year like no other”.

Speaking to Trinity News, Morris said that “this year in the training room we noted many students saying they had signed up because their mentors were helpful, and they enjoyed the programme as first years”.

This year’s training for mentors had to be paused, as concerns

about Covid-19 grew in the early part of the year, before being “repackaged” in a way that could be delivered entirely online.

Morris noted that while she did notice “some students withdrawing from the programme as they felt anxious and overwhelmed with the coming year”, that “as online training began, we noted a rise in students saying they wanted to become S2S mentors”.

In previous years the number of students signing up for the S2S programme has been declining.

For the 2016/17 academic year 842 students signed up, in 2017/18 there were 695 mentors, 647 in 2018/19, and then 566 in 2019/20.

The decrease in numbers was attributed to students having to take on part-time work, as well as commute longer distances to get into College.

S2S is a student-led initiative aimed at providing information and support to new students. The service offers mentors to every incoming undergraduate honours degree student and visiting student in College. S2S invites all under-

graduates who have completed at least one year in Trinity to sign up as mentors.

Our target is to have 15 students in each mentor group, with each mentor group including at least two mentors. However, as S2S matches mentors to specific courses and there are some courses with a higher sign-up of mentors, while other courses have fewer mentors signing up and so a higher ratio of students to mentors.

During last year’s Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) sabbatical officer elections, then candidate, now education officer, Megan O’Connor outlined an ambitious plan to introduce a buddy system. This would be similar to the system of S2S mentors for first year students, for students from all years, which would see students paired with a student in the year above them from their particular course.

The buddy system was O’Connor’s headline policy and she said that she hoped to work with the people who currently run S2S in order to make it happen.

Cloud of unce international

Following the introduction of Level 3 restrictions in Dublin, international students express their thoughts to Trinity News Shannon Connolly News Editor

I

NTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN TRINITY have faced a variety of issues over the past few months; from having to abruptly leave their accommodations in March, to having to self-isolate alone in a dorm room for two weeks before the beginning of this term, and now the uncertainty of when they will be physically in class again following the extension of Level 3 restrictions in Dublin.

One senior fresh philosophy, political science, economics and sociology (PPES) student expressed that they “don’t mind” they were told to come to Dublin despite having no face-to-face classes, but College “could have been a more communicate given that we didn’t know we weren’t going to have any in-person classes until the last minute”.

A history of art and architecture student explained that they weren’t sure what to expect, and so they had “mixed feelings”.

“On one hand, I was slightly dreading the idea of living alone for two weeks with not much of human interaction, on another I was glad to have a bit more time to get used to Ireland before the classes start,” they explained.

“Not knowing what to expect, or what will happen next was one of the biggest challenges I faced.”

The PPES student also expressed worry about being able to return home for the holiday season, explaining that they and their family “don’t know” what they’re doing, which is a “big problem”, as the student explains that College “haven’t been particularly clear regarding the exam schedule”.

“Either way, I cannot spend Christmas here alone, like that would just kill me,” the student added.

The history of art and architecture student, however, expressed that they “doubt” they will be able to return home for the holiday.

“It wouldn’t make sense to quarantine twice, and right before the exams.”

The student explained that they “do feel upset”, and will continue to feel upset if the Covid-19 restrictions don’t improve.

“I do have relatives living in countries on the green list, so I’m hoping it’ll stay that way - and I will be able to intersect and spend Christmas with them.”

Speaking about whether Level 5 restrictions are placed on Dublin, the history of art and architecture student expressed that, for international students who have already completed their two week quarantine, they feel like “it would be unfair”, because they would be in the “exact same situation as the Irish students” that live with them but the Irish students can return

5

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

ertainty hangs over l students “I would definitely be worried if that were to happen,” the student added. “I don’t think they really have the supports that would be required to facilitate that kind of alone time.”

The PPES student expressed that they felt their mental health would be impacted if Level 5 restrictions were put in place. “I would be completely overwhelmed

“ home.

The other student expressed that they think it would “be really hard to enforce” Level 5 restrictions in college accommodation.

“I think that’s just unrealistic for them to ask,” the student said relating to students being asked to stay in their rooms.

Not knowing what to expect, or what will happen next was one of the biggest challenges I faced

and unable to deal with it,” they explained.

Speaking similarly about how the restrictions would impact them, the history of art and architecture student said that they’re “not too concerned about it at the moment, but I would definitely not like to be restricted of movement, and pay more money than necessary for the food (like when in quarantine)”.

“I am not too worried about contracting the virus, I am more worried of how this situation affects my studies,” the student explained.

In September, international students arriving to Trinity were told they would be charged €350 for meals provided by College during a two-week isolation period ahead of the semester.

Students that arrived at Trinity from countries that were not on the green travel list were required to restrict their movements for 14 days after they entered Ireland.

International students reported to Trinity News that they faced loneliness and boredom, as well as frustration at “vastly overpriced” meals provided by Trinity during their self-isolation period.

Trinity, UCD and RCSI have fewest students receiving SUSI grant Shannon Connolly News Editor

S

TUDENTS FROM TRINITY ARE AMONG THE LEAST LIKELY to receive a Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant in a comparison of students around the country.

According to a recent report by the Department of Public Expenditure, students from Trinity, University College Dublin (UCD) and the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) are the least likely to receive grant-aid, with only 5-25% being entitled to receive Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grants.

The report showed that over half of students at institutes of technology receive SUSI grants, compared to about one third of students studying in universities.

SUSI grants are paid to about 77,000 students in colleges and universities across the country.

According to the report, there is also an imbalance of female to male students in receipt of the

grant, with more female students being given access to the grant.

Last week, the Irish Times reported that “insufficient data” was being collected by SUSI, which determines the full income of thousands of students who are in receipt of third level grants.

The report by the Department of Public Expenditure showed the state is spending around €360 million per year to a total of 77,000 students in further and higher education.

According to the Irish Times, the SUSI income assessment process excludes non-recurring sources of income such as overtime payments and excludes the value of any assets, which is assessed as means in many other government subsidies.

The fields of study with the highest share of grant recipients are arts and humanities, business, administration and law, health and welfare, and natural sciences.

In July of this year, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris “urged” students who have not yet applied for SUSI grants to do so before the deadline

closes.

Minister Harris reassured students that the grant scheme would be “flexible” this year, and can address loss of income in households as a result of Covid-19.

Harris explained that students and their families who have experienced a fall in income can seek to have their application reviewed under the change of circumstances provision within the scheme, provided they can demonstrate that any change in income is “likely to obtain for the duration of the approved course or for the foreseeable future”.

At an Oireachtas committee last September, Union of Students’ in Ireland (USI) President Lorna Fitzpatrick gave evidence that the eligibility criteria for the SUSI grant system needed to be made more flexible.

The USI president also brought forward a recommendation that the earnings limit and specific time period that students can work under the current holiday earnings criteria be removed, due to the “current cost associated with education”.

Students face continuing WiFi connectivity problems in accommodation “We are not able to attend our classes with internet dropping at random points” Audrey Brown

Deputy News Editor

A

S STUDENTS MOVE TO THE THIRD WEEK of classes, with the majority of classes being moved online until further notice, many students are still facing internet connectivity issues in their student accommodation.

First-year students living in Trinity Hall (Halls) in particular have reported WiFi connection issues.

After having been in school for just a week, a Junior Fresh student said that, “figuring out Blackboard wasn’t too hard”. However, the student described Zoom seminars as “daunting” because of the lagging WiFi connection in Trinity Hall.

Another student in Halls lives just a wall away from a student performing the same course, so the two of them often must connect to the same live lectures at the

“

Please figure out some alternate solution in getting this issue resolved ... because we are paying high rents this year and expect the facilities to be nice

same time.

“That puts extra strain on the already dubious WiFi connection and means there’s a lot of frozen screens and mangled audio to a point that I would say significantly disrupts the quality of learning,” commented the student.

Students residing in Kavanagh Court, too, have posted complaints about spotty WiFi connections in the resident Facebook chat, some addressed directly to the administration of the accommodation service.

On October 1, computer science student Lakshita Sharmi posted an open letter to Kavanagh Court on Facebook, citing the internet connectivity issues that she claimed she had been facing for about a month already.

She explained: “At this point, filing complaints is not helping the residents. We all know that you [Kavanagh Court administration] are aware about the issue but please figure out some alternate solution in getting this issue resolved at the earliest because we are paying high rents this year and expect the facilities to be nice.”

“Do as required but kindly resolve this as we are not able to attend our classes with internet dropping at random points”, she concluded, exemplifying continuing problems that students face when connecting to lectures via Blackboard or Zoom.

Speaking to Trinity News, Sharmi reported that “while the Kavanagh team was trying to fix the issues from their end”, she was able to update some settings on her own operating system to alleviate some issues. However, she claims that she had to do so in order to “alter [her] settings instead of waiting for them to fix the issue”.

In response to several Facebook threads complaining about WiFi connectivity in Kavanagh Court, team members have responded, referencing the 100mB broadband WiFi that is supplied by Virgin for all residents.

“If you are stuck you can contact Virgin technical support...to log a ticket with the issue”, claimed the Kavanagh representatives.

No word has been given on whether Halls or Kavanagh administration plan to further explore internet connectivity options to assist students whose plans for the school year have been shifted almost entirely online.

All students in the faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) have been told that classes are to be conducted entirely remotely until at least November 13. As per government regulations, some laboratories for science courses remain open, but Trinity has been advised to keep in-person contact to a minimum and only perform on-campus classes where essential.

6

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Analysis: Panopto crash marks a bumpy start to online learning Elvire Olmos Contributing Writer

T

HE SOFTWARE provider Panopto, which enables Trinity and many other universities to deliver lectures online, has malfunctioned multiple times over the past week impacting students across Europe.

Panopto is a software company with over 5 million users world-wide that allows users to record video contents and presentations using their computers, phones, and other filming devices. As Panopto is a cloud video platform, it stores the recorded content on their public cloud, which streams more than 700 years’ worth of video every month.

The Covid-19 pandemic has meant universities across the world need to be capable of providing distance learning.

Numerous institutions have been reliant on Panopto’s service to deliver lectures live as well as record lectures and upload them for students to view later. The majority of the recorded lectures in Trinity have been shared with students through this platform since the beginning of the Covid-19 emergency.

On Thursday, October 10, there was a Europe-wide crash of the Panopto cloud. The company was implementing an expensive update which caused servers to fall behind just as universities were returning to lecturing. For more than an hour, all European users were unable to access their Panopto content as the entirety of the EU-Cloud crashed.

On Monday 5, just as the first week of online lectures and tutorials began for Freshers in Trinity, Panopto malfunctioned again due to further issues with

Dublin City Council approve Old Library redevelopment p the European cloud making it almost impossible to access videos throughout the day as reoccurrences took place.

Blackboard, another online learning platform upon which Trinity is highly dependent, also experienced issues which were caused by the integration of platform Panopto in Blackboard.

College is highly dependent on online learning platforms during the Covid-19 pandemic, with universities across the country instructed to provide online learning instead of face-to-face teaching where possible. Many lecturers needed to completely revise their teaching style to suit platforms like Panopto, and students are dependent on them especially during a time when libraries are difficult to access.

Unfortunately, Panopto’s servers appeared to struggle under the sheer number of users it had to support just as universities across Europe were returning to teaching.

With continuing uncertainty about further Covid-19 restrictions as winter approaches, having a dependable platform to enable distance learning is more important than ever for universities. These malfunctions have resulted in a bumpy start to a strange year for lecturers and students alike.

This follows last month’s unveiling of the new Book of Kells Treasury Kate Henshaw

Contributing Writer

T

RINITY HAS CONFIRMED THAT the Old Library Redevelopment proposal they submitted in July has been given the green light by Dublin City Council.

College has highlighted

“significant conservation and environmental challenges” as a major factor in the decision to submit the proposal for redevelopment. The Library’s collections have been affected by “external pollution” and “dust accumulation” in recent years.

There is particular focus on the “need to modernise environmental control and fire protection measures” in the plan.

The redevelopment plan also includes a research study centre for students and scholars and facilities for visitors to “enhance both public access and academic scholarship in the Library.” This will include the development of a digital library which will “provide digital access to the unique and distinct collections of the Library across the world.”

Trinity also plans to further develop the new Book of Kells Treasury and display that was unveiled earlier this month. The redesign of this exhibition is being undertaken by Opera Amsterdam and Studio Louter. It aims to “showcase the manuscript’s history, making and symbolism in a new gallery.”

On the official website, the goal of the project is stated as being “to safeguard the Old Library building and conserve its precious collections for future generations.”

These collections housed in the Old Library have been in the care of Trinity for over 400 years. The updates also plan to bring the facilities “in line with the best library and museum experiences around the world.”

This project will garner its

Trinity first in Europe for pro entrepreneurs for sixth succe Trinity has been Julia Bochenek ranked in the top 50 Contributing Writer universities globally undergraduate programmes. for producing The ranking was done through Pitchbook’s 2020 Universities venture-backed Report, placing Trinity at number 49 worldwide, also making it the entrepreneurs only European university in the

T

RINITY HAS BEENRANKED globally in the top 50 Universities globally for producing venturebacked entrepreneurs from its

top 50.

During the years between 2006 and 2020, where the statistics for the ranking come from, Trinity alumni produced 277 entrepreneurs who formed 254 venture-backed companies, amassing a capital of approximately $4.8 billion.

In the last year, there has been an increase from 251 to 277 entrepreneurs, with the company count rising from 228 to 254 and the total capital raising to $4.8 billion from $4.1 billion in 2019.

Provost, Dr. Patrick Prendergast, said that “innovation and entrepreneurship are enormously important for universities all over the world and we are proud that Trinity continues to excel in commercialising research and educating students to be creative and entrepreneurial”.

He continued: “The scale of our ambitions in this area is reflected by our plan to develop a new Gran Canal Innovation District for Dublin, where universities,

7

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

2021 must be the year to solve What the higher education funding they said question, says Harris

es Trinity’s plans funding from Trinity’s “Inspiring Generations” philanthropic fundraising campaign. The Old Library Redevelopment Plan is described as the “centrepiece” of this campaign on its official website.

Heneghan Peng Architects are taking charge of the project, having recently completed a conservation project in the National Gallery of Ireland. The firm’s principal, Roisin Heneghan, said that the project would make “strategic interventions to allow the Old library to continue to be a space of knowledge and study for the 21st century student while welcoming visitors to share its stories”.

There is no timeframe as of now for the project’s completion.

oducing essive year high growth companies and technology and creative start-ups are embedded in an amenityrich residential and commercial location.”

“The news that Trinity is Europe’s leading university for graduate entrepreneurship for the sixth successive year supports our ambitions and our role as a global leader in enabling the best students to become the best entrepreneurs,” he added.

The latest 2020 rankings for the university programs are to represent the universities that produce the most entrepreneurs that go on to garner venture funding in the last year.

The minister for further and higher education said that his personal preference was against the implementation of a student loan scheme Finn Purdy Deputy Editor

S

IMON HARRIS HAS said that 2021 has to be the year” to settle the question of higher education funding, which has plagued Irish politics since 2016 when a government report found the current model of funding to be unsustainable.

The 2016 Cassells Report outlined three options for how higher education in Ireland could be funded going forward. These included student loans, making higher education free at the point of access with state funding increasing from 64% to 80%, or an entirely state-funded system in which students would receive free education.

Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has stated: “My own instinct… is that I don't like this idea of the student loan attached to education”.

Speaking in front of an Oirchtas committee, Harris noted that “as a political system we have shirked our responsibilities in relation to this for far too long”, adding that “is there anything to be said for another report?”, has been the attitude from all parties for too long.

Responding to a question from Tim O’Callaghan TD on what he would like to achieve in terms of “putting in place a reliable and secure method of funding for third level institutions”, Harris said that he does not like the idea “of students emerging from third level heavily indebted”.

Harris stated that the Cassells report is currently undergoing an economic evaluation with input from the EU commission which is due to be completed at the start of 2021, at which point he hopes to take the issue forward. This suggests that no major changes to the way in which higher education is funded will be made in this week’s government budget.

Speaking at the meeting of the joint committee on further and higher education, research, innovation and science, Senator Rónán Mullan, who is elected by the National University of Ireland Seanad constituency, put forward the argument in favour of a loan scheme.

Mullan stated that “it remains a fact that those who avail of a third level education have their chances greatly improved in life”.

“Isn't it reasonable that we would at least begin a debate about coming up with a system that would involve the financing of third level education through a system of student loans… whereby

the repayment of such loans would be contingent on the eventual earning power of students who go through college”, he added.

Harris responded that his “personal view” was different from that of Senator Mullens’, adding “I think we should be trying to move into a space where undergraduate courses are an extension of the education system that we have in primary and secondary school”.

Senator Mullen’s views were echoed by the committee chair Paul Kehoe TD who stated that a “wider debate is required to look at the different funding models.”

Kehoe advocated for an “Australian style” approach, where a student loan system is currently in place.

Last year, the Irish Universities Association (IUA) calculated that state funding per student for third level institutions was over 40% lower than it had been a decade ago.

In budget 2020 an increase in investment of €74 million for higher education was announced, provided by a 0.1% increase to the National Training Fund, a levy on employers.

The IUA argued that the budget “did not address the growing gap in core funding of our third level system”, stressing that while higher education continues, in their view, to be underfunded “Upcoming generations of students will be short changed, Ireland risks becoming less competitive, universities continue to slip down the international rankings, and employers may seek to locate elsewhere in Europe where suitably qualified talent is available”.

“I didn’t say it was crazy, I said it hadn’t been thought through” Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste, on NPHET’s advice to put the country on Level 5 restrictions “There is supposed to be a truce in place, mediated

by Russia, but when you look around here, it looks more like all-out war than ceasefire” Orla Guerin, BBC journalist, in Nagorno-Karabakhe “We are calling on the Government to either restore all those who lost their job as a result of the pandemic to the highest rates or alternatively deliver a massive injection of funds to education, training, and access to apprenticeships” James Doorley, Deputy Director of the National Youth Council of Ireland “Hate groups heard the president’s words not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry. When our leaders speak, their words matter. They carry weight.

When our leaders meet, encourage or fraternize with domestic terrorists, they legitimize their actions and they are complicit” Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan, after the FBI uncovered a plot to kidnap her

“I think it’s important that we understand that for the next few days and weeks the figures are going to get worse” Stephen Donnelly, Minister for Health

8

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Beyond Trinity

New Square marqee Newly erected marqees on campus make up part of the “student breakout spaces”, designed to give students somewhere to go between classes

Some 166 students and staff at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) have tested positive for Covid-19. In a statement made last Tuesday, the university said it was “liaising with the Public Health Agency on a daily basis to ensure the university is continuing to apply the correct measures to limit the spread of infection”.

QUB, which has a student population of about 25,000, added that “although the number of staff and students affected remains a minority, the increase in number of positive cases is a concern and the university fully appreciates that this may cause anxiety for students, staff, and their families.”

On Friday, Northern Ireland reported 1,080 new confirmed cases of the virus, larger than the Republic’s figure of 1,012 for the same day.

PHOTO

BY SABA MALIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

424 students receive new offers following correction of grades Trinity has been ranked in the top 50 universities globally for producing venture-backed entrepreneurs by the Pitchbook’s Universities Report Shannon Connolly News Editor

O

N THE MORNING of October 8, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris announced on Twitter that 424 third-level places have been made available to students who had their grades improved the previous week.

The offers to students were made today through the Central Applications Office (CAO), after CAO identified that 424 students required higher offers following the increase in grades.

On September 30, Micheál Martin announced that there had been “two errors” identified in the system used to calculate leaving cert grades this year.

After the corrections made to the system, 6,100 students were affected; 5,408 students received a higher grade by one grade band in one subject; 621 students increased their grades in two subjects; and 71 students increased their grades in three or more subjects.

In the social media post, Harris stated: “I said that we would move mountains to ensure students who had errors in calculated grades were given the places they deserved.”

He continued: “The CAO identified that 424 students required new offers. I am delighted that this morning all 424 have been offered a place for this academic year.”

The Minister had previously said that the error in calculating Leaving Certificate grades might necessitate over 1,000 additional spaces in university courses.

“I want to really thank higher education partners for their work on this,” Harris added. “Their cando attitude and focus on finding solutions was key to getting this resolved and doing right by students.”

This year’s Leaving Certificate results were the highest on record, with grades on average 4.4% higher than the previous year.

In Trinity, incoming first year students started class on Monday,

October 5, following a delayed Freshers’ and orientation week beginning on September 28, which coincided with the beginning of term for all other years.

Dublin City University (DCU) experienced a number of technical issues as it opened for lectures on Monday October 5. DCU plans to have the vast majority of its classes delivered online this semester, but on the first day of the academic year students found themselves locked out of the university’s “Loop” online portal through which lectures and tutorials are delivered.

In a statement, DCU said “The technical issue that developed resulted in the system being unable to respond to requests in a timely fashion, at which point the university made the decision to take Loop temporarily offline to resolve the matter”. It also said that any classes students missed would be rescheduled for a later date.

The Institute of Technology Carlow (IT Carlow) marked its 50th anniversary at the end of September, though it was unable to hold any physical events to commemorate the occasion.

Founded in 1970 as Carlow Regional Technical College, the institute is now the second largest of its kind in Ireland, after Cork Institute of Technology. IT Carlow’s president, Dr. Patricia Mulcahy, said in a statement: “Earlier this year when we planned a programme to celebrate our 50 years, we never imagined that 2020 would be such an unforgettable year.” She said that the institute was “transformational time in its history as we move towards becoming a technological university in 2022”.

The Technological University of the Southeast is a planned merger of IT Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology, similar to the formation of Technological University of Dublin in January 2019.

9

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Theological Society elections annulled after non-members vote The issue was blamed on “the combination of a computer glitch and a CSC administrative error”

PHOTO BY JOE MCCALLION FOR TRINITY NEWS

IUA are to receive €12 million to fund a new innovative, while College are to receive €21 million Adam Balchin

Jack Kennedy

Contributing Writer

Assistant Editor

T

E

LECTIONS FOR THE committee of the Theological Society (the Theo) are to be re-held, Central Societies Committee (CSC) Secretary Ultan Pringle has announced.

In an email circulated to the society’s members on October 7, Pringle explained that “it has become apparent that not everyone who voted at the meeting was a registered member”.

Because of a “computer glitch and a CSC administrative error”, it was not possible to check the list of registered members at the time.

The vote took place at the society’s AGM on the evening of Friday, October 2.

Pringle went on to say that “the CSC has been in consultation with those working to revive the society” and that “it would be best if a fresh ballot for all positions were held”.

The email also said that the

CSC’s Executive Committee would manage the fresh round of nominations and voting, and that both would be conducted via email.

Potential candidates will have until Wednesday, October 14, to put themselves forward and require the support of at least two registered members of the society.

Voting will take place between Wednesday and Friday, with the new committee announced on Friday afternoon.

Ahead of the AGM, some members of the society had previously raised concerns about the elections after the sole candidate for auditor made several

unilateral decisions about their conduct which deviated from the Theo’s constitution.

The society had been inactive since the end of the 2018/19 academic year, when it failed to hold an AGM. At the start of this year, postgraduate student Lucas Dowling approached the CSC about reviving the Theo and was granted permission to “help generate interest in the society”.

Social media pages and posters have described it as hosting “discussions on Christian Theology”, in contrast with the multi-denominational focus it had maintained in recent years.

New framework for student mental health launched by Minister Harris Jade Brunton

Contributing Writer

S

IMON HARRIS the Minister for Further and Higher Education, has launched a National Framework in response to the “pressing issues” of mental health and suicide prevention.

The National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework is the first national framework to address student mental health in the country.

This program was launched

IUA and Trinity receive additional governmentbacked funding

on World Mental Health Day, and leverages a comprehensive financial package of €5 million to support students’ wellbeing.

Speaking about the framework, Minister Harris said: “The number one health issue for young people in Ireland today remains concerns or worries around their mental health.”

Government has previously provided additional support to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), as well as the extension of the keyword partnership with 50808 free anonymous text support service to its campuses.

This new national framework was in collaboration with students,

mental health and suicide prevention specialists, academics, research and institutional staff.

The aim of the framework was to effectively “address the gaps” which may exist in suicide prevention in higher education.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), Dr Allan Wall, spoke of the collaborative nature of the framework: “This will need action by institutional leaders but will also need to be done in partnership with students and frontline support staff to ensure that their voices are central to strategic planning and implementation.

he Irish Universities Association (IUA) and Trinity have announced the acquisition of new government-backed funding for two separate academic initiatives.

IUA has announced €12.3 million in funding a new, innovative ECTS-weighted microcredentials scheme, offering more short course options delivered through variable methods.

Welcoming the boost of government funding, a spokesperson for IUA stated: “Through the Micro-Credentials (MC2) project, the IUA universities will establish a coherent national framework for ECTS-bearing micro-credentials, a system of certified qualifications in short courses delivered in flexile formats.”

They continued: “This first-ofits-kind project will increase Irish University capacity to adapt highdemand modules and develop tailored courses to suit the needs of enterprise and learners.”

The IUA’s MC2 Project will be rolled out through the deployment of four separate strands over the next five years.

Strand 1 of the project consists of developing the necessary architecture for the system, while Strand 2 of the project will implement a “structured process

for meaningful and ongoing collaboration with enterprise”.

Strand 3 will generate an online portal for learners, including information on the aforementioned micro-credentials, while Strand 4 seeks to provide for the “rapid development of capacity”.

An estimated 5,000 new and additional student places will be created across the universities under this phase.

Commenting on the announcement, Jim Miley, IUA’s Director General added: “[This funding] will enable Ireland to become the first country in Europe to establish a coherent, fully accredited programme of qualityassured micro-credentials across the network of universities.”

The IUA also revealed they had been accredited an extra €6.9 million in funding for another project in partnership with Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) and Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), “realizing the potential of Recognition of Prior Learning(RPL)” as contributing to a dynamic workforce.

In a separate press release, Trinity was “delighted” to unveil the additional €21 million in funding it received from the Higher Education Authority’s (HEA) Human Capital Initiative.

Speaking on the announcement, Vice-Provost and Chief Academic Officer Professor Jürgen Barkhoff explained: “This is a fantastic achievement for Trinity and testimony to the enormous appetite for teaching and innovation across our Schools and Faculties.”

The Vice-Provost concluded: “It will provide the means for a significant step-change in our approach to areas such as digitally enhanced education and flexible, lifelong learning.”

10

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

USI calls for “rapid decision” for college online learning USI is calling on government to concentrate on online teaching Jade Brunton

Contributing Writer

T

HE UNION OF Students in Ireland (USI) is calling for “rapid decision making” regarding online teaching and learning.

USI has stated that the government should “concentrate on online teaching and learning” except for the courses which require face-to-face teaching.

USI President Lorna Fitzpatrick expressed concern, stating: “We were extremely concerned when the announcement to have teaching and learning take place online at the start of the term was made late on Friday afternoon when colleges were set to open up on Monday. That is very distressing for students.”

Last Monday evening, the president of University College Dublin (UCD) warned staff that current restrictions on academic activities would probably not be lifted until “the end of the current semester” as they were advised to continue working from home.

Similarly, National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) announced that all its classes will be delivered online until Christmas as it “sensed the need for as much certainty as possible”.

In a press release, USI announced that they are calling for students to be offered refunds or contract releases, which are also being required by UCD students living on campus.

However, USI clarified that campuses should remain open to students for vital needs in the same way as NUI Galway maintains its accommodation open while allowing students to return home and being refunded the cost.

Lorna Fitzpatrick explained that study spaces must be provided on campus, while necessary oncampus services such as libraries and health centres should be maintained.

Climate protesters reject Gardaí warning following Trinity vandalism System Change Ireland vandalized College by spraypainting logos on the walls, and have been issued a warning by An Garda Síochana Shannon Connolly News Editor

L

AST THURSDAY, System Change Ireland co-founder Ronan Browne declined the adult caution given to him following the vandalization that took place on College grounds.

Two climate change activists from System Change Ireland were arrested on the afternoon of August 15, following a protest action at Trinity as part of the group’s “Mobilise Peace TCD” campaign.

The student and former teacher graffitied the outside of Trinity’s Sports Centre, spray painting messages in black and bright green on the building. The slogans included “Mobilise Peace TCD”, “Break the Vicious Cycle” and “Trinity Knows”.

In an open letter to An Garda Síochana last Thursday afternoon, Ronan Browne wrote that he has decided he will “not be able to accept this caution”.

Stating his reasons for this, Browne stated despite knowledge of the “severity and urgency” of the climate crisis, Trinity have “remained institutionally silent” and “continues to fail to take peaceful yet proportionate action to overcome” climate change.

Browne explained: “As a trainee educator, it is my solemn duty to prepare students for the future.”

He continued: “If, somehow, there is any future for our students, a peaceful civil resistance is required across Earth to bring about democratically deliberated system change.”

The letter continued to state that universities have “failed most horrifically” to prepare students to campaign for change through peaceful resistance.

“If universities were doing what they were meant to do, the likes of Friday’s for futures and Extinction Rebellion would never have to exist.”

The environmental campaign run by System Change Ireland, Mobilise Peace TCD, are set to call on College to facilitate an “emergency assembly and university referendum” on the climate crisis and climate action.

Speaking on his rejection of the caution, Browne said: “If the judge presiding over this case truly believes in the charges pressed against me, then I will welcomely invite the maximum penalty punishable for these supposed crimes in order to shed due light on these continued institutional indignities.”

“If the judge does not believe in these charges, they should resign and join humanity,” Browne concluded.

He then urged the Garda who issued the caution that if he no longer “believes in the appropriateness of a caution here”, then perhaps he should also “resign and join humanity”.

Speaking to Trinity News, Browne said: “The students and staff of Trinity who have justifiably lost faith that our institutions will do what is necessary on climate, need to join System Change Ireland and fast.”

“Our government is not coming to save us,” he continued.

“University management have abandoned us and do not truly care about us.”

11

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Studying from home when home is far from here Julia Bochenek

Features

page 12

Learning to learn on the front lines

In a global pandemic, the spotlight on medicine students is only getting brighter Olivia Flaherty-Lovy Features Editor

E

ven in a normal year, medicine is undoubtedly regarded as one of the most difficult yet highly esteemed courses at Trinity. A 5-year course that typically requires at least 730 points to get a place in, the course encompasses both theorybased teachings and hands-on experience working with patients in hospitals. Add in a global pandemic, Dublin’s move to Level 3 of lockdown and Trinity’s subsequent push for online teaching, and medicine students can be found in an unprecedented situation this year.

Typically, the first two years of the course are dedicated to classroom-based learning.

Between lectures held about three times a day, small group tutorials twice a week, and labs once to twice a week, students could be found on campus with upwards of 28

contact hours per week. This year, however, much of this has moved online through Zoom, Panopto or Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.

“Lectures which are normally given live in the Trinity centres in the various hospitals have been moved online,” explained Isabel Waters, a third year medicine student. “However, since students are dispersed between hospitals throughout the year, all lectures had to be recorded anyway so students on different sites could watch them in their own time.”

Like any course, online teaching comes with its own set of challenges, including tutorial teachers having to find ways to work around the 40-minute time limit on Zoom for live classes.

“While workarounds have been used to make meetings longer than the 40-minute free standard, this should arguably never have been a problem in the first place considering that even student bodies such as the CSC have been able to obtain Zoom licences for societies,” said a third year medicine student. “While this is under the understanding of a potential partnership between Zoom and Trinity College Dublin, approving of this before term started given that a pandemic doesn’t exactly go away within 6 months may have been wise.”

The last three years of the course are largely spent off campus as students go on placement, gaining hands-on experience by working in hospitals such as St.

James’ Hospital, Tallaght Hospital, Naas General Hospital, Peamount Hospital and the Blackrock Clinic.

Students also have the opportunity to attend on-site lectures and tutorials given by clinicians in these hospitals and normally have access to all parts of the hospital, given they fill in their logbook correctly.

This year, however, placement will look very different as a result of the increased safety regulations surrounding hospitals. The school has adopted a “pod system,” where students are divided into groups of 12 and are only allowed to

“

Placement will look very different as a result of the increased safety regulations surrounding hospitals

De-platforming, Dawkins, and debate Jack Ryan

page 16

interact with these groups while on rotation. Students will be assigned to a specific ward and are not permitted to leave that ward unless accompanying a patient.

Additionally, the course has increased the number of rotations from 6.5 to 8 to give students time to self isolate. “Placements are both more and less strictly monitored than before,” said the third year student. “We are also both spread throughout the hospital and told to stay within our parts of the hospital, so students staying in wards will likely not have much communication with any student who will be in theatre or in other parts of the hospital, like the acute medical assessment unit.”

Though the restrictions have certainly presented additional challenges for students on placement, overall many are grateful to still have the opportunity, particularly in such an uncertain time. “If things were to develop to the point where medicine students would be removed from placement, it would delay students’ graduations, because the Medical Council requires that a certain number of weeks of rotations be completed in order to qualify,” explained Caoimhe O’Reilly-Massey, a third year medicine student from Dublin. “This year is my first clinical year so I’ve never been on placement before now, which probably makes it easier for me to adjust to the changes made to placement than for the years above who had gotten used to the previous layout and now have to readjust to a whole load of new rules and regulations.”

Another aspect of the course that has changed this year is the structure of the course itself, which will now be split into three terms, with the first spanning the Michaelmas term across three weeks and the second two making up Hilary semester. Though Trinity has made it a priority to

“

If things developed to the point where medicine students were removed from placement, it would delay graduations establish some sense of certainty, the constantly changing situation has made that a nearly impossible task. “For me at least there’s a lingering sense of uncertainty as to what will change about our course and what will happen to us as students in the next few years to come,” said Caoimhe. “It definitely seems to me that there’s a lot that hasn’t been planned for.”

Despite the school’s best efforts, constant changes in both the government regulations and Trinity’s response to them has caused widespread confusion for students on many issues. “While the school of medicine is clearly trying to accommodate every part of a normal year while including Covid precautions, more communication surrounding timetables for lectures (which are only received weekly) and particularly in the past when students were initially ordering scrubs would have been appreciated,” said the third year student. “To some extent starting as a student within the pandemic will likely make subsequent years seem easy in contrast.”

Though the changing guidelines have created a more intimidating environment for students to study medicine, the global increased focus on the sacrifice of, and need for, essential workers such as healthcare professionals has caused many students in medicine to reflect on the importance of their course, this year more than ever. “It’s definitely made me a lot more wary of being on clinical placement, especially as case numbers have been rising again recently,” said Caoimhe. “On the other side of things it’s also brought to the forefront how important the work of healthcare professionals is in making a difference in times like these. As students we get to learn in real time how protocols and precautions have changed in the hospitals since the beginning of the pandemic, and we’ll see how this changes healthcare permanently.”

12

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Features

Studying from home when home is far from here Some international students have opted to study from home Julia Bochenek Contributing Writer

T

he pandemic has brought a whole new set of challenges for international students coming back to Trinity – with classes going online and the prospect of travelling during these times, many students travelled back to Ireland under unusual circumstances - but others have decided, or were forced, to stay in their home countries and study from afar.

One of these students is Ruia Safir from Bangalore, India. Her decision not to return to Dublin rested on the fact that her parents were worried for her health during the pandemic, yet the ability to cut costs also played a factor in her staying home. She felt that she “does not have the emotional support she needs there.”

“It seems like a minor reason but I truly wouldn’t be able to go without the support I have here till May next year,” Safir said Her decision to stay home comes with plenty of pros and cons as she goes through her English Studies classes. One of her main worries is “calculating the time difference wrong and missing a live class”, especially when the hardship of having to communicate with peers and lecturers through a screen already exists. However, while timing is a substantial worry for Safir, she also feels that she will have more support at home and help from her family in many ways that she wouldn’t receive in Dublin as an international student living in student housing. “I will be able to focus much more on my studies...and the time difference will definitely help with me being able to wake up early!” she said.

To finalize her decision, she had to present her case with all of these reasons to her tutor and receive permission from the head of her school. While this was a relatively easy process and went by smoothly, she still had some concerns coming into this semester.

Similarly, Noe Takehara had the same difficult decision to make – either stay in her home country of Japan or come back to Dublin. In the end, her decision to stay in Japan rested on her safety.

“When I weighed my learning and

personal safety, it was unrealistic for me to travel across the country in this emergency situation with no cure or vaccine secured,” she said. Ultimately, she felt that the risk of travel was too great, especially with the option of taking classes online.

Another factor of difficulty for the upcoming semester is timing of classes. “The time difference will certainly be one drawback.

The time difference between Japan and Ireland is 8 hours, so changing my lifestyle to fit in with the lectures and tutorials will be an element of concern for this semester.”

While Takehara worries about the time difference and managing this part of her schedule, she also feels that her study environment at home will work well for her.

“It’s crucial to have a proper WiFi environment, but...it is not that difficult to learn at (her) own pace and relax in a place (she’s) used to,” she said. Staying home means not having to worry about meeting with people and worrying about coronavirus as often, and in the case of an infection she has her family and resources to help her stay comfortable.

After coming to the conclusion that she felt much safer at home, Noe did face more difficulties arranging this with Trinity. “Some staff members and professors supported my decision but I finally arrived at this result after continuing to contact several offices many times,” she said. “I feel that there was not enough information or support for the international students who returned to their countries already even though they have totally different situations of the corona spread.” She describes her experience as quite stressful, especially when dealing with the Academic Registry as they would “ring off suddenly during her explanations” for why she needed to do her semester from Japan.

Even through all of the struggles, Takehara believes she made the right decision by staying home to study, and although she misses her friends, Dublin and the college experience terribly, she is happy to have her family and a more familiar place to study and complete her semester.

Needless to say, international students taking the semester from home are expecting a very different time from the regular experience of walking through campus and meeting up with other students. Even with this expectation, staying at home for students will hopefully provide comfort and safety at these times.

Trinity tourism: How th changing a staple of Tri With changing audiences and shifting restrictions, tourism in Trinity looks very different this year Kiara Kennedy Contributing Writer

T

hough Trinity has long attracted visitors from all over the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has precipitated a dramatic drop in international travel.

College authorities have had to completely reappraise how they market themselves whilst ensuring the safety of students and visitors alike.

Trinity students and tourists tend to hold “never the twain shall meet” as an instructive maxim to live by. They are two groups that really only seem to crossover when somebody needs directions to the Book of Kells or indeed when a tourist is savvy enough to know that entrance to the exhibition is free with an accompanying student

and are then plucky enough to ask a loitering student to go along with them. However, the attractions on campus that appeal to tourists - the Book of Kells, the Old Library, the Science Gallery and the Douglas Hyde Gallery - have been left in a precarious position as Covid-19 restrictions change.

The well-shuffled path When it comes to appreciating the beauty and history of Trinity’s campus, the majority of students are pretty jaded. However, College has long been an extraordinarily popular attraction and its marketing team has proven itself to be especially canny in how it presents itself to overseas visitors.

On the official website, the Book of Kells is described as “Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure”, whilst the Long Room is touted as “one of the world’s most beautiful libraries”. Such claims are certainly effective, with 2018 being the first given year that over one million people visited the 9th century manuscript. The one millionth visitor was Cassie Clemans, who with her husband had travelled to Dublin from Bend, Oregon to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.

This bookshop-owning Oregonian couple reflects the general makeup of visitors to

Trinity, where visitors from the US account for 36% of the total share of visitors. Whilst it has long been known that Trinity holds a special appeal to the American tourist, since the reopening of the College to visitors in August 2020, this has changed dramatically.

The pandemic has demonstrated that domestic tourism is less vulnerable to external shocks than international travel. Accordingly the College has repositioned itself and put social media campaigns in place to attract an audience wherever possible.

Early ticket sales data for the Book and Old Library exhibition suggests that the domestic market now accounts for the majority of visitors to the exhibition.

Hazel Davis, a Marketing Communications Executive at Trinity. pointed out that this is a significant change to previous years. For example, in 2018, just 11% of visitors to the Book of Kells and Old Library exhibition came from the Republic.

Going digital Trinity is currently exploring opportunities to develop a range of virtual visitor offerings to bring over 400 years of history to life online. Such offerings include a conservation video series designed to highlight the wealth of academic

13

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Features ARTWORK BY DIYA MECHERI FOR TRINITY NEWS

“

Na nuashonrú ag teastáil ag an gCóras It’s no secret that third level Iompar Poiblí náisiúnta institutions are deeply mired in a funding crisis

he pandemic is inity’s identity expertise at play behind the scenes at the Old Library, as well as the figures who ensure that both the Book of Kells and the Old Library’s collections are preserved for future generations. The series features 17 videos in total, all of which can be viewed online. Similarly, those that are disappointed they cannot visit the campus in person can now view the Long Room in a virtual 360° panoramic view.

The College’s battle to retain its popularity is faring well, as this video content has received over 177,000 engagements on Facebook to date. Trinity has not only shifted online in how it markets itself to visitors but also to prospective students as Trinity’s Open Day, taking place on November 7, will also be entirely virtual.

Safety considerations When it was initially announced that tourists could begin visiting the campus from August 10 onwards, students and researchers were eager to see that this access would be strictly regulated and controlled. According to Davis, College has been working rigorously to enforce regulations on those visiting the campus in an effort to “make each visitor’s time with us as pleasurable as possible, while limiting the spread of Covid-19 on campus.”

Visitors were required to book in advance, with entry being on a timed basis at a maximum of 25 people per half-hour.

After booking, visitors receive information to ensure they have been made aware of all safety protocols.

Campus security monitors the established one-way system to ensure visitors do not access other areas of campus. In many ways College is following the codes and conduct of “the new normal”: social distancing is carefully monitored, contactless payment is advised, hand sanitiser is regularly provided, and face coverings are mandatory.

However, when Dublin was placed under Level Three restrictions in September, the landscape of tourism in Trinity shifted again. The Book of Kells exhibition closed the following day, tweeting: “The welfare of our visitors, students and colleagues remains our one priority. We look forward to reopening when it is safe to do so.”

Funding concerns Tourism is undoubtedly a critical source of revenue for the College. Chief Operating Officer Geraldine Ruane has previously said that “funds generated by ticket sales [to view the Book of Kells] go directly to supporting

the University, including the maintenance of its historic campus and most importantly the overall academic mission of teaching and research”.

It’s no secret, however, that third level institutions are deeply mired in a funding crisis: state funding per student now stands at 40% less than it was a decade ago. In 2019, Trinity expected to generate €50 million in commercial revenues.

In that same year, the Book of Kells and its gift shop alone helped generate over €12 million. Indeed, it isn’t cheap to see Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure, with adult tickets costing €14, and €12 for children.

With national Covid-19 case numbers remaining at high levels and the threat of restrictions being reintroduced ever-present, the College is finding it difficult to predict how accessible the campus can remain to visitors.

However, there are small notes of optimism to be sounded from the decreased traffic visitors bring, namely the preservation of the campus. The general depreciation of Trinity’s historic surroundings brought on by high volumes of visitors was flagged as early as 2017.

In response, the College Board released a brief policy document which outlined plans to clamp down on the “significant growth in unauthorised tours…which place undue wear and tear on facilities”.

Authenticity Tours Limited, working under the trademark Trinity Tours, now holds the sole right to give tours of the College.

Alongside goals of conservation, the Board’s stated aims included an “increase [in] revenue for the University” as well as “optimizing the health and safety of visitors, students and staff ”.

One thing is certain: Trinity will remain perennially popular amongst visitors of all descriptions and continue to attract the culturally curious amongst us.

Indeed, Davis assured that with more stringent restrictions in place, when the exhibitions are allowed to open, it is a “wonderful time to visit, providing a more relaxed opportunity to see some of the Old Library’s gems”.

Gráinne Nic Cathmhaoil Eagarthóir Gaeilge

I

s trua an scéil é cé chomh éiginnte is atá cúrsaí faoi láthair, agus an méid moilleanna inár gcuid saolta maidir leis an víreas. Ar chúisigh an víreas an éiginnteacht seo? Nó, ar thaispeán an víreas é dúinn?

Agus ní eisceacht é an córas iompar poiblí maidir le héiginnteacht agus moilleanna. Is féidir a rá, b’fhéidir, go bhfuil agus go mbeidh níos mó daoine ag brath ar sheirbhísí iompar poiblí an bhliain seo ná riamh. Le mic léinn ag comaitéireacht chuig an Choláiste, agus oibrithe glaoite ar ais go dtí na hoifigí uair nó dhó sa tseachtain, tá argóint ann le rá... , tá argóint ann le rá go mbeidh níos mó daoine ag baint úsáid as na seirbhísí náisiúnta agus áitiúla i gcomparáid lena n-úsáid roimh an víreas. Bhí seomraí ar cíos acu ansin agus bhí siad in ann siúl go dtí an Coláiste nó dul ar an rothar, nó fiú ní raibh ach bus amháin ag teastáil uathu. Anois, ag taisteal ó chontae go contae, tá strus breise ann — mic léinn buartha faoin víreas, buartha faoin gcailleadh amach mar ní féidir leo a bheith sa choláiste go fisiciúil an t-am ar fad, agus anois caithfidh siad a bheith imníoch faoi chomaitéireacht.

Le laghdú amanna ar Bhus Éireann, an seirbhís bus náisiúnta, agus laghdú líon na ndaoine atá ceadaithe ar na seirbhísí ag aon am amháin, soilsíonn solas trí na scoilteanna a bhí sa chóras le fada anois. Taistealaím go dtí mo chairde agus mo shaol i mBaile Átha Cliath nuair a ligeann na srianta dom, agus caithim a rá nach raibh athrú éasca i gceist ag Bus Éireann agus iad ag dul i dtaithí leis na srianta nua. Daoine casta thart ar an spota chun coinneáil leis na srianta nua a bhaineann le líon na ndaoine ar an mbus, agus iad chun eililt a fháil; daoine ag caitheamh na masc chun a bheith ceadaithe ar an tseirbhís agus ansin é a bhaint díobh nuair a shuíonn siad síos. Sin gan trácht ar an difríocht idir an córas iompar poiblí faoin tuath agus sa chathair.

Nílim ag easaontú leis na srianta, agus nílim ag cáineadh na n-oibrithe agus iad ag comhlíonadh orduithe ón a gceannasaithe, ach nuair atá tú ag íoc as seirbhís a mhaíonn na custaiméirí a chur in ord tosaíochta, bheifeá ag súil go réiteoidís lena luachanna féin.

Labhair mé le Shannon, mac léinn Litríocht Béarla agus Fealsúnacht, faoina taithí leis an gcóras iompar in Éirinn: “Cónaím go díreach ar an dteorainn idir Bhaile Átha Cliath agus an Mhí, i mbaile beag, agus níl ach bus

amháin againn a théann gach uair an chloig dtí an staisiúin Luas i nDroichead Broome. Ansin, faighimid an Luas go dtí an chathair.” Tá dhá mhodh iompair de dhíth agus uair go leith cheana féin, chun turais a dhéanamh atá tríocha nóiméad sa charr. Seo ach sampla amháin a léiríonn conas a bhíonn daoine faoin tuath faoi mhíbhuntáiste maidir leis an gcóras iompar.

Leanann Shannon ar aghaidh, ag rá gur “[fhán] mé ó a sé a chlog go dtí a naoi oíche amháin i nDroichead Broome mar ní dheachaigh an bus […] stopann an bus dhá chiliméadar ó mo theach, agus mar sin tá siúlóid le déanamh agam atá thart ar tríocha nóiméad chomh maith.” Leis an mhéid comaitéireachta a bheidh ar siúl an bhliain seo, táim fágtha ag smaoineamh ar cé mhéad mac léinn eile atá sa bhád céanna, ag deileáil le hamchláir neamhiontaofa agus seirbhísí b’fhéidir laghdaithe mar gheall ar an víreas. An mbeidh a gcuid oibre i bponc mar gheall ar na seirbhísí dona seo?

Is as Muineachán mé, agus smaoiním ar na mic léinn ag taisteal go hOllscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh, ó Mhuineachán. Níl aon seirbhís idir tuaisceart na hÉireann agus an t-iarthar. Chun dul chun na Gaillimhe ó Mhuineachán, caithidh tú dul chuig Baile Átha Cliath (uair go leith), agus ansin an traein ó Heuston go Gaillimh a fháil (dhá uair daichead nóiméad). Agus anois smaoiním ar an am a chaitheann tú ag feitheamh, nó ag taisteal ó staisiúin go staisiúin chun modh iompair eile a fháil, ag rith faoi dheifir chun bus nó traein a fháil, nó fiú praghas na dticéad — agus caith víreas isteach i measc na rudaí sin.

Tá trua agam dóibh. B’fhéidir go gcuireadh iallach ar roinnt mac léinn lóistín a cheannach cé go bhfuil uaireanta laghdaithe ag an gcuid is mó.

Bímid ag dul sa seans gach lá chun saol éigin a chruthú dúinn féin in éineacht leis an víreas.

Leis an oiread éiginnteachta atá timpeall gach rogha a dhéanaimid sna laethanta seo, ba chóir go mbeadh muid in ann brath ar na seirbhísí a gheallann ár sábháilteacht, go háirithe na seirbhísí rialtais atá ag leanúint orduithe díreach ón dTaoiseach.

Ní cheapaim go bhfuil ár gcóras chomh dona sin, ach go deimhin tá spás le haghaidh a fheabhsú. B’fhéidir go bhfuil níos mó seirbhísí de dhíth faoin tuath, nó fiú níos mó iontaofachta. B’fhéidir nach fadhb na seribhísí iompair í seo, ach fadhb an Choláiste, chun níos mó tacaíochta a thabhairt do scoláirí agus chun cothromaíocht a choinneáil idir na mic léinn.

14

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Features

A bright future for the Social The Soc Dems are carving out a new space in Irish politics Seán Gordon Dalton Deputy Features Editor

T

he Social Democrats have come a long way since their founding in 2015. Their first General Election outing saw the three Independent TDs who co-founded the party retain their seats. After several years lost in the wilderness of the crowded opposition benches, and losing co-leader Stephen Donnelly to Fianna Fáil, the Soc Dems have tripled the size of their parliamentary party.

Building on their modest successes in last year’s local elections, their parliamentary party is now equal in size to Labour. Having surged ahead despite many writing them off, several questions now arise.

Where do they fit in the Irish political landscape? Would they go into government and if so with whom? If not, why not, and what do they think they can achieve from opposition? What will those new members expect from the party? Why did students pick them over other Irish parties, or not?

Ben Graham, the Public Relations Officer of the Trinity Soc Dems, was impressed by the Social Democrats’ representatives, particularly by the newest four in the Dáil. He found that they represented his politics far better than any other party and “more importantly they felt genuine and informed on the issues”.

The priorities that Graham says he shares with the party include state housing, climate and biodiversity - particularly the rural and agricultural transition - education, local government reform and a tighter corruption accountability and government transparency.

“I felt it [the party] was ambitious but realistic and well researched and actually based on proper evidence and ready to be put in place which was important,” Graham said. “Also that the party would take on board criticism.”

The first candidate to be announced for the party was Gary Gannon, now a Teachta Dála for Dublin Central, and the Social Democrats ultimately unsuccessful candidate for the European Parliament elections in 2019. Speaking at the Trinity Soc Dems Freshers Week event, Gannon said: “I was originally

elected in 2014 as an independent and I was angry because at the time we were going through austerity. I asked myself ‘How can I best serve my constituents?’ I thought that as an independent, in my own experience, I was just telling people what was wrong with things and what I was against. Going door to door I was telling people what I was against and then I found myself talking about what I was for. I found my tribe.”

Some attribute the party’s Dáil successes to their campaign efforts being concentrated in constituencies where they had a good shot at picking up a seat, rather than spreading their resources thin across all 39 constituencies. While there may be some truth to this, it doesn’t explain the whole story. The party managed to prevail, capturing seats in notoriously difficult areas such as Cork South-West with new TD Holly Cairns.

At the same event, Cairns told those in attendance that the party is the perfect fit not only for her, but for most people in the country. “My biggest bug bear with Irish politics is inheriting votes. I think most people in Ireland are social democrats but don’t realise because they vote the way their family always has done,” she said. “Like the area that went

“

My biggest bug bear with Irish politics is inheriting votes. I think most people in Ireland are social democrats but don’t realise because they vote the way their family always has done

Right: Róisín Shorthall and Catherine Murphy, co-leaders of the Social Democrats party in Ireland

PHOTO BY BARRY HAYDEN / WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

to having a [Social Democrats] Councillor and a TD in the space of a year. So it absolutely can happen. People said ‘Oh that’s a Fine Gael seat or a Fianna Fáil seat’ but it’s the people’s seat.”

It seems as though the strong election performances have also caused a spike in membership.

According to Anthony Keane, Secretary of the TCD Soc Dems, “branches are definitely noticing a large swell in membership, even those without a candidate in the GE. My own local branch, Longford Westmeath, didn’t run anyone but we’ve been getting loads of members recently. On one hand it’s unfortunate with Covid because we can’t do a lot of what we’d normally do (meetups, public meetings, door to door canvassing, stalls in town, etc) but we’re finding ways to keep people active in the branch.”

This is being reflected across the country. In Dublin Central, Gary Gannon said that he has “an incredible branch”.

“There were about 15 or 16 of us originally and we’ve just had a massive surge. Like when you’re dropping leaflets, we’d get through 1000 houses a night and we’d never be able to do it without them,” he said.

The same is true for Cork. “We formed the branch in Cork South West just after Repeal the 8th and there were only three of us,” said Cairns. “They were so supportive but there were three of us. Now we’ve got about 80.”

The party has plans to turn that new support into further action.

On September 30, Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore introduced a motion to the Dáil that would commit the government to eradicating child poverty in

Ireland within the lifetime of this government.

For Holly Cairns, one of the stark problems in Irish politics is the lack of female representation, noting that “there’s 17 TDs for all of Cork and I’m the only female.

A bill I’m working on at the moment is to introduce parental leave for public representatives because right now they can only take sick leave. And they’re not sick, but they get their wages docked and I think if women were able to take maternity leave there might be less stigma about women

in politics.”

As the party spokesperson for Education and Social Protection, Gary Gannon said a huge priority for him is reform of the Leaving Certificate exams.

He is also determined to see welfare rate linked to minimum essential standards of living, and substantially investing in the Arts, “to at minimum the European average.” A very personal ambition to Gannon centres around the Magdalene Laundries. He is determined to shed light on the “incarcerations

15

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Features

Democrats?

“

Questions remain over whether the Social Democrats would join a coalition government, and if so,with whom exactly

and institutions of abuse in this country” and “[he] won’t stop until [he] get[s] that museum on Sean MacDiarmada street for the victims and survivors of institutions of abuse.” Gannon is also working on a bill to give access to adoption records.

When looking to the future of the party itself, Anthony Keane believes there is a lot to be hopeful about. “At the

moment we’re working on internal communication, which is probably one of the biggest issues the party is facing and one of the last ones left that we need to establish as a ‘new’ party,” he said. “So we’re working on that and trying to create secure channels through which we can communicate without worrying about leaks or anything. Our head office has just two or three fulltime staff so that’s a challenge, but thankfully as we grow we’re better placed to hire more people.”

Growth certainly seems to be where the party is focused now.

Yet Keane and others are unfazed by the possibility of new members bringing more voices to the table.

“The grievance processes were laid out in detail early on in the party’s lifetime, and they haven’t had to be used that often which is brilliant. Internal debate is common, but it’s always civil.

Because we’re a policy driven party with a common ideology, unlike say FF or FG to an extent, we know that we all have the same end goals, i.e. a socially democratic Ireland, so whatever little spats we might have with each other never grow beyond small arguments and are forgotten about in about a week,” he said.

Student supporters of the Social Democrats will find their aspirations shared with their elected representatives. ‘‘Catherine and Roisin are just fonts of knowledge,” Gannon said. “The TDs are doing quite well in terms of performance in the Dáil, we have a great councillor base, I think we can recruit some more, and we’re hiring new staff for the party, the Press Officer, Political Director. I’d like to see us hitting over 10% in the polls and having a really strong election.”

Questions remain over if they would join a coalition government, and if so, with who exactly. This year the party signalled that it would not join a coalition with both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, suggesting that the possibility remains they may come to support one or the other in the future should they get strong commitments to investing in public services.

For this to happen, they would need significant Dáil strength to leverage over the Civil War Parties. This may seem overambitious as the party only achieved around 3% in the election this February. However, Holly Cairns says: “If we’d a euro for every time we did something that someone told us we couldn’t do. I just think we’ll be growing and growing through this term, in the local elections and while we focus on building branches.

People want an alternative. It’s a really exciting time for the party and we just need to build and build – and we can!”

ARTWORK BY MAEVE BREATHNACH FOR TRINITY NEWS

The snags in studying arts amid social distancing Students studying arts like music or drama this year are facing a unique set of challenges Luke Keenan Contributing Writer

A

ll students are grappling with the hurdles of online learning right now regardless of course, but for students in courses such as music, visual arts, and drama, the traditionally physical elements of their subjects have brought additional challenges to the shift online. A piano student needs a teacher to guide their fingers over the keys; a drama student needs to look into another performer’s eyes for full immersion. These physical practicalities have always been a key factor in the teaching style, so removing that physical connection runs the risk of hindering the productivity of the student and creates further issues for learning in a virtual setting.

Despite the various challenges, many of the practical arts courses are adapting to these changing regulations. “In our university courses much of the teaching is usually done through lectures and seminars,” said Evangelina Rigaki, Assistant Professor of Music at Trinity. “These can be effectively delivered online using the sophisticated tools available to us. Live video facilities are used from time to time to facilitate discussion and feedback.”

Many of the music students would see eye to eye with this statement and believe that the department is doing all it can to make the experience as smooth as possible.“If the end of last term is anything to go off of, the music

department did a great job with providing the course entirely online. Although some modules were cut short and were unable to carry on with continuous assessment, communication between lecturers and students was strong,” said a Senior Fresh student studying music. “The lecturer for Aural and Keyboard, in my opinion, did a fantastic job when it came to setting exercises for homework to ensure we did not fall behind for the coming academic year. Our lecturer for Music Technology contacted us over the summer with information and set up Zoom meetings in order for us to air any concerns we may have had going into the college year.”

Evaluating whether or not online learning has been as productive as working on campus, the student said that it’s “better than nothing”. “Most modules require a lot of back and forth and although the lecturers would be more than happy to run through homework with you over a call, it can never replace getting feedback face to face.”

Social interaction is indeed sorely missed. But where there are challenges there may also be certain opportunities, and some believe that distanced learning can pick up the ball where physical learning drops it. “The upside to this is that we can re-watch prerecorded events and revise with both videos and notes,” the Music student said. “Unfortunately, because I didn’t have Wifi at the time, it was difficult to keep up with lectures that would buffer for hours. The department was very understanding of this and ensured that the notes covered the video content.”

Indeed, poor connectivity is just one of the many issues students are facing this semester.

Students will also face issues in regards to how they interact with certain clubs and societies, which has a direct impact on their overall course performance. “The

choirs on campus will obviously take a big hit from this, and my heart goes out to the Junior Fresh students who won’t get the same experience we were all lucky to have,” the student said. “I have every faith in the college that they are doing everything they can to ensure that module content will not suffer from the pandemic.”

While not essential to the course by any means, clubs and societies are an excellent way for students to engage in their subject and really hone in on their skills.

For example, a music student is better able to perfect their skills if they are also a member of the choral society or in an orchestra.

It is that extra practise that the students are missing out on due to the pandemic. The same can be said for drama students, who cannot hold plays as further practise for their acting skills.

By missing out on this extra engagement, they stand to have an incomplete experience with their course material.

It cannot be denied that lecturers are trying their best to make up for the lack of social practicalities, but even with the necessary technology and systems in place, nothing can replace that face to face feedback. The larger sacrifices that the students are having to make come in the form of shortened modules and cancelled assessment, as well as their interactions with various societies, which are needed to perfect their skills. Certain opportunities such as prerecorded events are a welcome addition and add some merit to the idea of online learning, but it is clear that these students still yearn for face to face feedback and various societies.

“This time is forcing societies and classes to socialise and deliver events in ways we have never seen before,” said the student. “It’ll be interesting to see what comes of it, but I’m sure this year won’t be as bad as people fear it will be.”

16

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Features

De-platforming, Dawkins, and debate A look into September’s controversy surrounding the dis-invitation of Richard Dawkins Jack Ryan

Deputy Features Editor

E

leven years ago, in 2009, the University of Oklahoma was investigated by the Oklahoma State Legislature for permitting Richard Dawkins to speak — albeit under different circumstances than those that have raised attention to Dawkins around Trinity in the last few weeks. Dawkins was put under investigation in Oklahoma for his views on abortion and the theory of evolution, with the legislature releasing a resolution declaring Dawkins’ views as “contrary and offensive to the views and opinions of most citizens of Oklahoma”.

In recent weeks, Dawkins’ name has circled around Trinity — and outside it — after an invitation to speak to the College Historical Society (the Hist) was withdrawn.

It’s sparked discussion around platforming and deplatforming, free speech, and respect, but the situation is more nuanced than many might realise.

On September 27, Bríd O’Donnell, the auditor of the Hist, announced on her Instagram story that the society’s invitation to famous evolutionary biologist and public intellectual Richard Dawkins to address the Hist had been rescinded. O’Donnell said in her statement that she had been “unaware of Richard Dawkins’ opinions on Islam and sexual

assault until this evening”.

The invitation had been issued by the previous auditor, and O’Donnell said she followed up on it with “limited knowledge” about Dawkins, before a number of ordinary members flagged his past statements. “I had read his Wikipedia page and researched him briefly. Regretfully, I didn’t look further into him before moving forward with the invitation,” O’Donnell said. “The comfort of our membership is paramount, and we will not be proceeding with Professor Dawkins’ address. I apologize for any distress caused by this announcement, and the Hist will continue to listen and adapt to the needs and comfort of students.”

The response to this decision was predictably immense and fierce. Piers Morgan, the provocative English presenter and commentator, retweeted an

“

The response to the decision to dis-invite Dawkins was predictably immense and fierce

PHOTO BY JOE MCCALLION FOR TRINITY NEWS

article from the University Times on the story, labelling it “pathetic”.

The well known science author Steven Pinker also tweeted his disapproval of the decision, along with numerous public figures and academics, including Trinity professors Tomás Ryan and Brian Lucey. Ronan Lyons, Professor of Economics at Trinity, tweeted: “This is concerning. College is not about comfort - indeed, it’s arguable that one of the key things higher education does is push people outside their comfort zone, as part of the process of selfimprovement.”

In an open letter to O’Donnell, free speech activist Toby Young of the Free Speech Union noted that he was, “particularly disappointed because I have always admired the Hist for the willingness of its members to discuss uncomfortable ideas. This tradition was distilled by one of your members, Oscar Wilde, who said: ‘I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an ass of yourself.’ Wilde’s spirited defence of robust public debate seems a more likely source of inspiration than offering them a blanket of sanitised ‘comfort’.”

Dawkins describes himself as a “militant atheist”, and has written a number of best-selling books outlining his beliefs on the subject, including The God Delusion and The Blind Watchmaker. In a 2011 article in the Times Educational Supplement, Dawkins claimed that Muslim faith schools had a “pernicious influence” by teaching the “alien rubbish” of creationism.

He said he had concerns with all faith schools, but that Muslim faith schools worried him the most.

He has also stated that women who are sexually assaulted should refrain from drinking “if they want to be in a position to testify and jail a man”. This is just one of several controversial statements Dawkins has made in relation to sexual

assault in the last decade.

Speaking to Trinity News, O’Donnell said that there was a lot of confusion over the purpose of Richard Dawkins’ visit to the Hist.

Many commentators believed that Dawkins had been disinvited from speaking in a debate or as part of a panel. According to O’Donnell, when the invitation to Dawkins was made, he expressed a specific preference not to take part in a debate.

Dawkins’ visit was in fact going to consist of a guest lecture from Dawkins himself, followed by a presentation of the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse. O’Donnell believed that the awarding of a medal “would be viewed as an uncritical endorsement of the speaker, which was not our intention at all”. O’Donnell was taken aback by the reaction to the rescinding of Dawkins’ invitation. “It wasn’t what any of us thought would happen, especially considering that most of the reaction occurred off-campus. I think that was the more surprising aspect of it.”

O’Donnell opposed the controversial decision to invite Nigel Farage to address the Hist in 2018, and to be awarded the Medal for Outstanding Contribution. The then-auditor Paul Molloy defended the decision to host Farage, stating in a Facebook post at the time that “the Society plays host to numerous individuals of divergent views, many of which our members feel strongly and passionately about. This is the nature of free enquiry in a democratic society.

It is by that enquiry the strength of ideas and the validity of beliefs are challenged and upheld.” Farage ultimately came to speak, but was not awarded the Medal. The current Hist committee released a statement during this summer saying they “deeply regret” platforming Farage.

O’Donnell believes that the purpose of the Hist is to “allow students to engage in a debate in an environment of respect and dignity”. She added: “this is why I don’t think rescinding the invitation to Dawkins illustrates an unwillingness to hear opposing views, but rather as maintaining an environment of dignity and respect where debate can occur among students. To have a free and fair debate, there needs to be an environment of respect and dignity.” O’Donnell does not believe that there is a conflict between the comfort of the members of the Hist and free and open debate, and that “honestly, the times when you are the most persuasive and open-minded, is when you are treating someone with respect and dignity”.

The debate on de-platforming on campuses is a global one that looks set to rage on into the future.

In 2017, a year before the Farage controversy, a planned speech

“

According to O’Donnell, when the invitation to Dawkins was made, he expressed a specific preference not to take part in a debate from the Israeli ambassador was cancelled minutes before beginning due to a backlash from students. At least as far back as the 1980s, debates were raging about whether Holocaust denier David Irving should be permitted to speak on Trinity campus.

Those who see platforming as a form of endorsement, and who believe that the espousal of certain views makes fair and safe debate impossible, often believe that those with views deemed discriminatory or “problematic” should be removed from public forums. The movement to deplatform speakers perceived as racist, misogynist, xenophobic, or climate denying includes numerous academics, activists and students. On the other hand, there is a growing backlash to this phenomenon, with some commentators saying that uncomfortable views and ideas are a necessary part of debate, and deplatforming prevents the exercise of free and fair competition in the marketplace of ideas. Some argue that if an idea cannot stand on its own merit, and needs to be shielded from criticism, then that draws into question the validity of the idea itself.

While the rescinding of Dawkins’ invitation was always going to be contentious, it’s a more nuanced issue than most commentary surrounding it would make it appear. The current committee believes that free and fair debate is impossible in an environment where students feel unsafe, and did not want to be seen to uncritically endorse a speaker, some of whose views they considered repugnant. Others feel the case raises questions about what the role of a debating society is, and what exactly their obligation is to the College community.

Articulating the unspeakable through creative arts page 6

Halloween horoscopes with DU Astro Soc page 8

Tips and tricks to reduce food waste page 14

LIFE

TRINITY NEWS

Inside: Novelist Niamh Campbell on the death of literary style

ARTWORK BY EVE SMITH FOR TRINITY NEWS

2

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Table of contents Socially distant dates: Pumpkin carving

- page 7

Society Spotlight: Enviro Soc

- page 5 Halloween horoscopes - page 8

Are there any Revenge societies missing porn activist from Trinity?

Megan Sims on protection within legislation - page 10 - page 13

Tips to reduce food waste - 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

Novelist Niamh Cam on the death of litera Jane Loughman interviews Irish novelist Niamh Campbell on her debut novel and the Irish writing scene

N

iamh Campbell, winner of the 2020 Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award, does not consider herself a short story writer: “it’s kind of just something I do on the side.” Her winning story, Love Many, was “originally part of a sequence,” and she is pragmatic about leftover stories: “if something gets cut from a novel, I’ll usually try and see if I can re-write it as a short story.”

Reading Love Many, it’s easy to see why Campbell won the prestigious £30,000 award. Her narration flows, her imagery is vivid and her pacing is perfected for the piece’s length. Yet, Campbell sees herself as far more of a novelist.

Her debut novel, This Happy, was released in June, in the very midst of the craziness of 2020.

“When the lockdown began, I knew immediately that I was not going to have a book launch and there was not going to be any book tour”, she affirms. Releasing her first book has been a muted experience, and she feels unlucky: “it’s like missing your Debs or something; you’re waiting for this big event that’s going to happen, and then it goes away.” Her short story win brought her solace. She recalls how, “among other things, that made up for the lack of any kind of excitement happening.”

She gained new readers from Love Many, so it felt like “a bit of a trade-off really.”

Campbell is similar in some ways to Alannah, her protagonist in This Happy. Both Campbell and Alannah did their undergraduate studies at UCD, their Masters at Trinity, then their PhD at King’s College London, Campbell writing on weather and atmosphere in John McGahern’s work for her dissertation.

However, as Campbell put it in a Vogue interview, Alannah is the “most concentrated version of the worst parts of [her] explored in a person.” Now in her early thirties, given that she began writing This Happy at age 27, she feels a great distance from the novel.

She recounts how she had been playing around with the idea of being a female writer and first

person industrial complex.“You are writing your own life unfiltered, and this gives people a right to ask about it,” she states.

She mixed parts of the story with real life events and fiction, stating that “anything truly glamorous in it is made up entirely, and anything really banal is probably from a real conversation.” The infidelity and marriage plot points in This Happy are among the things that Campbell did not draw from her journals, but rather placed them in for symbolism, “as a skeleton to allow me to explore purely emotional states.” She wanted her debut to be “embarrassingly intense, like the first album of a band when they’re in their teens” confessing, “I wanted to go for that effect gratuitously.”

This Happy was her way to tell an “unvarnished truth” about her life, and since she takes interest in “atmospheric memories and truth being tied to memories,” ideas she explored in her McGahern thesis, it makes sense that there is emotional sincerity in her words.

Campbell has a lyrical writing style and is highly-skilled in crafting beautiful imagery.

On this topic she notes, “my style would be very naturally that way, very naturally florid.”

This Happy is dream-like and reflective, the narrative going in circles in a gripping way that

“

Whenever you’re writing Dublin, you’re never really far away from Joyce helps you understand Alannah’s brain. Campbell intended it to be a story in which “not an awful lot happens in the level of plot; it’s really just about emotion, and emotion being anchored in memory.” Campbell believes her literary style is “out of fashion,” but it is where her heart is set.

“Because the fashion has shifted to content so much, style is being devalued,” she tells me. “There is a big shift to content, this idea that culture should do what politics won’t and that books should be full of ground-breaking social justice content all the time.” The author sees this as a disservice to everyone, “because a book without good style will not be read in ten years.” She maintains

3

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

mpbell ary style that originality in style will get you further, no matter the content: “it’s not just about being ornamental, it’s more like being able to express something with a great authenticity. It doesn’t really matter what [the something] is.”

One stylistic trait of Campbell is her lack of inverted commas for dialogue, inspired by one of her favourite writers, Garth Greenwell. Reading What Belongs to You, she noticed his style, detailing how “it’s dark but it’s poetic and you’re always nervous when you’re reading it because you never know where the stories are going to go.” She loved the flow that resulted from the absence of inverted commas: “it was just somebody’s brain, it was just a monologue… I love that, it’s kind of mischievous and kind of eerie, and I just copied him!”

She recently read Greenwell’s Cleanness, which she loved, and she doesn’t often feel that way about contemporary work. “I’m still in my post-Garth Greenwell glow,” she says.

The husband in This Happy, who is never named, is based on a person Campbell considered marrying. She decided to play with the idea of what would have happened if she did decide to marry him - what happens to Alannah could have been Campbell’s reality. I ask her why she decided to explore the themes of marriage and adultery, and to answer, she tells me a quote, one she couldn’t attribute to anyone (and neither could I): “Marriage is the most political thing that most people will do.” Relationships are central to our lives, “yet literature tends to treat these subjects as if they’re frivolous almost because it’s afraid of looking straight at how they are not frivolous.” As a woman, she feels it is traditionally in her nature to find these subjects interesting. Alannah, to Campbell, is “manipulative,” invests in “power play, and gets off on winning and losing in this context - the men around her don’t notice because they underestimate her so much.” I ask her about her Bluebeard references, and I tell her that the novel reminded me of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, with the relationships between older men and a naive, young girl and the memories of a certain place - in Campbell’s case, a cottage. Campbell responds, informing me that she finds satisfaction in readers spotting things that others have missed, and is conscious of homages to the literary canon: “I think it’s because I studied English for so long, so very little is innocently done… Nothing is really all that

new, so I suppose at heart I’m kind of a bit modernist like that.”

Returning to Dublin after being a part of the emigrating generation of 2010, there was nobody left: “I struggled to reorient myself, so I spent a lot of time hanging around the city.”

Her attempt to integrate herself into Dublin again has found its way into her writing, and she feels close to her literary hero: “Whenever you’re writing Dublin, you’re never really far away from Joyce, who’s one of my gods.

There’s kind of an homage going on all the time with that as well, because I read Joyce before I knew Dublin.”

The writer is currently working on her second novel, which will also be based in Dublin.

She described the book as a “somebody who’s spending all their time hanging around the city going to parties kind of book”. Working on it during the pandemic was not as creatively freeing as she expected it to be: “I did get into some blind alleys as a result because there wasn’t a lot of variety in my life.” Nonetheless, there will be lots of variety in the book, as it will be centred around events, parties and activities that are almost extinct in today’s Dublin. She is conscious she is writing of a much simpler time in Ireland’s capital: “it’s accidentally become a chronicle of a world that might not come back for quite a while.”

I asked Campbell for some advice for writers looking for inspiration: “I think with writing, it’s always good to remember what you first started doing it for. Once you become aware of the industry, you get a little bit contaminated and you shouldn’t have to be aware of it... It’s always good to return to the only reason why you were doing it and to see it as a form of play.” But awareness of the industry is important for budding published authors: “there are a lot of resources in Ireland because it’s such a small country.” She advises writers to start with literary journals, where she herself started out: “the first person in Dublin to read my work was Susan Tomaselli who edits the literary journal gorse.” Campbell believes the recent success of Irish writers is down to the close networking in the community. It’s not about who your friends are, but rather the confidence to send your work around: “Chances are it will be read. [Editors and publishers] read everything. Even if they reject you, they will probably tell you why”.

As useful as building relationships in the literary community can be, Campbell emphasises the paradox of staying “artistically autonomous.” When in doubt about your writing, ditch the contemporary: “maybe read Tolstoy.” She encourages young writers to sit with their writing and to return to themselves: “Ultimately, it only ever really comes out of you, and that’s the best stuff. You can hammer it out into shape later, but the real good stuff is very intimate.”

PHOTO BY SALLY NÍ THUAMA FOR TRINITY NEWS

A museum is not just a place for art Elena McCrory considers the cultural significance of museums and galleries

A

museum is defined as a building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited. But outside of this classification, museums and galleries can mean so much more. Museums in Ireland from the IMMA to the National Gallery gave their viewers the chance to interact with their collections online throughout the coronavirus lockdown. They let us reflect on the everyday experience of the museum and rediscover its value from its absence. Artistically minded or not, museums act as a cosmos for people to engage and interact with colour, shape, light, tone, mood and thus, a parallel universe of artistic directions, challenges, and emotions. From what the museum provides, we can see the value that lies within the viewer’s experience, not just the objects it displays.

Many people think galleries and museums hold a level of prestige and exclusivity; thus, it is surprising to see how many people missed these cultural institutions throughout Ireland’s lockdown. Unexpectedly, collectors pushed behind their screens on online auctions, to bid way above their price ranges, producing some of the highest values on online auctions ever.

This was seen during the selling of Ivan Aivazovsky’s The Bay of Naples during lockdown, reaching just under $3m (€2,535,585) on Sotheby’s website. So even though the fine art market has wobbled through a time of instability, this must be a positive sign for what

auctioneers can expect in the future.

In Ireland, a country rich in culture, museums and galleries experienced a surge of online viewers leading them to produce a large array of virtual tours, exhibitions, and insights into their private conservation work. Art was clearly missed, if not to bid and to buy, then to browse and experience the authentic museum viewing.

Before Covid-19, people of all ages could be seen rummaging through gift shops and chatting over tea in a gallery café. The significance of these places for people’s everyday routines and the power that they hold to provide a sense of place, a sense of purpose, and within this, a strong sense of belonging, must be recognized. Thankfully, museums have welcomed the restrictions, adapting to their demands, and giving people back their ability to engage physically with art. This is a good sign for people who are of the “cocooning” ages because while they are vulnerable to infection, they are also vulnerable to mental distress, especially if they are told to stay indoors for long periods of time by themselves. In this case, museums and galleries provide an artistic getaway, so people can revisit their daily routines while Covid-19 prevention measures will be strictly monitored.

However, history has shown us that crises often help us to generate new ideas in artistic expression and through multiple platforms. The products of the pandemic are displayed through multiple exhibitions and performances such as the Lace, Paint, Hair exhibition in the National Gallery of Ireland. These have helped various generations to start thinking creatively, especially on social media. Myself especially, performances, plays, literature, exhibitions, and online viewings have helped me to make more sense of the current

“

Museums and galleries provide an artistic getaway madness. If not to understand it, then to simply accept it.

Some of us are slowly trying to accept our current situation and now more than ever museums can provide a place of escapism. You only need to enter the European wing of the national gallery, to notice its natural light and high ceilings, offering a skylit room for your thoughts to take flight. Even though we now see some changes to our visits, a face mask put on and a 2 metre social distance, the enjoyment felt in such a rewarding space will not change.

It will forever remain a place of peace, creativity and for many, a place for expression. Museums are already changing and growing for our safety, so can restaurants, so can churches and as people, so can we. Whilst change can often seem unmanageable, it is never impossible.

More than ever, we are now seeing the value of the museum and gallery in a time of chaos and the people who visit these places are just as vital as the artwork that hangs on the wall. While cultural institutions are essential for the creation of a nation’s identity, these creative spaces are also made for the ordinary experience of artistic discovery and imagination. In the context of our Irish museums, they offer us space to exchange our ideas, to think about our problems and to connect with a place of authenticity.

4

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Society spotlight

TCD Environmental Society

Grace Fannon talks to Chairperson Katie Smirnova about Enviro Society’s priority to continue promoting student engagement

A

s it becomes more and more apparent that Covid-19 will be with us for the foreseeable, one of the challenges we face is simply thinking past the virus. It is tempting to allow everything else to be set aside in favour of managing the pandemic.

But the issues that were present prior to its emergence are still with us and there is a danger in overlooking that. Perhaps this is most important to remember when it comes to the environment and climate change. At Trinity, the Environmental Society is one group that is working to ensure that positive environmental progress remains a priority at the college and at the forefront of student concerns. Trinity News interviewed Katie Smirnova, the society’s current Chairperson, to discuss the work that the society does and its plans for the upcoming year.

Since its founding, the society has continued to promote student engagement with environmental action. Smirnova explains that while Trinity’s Green Campus Committee is more involved in forming college environmental policies and ensuring sustainable campus development, the Environmental Society focuses on student participation and awareness. Last year, this included involvement in campaigns such

as Fossil Free TCD, Stop Climate Chaos, and, of course, the School Strike for Climate movement.

Through talks and panel discussions, the society informs and educates Trinity students while also organising practical communal action such as beach clean-ups.

According to Smirnova, the society hopes to raise awareness about how the environment impacts, and is intertwined with, all aspects of life. “In previous years a lot of what we did was intersectional with feminism and food and fashion. I think the Enviro Society is largely a kind of avenue for creating links between the environment and those other groups, because environmental action has typically been viewed as activism, but it’s so much more than that, and I think it’s important that the Enviro Society creates links to every part of your life.” The society aims to change the perception of environmental action from something dramatic and singular to something that intersects with every movement and every sphere of activity.

Climate action, as Smirnova puts it, doesn’t necessarily have to include protesting; “it’s what you can do in the supermarket”.

Like all societies, the Environmental Society must move online this year. Smirnova expects that participation at virtual events and talks may be lower than participation in previous years, but is still hopeful for what they have planned. A large part of their focus this year will be on climate inequality, a pattern in which climate change primarily affects developing countries and poorer regions first. This will begin with the STAND festival this month, focused on the theme of climate migration. The festival, organised

by STAND.ie, comprises a series of online events that intend to raise awareness about the growing

PHOTO BY TCD ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIETY

number of climate change refugees. The Environmental Society will continue with this topic into Green Week in February. Smirnova hopes to have representatives from direct provision centres speak about their experiences with climate migration, along with representatives from Ireland who have had to leave their homes due to coastal erosion in order to illustrate that climate migration is something that affects all parts of the world including Ireland.

When it comes to the intersection between Covid-19 and environmental issues, Smirnova is interested in the link between the biodiversity crisis and cases of emerging viruses — something that not many people are aware of. She hopes to organise webinars on this subject during the year.

The Environmental Society will also be looking into more micro level issues such as waste management in regards to hygiene practices. The society plans to run a craft workshop on how to make reusable masks and will be encouraging compostable or recyclable cleaning materials rather than wipes that are singleuse and non-biodegradable.

Speaking of her hopes for the society during this unusual academic year, Smirnova is pleased that “there’s been a lot of interest…and [she hopes] that keeps going and people do keep joining in”. Indeed, we all have a responsibility to join in when it comes to climate action, be that through educating yourself, making changes to your lifestyle or getting involved in larger campaigns. Although it can be hard to know how or where to get involved, the Environmental Society at Trinity is certainly a place to start.

From the recyc Julia Bochenek speaks to artist Trevor Woods on his ethos of sustainability in his upcycled artwork

A

rtists have the wonderful gift of being able to creatively represent the world around them, and artist Trevor Woods does so with a unique twist — many of his works are made up of or incorporate upcycled materials.

“I believe Art should not only look good but educate or challenge people’s thoughts and beliefs on current topics,” Woods explains in reference to his favorite piece, the Plastic Fairy Ring Fort. This sculpture, showcased during Trinity’s Green Week in 2019, had the dual effect of brightening up Front Square while also making passers-by reflect on their personal use of plastic in their everyday lives. It is only one of the hundreds of pieces Woods has created from upcycled materials. Everything he uses is in its original state and used interpretively.

Trevor Woods, originally from Cavan, has been working at Trinity College Dublin as a Senior Technical Officer in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences for 14 years. Apart from his full-time job, Woods is very passionate about creating his beautiful artwork, a sentiment that becomes clear from his description of how “hours fly by when creating in my studio and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else to be honest”. He first became interested in art when visiting galleries with his aunt, and this passion continued as he received a Diploma in Art Design at NCAD. This course led him to the idea of using upcycled materials as a medium, and since that time he has embodied this concept fully within his pieces. He did research on biodegradable plastics and has been involved with multiple events at the Science Gallery, even giving a talk at the 2020 Zero Waste Festival on biodegradable plastics.

As the Treasurer of Trinity’s Green Campus Committee, Woods is actively involved in on-campus environmental issues.

Woods enjoys the concept of “taking something that would otherwise end up in landfill sites for generations and ensuring it remains as an inspirational piece of artwork for generations ahead.”

This is the thought process that motivates him as he explores recycling points of colleges and businesses, occasionally going to building sites if safety regulations

“

Taking something that would otherwise end up in lanwdfill sites for generations and ensuring it remains as an inspirational piece allow him to. When he goes hunting for materials, the main focus is generally on wood and plastic, as they are the most frequently available kinds of waste.

Thankfully, these are common scraps that are perfect for the art he creates. The materials are not chosen at random — he says that “recycled wood makes for interesting frames, and the plastic letters from keyboards enable me to spell out quirky sayings or quotes”. Although plastic is one of his preferred materials to incorporate into his works, he notes that it is also one of the more difficult. “Plastic has its limits as it can’t really be painted or re-moulded to desired shapes,” he says, however, it works very well for his art style in which he uses litter that should be recycled instead of thrown away.

Woods’ art fully “promotes [his] belief in recycling” as he turns what otherwise would be wasted materials into something that can be showcased and spread his important message. Currently, he places his focus on reusing old keyboards — he finds or receives hundreds of them, takes out the keys, and writes out thoughtprovoking quotes. In an Instagram post, he assembles: “The water in Dublin tastes different / Tells more stories / Asks fewer questions.”

Another states, “Some quotes aren’t worth typing” in differentcolored keys. These are just two of many keyboard quotes he has created recently. Other posts on his Instagram show his use of reused floppy disks, both on recycled woods and integrated in bird paintings.

When asked about his source of inspiration, he told me that it comes “from other artists through online formats or gallery visits and magazines”. One moment in which he found great inspiration for his artform type was in May 2019 when he visited the Venice

5

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

cling bin to the gallery Cumha sa Choláiste Molann Hazel Ní Bhroin conas is féidir leat déileáil leis an gcumha

B

ARTWORK BY TREVOR WOODS

Art Biennale and was awed by the “very high standard of contemporary artwork”. While a portion of his inspiration comes from observation, after completing his diploma in NCAD he was able to develop his own practice and research new materials and methods, leading to his passion for utilising upcycled materials.

His style of art has developed over time, and a constant is a return back to nature, where he can find some peace and inspiration.

Over the span of Woods’ career as an artist, he has been able to present his pieces in marketplaces, festivals, and many events linked to going green. He first began to sell his art at Dublin Comic Con, where he had a table at Artist Alley selling fan art from his favourite movie franchise, Star Wars. He has continued to make Star Wars-based art, specifically his meditating Stormtrooper, however, since this time the focus has mostly been on using upcycled materials. Even with the opportunity to display his artwork in person, Woods realises the potential of a growing market online, specifically with social media. “I just completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative & Culture Entrepreneurship in Tangent, Trinity’s business school,

and this has given me many ideas for promoting my artwork and gaining future online sales,” he says. “Having a peer-supported network of other artists always helps as we all come across the

“

Having a peersupported network of other artists always helps as we all come across the same challenges on a yearly basis

same challenges on a yearly basis.” Despite the hardships that come with an increasingly larger presence of online buyers versus in-person buyers, Woods has adapted very well by posting often on his social media about new creations and interacting with customers online.

Art brightens up and improves our lives — people love to visit art galleries, support local artists and decorate their spaces with the creativity of artists they love. Art can be a beautiful representation of something, yet it can also work as a social critique, as Woods’ artwork does with the use of upcycled materials. Just like many other artists, Trevor Woods has been impacted by the pandemic. “I usually sell my work at St. Stephen’s Green People’s Art market or have spots at weekend stalls and markets around the city”. He adds that “a lot of artists’ sales have been hindered across the country”. It has been a difficult time, but a positive result for Woods has been the time he gained through isolation and quarantine to create with much less interruption.

All of the artwork Trevor Woods has created during the past few months can be seen on his Instagram at ( @artin_woods ).

hí taighde déanta ag Cuideachta Tithíochta na Mac Léinn agus meastar go mbíonn cumha ar ¾ de mhic léinn na hÉireann ag pointe éigin gach bliain sa choláiste. Bíonn tionchar diúltach ag cumha ar fhormhór na ndaltaí ar champus an Choláiste. Mar sin, ba chóir go mbeidh eolas ag gach duine conas is féidir leat déileáil leis an gcumha, nó, conas is féidir leat cúnamh a thabhairt do dhaoine timpeall ort atá ag streachailt leis an gcumha.

Bígí cinnte cleachtadh a fháil ar bhur dtimpeallachtaí nua agus na háiseanna ar fad atá ar fáil ar champus an Choláiste chomh maith. Bainaigí leas iomlán as an rogha leathan gníomhaíochtaí atá ar siúl sa Choláiste chun tú féin a choinneáil ar do chiall. Cuireann na cumainn ar fad imeachtaí ar siúl i rith na bliana. Cabhraigh na himeachtaí seo go mór liom mar bhí mé i gcónaí ag bualadh le daoine difriúla agus ag dul áiteanna nua timpeall na cathrach.

Coinnigí súil ar na meáin shóisialta atá acu chun an t-eolas ar fad a fháil faoi na himeachtaí.

Is féidir féilire a fháil ag an nasc seo https://www.tcd.ie/students/ events, a thaispéanann na himeachtaí éagsúla atá ar siúl gach seachtain. Déanaigí taighde ar na rudaí ar fad atá ar fáil sa Choláiste chun an leas iomlán a bhaint astu ar fad. Tá go leor eolais ar fáil faoi na háiseanna ar fad ar shuíomh gréasáin an Choláiste.

B’fhiú duit a bheith i dteagmháil le do chlann agus do chairde sa bhaile go rialta chun an cumha a laghdú. Deirtear go mbeadh sé fóinteach duit cothromaíocht a aimsiú idir na caidrimh nua atá cruthaithe agat sa choláiste agus na dlúthchaidrimh atá agat sa bhaile. Chun an chothromaíocht seo a bhaint amach, beidh sé thar a bheith tábhachtach duit na laethanta ar fad a líonadh le himeachtaí agus gníomhaíochtaí éagsúla, mar shampla, ag dul go dtí an ionad aclaíochta nó a bheith ag freastal ar na himeachtaí sóisialta atá ar siúl. Ba chóir duit gnáthamh nua a chruthú chun tú féin a choinneáil gnóthach ó lá go lá. Nuair atá tú gnóthach, ní bheidh an t-am agat a bheith cumhach.

Ba cheart go dtugann tú am duit féin chun dul i dtaithí ar an gcultúr, timpeallacht agus uaireanta teanga go

hiomlán difriúl. Déantar gach rud níos deacra muna bhfuil tú compordach i measc do thimpeallachta nua. Ba stuama an mhaise d’aon mhic léinn a bheith ar an eolas faoi leagan amach an Choláiste agus na cathrach, Baile Átha Cliath é féin. Tugann sé seo píosa sóláis agus faoisimh do mhic léinn atá i bhfad ón mbaile.

Tá raon seirbhísí ar fáil sa Choláiste d’éinne atá ag lorg comhairle faoin gcumha nó má tá tacaíocht ar bith uathu.

Tá clár darbh ainm S2S (Mac Léinn 2 Mac Léinn) d’éinne atá ag streachailt. Faigheann gach fochéimí meantóir go huathoibríoch agus is féidir leat labhairt leo nuair atá fadhb nó ceist éigin agat i rith na bliana. Tá comhairleoireacht ar fáil do mhic léinn sa Choláiste chomh maith.

Is féidir coinne a shocrú ar a suíomh gréasáin. Seirbhís saor in aisce atá i gceist anseo, a thugann tacaíocht d’éinne atá á lorg, mar shampla, má tá deacrachtaí ag mic léinn leis an gcumha. Is féidir coinne éigeandála a shocrú nó freastal a dhéanamh ar ghrúpaí ceardlann. Tá clár tacaíochta meabharshláinte ar líne ar a bhfuil go leor achmainní éagsúla ar fáil d’éinne atá ag mothú trína chéile agus comhairle á lorg acu freisin ag silvercloudhealth.com/ onboard/tcd/programs.

Ná déanaigí dearmad go bhfuil sé go hiomlán normálta a bheith cumhach agus tú ag freastal ar an gcoláiste. Faraor, níl aon tobréiteach ar an gcumha faoi láthair ach tá súil agam go gcabhraíonn an cúpla nod a luaigh mé thuas chun é a laghdú, agus chun deimhniú go mbaineann tú tairbhe as an gcoláiste a oiread agus is féidir leat.

Gluais (Glossary) • Meastar - It is estimated that • Formhór - Majority • Cleachtadh a fháil ar rud - familiarise yourself with something • Áiseanna - Facilities • Coinneáil ar do chiall - Keep you sane • Leas iomlán a bhaint as rud- Take full advantage of something • B’fhiú - You’d be advised to • Fóinteach - Beneficial • Dlúthchaidrimh - Close relationships • Gnáthamh - Routine • Dul i dtaithí ar rud - Adapt to something • Ba stuama an mhaise - You’d be well advised to • Clár - Programme • Fochéimí - Undergraduate • Go huathoibríoch Automatically • Comhairleoireacht- Counselling • Coinne - Appointment • Meantóir - Mentor • Tobréiteach - Quick fix

6

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Articulating the unspeakable Democra through the creative arts and free Ella McGill interviews expressive arts psychotherapist Dr. Rachel Hoare on her work with unaccompanied children seeking asylum

E

xpressive arts psychotherapist Dr. Rachel Hoare keeps a box of miniature symbols in her therapy room; religious tokens, a skeleton: “Some things that are quite disturbing,’ she states. ‘I’m always collecting wherever I go.” Dr. Hoare discusses one of her clients in particular, a young male.

Having made very little progress after five or six sessions, on his way out one day, he picked a miniature coffin out of the box.

“He said ‘You see that? That’s how I felt when I was leaving [my hometown]. I thought that’s how I was gonna end up.’”

This is expressive arts psychotherapy. It aims to help people process their trauma

“

Hoare works with Tusla’s Separated Child Seeking Asylum unit, conducting therapy with minors who have arrived into the country unaccompanied

through means beyond just talking about it. “There is no typical session,” Hoare explains.

Her approach is to meet an individual and see what suits them. Talking about traumatic experiences, in many cases, can be retraumatising. “But they do need to process the trauma and get it out somehow,” says Hoare.

“There’s been huge amounts of research in this area about how drawing it, painting it, using music, using expressive writing … can help with trauma. So that’s the way I work. What I’m trying to do is [pull things from their] unconscious into consciousness.”

For her work in this field she was awarded this year’s Registrar’s Civic Engagement Award. Doctor Hoare runs Trinity’s elective Displacement: Exploring the Human Experience of Forced Migration. The elective explores forced migration through a lived experience lens and is available across all schools.

Hoare works with Tusla’s Separated Child Seeking Asylum unit, conducting therapy with minors who have arrived into the country unaccompanied. They have been picked up at ports or the airport and entered into the asylum process, housed in either foster care or residential units depending on whether they are under or over twelve years of age.

Trends in their countries of origin fluctuate, but Hoare identifies current displacement “hotspots” as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and some East African countries. The causes of their displacements are varied – conflict, identifying with a marginalised group, genderbased violence – and so too, are their respective treatments.

For example, another item in Hoare’s therapy room is a football.

Hoare explains that nobody is going to reveal anything to her unless they have established a trusting relationship, and kicking a ball to each other can be an effective way of doing this. She describes another common process of hers as “working through the football metaphor”.

“A lot of [my clients] come from cultures which are more collective, so they’re used to working as a team, as it were, in terms of extended family…

We might explore that through different footballers, or through different positions in the team…

Most of them do support Premiership teams, so we might focus on a specific person in that team who I know has experienced hardship and look at ways of coping and resilience [through them] … They’re interested in that, so that’s another way of connecting.”

“

Many think they are insane because they do not understand that what they are experiencing is post-traumatic stress disorder

However, there are a lot of barriers to successful connection in Hoare’s therapy sessions.

Often, language is one, and while she has found some interpreters with whom she works well, others are not so effective. This depends on whether they are “trauma-informed”, or how open-minded they are about her process. Another such barrier is stigma. Many of her clients have not heard of therapy or equate it with insanity. Many think they are insane because they do not understand that what they are experiencing is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, an utterly normal response to the atrocities they have witnessed. Hoare must often spend her first couple of sessions with a youth explaining and normalising the situation.

Hoare is also aware that the idea of expressive arts therapy can be intimidating to less artistic clients. She tells me of a “genogram”, a family tree-type diagram, she can construct with some such clients, to help them represent and process their situation. The clients place themselves in the centre.

Significant figures in the client’s life can be represented by stick figures, or shapes; different relationships (supportive, abusive) by different coloured lines. “A lot of these young people, they may not even know if their family is alive or not… They may have left the country, lost their phone …

Sometimes it could take them a

year to be back in contact with their families.” In these cases, genograms can highlight the support network that the young person has in Ireland, helping them feel less isolated.

Perhaps the most abstract testimony Hoare shares with me is that of a young boy who remarked that the lamp she had on in the corner of her room resembled the sunlight on the fields when he was fleeing his country. Expressive arts psychotherapy encompasses everything, from sensory experiences like this one, to drawing a picture in the sand tray she has in her office, to saying, “Pick a symbol to represent your feelings at that time.” There’s no “one-size fits all”, Hoare asserts.

It is as diverse and complex as human experience itself.

When asked what the future looks like for most of her clients, Hoare explains their main aim “is to try and get an education”.

After being assessed by the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB), they will take classes in English, mathematics and a Life Skills cultural component. When their teachers feel they are ready, some will progress on to mainstream school to sit the Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied or attend Youthreach, and some will progress further into third level education. “For some of them that will be getting some kind of apprenticeship or skill, but many of them would love to go to college because they haven’t had that opportunity where they’ve come from.” Once they have received asylum, family reunification is also on the cards for many. However, as Hoare points out, this can be a difficult time, with children becoming responsible for navigating and interpreting the world for their parents, and conflict frequently emerges.

While the spotlight on the problem of forced displacement has somewhat faded in recent years, it is still one that needs to be addressed. Hoare acknowledges that getting involved in activism to end Direct Provision is a good way to get involved, but views day to day acts of compassion with strangers as important too. “These young people have been through unimaginable things, but actually what they’re thinking about is the same as any kind of seventeen, eighteen-year-old in Ireland…

They want to get a good job, get a girlfriend, get married at some point, settle down… Whether it’s the cleaner in college, or whoever it [is around you that appears isolated], just take time to have a little chat… just to see them.”

Grace Fannon talks to three students about their experiences becoming a society chair

I

n many ways, societies form the bedrock of student life at Trinity. They are a sphere within the college that is managed and operated by the students themselves, making them an important representation of student interests and values on campus. As a result, acting as leader of a society can come with significant responsibility. In order to understand more about their role and how they came into it, Trinity News interviewed three society auditors - Bríd O’Donnell, Auditor of The Historical Society, Jared Miller, Auditor of The Classical Society and Clíodhna Kate O’Toole, Chairperson of The Engineering Society.

With approximately 10,000 registered members, The Historical Society, or The Hist, is one of College’s largest societies, and has a significant on-campus presence.

As the oldest Trinity society, one might imagine a stereotypical Oxbridge-esque formality within the committee.Yet O’Donnell, as auditor, represents the antithesis of this kind of atmosphere. Friendly and unpretentious, she explains how her path to auditor was almost accidental.

In her first year, she became an MC (Member of Committee), the “lowest” ranking committee member. While in her second year at Trinity, O’Donnell was somewhat “co-opted” into assuming the role of Ents officer, after the previous officer resigned.

In her third year, she became

7

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

acy, diplomacy, pizza Treasurer, the “second-incommand” position. O’Donnell also did not originally plan to run for auditor. She explains that the auditor of The Hist is expected to take a year’s break from their degree to devote their energy to the position, something neither she nor her parents were particularly keen on. However, amidst the upheaval of Covid-19, O’Donnell decided that it might actually be the perfect moment for her to take a year out from her degree to be auditor.

It is clear from her description of what she does that this is a formidable and time-consuming job. “I always make the joke that I’m like a mom with ten kids… there’s so much stuff to keep track of.” As auditor, she oversees the activities of The Hist’s ten subcommittees, and also spends a significant amount of her time liaising with the CSC and Trinity Estates and Facilities.

All three society heads describe their position as an integral, behind-the-scenes organiser, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. Auditor of the Classical Society, Jared Miller, also adds that “75% of being auditor isn’t about asking people to do things, it’s following up on them and making sure that those things happen.”

In contrast to O’Donnell, Miller made the leap straight from OCM (Ordinary Committee Member) to auditor of the Classical Society.

Although this isn’t terribly unusual, he also mentions that the committee experienced something of a turnaround of members this past year, as much of the committee had been fourth years that are now graduated, or second years who had intended to study abroad this year. With regard to any “unspoken rules” of who can be elected onto the committee, Miller suggests that there may be a tendency to “cede” to older members, but that in general the process is quite democratic.

When it comes to being elected auditor, each society has different election procedures. The Hist has a uniquely strict set of rules – perhaps a relic of its 18th century origins.

Among other requirements, candidates must have spoken in at least seven debates and have attended over half of the debates in the last term. Bizarrely, candidates running for election to any of the committee positions are forbidden from campaigning or canvasing, and according to O’Donnell this can extend to letting others know whether you are even running.

O’Donnell recalls her panic after sending a home-made meme to a friend that alluded to her decision to run for auditor – could this be perceived as campaigning by the election subcommittee? In promoting themselves, candidates are limited to their manifesto, and The Hist hustings, an event where each candidate puts forward their policies in front of an audience and is then asked questions. Only members that have attended at least three debates are eligible to vote in elections. Although these rules sound a little restrictive, the formality and integrity they insist upon serve to prevent what may be referred to as “popularity politics” – friends voting for friends.

Clíodhna Kate O’Toole, chairperson of the Engineering society, explains that it is often the case that those who vote in the Engineering Society Committee elections are often friends of candidates. Although this makes sense, it could result in a situation whereby the most popular candidate receives the most votes. However, there isn’t much one could do to prevent this, bar offering society members free pizza at voting events, something which has been done in the past to entice members to vote, according to O’Toole.

Generally, the chairperson would be able to inform their committee of what would be feasible to organise for the upcoming year, but as O’Toole explains that that was quite difficult with restrictions because of the uncertainty around what the year would look like. However, like all chairpersons, O’Toole hopes to take the year as an opportunity to “think outside the box”.

In many ways, chairs will be undertaking a different role than they ran for. The position will have to adapt to Covid-19, and will continue to change over the year.

The challenges chairs face will be different to those faced by their predecessors. As Miller remarks: “Anything that normally would have seemed like a challenge, I think seems a little bit less so. Now we have bigger fish to fry.”

PHOTO BY MAEVE HARRIS FOR TRINITY NEWS

Socially distanced dates

Pumpkin carving Maeve Harris on how to keep the romance, not Covid-19, alive this October

T

he potential for another lockdown is looming and it’s getting increasingly difficult for many of us to remember what the touch of a lover, or even a casual fling, feels like. It’s hard to imagine dating in a time when there is nowhere you can really go, and without the promise of the casual hookup of Globe-nights-out.

First dates usually involve a night of going out with your date to a nice public place, surrounded by loads of strangers who may or may not be doing the same thing you are: trying to test the waters with your new love interest. It can be comforting, and also pleasantly awkward, to see couples around you shifting like their lives depended on it, a Romeo-and-Juliet-esque embrace of forbidden love at the bar of said destination.

And while there was once a stage where this was allowed, the Irish Government has since cracked down on social events. Now, you must either brave the cold and find a place with ample outdoor seating or venture out into the world for a socially distanced activity. However, this month has the potential to be particularly exciting for singles as October offers a whole new set of ideas for autumnal dates. Rather than recycle the same old socially distanced date ideas like going for a walk or having a, sometimes sexy, Zoom date, you can take inspiration from Halloween season and incorporate holiday festivities into your plans.

This month, we’re thinking: pumpkin carving. Now, I do understand that one of the pros of going to a bar or the cinema is that the date itself is rather effortless; you

aren’t expected to do anything particularly adventurous and the hardest part is probably getting past the first awkward chat with this stranger sitting before you. But bear with me. If drinking is your thing, you can grab a couple of cans and sit in your back garden. Lay out a bunch of newspapers and let your creative side take over. Weather permitting, you have yourself a nice outdoor date coupled with a fun, Halloween-themed activity. Do make sure to pay attention to your alcohol consumption, as pumpkin carving can get a bit dicey a few cans in.

When I go on a first date, I try to think of the very worst thing that could happen.

In this case, I think the worst-case scenario would be having a terrible time and having to yeet yourself away. If this does happen, you at least have a funny story to tell your friends, or the experience of knowing what not to do on a date. Once more, at the very least, you’ll have something to focus on while trying to cross that line between awkward strangers and newfound significant others. However, at the very best, you have yourself a beautifully, or shoddily, carved pumpkin and the memory of having made it with this new love interest.

Even if you’re dating for a more casual reason, carving a funny jack-o-lantern means hilarity will inevitably ensue.

The way I see it, this activity is far less awkward than staring into each other’s eyes in a dimly lit room. Unless you’re into that, in which case more power to you. As an easily distracted person, I like the idea of having something to focus on while giving myself the opportunity to zone out and, potentially, get lost in conversation with the stranger sitting across from me, socially distanced of course. And if you’re still not convinced, just think: you won’t be able to try this unique date idea out for another year, so you might as well take the plunge and do it soon. Plus, you can make the pumpkins kiss.

8

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Halloween horoscopes DU Astro Soc’s Buse Tobin looks at what the stars have in store for this spooky season

V

enus in Libra, as well as a full moon, offers a time for indulgence and sensuality.

That, coupled with Halloween season, and it’s time for some spooky fun. Here are our recommendations on what Covidfriendly activities to entertain this Halloween night.

ARTWORK BY ZAHRA LOCKETT FOR TRINITY NEWS

Aries You might be feeling staunched by the decadent energy in the air. Reclaim that wild streak by finding and exploring your local haunted house. Race to see who will get murdered first!

Taurus Now’s your time baby, doesn’t that full moon energy feel delicious?

Gather your housemates and dress decadently while celebrating your full moon with a lavish feast.

Gemini Dress in your most outrageous costume and go down to the local outdoor haunt. You’re your senses!

Dance, dance, dance!

Cancer Feel that full moon and make friends with your house ghost.

See what grisly murders have taken place in the attic in your head!

Leo Embrace that Venusian energy and dress in your sexiest Halloween costume.

Luxuriate in a night of solo pleasure.

Who knows what spirits will join!

Virgo Time to indulge with material pleasures – carve a funky pumpkin and bake a delicious pumpkin pie. If it’s good enough, sacrifice it to your favourite god.

Libra Venus is here for you, Libra.

Embrace the sensuality with a nude tarot reading beside your lover. What do you desire? Release yourself with a howl for the moon.

Scorpio The sun, though hidden, burns this month for you, Scorpio.

Follow that fiery energy into an eerie séance.

You have the ear of the dead on this hallowed eve.

Sagittarius Embrace your inner demons.

Race beside the ocean as you feel that lunar ambience. Perhaps the moon will pull you with the tides.

Capricorn Venus tries to ply you, Capricorn, but you pay her no heed. Now is the time to solve that local murder, no matter what unruly ghosts may threaten you.

Aquarius The moon is full tonight, Aquarius.

It is the perfect time to summon an indulgent deity. Let them shower you with abundant thanks.

Pisces Mysticism is abound this night – time to do a spell for completion. As the spell closes, light your fire instruments – sparklers, candles and bonfires – and dance amongst the flames.

Happy Halloween to all – don’t forget to luxuriate in the night.

This October, Trinity News’ artists and illustrators are taking part in #Inktober as a w First quadrant (L-R, top to bottom): Diya Mecheri, Jack Smyth, Márta Menta Czinkóc Second quadrant: Smyth, Czinkóczky, Mecheri, Smyth, Mecheri, Smyth, Mecheri, And Third quadrant: Mecheri, Smyth, Czinkóczky, Czinkóczky, Smyth, Mecheri, Czinkóczk Fourth quadrant: Murillo, Murillo, Murillo, Celine Delahoy, Delahoy

9

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

way to connect digitally through art while being creative in a socially-distanced format czky, Czinkóczky, Mecheri, Czinkóczky, Smyth, Smyth, Czinkóczky, Mecheri drés Murillo ky, Smyth, Mecheri

What’s on(line) in Dublin Red Line Book Festival redlinebookfestival.ie Until October 18 Stand Student Festival Until October 24 Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival smashingtimes.ie October 16 to October 25 Halftone Print Fair halftone.ie October 29 to November 22

What’s on(line) in Trinity Tuesday Tráth na gCeist, 9.30pm An Cumann Gaelach TCD Wednesday Gina Miller speaks to students, 4pm TCD Law Society Panel: What is Direct Provision? 6pm TCDSU Clash of the Comics, 6pm DU Comedy and Trinity Ents Thursday Roleplaying games: One shot adventures, 6pm DU Gamers Society

What we’re watching

The Great British Bake Off Channel 4

10

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Are there any societies missing from Trinity?

From observing other universities and listening to suggestions, Gillian Doyle explores what societies Trinity lacks

W

ith 120 societies and 50 sports clubs, Trinity’s society life is clearly thriving.

From Astrology to Zoology, there’s something for everyone.

But such variety does not mean a lack of room for improvement, especially when comparing the list of societies that the college has on offer with those available at other Irish universities.

Discovering how our college’s society life measures up to others can highlight areas where the list is lacking.

One area of interest that Trinity societies are lacking in is technology. According to Trinity’s online list of societies, only three deal with technology, Digital Arts Society (DUDJ), Entrepreneurial

(TES), and Netsoc. In 2020, knowledge about technology is not something that should be specific to those studying it, but should be an area we all strive to be competent in.

Furthermore, allowing science students the opportunity to mix with those outside their course is also a benefit. “I’d definitely say it helps to have informed nontech people in that area, since techies can be deep into that whole world and not see potential drawbacks to technology�, says one engineering postgraduate

who wishes to remain nameless.

They also put forward the idea that interdisciplinary discussion facilitated by societies focused on technology would encourage consideration of whether different technological advancements are needed or indeed wanted by laypeople. Maynooth University’s (MU) Women in Stem society and NUIG’s New IEEE Student Branch which connect science students from multiple fields across the globe, could also be of benefit to science students at Trinity.

According to Sam Hayes,

ARTWORK BY ZAHRA TORABPOURAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

fourth year TSM English and Philosophy student, former Games Editor for TN2 and former General Officer for DU Gamers, the Irish game creation scene is small, but growing. “The interest is there,� says Hayes.

He previously tried to set up such a society, but only stopped gaining signatures when outside obligations prevented him from continuing. “The great thing about making games is that unlike theatre or live action film, it can happen completely remotely.�

Combing computer coding and artistic mediums such as music and design, game development is a space for students of all disciplines to come together and learn from each other.

Another area that could be expanded upon at Trinity are societies dedicated to Irish culture. While the Traditional Irish Music Society and Cumann Gaelach do important work fostering appreciation of Irish culture on campus, these are just two aspects of Irish heritage.

Societies dedicated to the Irish tradition of storytelling are largely absent from Dublin universities.

Sean Donnelly, fourth year Biochemistry student and amateur brewer, says that he learned the skill through the internet with inexpensive materials, and that socially distanced lessons would

be easy for a society to provide.

The importance of the spaces created by MU’s Mental Health society and DCU’s Sober society were pointed to by fourth year neuroscience student Ciara Connolly. “Giving people who don’t want to drink a place to socialise without those pressures and voices to those with mental health issues while raising awareness would enrich the lives of students long after they leave,� says Connolly.

Many Irish universities also have societies dedicated to brands.

UCD’s Harry Potter Society, NUIG’s Timelord Society, and DCU’s Disney Society are unusual in that they are based around products rather than hobbies.

Of course, any new societies will have to centre around activities and interests that are able to be appreciated while social distancing. But there are still several societies that could begin running while adhering to governmental guidelines. Trinity’s current list of societies, while extensive, is incomplete. But that will always be the case, as new areas of interest become popular among the ever-changing student body and new activities and areas of study are developed. Keeping up to date would be impossible, but trying is essential for a healthy college culture.

Greenwashing: the dark side of eco-consumerism As greenwashing proves the power of consumer demand, we can be inspired to create meaningful change, writes Anna Lugard

W

andering around Trinity’s campus, back when that was allowed, you would struggle to tread far without coming across a student proudly toting a reusable KeepCup, canvas bag, stainless steel water bottle, or all three simultaneously. Social trends

aside. it illustrates how popular attitudes towards consumerism and its environmental impact are clearly changing among millennials and Gen Zers.

Food choices are among the most important climate decisions you can make as a consumer. At Trinity, this is visible in the wide variety of plant-milk options available at the Perch and the many students who bring in their home-made vegetarian lunches in bamboo tupperware.

Young people are increasingly considering the ecological impact of the food they buy, often valuing a low carbon footprint over affordability and convenience.

Many brands are responding positively to shifting demand by making their business practices more eco-friendly. Unfortunately, the apparent environmental progress in the food industry may not be as transformative as companies would like us to believe.

The term “greenwashing� was coined by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1983 to describe the trend of large companies falsely presenting their products as eco-friendly to appeal to ecoconscious consumers. Westerveld initially used the term in an essay to describe the irony of a beach resort in Fiji encouraging guests to reuse towels to “help the environment� while their broader business model was causing serious harm to the local ecosystem.

The Useless Project, a Dublinbased sustainability initiative, defines greenwashing as brands making an unsubstantiated and misleading claim about the environmental benefits of their product or service to increase sales. Fiji Water’s aesthetic image centers around visually pleasing shots of lush tropical rainforests.

Another advertisement proudly states that “Every drop is green�

Fiji Water’s greenwashing

“

tactics hide the real truth, which is that Fiji Water is a company with a large environmental footprint that ships disposable plastic bottles from a remote island to buyers all around the world using pollutive transportation. This reality becomes even more bleak when considered alongside the fact that 22% of Fijians don’t have access to clean, safe drinking water.

Through selective consumerism, we can aim to stop greenwashing from being a profitable practice and push companies to make genuine improvements. While it is unfortunate that the burden of holding companies accountable falls on the consumer, until greenwashing becomes more regulated, the best we can do is to make informed and calculated decisions about where we buy our food. Our influence as consumers can support brands that deliver on their environmental promises.

11

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

PHOTO BY SABA MALIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

Friendship doesn’t have a CAO code Gabrielle Fullam asks: Do we really meet our true friends in college?

M Arts Block aesthetics The Arts Block is a contrasting backdrop for the typical arts student aesthetic, writes Sarah Moran

T

he dreary grey facade of the Arts Building, usually set against a rainy Dublin sky, lies in stark contrast to the aesthetics of the Arts, Humanities and Social Science students that traverse its concourse. Constructed in 1978, the building has been almost exclusively referred to by its colloquial name, “the Arts Block”, a phrase which quite accurately captures its stiff and blockish essence.

While the dull tones and unfinished aesthetic of the Arts Block’s Brutalist architecture are in total opposition to its neighbouring neoclassical buildings, it is more subtly in opposition to the youthful and conspicuous fashion that arts students have become rather infamous for donning. Some arts students have quite the reputation for standout fashion on even the blandest of college days, but is this helped or hindered by the uninspiring walls of the Arts Block?

The phrase “Brutalist” is used to describe the rigid, monolithic, concrete structures that emerged as part of the post-war architecture of Britain in the 1950s. The term was coined by architects Alison and Peter Smithson, having been derived from the French phrase “béton brut”, meaning raw concrete. The architectural style is characterised by its unfinished textured surfaces, its zealous use of poured concrete and its geometric patterns. Brutalism quickly became synonymous with low-cost, socially progressive housing and community developments, since its structures tend to serve functionality and efficiency rather than beauty. Thus, it became associated with socialism and communism,

and took off in what was once the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc, where thousands of Brutalist concrete apartment buildings still litter the peripheries of cities.

The Arts Block is largely considered an eyesore by staff and students alike, especially when its architecture is compared to that of its neoclassical counterparts which delight tourists on Front Square.

While it would have been pastiche for its architects, Peter Ahrends, Richard Burton and Paul Koralek, to attempt to replicate the older buildings that surround it, an architectural nod towards the style of its predecessors may have helped the Arts Block to harmonise with the campus and evade some of the criticism it suffers. The Arts Block isn’t only lifeless on the outside, but aside from the mish-mash of colourful couches and booths, it’s lacklustre on the inside, too. The building was erected to cope with an ever-increasing student body; due to the social change of the 1960s and 70s in Ireland, the student population grew significantly and the campus simply didn’t have enough room to accommodate this boom. The building was designed purely for functionality and to fit as many facilities into it as possible while using the space efficiently. The layout was intended to prioritise natural light in classrooms and offices, leaving bathrooms and corridors without light, although it is evident that many seminar rooms missed this memo and are today lit by crass fluores-

“

The blank concrete serves as a backdrop for the costumes of its main characters

cents rather than sunlight.

Whether an accurate representation of students’ styling abilities or not, fashion has become a notorious, and somewhat comic, aspect of Arts Block life. Even if you turn a blind eye to the clothing around you, acquiring a recognition of classic arts student stereotypes is difficult to escape: Doc Martens; a black leather duster coat; flared jeans; layered chains; inexplicably tiny beanies for soft boys; and fuzzy bucket hats for E-girls. Pair these pieces with micro fringes, brightly dyed hair, nose piercings or experimental makeup, and you’ve got yourself an arts kid.

Lorna Mugan, the costume designer behind Normal People, has said that she sent an assistant to Trinity to study the particular fashion of the students in order to capture it accurately in the show, and capture it she does. Marianne and her friends don sophisticated bohemian looks that would not be out of place if seen on the Arts Block concourse or the benches outside its doors. To say that these looks are recognisable, or that some pieces are ever-present — I’m looking at you, Docs — is not to say that they are unoriginal or form some kind of art student uniform.

Although the building itself may stand out in comparison to its equivalents on campus, the structure is redeemed by its inhabitants. The blank concrete serves as a backdrop for the costumes of its main characters and its insipidity allows for trends to change and colours to clash; the likes of which you’re less likely to see in the bright and airy Hamilton. The clashing colours or stark monochrome of an arts student wouldn’t have the same effect in a light and pretty space as it does in a space that yields to whatever walks through it. The Arts Block may be reviled for its unappealing aesthetic, but it’s that very aesthetic which makes for a space that bows to the will of the students, allowing them to express themselves with freedom and creativity, free of any inhibitions that may seize them outside of its walls.

any of us believe we will find like-minded kindred spirits when we enter college.

We are told we will find a newer, more diverse set of people to bond with over the course of four years with similar niche interests and all kinds of bizarre hairstyles. Some of us even aspire to be entirely engulfed in the micro-chasm of college, spending whole days within Trinity’s walls, prioritising society activities and coursemates over other spaces in our lives. This narrative, while sweet in some ways, is ultimately a source of both unhappiness and elitism, often resulting in the neglect of other relationships in favour of opulent prinks for miscellaneous society balls.

I don’t mean to sound cynical — but college isn’t special. The people you meet there aren’t special for being there, and neither are you. It sounds harsh, but in reality, the notion that college is the only genuine source of “true friends for life” is not only potentially delusional, but reminiscent of a disturbing exclusivity, embodied in the likes of fraternities or sororities. To say “you meet your true friends for life in college,” is to assume that you will not meet them elsewhere or that there is some inherent quality only obtained in college. Your emotional needs do not require a third level university qualification. Friendship doesn’t have a CAO code.

It’s not that you won’t be bonded forever with your course-mates, society hacks, or flatmates — you might be. Some of you might walk into college and find an incredible group of friends that proves to be loving, lifelong and fulfilling. You may find college to be particularly formative. To this I say: great, but don’t assume there aren’t other people out there, with different but universal experiences, with an equal capacity to care for you. You

have, most likely, met your closest friends by chance.

For a lot of us, college is awkward and hard. It can be highly pressurised. It can take months to settle into. It can be impossible to find connections. It can feel like a sea of random faces. And as the student body faces a socially distanced college year, these problems may multiply and these adjustment periods may lengthen.

We must adjust to sitting beside empty seats in tutorials, and listening to recorded lectures alone. The prevalent narrative that college is the source of true “friends for life” is not just untrue, but often disheartening.

I felt like I lost my second year of college to mental illness. This was made worse by the feeling that I had wasted precious days of friendship-forging and personhood-building, that I had forgone the oh-so-special “Trinity Experience.” But these narratives are untrue, and the reality is much more comforting: you can find friends anywhere, at any point. Relieving yourself of the pressure to make your college years the best of your life and opening yourself up to finding friends in other places may make your overall experience more pleasant and less taxing.

In light of this, the prospect of compartmentalising one’s life is wholly limiting. Ask yourself: “Why am I trying to keep my school friends and college friends separate? Why do I think they won’t get along? Are they really that incompatible? Why?” The confluence of differing groups of people can not only generate brilliant parties and shocking debates, but can make your own life more comfortable, and teach you things about your friends and yourself.

Sourcing all your friends from one location, many of whom have somewhat homogenous experiences, is a bizarre aspiration to have. In reality, all you are doing is limiting yourself. Diversifying your friend group beyond the scope of your college life means you might just find more ideas, different book recommendations, new movies, and challenging opinions. You might learn something, and at least you won’t eat every single lunch at Mamas Revenge.

ARTWORK BY CELINE DELAHOY FOR TRINITY NEWS

12

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Making: Mead Skip the Aldi alcohol and embrace mead, writes Jasper Tahany

T

here is a homemade concoction that can better the Aldi-bought, occasionally rancid, and always insipid booze we consider a treat on a Friday night.

We can do better and we can do so at an even cheaper cost compared to supermarket aficionados. No longer will the harrowing 10pm nationwide shutdown of all things jolly be something to fear and agonize. Instead, you can be surrounded by honey wine by the gallons, bottled and brewed, all just for you — and legally, it’s best kept that way.

Mead, also known as honey wine, is considered the oldest recorded alcoholic beverage – with residue found in pottery vessels in northern China dating to 7000BC. Its simplicity is striking, with only three main ingredients needed for its creation: honey, water and yeast. With it being this simple, it is no surprise it has popped up throughout history as Aristotle’s preferred drink, to Boudica’s brainchild and Medieval Ireland’s aperitif. Even on the Hill of Tara in County Meath, there is a banquet hall known as Tech Mid Chuarda, or “house of the circling mead”, a sign this article has been long overdue for us Irish.

The essentials are honey, water and yeast, but there are a couple of simple additions which help add some depth and flavour to your first batch of mead. The Carboys you find online are often a gallon in size, so I used measurements with the intention of producing a gallon batch of mead. This is a simple recipe without any hydrometer measurements for alcohol content, but the type of yeast you use can give you some indication, as yeast will die at a certain alcohol content. Due to the brevity and simplicity of this recipe, don’t hesitate to browse all things mead-related online.

Ingredients • 1.36 kg of honey • ½ pack yeast (Champagne or mead yeast) • Water • 25 g raisins • Peel of half an orange • Black tea bag • Apparatus • Carboy and Airlock Funnel • Measuring cup • Sanitizer (Star sand) • Thermometer • Syphon tube Method • Start with a large tub of hot

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

water and add sanitizer, to clean all equipment being used in brewing process Hydrate Yeast (roughly half a packet) Place some water in a cup, add yeast, and mix together Warm the honey bottle to improve usability of texture Cut up 25g of raisins, and along with the tea bag and place in saucepan Add peel of half an orange and water to saucepan Place on stove, bring to boil, then leave off the heat for 15 minutes This acts as the nutrients for the yeast and brings acidity and tannins to the mead Steep the nutrient tea and let cool down to somewhere below 27C Pour out and measure honey, then place in Carboy Pour some water into the Carboy to just over halfway, and shake and agitate Add in the nutrient tea, then add water until a decent amount of headroom is left Add yeast mixture to the Carboy and mix it through, then add Airlock Take carboy and place it somewhere dark around 20C (primary fermentation) Leave for 3-6 weeks before racking, either into another carboy but if not possible, bottles will do.

Bottle the mead. The longer you leave the tastier it will be (recommended 6 months)

Once you have completed this hugely gratifying process, you will finish with over 4.5 litres of golden traditional mead to show for it.

Mead can be drunk on its own, or as part of delicious cocktails.

Mead’s versatility allows it to be used in a number of ways, but in this case it serves as the base around which the mixture is built.

Ingredients • ½ ounce Gin (lavender flavoured if possible) • 1 ounce Mead • ¼ ounce Lemon Juice • 3 dashes Lavender bitters • Sparkling wine • Garnish: Lavender sprig Method • 1. Add all ingredients apart from the wine to the shaker • 2. Add ice and shake well for 5 seconds • 3. Strain into a flute glass without ice and top up with the sparkling wine • 4. Garnish with Lavender sprig With this drink in hand, a cosy tunic fitted, accompanied by equally antiquated stockings and a lute rendition of Greensleeves reverberating around the chamber, you have yourself a great cocktail and a timeless bottle of one of Ireland’s nostalgic best.

ARTWORK BY EVE SMITH FOR TRINITY NEWS

Night owls into the spotlight Seán Holland explores how flexible learning finally allows those who excel at night their time to shine

N

ight owls have long had to structure their routine in accordance with the early morning riser. The 9 to 5 world of hyperreal simulacra that is capitalism has been in place since the industrial revolution.

Now, with the effects of the pandemic, it has been replaced by the chaos of working and studying from home. Night owls are starting to comd into their own, now able to rise at a time that suits them and get their work done without the unwelcome disturbance of a 9am lecture, plus the prior commute looming large. Until now the night owl has been cast aside, instructed to go to bed early, drink milk and eat almonds so that they will easily drift off.

There is little social significance or sympathy given to those who suffer from involuntary conditions such as insomnia or delayed sleep phase syndrome. The peace of the late night and early morning as well as a stronger mental capacity as the day wears on is the norm for the 10 percent of people who identify as night owls.

This does not mean night owls will be totally undisturbed; those studying remotely from home may still be plagued by parents or family members waking the peaceful night owl. Those who are most productive in the evening may well find themselves just beginning to get into their work when siblings are returning from school or parents are coming home from work. Most people living at

home do not have the luxury of a library at home or a specific study room. Their study space could be the kitchen table or a desk in their room, which brings about its own set of issues when it comes to differentiating boundaries between study and leisure and of course, sleep. The quiet of the evening only truly begins when those around you are gone to bed.

Only then can the efficiency of your work begin as your natural energy soars at this time.

While the night owl is only commencing their work in the evening, their friend is likely finishing up, producing a clash in their allotted free time. This may be a pedantic point, but it is prudent to show how exact timetables or work schedules make it difficult to remain in close contact and in sync with friends.

Still, the flexibility of online learing can be an enormous boost to those who previously felt caught for time and were forced to prioritise studies over the maintaining of friendships.

Students can now rest assured, knowing that the majority of their lectures will be recorded and can therefore be viewed at a time more convenient to them. If a night owl wants to hang out with their

“

Lecturers may be encouraged to be more involved in making sure everyone is up to speed and engaged

friends or flatmates all afternoon and then watch their lectures and study for the evening, that is a much more feasible option due to online learning.

For students with part time jobs, flexible learning allows for them to work their timetable in accordance with their work hours, where previously they would have had to choose between quitting their job or allowing their studies to suffer. In terms of online teaching, lecturers may be encouraged to be more involved in making sure everyone is up to speed and engaged. It is easy for lecturers to simply stand at the top of the room and for want of a better word, lecture for an hour.

With the absence of physical students, lecturers who may have slipped into this pattern could find themselves attempting a more engaging and inclusive way of delivering lecturers. Examples of this could be clearer images that are no longer barely visible on whiteboards rows and rows ahead, but instead right in front of you that can be analysed in greater detail. Also, discussion boards where a more studentled, feedback-centric approach can be taken could be a welcome outcome.

Now students can be in the comfort of their own rooms and therefore more willing and likely to get involved. The lack of crowds could help those with agoraphobia, anxiety or autism. Deaf students or those who are hard of hearing may struggle to lip-read through a screen that is not always as clear or up to speed. And so, it is important to acknowledge that flexible learning is not a perfect solution for all purposes. However, for the night owl, it is at least a method of education that may allow them those extra lie-ins without the guilt, and the option to work long into the small hours of the night, free from the previous impediments to their natural working, socialising and sleeping rhythms.

13

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Revenge porn activist Megan Sims on protection within legislation

“

With revenge porn finally becoming illegal in Ireland, Eva O’Beirne asks how safe we will actually be

I rang the Rape Crisis Centre and was told there was a yearlong waiting list

I

n a world where most sexual encounters will be online for the foreseeable future, consent and revenge porn have become more topical than ever. With new HSE guidelines being vague at best and dangerous to sex workers at worst, Megan Sims has launched a petition on Change.org to make revenge porn a criminal offence in Ireland. Speaking to Trinity News over Zoom, Sims emphasises the overall goal of her petition, which was launched in July 2020: “Making sure that there is support for victims, that’s the end goal.

To change perceptions around the reality of revenge porn. We have such bad issues surrounding slut-shaming in this country. We need to have protection within legislation.”

When asked how large a problem revenge porn is in Ireland, Sims underlines the country’s rocky relationship with sexuality as a result of the Catholic Church’s control over Irish culture. “We have no proper consent education, many women in Ireland do not even realise that they have been abused or assaulted until many years later.” A lingering sense of Catholic guilt and a fear of being shamed by those they love the most can prevent victims from coming forward. Sims then details the lack of protection for revenge porn victims: “I deal with a lot of cases and the thing is, when women come to me, they feel hopeless.

They feel like they will never be able to have a normal life, find a partner or get a job. They feel as if their lives are over because the slut-shaming within Ireland is so bad. How do you convince someone that their life isn’t over when they aren’t protected by law?” Sims then comments on how women are merely seen as “property”, belonging to a family, and not to their own selves. Being sexual online can bring potential shame to their brothers and fathers. “It’s like something out of the Bible,” Sims adds.

The Minister of Justice, Helen McEntee, has promised to pass the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill by the end of the year. “It’s

“

It is completely irresponsible for the HSE to give a blanket statement and say ‘go have sex online’ without offering any education on it keeping the pressure on the government for the moment,” Sims comments. “It has to be looked into a bit further. though, in my opinion. I don’t know if there is ample protection for sex workers.

It currently cites ‘shared with a reasonable respect for privacy’; but a judge or a lawyer could use OnlyFans or any form of online work against the victim.” Currently in Ireland, the only way to prosecute someone for distributing revenge porn is if the victim is underage. The bill was originally put forward by the Labour Party in 2017. Under this new legislation, the offence of harassment will include all forms of communication, including through online or digital communications, or about another person. However,

under Sims’ petition, she claims it should go further — that those who are guilty should “be added to the sex offenders register and face a criminal conviction which could see those convicted jailed for up to seven years.” Sims cites the sex offenders register as the main deterrent to these crimes.

While discussing her faith in the in the government to provide support to sex workers, Sims reveals that she does not have much hope. “If we’re talking about sex work in general, this country follows the Swedish model. It criminalises sex work in a way; it decriminalises the workers but has made the practice illegal.

It has formed an underground trade with levels of abuse rising to astronomical levels. Women won’t report sex/human trafficking. Sex work is seen as the exploitation of women.” She then says she feels a similar sentiment towards the Gardaí, elaborating on her feelings on how they treat victims of sexual harassment and revenge porn: “The Gardaí have been awful towards women I have brought in to talk to them. I have seen so many cases and women mishandled. There’s a lack of empathy, care and even training on how to help victims.”

Throughout the interview, Sims continues to state her worries towards Ruhama, a Dublin-based NGO focused on helping women who have been sexually exploited, their ties to the Magdalene laundries and the opening of accommodation for women who have been abused while in Direct Provision. “You can’t get social welfare, you can’t afford to eat, you’re in Direct Provision. The

money has to come from somewhere and a lot of the time it is under the table, it’s illegal. We have to remove the systems that put women into these positions, not funding the charity that see sex work as whoring yourself out or giving money to the nuns who ran the Magdalene laundries.”

With over 15,000 signatures as well as media coverage from the Irish Examiner, RTE 2FM, Newstalk and TodayFM, Sims has turned her attention to the new HSE guidelines. “It is completely irresponsible for the HSE to throw out a blanket statement and say ‘go have sex online’ without offering any education on it. Who picks up the pieces from all of this when there are no laws to protect victims of revenge porn?” She emphasises the need to introduce proper digital safety and consent classes to the Relationships and Sexuality Education curriculum (RSE) for secondary schools.

“People simply don’t understand consent. I get messages from my followers asking about the consent limits surrounding Only Fans, saying that if a person puts pictures of themself online then why wouldn’t they be okay with the pictures being shared? People don’t get this education yet the HSE expects the public to be safe and responsible online.” She comments on the need for consent education in college: “It’s a massive talking point yet there is so much room for improvement.”

When discussing OnlyFans and online sex work, she praises the emergence of OnlyFans as a career. “It takes a lot for women to be sexual online. When you look at how much OnlyFans has

grown in Ireland, you start to realise that these are the women who are breaking down barriers.”

However, she warns those who may see sites like OnlyFans as “an easy fix”, citing her own experience in 2016. At 19 years old, Sims was a victim of revenge porn.

“My photos and videos were sent around the country, that’s what started all of this.” Her advice to those who wish to start an OnlyFans or begin sex working online focuses on invasions of privacy.

Nonetheless, she does have hope that attitudes towards online sex work will become more progressive once the bill is passed at the end of the year. She mentions how a lot of women shame sex work because of internalised misogny: “As a teenager I was incredibly misogynistic. I would call other women sluts and whores, I’ll be the first person to put my hand up and admit to that. There’s often a competition between women for male attention and that’s where it stemmed from.”

Sims’ plans regarding the future of the petition centre around social media awareness and for the petition to be shared around even further. Her second goal is to set up a non-profit organization and helpline for those suffering from harassment, stalking and bullying through social media. “It is just as traumatising online as it is in person.” She draws on her own experiences when talking about the support she wants to be available in the future: “I was so traumatised by my pictures being shared, to the point where I couldn’t look at them. With the comments made about me, I could only see my body through those descriptions. There was no support available to me. I rang the Rape Crisis Centre and was told there was a year-long waiting list.” Summing up her goal in one simple sentence, Sims says:“I want to provide the support that I wish I had and more.”

14

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Tips and tricks to reduce food waste ARTWORK BY JACK SMYTH FOR TRINITY NEWS

Making ecofriendly life changes doesn’t have to be overwhelming, writes Heather Bruton

M

any students have become increasingly aware of the detrimental impact we are having on the environment, which is evident from the surge in climate strikes and environmental activist groups in recent years. More and more of us are eager to make a difference and start changing our habits to reduce our impact on the environment; however, it can seem overwhelming to know where to start.

Living on a budget, and with less than ideal accommodation circumstances, many more eco-friendly life changes, such as composting, using packageless food shopping or going vegan, can almost seem out of reach for students. Making small changes in the way we use our food is one step which can have a huge impact.

An estimated one-third of all the food we produce in the world goes to waste. This is a statistic we hear a lot, but how does food waste specifically impact the environment? Wasting food also means wasting all of that energy, water and time it took to grow, transport and package the food.

Then, when this food reaches landfill it rots, producing greenhouse gases, which, as we know, results in global warming and climate change.

Food waste is not only an environmental problem, but a societal one as well. Considering that an estimated 800 million people in the world go hungry every day, we need to find a way to waste less of what we already produce, rather than try to produce more of it.

The one-third of our food that is wasted is enough food to feed 2 billion people, which is over twice the number of hungry people in the world. Of course, this isn’t an issue that any one person can solve on their own, but there are steps that we can take at the consumer level that will make a difference.

Here at Trinity News we have curated a few easy tips and tricks that can kickstart your journey towards producing less waste. Even if you consider yourself to be fairly eco-conscious, one can always benefit from more tips on how to waste less. It can be difficult at times to fight against climate change when so much of how we consume contributes negatively

to the environment. Yes, we need systemic change, but this can’t stop us from taking whatever actions we can as individuals to try to make a difference. These tips and tricks will not only minimise your food waste, but potentially save you money and time as well.

Shop smart Small changes in the way we shop are a great place to start reducing our food waste. It sounds simple, but planning out your meals and sticking to your shopping list when you go to the supermarket can save you time and money and, of course, impact the amount of waste you produce.

Just because something is on offer

“

There are so many parts of fruit and vegetables that we are in the habit of throwing away. Do you normally cut off the broccoli florets and throw away the stalk?

doesn’t mean you absolutely have to buy it – take the time before buying every item to think if you really need it for the week, and then only buy what you think you can realistically consume before the food goes bad.

Speaking of, know the difference between use-by and best before dates. Use-by dates are about food safety and should generally be stuck to; however, best before dates are about quality and this means using your judgment. You will be fine if you eat food that has gone past the best before date, it just might not look as nice or taste as good as it did before this date.

Perfectly good food is thrown out every day because of best before dates, so use your common sense and make the call yourself.

Additionally, try looking up what fruit and vegetables are in season and plan your meals around them. Fruit and vegetables will be at a higher quality when they are in season and they can often be cheaper too because they are more abundant.

Leftovers Save your leftovers (if there are any) after every meal, even if there’s only a tiny amount. You can always add these to another meal or have them as a small snack the next day. This works really well if you have simple recipes like curries, stir frys and stews, which make it easy to throw in whatever you have leftover in your fridge. These are also meals that are quick and easy to make and freeze well. Before you go to the supermarket, look in your fridge and cupboards and see if there are any ingredients left that you could make something out of. This is a really fun way to get creative in the kitchen and minimise your food waste.

Don’t throw away the good bits! There are so many parts of fruit and vegetables that we are

in the habit of throwing away. Do you normally cut off the broccoli florets and throw away the stalk?

If you chop up the broccoli stalk and cook it with your florets, it is actually a really good addition to any dish.

Peeling vegetables and throwing away the skin is another common practice when, in most cases, the skin is perfectly edible and actually very nutritious. Try leaving the skin on your potatoes or sweet potatoes as it crisps over nicely when baked. However, if you do want to peel your potatoes — maybe you want to mash them — then why not save the skins and use them to make crisps?

Simply wash, dry, add salt and oil, and cook your skins in the oven.

Leaves on vegetables and fruit are another thing which we tend to throw out. Keep your strawberry tops, throw them into a smoothie and you won’t even notice they’re there. Most leaves and leftovers can be chopped up small and thrown into a salad, or a blender to make pesto. You can store any vegetable scraps that you don’t eat in a container in the freezer and when you have collected enough scraps, you can use them to make a vegetable stock or broth. This is one less thing to buy in the shop if you like curries, but it is also an especially great tip if you are unable to compost at your accommodation.

Freeze When it comes to minimising your food waste, your freezer is your new best friend. Many foods will go off before we have time to eat them all, especially if you are shopping and cooking for one.

Take some time to evaluate what foods you waste the most and whether or not you really need or want them. If you have decided what foods you really want that have a tendency to go to waste, think about freezing half of it

right after you buy it and then taking it out later when you need it.

For example, freeze half of your loaf of bread if you know you won’t finish it before it goes stale.

If you didn’t freeze half your loaf and it is going stale, try turning it into bread crumbs or croutons for a salad. You could also use the bread crumbs for the top of a baked pasta dish, or even make French toast.

Leafy greens also have a tendency to never be fully used. You can combat this by putting half of your greens in the freezer right after you buy them and then take them out later when you need them. To extend the life of the other half in the fridge, rinse and store them in a container with a paper towel to soak up the water.

Finally, so many people hate to eat browned bananas, but they are actually perfect for banana bread, muffins or smoothies. If you don’t have time to make any of these recipes that day, why not throw your bananas in the freezer? Then on a day when you have more time, you can make a delicious smoothie or an easy banana bread.

Regrow Storing food correctly is one of the simplest ways to preserve the life of your vegetables. Make sure you know where your food should be stored, whether that be in the fridge or in a cool dry place. Often, transferring your vegetables from their plastic packaging to a cup of water can keep them fresh for longer.

Taking this one step further, if you have time and would like a few plants to take care of, try regrowing your vegetables instead of throwing them away. This works well for old herbs, spring onions, lettuce, celery and leeks, to name just a few. As students, most of us do not have an outdoor garden let alone a vegetable patch, but you can make your own mini one.

Regrow the tips and tops of your vegetables in jars of water first and then transplant them into soil when the roots have grown strong. Using an old milk carton, cut out the top and add soil and fertiliser. Then replant your carrot tops, lettuce or celery which you have been regrowing in water into this mini vegetable garden. Maybe you could regrow your basil and thyme and have your very own herb garden for your future cooking. Alternatively, you could just buy a pot, but this is a handy way to reuse your milk cartons and regrow your vegetables on a budget.

Place the carton or pot on your windowsill so it gets sunlight.

There are so many more ways you can reduce, reuse and recycle your food waste; this article only covers a few starting points. Get creative. It doesn’t have to be difficult or overwhelming. Every tiny change can have an impact on the environment.

15

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Tionchar an phandéim ar mhic léinn Léiríonn Hazel Ní Bhroin conas a chuireann na srianta isteach ar mhic léinn i mbealaí éagsúla

F

araor, tá formhór na ndaoine timpeall an domhain fágtha le go leor deacrachtaí éagsúla mar thoradh ar an bpaindéim seo. Beag beann ar do bhliain, agus tú sa chéad bhliain nó sa cheathrú bliain, tá go leor fadhbanna cruthaithe do mhic léinn maidir leis an víreas.

Goilleann sé orm smaoineamh faoi mhic léinn nua agus iad ar bís chun tosú an Choláiste cúpla mí ó shin. Anois, tá gach rud athraithe.

Tá formhór na múinteoireachta déanta ar líne, níl aon siamsaíocht oíche ann faoi láthair, tá na clubanna agus cumainn ar fad ar líne agus ní bheidh ach ócáidí fíorúil i gceist i gcomhair Seachtain na bhFreisear. Mothaím an-trua do na scoláirí bochta seo. Cinnte, tá comhbhá agam leis na mic

léinn eile sa Choláiste freisin ach, ar a laghad, bhí an deis ann saol na mac léinn ceart a bheith acu.

Ag leanúint na treorach ón rialtas agus comhairle sláinte poiblí, tá na léachtaí ar fad ar líne ar feadh tamaill. Chruthaigh sé seo go leor éiginnteachta i measc na mac léinn ar fad, go háirithe do mhic léinn a bhí ag

“

An raibh gá leis muna mbeidh muid ar an gcampas ar chor ar bith? Cuirtear go leor struis ar mhic léinn agus a gcuid tuismitheorí

smaoineamh faoi chóiríocht a fháil ar cíos i mBaile Átha Cliath.

Go hiondúil bíonn éarlais de dhíth leis an áirithint don lóistín a dheimhniú chomh maith. An raibh gá leis muna mbeidh muid ar an gcampas ar chor ar bith?

Cuirtear go leor struis ar mhic léinn agus a gcuid tuismitheoirí.

Bhí mé féin i gcruachás maidir leis an chinnidh seo ach, táim thar a bheith sásta anois agus mé tar éis lóistín a fháil. Bhí mé idir dhá chomhairle ar feadh tamaill fada. Níl a fhios againn cén uair ina mbeidh muid in ann freastal ar na léachtaí go fisiciúil agus, mar sin, níl a fhios againn an mbeidh an lóistín de dhíth don bhliain seo.

Anois, smaoiním air mar bhealach chun cairde nua a dhéanamh agus gnáthamh laethúil a chruthú le mo spás cónaithe féin. Ta sé deacair go leor bogadh amach as an teach don chéad uair, gan an neamhchinnteacht atá thart gach rogha a dhéanamid na laethanta seo.

D’fhéadfadh, dar liomsa, go bhfuil mic léinn ag streachailt faoi láthair mar gheall ar na srianta seo. Ná déan dearmaid go bhfuil go leor seirbhísí ar fáil sa Choláiste má tá tú ag mothú imníoch. Má tá fadhb ar bith agat, is féidir cabhair a fháil anseo. Is minic a bhíonn mic léinn ag mothú uaigneach, go

háirithe nuair nach bhfuil go leor eachtraí ar siúl na laethanta seo.

Má tá tú ag mothú uaigneach nó ba mhaith leat páirt a ghlachadh in imeachtaí fíorúila chun cairde nua a dhéanamh is féidir an féilire a fháil anseo. Tá tionchar láidir ag an gcoróinvíreas ar shaol sóisialta na hÉireann. Ní féidir bualadh le daoine nua chomh héasca mar a bhí sé agus tá go leor eachtraí éagsúla curtha ar ceal nó curtha siar don bhliain seo chugainn. Cruthaíonn sé seo go leor fadhbanna do scoláirí mar is páirt ollmhór é an saol sóisialta agus an siamsaíocht oíche d’eispéireas an mac léinn.

Freisin, beidh deacrachtaí acu cairde nua a dhéanamh gan a bheith ar champas an Choláiste.

Nílim i gcoinne na srianta ar chor bith agus tá a fhios agam go bhfuil siad de dhíth sa tír agus ar mhaithe linn féin atá siad. Ach, fós féin, tá an-trua agam do mhic léinn nua agus iad ag casadh lena chomhscoláirí don chéad uair trí scáileáin ríomhaire.

An comhairle atá agam daoibh ná lántairbhe a bhaint as an mbliain seo. Cé go bhfuilimid i measc téarma ollscoile gan fasach faoi láthair, caithfimid iarracht a dhéanamh sult a bhaint as a oiread agus is féidir linn. Ba chóir dúinn a bheith mar bhaill de na clubanna agus cumainn éagsúla agus páirt a

ghlacadh sna hócáidí fíorúil atá curtha ar siúl. Is féidir na heachtraí ar fad atá ar siúl ar líne a fháil anseo.

Cinnte, coinnigh i dteaghmháil le do chairde ach, cé go bhfuil sé difriúl ar líne, déan sár-iarracht cairde nua a dhéanamh chomh maith. Ná déan dearmad go bhfuil na scoláirí nua ar fad sa chás céanna. Ní féidir linn an todhchaí a thuar, ach, tá súil agam go bhfuil dea-bhliain taitneamhach acadúil romhainn ar fad.

Gluais (Glossary) • Goilleann sé orm - It pains me • Comhbhá- Empathy • Comhairle sláinte poiblíPublic health advice • Éarlais- Deposit • I gcruachás- In a dilemma • Idir dhá chomhairle- To be in two minds about • Gnáthamh laethúil- Daily routine • NeamhchinnteachtUncertainty • Curtha siar- postponed • Eispéireas na mac léinn- The student experience • Comhscoláirí- Classmates • Lántairbhe a bhaint- Make the most of it • Gan fasach- Unprecedented • Ócáidí fíorúil- Virtual events • An todhchaí a thuar- Foresee the future

Remote mental health services Hector Wright explores the changing ways of seeking support during a pandemic

T

he last seven months have been incredibly challenging, unusual and tragic.

While adapting to the new lockdown restrictions, we have all been able to reflect and question the values that we dearly hold. As the lockdown gradually became a part of reality, an important spotlight was shone further on the issue of mental health as people were left to their own vices within a confined space. In August, 45,000 people signed a petition which was handed to the Minister for Health demanding an improvement for mental health services around the country. The concern for mental health has become paramount for everyone, but particularly those living alone, those whose careers were put in a precarious position and young people who have had their social lives put on hold.

As students prepare for a return to college, what the future holds for many is one of uncertainty. For students on the cusp of entering a world that holds no guarantees or promises, the academic year will be a challenging one. Following a lockdown, there are doubts as to whether the country’s overstretched services will be able to handle this. According to The Union of Students in Ireland, who surveyed 374,000 students from around the country, 38% of students suffer from anxiety and 30% experience depression. The system for college counselling has been described as “underresourced for what it does” according to the chair of the Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education Ireland.

Trinity News spoke to Patricia Murphy, head of the counselling service at the college. She says there has been a smooth transition to online and telephone counselling. Trish went on to say that said students have adjusted extremely quickly to the new form of counselling, saying there has been an understanding of the ongoing situation. She also said that the change for students has been helped by the introduction of online programmes which have been made available to any student

no matter where they are in the world. The change up has also been helped by the availability of sports centres, halls of residences and health centres, which are now being used for counselling in an attempt to cope with the expected increase of referrals. As an overall experience for the counsellors it has not been an easy adjustment, however there seems to have been a warm reaction to the change, with both students and counselors so far adjusting to the change smoothly. The aim for them to create an experience that doesn’t feel alien to the student. Virtual counseling has been a success so far and the hope is that this can continue successfully.

The government has granted a €5 million mental health services package towards higher education institutions in what can be seen as a needed revamp of mental health services in Colleges around the country. €214,000 will be given to Trinity in an attempt to fund additional counsellors and additional counselling services for what is expected to be a spike in cases. Since 1993, counselling services in Trinity have been available to struggling students, but with social distancing now the new norm, counselling over the phone will become a more

“

€214,000 will be given to Trinity in an attempt to fund additional counsellors and additional counselling services for what is expected to be a spike in cases

common form of assistance. This addition may be helpful to students who suffer from social anxiety.

Video calls will also be an option to students meaning there are a variety of options for those who wish to talk to someone but do not feel confident when addressing a problem in a physical face to face meeting. The tele and video form of counselling has been the norm since March of this year.

Social media became a vital part of life for many during the lockdown, and whilst remaining a polarising aspect of modernday life, the positive aspects of these platforms were showcased.

Without the likes of these apps that offered facetime services, many would have struggled to fill the vacant social aspects of their lives. Going forward, time will tell if the use of virtual face to face conversations prove effective when it comes to online counselling.

With the new academic year on the horizon, the college faces a huge challenge in terms of coping with and helping struggling students.

The student counselling services look set to be tested to their limit, however, with additional funding becoming available and growing awareness about the issue around the country, there is hope that for every student who is struggling, their voice will be heard.

16

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Puzzle page Crossword solution, September 29 Across 5. Nimble 7. Myopic 8. Avarice 10. Macondo 13. Windmill 15. Acre 16. Hilt 17. Wanton

Down 1. Bearface 2. Panacea 3. Selma 4. Lyme 5. Dionysia 9. Baalbek 11. Driblet 14. Shia

Across

1. “Mrs Thaine” lives in this Dublin suburb 3. Distress or damage, emotional perhaps 4. Wide, flat sheets of pasta 5. “This Charming Man” singer 7. Astrological sign, December 22 to January 19 9. “Help hit” this GMB debating society 20. Fake news word, coffee perhaps?

13. Textile made from flax 15. Most unattractive 17. Filled square pasta 19. Lesser known Manifesto author 20. Hit musical and sciences building 22. Joyce novel set on June 16 23. Commend, appreciate 24. “Cockney Mams” love this Covid-19 expert

Down

2. Repeated use of a single shape, without gaps or overlapping 3. You must have won the “ceiling lottery” to study here 5. Creator of David and the Creation of Adam 6. Lord Mayor of Dublin 8. “Emma” adaptation set in LA 11. Noel, Bake-off Presenter 12. 6th planet 14. Traditional almond paste 16. He travels to Lilliput 18. Shiny, lustrous 21. Blue, crested or great

WORDSEARCH BY DARAGH CREAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Alienation Allegory Corduroy Edict Entourage Epoch Imperious Mopped Nifty Quiche Satire Shackle Souk Whish

CROSSWORD BY JULES O’TOOLE FOR TRINITY NEWS

Trinity shouts and murmurs I bought a full tracksuit and I am very excited about my modules this year, fully ready to become a little cosy nerd hermit in here -@banrionbaby if your legs arn’t swinging you’re not really sitting -@eefaw_cr0nin

First week of zoom college over and I’m already so tired - @liahbraed “you gotta do one thing a day that scares you” I tell myself while opening my TCD gmail inbox -@melandaughter

ARTWORK BY NATALIE DUDA FOR TRINITY NEWS

ARTWORK BY SARAH LARRAGY FOR TRINITY NEWS

lol in my lecture this mature student had her mic on and there was ice cream van music in the background and the lecturer was like ??? then this person in my course goes “sis your mic” and I laughed so much haha cant wait for more of this -@hiba1234321

17

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Comment

The reform of TSM is a positive switch for students Laura Galvin

page 19

Katherine Henshaw Contributing Writer

College must prioritise fixing the annual timetable shambles

T

he annual timetable shambles is a wellknown phenomenon among Trinity students and one that only seems to be getting worse as the years pass. Year after year students’ hopes of receiving their full timetables in a timely manner are dashed. These hopes are often replaced with panicked emails to Academic Registry (AR) and their respective schools in an effort to organise what should have been organised for them.

These administrational flaws are always disappointing. However, in the current times, with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, it is even more concerning. In a year where third level students have been consistently left in the dark,

college timetables should have offered some clarity and provided some structure to students. Instead they have only created more panic.

The technical issues with the launch of the Senior Fresh Online Module Enrolment was handled in a particularly disappointing way.

This was made worse by the almost complete radio silence from both AR and many of the Arts, Humanities and Social Science departments, in response to student’s complaints and concerns over their timetables.

However, the Senior Fresh students are not the only ones who appear to have been affected by disorganisation with their timetables. Many other students have expressed concerns over timetabling, with issues such as

ARTWORK BY MÁRTA MENTA CZINKÓCZKY FOR TRINITY NEWS

multiple compulsory modules being scheduled for the same time. To make matters worse, when these students have made contact with AR they are often late to reply, if they reply at all. With all this panic and uncertainty, it is abundantly clear that Trinity must prioritise fixing this annual problem imminently.

Throughout the Coronavirus crisis, third level students have spent months in a limbo of uncertainty as to how much face to face teaching they will have, if any. This year, more than ever before, students were dependent on knowing exactly what their academic year would look like and having this knowledge in a reasonable amount of time before term began. On this

Our libraries need urgent attention to cope with exam season Grace Gageby

page 20

“

“In a year where third level students have been left in the dark, timetables should have offered some clarity front the college has failed them spectacularly.

Numerous technical difficulties forced the launch of the Senior Fresh Module Enrolment back from September 21 to 25, a mere seventy-two hours before lectures were due to begin. On the 25th, after many delays, there was further chaos created by a “human error” that meant the launch was pushed from 11am to 11:30am. This resulted in a flood of panicked texts into group chats with students trying to ascertain whether it was a personal issue for them or a site-wide problem with the launch. As they were told modules were to be assigned on a first-come-first serve basis, most were frantically waiting to ensure they got the modules they wanted. The first-come-first-serve approach completely disregarded students with poor internet connections or unreliable laptops.

Furthermore, at the end of September, the Junior Fresh online module enrollment fell into chaos when the launch time was pushed back from 11am to 2pm. It’s undoubtedly clear that the technical issues with timetables and enrolment from the previous week were not resolved over the weekend. This added stress undoubtedly creates a very negative first impression for incoming freshers who have just been through the many stresses of Leaving Cert Results and CAO Offers.

There are several reasons that this delay in timetables and persistent scheduling issues have concerned students. One of the most prominent relating to accommodation. With the uncertainty surrounding exactly how much face-to-face teaching students will receive this year, many international students and students from outside Dublin

have had to make expensive accommodation decisions oblivious as to how the situation will progress. For the Irish students outside of Dublin, who do not need to quarantine upon arrival, many are still wondering when and if they should move back up to Dublin and where they will live if they are forced to do so.

An organised release of timetables could have alleviated some stress for these students and allowed them to make an informed choice about their accommodation needs for the year. However, the way this whole situation has played out has only bred more uncertainty for them. It is absolutely imperative that college prioritises preventing this panic from happening again for the sake of these students.

Yet another source of concern for students is the security of part-time employment and their timetables. As the country is about to enter the second recession this generation of students have lived through, it is more important in the current climate than ever before for many students to have a form of part-time income. With the confusion surrounding timetables, students have been unable to tell their employers if and when they can work and therefore many of their jobs have been placed at risk.

After working over the summer many students are currently asking their employers for less hours, however, many employers will require multiple weeks notice for change of hours. Timetabling has been left so late that it will be difficult to give their employers any notice at all. Many student’s timetables have still not been finalised and have not had their scheduling issues fixed. Students effected include hundreds in BESS, PPES and French courses. Many of these students rely heavily on their part time employment in order to pay their college fees. Therefore, it is incredibly irresponsible for college to put students’ jobs at risk as a result of timetable chaos.

This is yet another reason that the college must act to solve these issues and ensure that this kind of chaos does not happen again.

So, the question is, where do we go from here? Many of the students affected by this mess-up have been vocal in their complaints, with some even expressing their disdain to this newspaper. In emails to students, AR has apologised for the delays and for the human error that occurred on the 25th, but frankly this is not enough.

What the student population really needs now is a commitment from AR and from College that they will take every step necessary to prevent this kind of timetable chaos from ever happening again.

18

Tuesday13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Comment

Darragh Crean Puzzle Editor

Colleges need to be held answerable for students’ widespread distress

A

s spring fumbled its way into summer, Zoom calls and Normal People binges gave birth to a time of melancholic dreaming in anticipation of September, when we would all flood into Dublin.

We would be reunited with those friends from whom we had been so abruptly torn 6 months previously. Because College was going to open. Of course it was, and fully. 60% face-to-face - that’s what we were promised. New student spaces, masks, enough hand sanitiser for every student and their dog. Occasionally, a passing reference to an Online Learning Module to break people, if only momentarily, from their belief that things were normal.

But we were going back to college.

And that meant we needed somewhere to live.

The mass migration of predominantly asymptomatic carriers of a highly infectious disease to densely populated areas did not seem to worry the Irish government, despite it probably being the first thing you are told to avoid in “How to Deal with a Pandemic 101”.

But the eerie silence which had

pervaded the Irish government’s attitude towards universities in March returned. In fact, for the entirety of the summer, RTÉ news published a single article online, on July 9 pertaining to the situation of Irish universities. The article, somewhat apocalyptically entitled Concern Some Colleges “Overpromising” on Campus Time, quoted the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) as being “very surprised” at UCD’s assertion that they could provide students with 40-60% face-to-face time. The article later points to fears that colleges and universities may continue to over promise, not for the sake of student learning time, but for “commercial reasons.”

Gasp. Surely colleges would not choose profit over the health and safety of their students? Surely the government would not allow financial incentives to supersede public health guidelines? It seemed unfathomable. But the silence continued.

The government silence throughout the summer was understandable in a sense. They had a lot on their plates between drink driving allegations, golfing dinners, the Leaving Certificate,

PHOTO BY SABA MALIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

and the debacle about the pubs.

They’re not totally absolved of all failing, but their failure to act efficiently is understandable.

However, the behaviour of colleges themselves was reprehensible. As summer came to an end, Trinity inboxes were graced with the presence of the latest Covid-19 weekly update:

“

When timetables finally arrived, it became apparent that we had been duped

“The University Council has mandated that as much face-toface teaching as possible should be scheduled for all students.”

Mandated? By the University Council? As much face-to-face teaching as possible? Hallelujah!

What do you mean case numbers are rising and the National Public Health Emergency Team is increasingly concerned about the situation in Dublin? The University Council mandated it. We’re going back. Now all we had to do was sit and wait until September 14, when our supreme leaders in the University Council would provide us with our timetables. Another round of students packed bags, paid deposits and prepared to head for the capital.

Rumours began to emanate from DCU and NUI Galway that the promised face-to-face time had not materialised in their hastily published timetables, and that some students had been left with zero face-to-face hours per week, others with a few token hours every second week. Here we were being promised what can only have been assumed to be considerable face-to-face time, and our sister universities were falling so far short. Was this a warning sign of things to come?

Or did that occur in June, when Cambridge announced they would be going fully online for the 2020/21 academic year? Even in late summer, when reports began to emerge from the US of aborted attempts at in-person reopening and outbreaks at colleges throughout the country: silence.

When timetables finally arrived in mid-September, after hours of complex translation and interpretation of new terms such as “face-to-face hybrid event” and “onlive lecture”, it became apparent that we had been duped.

Far from a substantial part of most student’s college hours being conducted in person, most students, particularly those in the Arts & Humanities field, were facing a situation where their presence in Dublin was only required for a handful of hours per week. Quelle surprise.

The most tragic aspect of the college’s response this summer has been the missed opportunities.

The opportunity to instruct and advise professors in how to provide interesting, engaging and interactive online classes. The opportunity to demonstrate that the college was truly willing to act in the best interest of students, professors and the cities which host them.

In his fundamental treatise on risk assessment, Kenny Rogers taught us all that: “You gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run.” Irish colleges got dealt a two of clubs and a four of diamonds, left the table and spent the whole night telling everyone at the bar they would buy the next round with their winnings. There is something admirable in fighting in the face

“

This year has highlighted the dark underbelly of the Irish third level system

of adversity, and to have your back against the wall but not give up. But there is something much more honourable in admitting defeat and striving to make the most of a dire situation. If colleges truly believed in their mission statement of ensuring the health, safety and learning potential of students, they would have admitted defeat early on, put in place a well-structured online learning system and averted the inevitable scenario of tens of thousands of students being landed with outrageous housing bills for residences which for all intents and purposes are useless.

The government has a chance to step up to the plate, to fulfil the role it abdicated at the outset of the pandemic. They could make assurances for student renters that if they are forced to move home due to lockdowns, they do not lose thousands in rent. They could work to ensure those students who may struggle with online learning due to technological or familial issues are given the best possible opportunities to pursue their studies. They could reassess the student contribution, the highest in Western Europe, and its prohibitive nature for those from low-income families who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

This year has highlighted the dark underbelly of the Irish third level system, its increasing development into a cash-cow which continuously demotes the student experience to a subservient role. Behind its true raison d’etre: profit. To place the blame for the colleges failing on the government avoids the depressing realities of the situation. How could we expect an Irish government who have shown nothing but disdain for students through increases in the cost of college, reductions in funding for public education and almost zero protection for student renters, to do anything but side with the universities in their break-neck drive to reopen?

Yes, the government failed to look after third level students, but ultimately it was the colleges themselves who let us down.

19

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Comment ARTWORK BY EVE SMITH FOR TRINITY NEWS

The reform of TSM is a positive switch for students

Laura Galvin Deputy Comment Editor

Sam Limby

Contributing Writer

Coming to Dublin can be a culture shock

A

s the world nestled down in the wake of the coronavirus last spring, one TV show took Ireland and seemingly the world by storm.

BBC Three’s adaption of Sally Rooney’s Normal People offered a feel-good experience in a decidedly bad situation. Set on the streets of South Dublin and in Trinity’s very own campus, the series captured the romantic intrigue of its two protagonists. Yet as engaging as the story is, Normal People reveals more. The show is unmistakably set in Dublin, but its characters are natives of County Sligo.

Whereas Marianne initially shines coming to Dublin, Connell does not. The audience bears witness to the feelings of isolation and loneliness that he experiences. This aspect of the show is so ubiquitous, precisely because it is a situation shared by so many students coming to study in Dublin.

Coming to Dublin is a daunting experience. It is a city like no other on the island of Ireland, for better or worse. It is by far the largest, with statistics showing that County Dublin encompasses 28% of the entire Republic’s population, and it shows. Whether it’s the bustling nightclub scene or its melting pot of diverse eateries, Dublin City offers something not found elsewhere in Ireland. Dublin has a distinct identity. Both an Irish and an international city, this duality can be found in the mold of Dublin City itself and its student environment.

Yet moving to Dublin is a cul-

ture shock; there is just no way around it. Starting a new life in an unfamiliar city is jarring for anyone. Accounting for inflated rental prices, a complex network of public transport, and the extortionate cost of living in the capital, moving to the capital is by no means an easy feat. This all awaits students from the country before they even step foot onto the campus grounds, which comes with its own “culture shock” as such. Students who haven’t lived in Dublin before are met with a college environment where it seems the entire student body greets one another with a level of familiarity akin to lifelong friends.

It is precisely this familiarity that presents the most significant shock. It is no secret that Dublin has a history of private schooling and it becomes almost a clique when you get to college age. Sometimes it can feel like the student bodies of Dublin colleges consist of girls from Mount Anville and guys from Blackrock. In fact, pupils from private schools made up 25-30% of Trinity’s class of 2019.

With statistics like these, it’s not hard to see why The Irish Times claims there’s a “class gap” in Dublin’s top colleges.

For those coming from outside Dublin, the college will, at times, feel like a one-person show. For evidence of this, you need only turn to the rugby pitch. Dominated by cohorts of private school alumni, collegiate rugby can feel like a South Dublin game. For any prospective student, freshers week offers the perfect opportunity to get

involved. “Open to all” is often the mantra put forward by these clubs.

Yet for many sports clubs in Trinity, it’s often the blank space on the registration form prompting you to immortalise your alma mater that speaks a thousand words.

Going beyond college life, difficulties facing would-be students hardly abate. You need only look at rents.ie to see just how expensive accommodation in Dublin 2 can be. Ranging from €500 if you’re lucky, to upwards of €1,000, living around the city centre is eye-watering. The solution for many is to move further away, where the rent is cheaper, but like all things, that once again comes at a price. Public transport isn’t free, any Dubliner can certainly tell you that, so if you are moving to Dublin, you are left with a dilemma, move further out and expend time and money on Dublin Bus, or live closer and pay more. Either way, your wallet will feel lighter living in the capital.

All of this may sound disheartening, but for as many reasons why Dublin can be daunting, there are just as many reasons why Dublin is exciting. Whether it’s a quick pint or a big night out, everything is at the doorstep of campus. Truth be told, for all the elitism present in clubs dotted around campus, the majority of clubs you find at Freshers week stay true to their policy of welcoming everyone.

For all the exclusivity found in Dublin colleges, there is a profoundly welcoming atmosphere and a sense of community that lies in the heart of a major European city.

S

tudying anything at college level comes with its own unique benefits and drawbacks, with all subjects requiring a high level of drive and commitment, and a rigorous reading schedule. However, liberal arts students tend to suffer the most with the undervaluing of their degree – there can be a lot of condescension towards arts and humanities students, underpinning the neoliberal notion that a stable career in STEM is the definition of a successful life.

Choosing an arts degree at this time can feel futile, and this shows in the Central Application Office’s (CAO) 2020 statistics, with noticeable drops in total mentions of preferences for arts, humanities, languages, and journalism and information (down 5%, 1%, 11% and 14% respectively from 2019).

We are lucky in Trinity to have among the best arts offerings in Ireland, with many of the arts and humanities departments being in the global top 50. However, the previous TSM curriculum meant that a student would have to select their two subjects and study them in equal amounts for the first three years of their degree, with the option to drop one of the subjects in final year. Although this provides a very specialised four years of education, there is little wiggle room for a student to truly explore other subjects and find what they are passionate about. The decision to just study one or two subjects at the age of 18 is one that limits young people and deprives them of a broader education.

Other colleges in Ireland, like University College Dublin, Maynooth University, and NUI Galway, all have very broad and flexible arts programmes, allowing students to take at least two or three subjects in first year, with the ability to select elective subjects from other disciplines that may interest them. Trinity’s new Trinity Joint Honour (TJH) courses are gearing up towards following in a similar direction. Whilst students must still declare their two subjects at the beginning of their education, it is now possible to approach your degree in many different ways. Students now have the ability to choose their major and minor as early as second year, and the ability to change it again, or even drop one subject completely in any year of study.

This new reform comes hand

in hand with the Trinity Electives, modules that most students are allowed to take as part of their degree. The possibility of broadening your horizons with these electives is a feature that could draw many new students to Trinity who may have found that the older TSM course was too limiting.

Coming as part and parcel of Trinity’s high placement on the Times Higher Education University Rankings, as well as the prestigious name associated with the college, the demand for certain courses tends to be higher than most other arts courses in Ireland. As a result, the points tend to be disproportionately high in Trinity for arts degrees compared with anywhere else. With the TJH reform, TJH students are admitted to the CAO on the basis of their combination of subjects, as opposed to the previous system where the student needed to earn at minimum, the Leaving Certificate points of their highest-point subject choice.

The new reform also offers single honour students the ability to choose a new minor subject in their second year, which is a great opportunity for students who may not have received the points for a more in-demand and thus higher point course to have access to a degree that they would otherwise be unable to pursue. This could level the playing field for higher demand courses, easing the points push for Trinity arts degrees and dispelling some of Trinity’s notorious elitism within the arts.

The new pathway options can open the doors for current students to explore many more avenues of their degrees, weighting their studies on their preferred subject, and taking electives in something completely different.

But for new students, the effects that the TJH will have on the CAO could be a small push in the right direction in the negating of the disproportionate statistics in relation to admissions to Trinity, and certainly a welcome one.

20

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Comment

Jason Ó Leanacháin Scríbhneoir

An bhfuil galar an airgid tolgtha ag an gcóras tríú leibhéal faoi láthair?

N

í rachadh sé dian orainn uilig a rá go bhfuil bliain acadúil nach bhfacthas a comhionann riamh i ndán do mhic léinn amach anseo.

Bíodh sin mar atá, is cinnte go bhfuil rud amháin nach dtiocfaidh aon athrú air i mbliana — na táillí.

Gan amhras, bhí an-díomá ar mhic léinn nuair a d’fhógair lucht an Choláiste nach laghdófaí na táillí clárúcháin i mbliana. Cé gur mhaígh an tAire Oideachais Norma Foley go raibh sé de cheart ag institiúidí tríú leibhéal gan na táillí a mhaolú, bhí mic léinn ag súil le cur chuige níos tuisceanaí ón gColáiste. Ceann de na cúiseanna le míshástacht na mac léinn ná an

riar mhaith léachtaí Zoom. Is léir anois gur ar líne a bheas an chuid is mó de na ranganna de dheasca an Choróinvíris. Ar ndóigh, goilleann sé seo go mór ar roinnt daoine toisc go gceapann siad gur fearr an caighdeán ar champas ná ar líne; go háirithe cúrsaí ina mbíonn gné fhisiciúil de dhíth, mar shampla an Leigheas. Lena chois sin, tá eagla ar mhic léinn go dtiocfaidh na hathruithe teagaisc salach ar fhiúntas a gcéime is a ndeiseanna fostaíochta sa todhchaí.

Mar sin, ní haon ionadh go mbeadh drogall de shaghas éigin ar mhic léinn roimh na táillí móra seo. B’fhéidir nach miste dom a mheabhrú ach oiread gur ardaigh na táillí ó €850 in 2008 go €3000

sa lá atá inniu ann. Is cuma cén tslí a dtugtar faoi, tagann an cheist chéanna aníos arís is arís eile — céard is fiú na táillí tríú leibhéal is airde san Eoraip a íoc mura bhfuil an t-eispéaras céanna pearsanta le fáil? Gan cuimhneamh ar na costais bhreise nach mbítear ag súil leo — na scrúduithe bliantúla a bhfuil €382 orthu dóibh siúd nach bhfuil cláraithe mar shampla.

D’admhaigh an tAire Simon Harris go hoscailte go raibh na táillí sa tír seo ró-ard. Cibé ar bith, tréimhse eisceachtúil is ea í seo agus fágann sin go bhfuil beartais mhisniúla ag teastáil go géar. Rinne Sinn Féin suirbhé le déanaí lena fháil amach cén chaoi a raibh ag éirí le mic léinn cúrsaí airgid a smachtú ó thosaigh

Grace Gageby

Deputy Comment Editor

Our libraries need urgent attention to cope with exam season

A

ny Trinity student who frequents the library, particularly during exam season, knows the all too familiar struggle of trying to find a seat: pacing the BLU, passing rows upon rows of occupied seats, or desks reserved with a pile of untouched books and a jacket. In October of last year, the practice of “desk hogging” became such an issue that College hired teams of postgraduate students to manage the situation. The monitors surveyed the libraries, leaving notes on desks reserved with personal belongings with a time frame given for the students

to return, or risk having their desk cleared.

However, insufficient library seating is far from a new problem.

In March, 1961, Trinity News’ front page lamented the issue of ‘rationed reading,’ claiming that when the Reading Room opened at ten each morning, a queue of a hundred students was already there. The paper advised students that the only way to ensure you could get both a book and a desk to study at, was to pair up, and for one student to reserve two seats, and the other to join the ‘I-wanta-book-queue.’

But of course, one needn’t look as far back as 1961 to see

the evident lack of space in both the BLU, and in the Hamilton.

The issue of seating and study spaces shortages came to a head in Hilary exam season of last year.

With library hours reduced over the Easter weekend, a crowd of over a hundred students were left waiting outside at 9am in the hopes of securing a seat. The fact that the Book of Kells remained open to tourists at this time, while students scrambled to procure books and a quiet place to study, further emphasised the misplaced priorities of College.

While finding a seat in the library is a challenge at the best of times, Covid-19, and subsequent

an dianghlasáil. Thug an suirbhé le fios go ndeachaigh an víreas i bhfeidhm ar ioncam 70% daoine ar mic léinn iad. Chaill cuid mhaith acu a bpostanna samhraidh mar gheall ar an víreas agus is beag aird atá á tabhairt ar a gcás faoi láthair.

Díol trua is ea an easpa tuisceana a léirítear ina dtaobh. Ar go leor béalaí, is faoi na mic léinn amháin atá ualach ghéarchéim na gcoláistí a iompar.

Feictear don saol mór go bhfuil an córas tríú leibhéal deighilte amach ó réaltacht na mac léinn ó thaobh airgid de. Ach ní hionann sin is a rá nach bhfuil a chuid fadhbanna féin ag an gColáiste. Táthar ag tuar go gcaillfear suas le €250m in earnáil an oideachais de bharr na paindéime. Tá sé ráite ag Jurgen Barkhoff, an Leas-Phrophast, go raibh costas ollmhór ag baint le leasú na seirbhísí teicneolaíochta atá de dhíth chun foghlaim ar líne a chur ar fáil go cuí. Laghdú sách suntasach ar líon na mac léinn idirnáisiúnta ag clárú i mbliana is cúis leis an nganntanas airgid fosta. Ó tharla nach bhfuil a dhóthain infheistíochta curtha ar leataobh ag an rialtas le blianta, bíonn na coláistí trína chéile ag brath ar na táillí ollmhóra a íocann mic léinn idirnáisiúnta le teacht slán.

Mar sin féin, níl na hollscoileanna ar an ngannchuid ach oiread. Tríd is tríd, tá níos mó tacaíochta ag institiúidí tríú leibhéal ná an duine aonair nó mac léinn.

Rachainn chomh fada le rá go bhfuil tréaniarracht á déanamh ag institiúidí gan solas a chaitheamh ar cé chomh difriúil a bheas cúrsaí i mbliana — ar eagla go gcaillfear airgead agus daoine ag cur a mbliana ar ceal. B’fhearr go mór níos mó aitheantais a thabhairt do chruatan na mac léinn le linn na tréimshe dúshlánaí seo — aitheantas a bhainfear amach ar bhonn coincréiteach amháin le gníomhartha cruthanta. Tús maith a bheadh ann an brú airgid a mhaolú do mhic léinn. Cá bhfios dá laghdófaí táillí do mhic léinn idirnáisiúnta, seans go meallfadh sin níos mó mic léinn idirnáisiúnta le clárú i mbliana.

Tá an dá dhream — an Coláiste agus mic léinn — faoi réir ag a chéile. Cothaíonn siad a chéile agus ní hann do rud ar bith gan a chéile. Beifear ag iarraidh neart íobartha ar mhic léinn i mbliana — masc a chaitheamh, dea-iompar agus eile. An oiread céanna le húdaráis an Choláiste, beidh mic léinn ag brath ar an dea-thoil amach anseo. Dá bhrí sin, tuige nach mbeadh mic léinn ag súil leis an díograis chéanna ó na húdaráis ó thaobh airgid de? Tá daonnacht agus tuiscint níos iomlána ar chás na mac léinn de dhíth láithreach nó is gearr go gceapfaimid uilig nach bhfuil sna hinstitiúidí ar fad ach comhlachtaí móra oideachais.

social distancing will exacerbate this issue significantly. On September 18, Provost Patrick Prendergast informed students via email that despite the majority of teaching being moved online due to the Government’s decision to move Dublin to Level 3 of lockdown, libraries would remain open. While the Government has confirmed that higher education is a priority, so too is reducing Covid-19 cases in the capital. As a result, a series of measures have been put in place in the library. As of October 5, access to the library requires pre-booking, and face coverings are mandatory.

It is evident that lack of seating in the library around exam time is an issue that has long been ignored by College. Although social distancing is necessary to curb the spread of Covid-19, the shortage of seating will undoubtedly be amplified by this measure. As a result, College must accelerate the funding to provide an increase in seating in both the BLU and the Hamilton, and should invest in new, fit-forpurpose study spaces as a matter of urgency. Given students will be studying predominantly online at the very least for Michaelmas term, it is vital that they have access to a quiet place to work, now that a significant proportion of learning will be self directed, rather than by a face-to-face tutorial or lecture. Those who live with younger siblings, a large family, or in crowded student accommodation should not be deprived of access to books, materials, and an environment

suitable for studying. As well as this, students who do use the BLU to study face restricted opening hours until mid October. The library is operating on 9 to 5 opening hours until October 11, which excludes many students who work hours that clash with this.

While lack of places to sit across campus more generally is an issue, (particularly in the Arts Building) in early September, TCDSU announced the opening of a number of new student spaces across campus, including in New Square and Botany Bay. TCDSU said in a press statement that these would be places for students to socialise and attend online lectures, with the spaces being fit for use for 430-480 students per hour, open from 9am to 6pm.

However, outdoor marquees are not a comparable substitute for a study space in the library, and the fact remains that lack of seating is a significant issue that College has consistently ignored.

Unfortunately, this is part of a broader trend in how College has infamously treated students in recent years. This trend has been largely dominated by ignoring the wellbeing and education of students with regards to shoddy timetabling and administration, all the while prioritising College as a hub for tourists. While the fact that tourists are now unable to access campus would lead one to hope that College will finally prioritise students, their track record leaves little to be optimistic about.

21

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Comment

Editorial: The new higher education department

is attracting praise instead of enacting change

I

n the week that the errors in the Leaving Certificate calculated grades system were at the front of public attention, the government looked set to face the next in a series of controversies that have so far characterised the young life of this coalition. However, of the 424 students who deserved an offer for a course higher on their preference list after the errors were rectified, all 424 were offered a place in this academic year. The availability of places was hailed as a win - one for which credit was given (and taken) in large part to Simon Harris’ newly created Department of Higher Education.

But that’s far from an end to the implications of the errors; many students who take up their places will have started their course late and the delayed reveal of the error raises questions about the department’s transparency.

Beyond the intricacies of the calculated grades fiasco, the interplay seen between Norma Foley’s Department of Education and Simon Harris’ Department of Higher Education during the chaos has highlighted a truth that casts a shadow over the new department: it has been built to attract praise rather than enact change.

In an interview with this newspaper in March, Senator Lynn Ruane pointed to the divisions between government departments as a flaw in our

system. The idea that two departments, such as health and finance, might be trying to resolve the same or similar issue but not working together towards a solution seems almost too archaic to believe, but is very much a reality. In light of

“

The new higher education department has been a useful way for the government to give the impression of progress without actually investing

that, co-operation between the Department of Education and the Department of Higher Education could be welcomed. But what we’re seeing between the two departments so far isn’t so much co-operation as it is the actions of two departments that could, with the current resources they have (that is to say, apparently not much more than education had under previous governments), function either as one department or as two without much difference in the end result. For the new higher education department to secure real achievements that would not have been possible without a department dedicated to higher education, it needs attention from the government in the same way that the sector itself does. But the department has not been designed for progress.

The overlap between the departments during the handling of the calculated grades fiasco is one part of a wider picture that indicates a lack of separation between the two. The new higher education department feels like an offshoot of the more established department; a younger sibling trying to craft an identity without quite having the tools to do it.

The creation of a department dedicated to higher education initially seemed to signal an interest in the new coalition government in paying attention to third level in a way that its predecessors may not have. As the

months pass, the extent to which it has achieved anything that an effective minister of state for higher education could not have achieved within a department of education is questionable.

Small initiatives and actions - funding for a limited laptop scheme, meetings with the heads of colleges - are nothing new.

But with the inception of a new department, even the most minor of actions in support of higher education have attracted attention and praise from stakeholders.

The creation of a new higher education department has been a useful way for the government to give the impression that it has taken steps towards giving more attention to higher education without actually investing in the sector or increasing supports for students.

It does not appear that the new department has been given the resources to take tangible action even if it wanted to. Between the two education departments, pieces have simply been moved around the chess board to create the appearance of change. Of the higher education department’s three assistant secretaries, two had been working in the existing education department until the new department was created.

The two departments seemingly share two press officers; releases to the media from the new higher education department are being sent by two officers

in the education department, who, of course, previously sent releases about higher education before the new department was created, and are now sending the same kind of releases, but with a different header. Same book, different cover. Yes, it makes sense that those with experience and knowledge of the education landscape would be suited to joining the new higher education department while it finds its feet.

But among the officials that are leading the new department; have their previous positions been filled in the education department, or have resources just been shuffled around?

As long as the two departments appear intertwined, any achievements by the new higher education department will feel shallow and underscored by a sense that they could have equally been achieved under the preexisting education department - and with less fanfare attracting away from the actual problem being resolved, and perhaps with less distraction from other sectors that are also in need of attention.

Unless the new department establishes itself as its own entity and is given the resources to create change that would not have been possible with only one, catch-all education department, it can only hope, at best, to be a vessel for empty praise, and has no real prospects of securing meaningful change.

Op-ed: Students deserve action, not lip service With Budget 2021 on its way, we need to see the government make real commitment to third level funding Lorna Fitzpatrick USI President

I

reland could have an education system where everyone who wishes to continue in their education can do so without ever having to worry about being able to afford it. The overall education system could be a world leader, where staff are supported to excel, where the class sizes allow for real one-to-one interaction without staff being overburdened, where

the college services are funded and the institutions are adequately resourced by the state. The current situation is not so pleasant, but we have heard Minister Harris, Minister Collins and others within Government say the right things, from admitting the fees are too high to agreeing that refunds for student accommodation are needed.

So, what next? We are at the fork in the road, the opening scene can be our reality, with the political will to do so.

The strategy for funding higher education, which was applauded by many, when new buildings were opening and ribbons were being cut, really boiled down to the managed decline of state funding and increased importance placed upon the diversification of income for institutions.

Diversifying income and reduced core state funding has led us to the place we are today with reports that our sector is facing a financial deficit of approximately €500 million.

Some of our higher education institutions were operating like businesses; was that by choice or was their hand forced? I presume different people will say different things but one thing that many of us can agree upon is that the deficit is clear and the private sources of funding are no longer there and therefore there is a need for increased public funding. Institutions relying on international student fees, summer activities, tourism and student accommodation is not a sustainable funding base for the future. In my opinion, it should never have been relied on in the past, but as I have said, we have a great opportunity now and we should learn from the past and not only strive for a better funding system, we must demand one.

Now, we can right the wrongs of the past – the first step is agreeing a funding model. We have the expert advice; we know the current system is not working and USI strongly agrees with the publicly funded model as outlined

within Cassells and we believe it is the future. It is not an airy fairy concept, it is a genuine, real possibility – it is in place in 11 other EU member states currently and it is within our grasp and we require the political will to have that realised.

It is time we had a frank discussion about how our country views and values education as a whole – we often refer to the fact that Ireland has a very well educated work force which is brilliant, but behind that workforce is an education system that needs immediate investment and students who are really financially struggling.

The USI have launched the #EducationForAll campaign ahead of this budget with six key asks. They focus on making education across the island of Ireland truly accessible.

Eliminating the €3,000 student contribution charge, reimaging and investing in student supports that are in line with the cost of living, affordable student

accommodation & rights charter, ending precarious working conditions and unpinning all of this is actual meaningful investment in the sector.

Students and young people have been hit extremely hard by this pandemic, from online learning with few supports to losing employment. Budget 2021 must be a budget that supports students and young people. The goal of the student movement is to secure political and educational change. The changes we are calling for go to the core of that goal. We know the political establishment will act when people join and call together for change. So, reach out to your local representative and tell them why you believe they need to do more to support students and young people.

As mentioned, the political representatives have time and time again said the right thing.

However, now is the time to see if they will do more than pay lip service to our issues.

22

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Scitech

ARTWORK BY INGRID DUGGAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Scitech

Reimagining Ireland’s forestry Julia Carroll and Jack Ryan page 24 and 25

Let’s demystify vaccine design

From research to design, here’s the process that goes into creating vaccines Ross King Contributing Writer

A

s the Covid-19 virus continues to spread, researchers are making significant progress in the search for viable vaccines. As the the scientific community around the world works towards developing a vaccine and debates on vaccines circle, the process that happens behind the scenes can seem elusive to anyone without a scientific background.

To demystify vaccines, here’s what happens from research to design.

The first step in the process for finding a vaccine which works begins - as most scientific endeavours do - with basic research. Trinity is one of the third level institutions which has had an influence on vaccine development. The Trinity Covid-19 Immunology Project

received €2.4 million in funding from AIB earlier this year. and one of the main areas of Covid-19 that they are focusing on is informing vaccine design.

Although Trinity will not be designing them, the research being conducted will provide novel expertise to pharmaceutical companies, such as how to better induce memory responses in vaccines.

Since the search began at the beginning of this year, several pharmaceutical companies have seen their products reach the final stages of clinical trials.

There are four stages one must go through before approval. These are preclinical testing, then safety trials, expanded trials, and finally efficacy trials. Scientists test a new vaccine on cells and then give it to animals such as mice or monkeys to see if it produces an immune response. Then it is given to a small test group to test safety and dosage.

Once it is confirmed that the vaccine stimulates an immune response, scientists can then administer the vaccine to hundreds of people within different demographics to see if it is still effective in different subsets of the population.

The third and final stage is the efficacy trial. This is when the vaccine is given to thousands of

“

There are several ways to accelerate vaccine development people to see how many people become infected compared with the placebo. This is crucial to see if the vaccine works, and can often reveal rare adverse reactions that might have missed in earlier studies.

A number of these vaccines have reached phase three of the trials and some even approved for limited use. There are different types of vaccines. One type which has been successful is a genetic vaccine being developed by US pharmaceutical giant, Moderna.

This type delivers one or more of the coronavirus’s own genes into our cells to provoke an

The science behind the new Books of Kells display Nina Chen page 26

immune response. The vaccine yielded promising results in the preclinical testing, showing that it produces enough antibodies in monkeys to protect them from the coronavirus.

The vaccine has progressed into phase 3 testing and the final trial has recruited over 30,000 healthy volunteers from all over the United states. It needs to be seen how many of their volunteers become sick with the virus before determining how safe and effective it is. It will be the end of 2020 or early 2021 before sufficient data can be collected to determine its efficacy.

Companies are testing out just about every technology they can for a Covid-19 vaccine. Some of the experimental vaccines are based on old designs which could be repurposed for Covid -19. One such vaccine is the BCG vaccine. It was developed in the early 1900s as a protection against TB and works by boosting nonspecific immunity against other viruses so it might do the same thing for Covid-19. The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia is currently conducting a phase three trial to see if the vaccine partly protects against the coronavirus.

New outbreaks in recent years such as Ebola and pandemic flu strains have spurred vaccine makers to search for ways to speed the development process without compromising safety.

Now, they’re putting these ideas into practice. There are several ways to accelerate vaccine development; one of them is to combine phases. For example, some coronavirus vaccines are now in a mix of Phase 1 and 2 trials, in which they are tested for the first time on hundreds of people rather than a small test group.

Both China and Russia have taken it one step further and approved vaccines without waiting for the results of Phase 3 trials. China has 4 vaccines which are approved for limited use. One of them is called a viral vector vaccine. This technology is relatively new, and uses a virus engineered to carry coronavirus genes. There are no vaccines in the market based on this type of technology. The Chinese company CanSino Biologics made their product from an adenovirus (a harmless cold virus) carrying a coronavirus gene.

It is the same technology which is being used by AstraZeneca who are working in conjunction with Oxford University. Dr Adrian Hill who is a Trinity alum is the Director of the Jenner Institute , a group within the university which develops vaccines and carries out clinical trials for diseases. Their

vaccine has reached the final stages of clinical trials but was halted due to adverse reaction of one of the participants. Oxford University confirmed that the trial would continue, stating that “in large trials such as this, it is expected that some participants will become unwell and every case must be carefully evaluated to ensure careful assessment of safety”.

However, unlike the EU and US, China and Russia are taking a dangerous step by approving the distribution of vaccines without the results of Phase 3 trials. “This would never be acceptable in Europe, the United States or in any other developed country around the world,” according to Professor Kingston Mills, Head of The Centre for the Study of Immunology at Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute.

Unlike experimental drugs given to the sick, vaccines are intended to be given to masses of healthy people. “If you’re giving it to children, who are unlikely to die from Covid-19, you cannot risk giving something to a child or infant who is otherwise healthy, if there is any risk that it will cause a side effect,” says Dr Mills.

Putting in safeguards slows the development of vaccines but is not something that can be expedited.

So when will we see a safe and effective vaccine against SarsCoV-2? It is impossible to tell before the results of the efficacy trials when a vaccine could be available. There are 11 vaccines in final trials so we might know the outcome of a couple of these in the next 2-3 months. Pending positive results, “we could see one in production early next year and starting to be rolled out in February or March,” says Professor Mills.

How important will it be for all of us to take the vaccine when there’s one available? “Err..

VERY!” wrote Dr Luke O’Neill, professor of biochemistry at Trinity, and world class science communicator. “Covid-19 can kill whether you’re 20 or 80 years of age. The virus can damage the lungs, heart and brain, which increases the risk of long-term health problems,” says Professor Mills. Even though most younger people make a full recovery, by being vaccinated you’re not only protected from it yourself, but you also won’t be able to pass the infection onto other people.

However, for herd immunity to work, a large proportion of the population need to be vaccinated.

There is no point in having an effective vaccine if the majority of people don’t take it. According to Professor Mills: “It’s up to young people to come out and take the vaccine.”

23

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

SciTech

Green Labs in Trinity: working towards sustainable science PhD students are working to change unsustainable lab practices

Lucy Fitzsimmons SciTech Editor

S

cience labs are some of the most waste intensive workplaces in the world, and the Trinity labs are certainly not exempt from this. The average science lab uses 10 times more energy per annum than the average office space, and four times more water. This seems counterintuitive: the same scientists that are pressing home the message of climate change are also inherently creating a disproportionate amount of pollution in their day to day workplaces.

It is estimated that the average Irish person produces 61 kg of plastic waste a year, but the average scientist produces roughly 1000 kg in the same time frame. For decades it has been assumed that labs and waste go hand in hand, that this waste is justified by the crucial need for scientific learning.

This is a misguided idea, and the scientific community must begin to practice what it preaches.

My Green Lab is an international non-profit organisation that aims to cut down waste in laboratories around the world. They developed the My Green Lab certification programme, which teaches researchers how to make their lab practices more sustainable.

They hope that through raising awareness of current unsustainable lab practices, the culture of research will begin to adapt to our changing world.

There are several levels to my Green Lab certification, which depend on the percentage of listed sustainable practices that a lab is carrying out. Areas covered in the programme range from travel emission associated with the lab, like traveling abroad for conferences, to energy waste from machines and fume hoods left running. Over 400 labs have now been certified with My Green Lab, and the organisation is beginning to attract much-needed attention to green lab practices.

Inspired by the My Green lab movement, the TCD Green Labs group was started this June and has already inspired action in labs across Trinity.

Trinity College Institute of Neurosciences (TCIN) is the first group of labs on campus to begin

working towards My Green Lab Certification. The effort is being headed up by PhD candidate at TCIN, Camilla Roselli.

Roselli is in the fourth year of her PhD focusing on the molecular requirements for longterm memory formation. As a self-proclaimed environmentalist, being passionate about climate change, she has already been involved with green efforts on campus. In January she helped to organise the Zero Waste Festival Ireland in the Science Gallery. At the festival, Dr. Úna Fitzgerald, the founder of the first green lab group in Ireland, gave a speech on the My Green Lab programme. Roselli, alongside Virginia Mela, also a PhD candidate in neuroscience, then made an application for a grant from the Trinity Sustainability Fund. They aimed to use the grant to allow TCIN and other labs in Trinity to apply for the My Green Lab programme: “We decided that we didn’t want just to be focused on TCIN, we would try to get the initiative go around campus.”

As a result of their efforts, Trinity is now a member of the My Green Lab organisation, opening all labs up the opportunity to get behind the initiative. Currently, the eight TCIN labs are the first to start working towards certification, but several other labs are set to follow suit. The timing isn’t ideal currently for many labs, as they are making significant changes and efforts to become Covid-safe spaces and adapting to research during the pandemic.

Roselli says this hurdle also provides an opportunity for growth and change: “I think this could also be an opportunity because Covid made us completely rethink how we approach our work. I think especially after the break of around three months that we had before starting back in the lab, that was actually a great time for us to think about what we wanted to change, and I think that would be the same in every lab in Trinity.” She says this has provided researchers with a wake-up call to be more open-minded to different ways of practicing science. To help other Trinity labs to kick start their own green lab changes Roselli, alongside Martha Gulman, a PhD candidate in Chemistry, and Michelle Hallahan, the Provost’s Sustainability Advisor, has drafted a set of sustainability guidelines for researchers in Trinity. These will be distributed, along with similar guidelines for students and staff, in the coming weeks.

In working through the My Green Lab programme, Roselli’s lab, led by Prof Mani Ramaswami, is focusing on several issues including waste reduction

and energy conservation. The lab works with Drosophila melanogaster, a species of fruit fly. As a result, the main source of plastic waste in their lab is the tiny containers that these flies live in. These vials cannot be recycled due to the fact they contained genetically modified organisms.

“You need to sterilise everything.

We have to autoclave (steam sterilise) all our waste. And then it still cannot be recycled, because it’s hazardous waste. So for now, our approach would be to try to reduce the number of vials we use in the first place. But safety’s first.” says Roselli. “I’m very committed to green labs. But you don’t want

“

They only run the machine when it is full of vials, like households only run a dishwasher when it’s full The TCD Green Labs group recommends using reusable glass containers in lab settings instead of single-use plastic ones

Shut frame hoods in between uses to substantially reduce the energy your lab consumes, the group advises PHOTOS BY TCD GREEN LABS

any sort of contamination with organisms.”

The TCIN labs have made a concerted effort on energy consumption, dedicating people to checking lights are off before leaving the building and reminding researchers to turn off machinery when not in use. The teams are also focusing on reducing the energy consumed by their autoclave sterilisation process. They now only run the machine when it is full of the plastic vials, much like households are encouraged to only run their dishwasher when full. Except the autoclave heats the water to temperatures around 120 degrees and uses significant amounts of it for heating and cooling, so reducing its usage gives a massive reduction in wasted energy. There are also significant economic benefits to the college of cutting energy and water usage, Roselli points out.

The importance of certification like My Green Lab, Roselli says, is that it raises the profile of the issue of environmentally harmful research practices: “We [researchers] are all busy and have all kinds of things to do.

So maybe it’s not our first priority to look for this stuff. With this kind of certification, I think it will start the conversation, and we will have to rethink our habits. As soon as I mentioned the problems, every single lab in TCN wanted to join.”

Roselli also points out that of those co-ordinating the My Green Labs programme at TCIN,

the majority are PhD students, an important subset of the college community that often gets overlooked. “This project is very much PhD driven. The vast majority of people that agreed to be on the team are PhD students.

And we are, as PhD students, sometimes kind of forgotten. We are an important part of Trinity research.”

“One thing I’ve noticed is that sometimes, especially for young researchers or students, we are scared of taking a position. You don’t want to push other people to follow your ideas. But actually when I talked about it to my supervisor and other faculty they were completely on board with the idea and they were very supportive.”

All Trinity labs and departments now, as a part of the My Green Labs nonprofit organisation, can apply for the certification for a small fee. As well as this, students who are interested in learning more about green lab practices for their current and future work can take part in the free My Green Lab ambassador programme.

The work by Roselli and fellow PhD students provides a muchneeded opportunity to change the priorities of research in Trinity. But they can’t do it alone. Hopefully, their work will act as a catalyst for growth; that in the coming months we will see a stronger and more concerted effort across campus to take Trinity research into the new age of sustainability.

24

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Scitech

Managing and reimagin “ Our forests must be managed sustainably amid the threat of the climate crisis Julia Carroll Contributing Writer

D

eforestation, wildfires, and ash dieback are just a few of the alarming issues to be read about in today’s news regarding international forestry. Apocalyptic images of burning orange skies and 50m flames have become a common appearance on social media, as has the devastation of homes, landscape, and livelihoods.

These damaging issues have been attributed to climate change, which leaves us, as humans, feeling very much responsible.

A quick browse on Instagram and Twitter can leave you feeling anxious and hopeless. What can be done? What is being done?

By momentarily looking beyond the colossal issues of global change, I ask you to focus on one thing: forests. Or more specifically, Irish forests. This leads us to a practice known as forest management, or more specifically, Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). SFM, under EU guidelines, is defined as: “The stewardship and use of forest lands in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their productivity, biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfil now, and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions at local, national and global levels and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems.”

To put it very simply, it means society will continue to use forests for economic and recreational purposes, while ensuring these forest ecosystems can flourish and remain healthy and biodiverse. By following this practice, we should, in theory, not cause damage to this finite resource. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, particularly here in Ireland.

It is common knowledge to many of us now that forests are crucial to our environment and ecosystems. They curtail the effects of climate change by contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide. By doing so, they function as carbon sinks, with Irish forests storing an estimated 311.7 million tonnes of Carbon in 2017 alone. Further benefits

of forests include shade, water and soil cooling, biodiversity and flood prevention, while additionally providing people with recreational and medicinal uses. Picture the last time you walked through a clearing in a wood. Did it relax you, or perhaps improve your mood? We owe a lot more to forest spaces than people realise. A correctly and sustainably managed forest can bolster ecosystem services like pollination, which in turn improve Ireland’s food and agriculture production. It is undeniable that forests have immense value to our society.

Currently, Ireland’s forest cover stands at 11% which, notably, is the lowest figure in Europe. Many of these forests have been planted by people and are not naturally occurring nor native to Ireland.

Currently, 71.2% of our forests are made up of conifer species, with the remainder being broadleaved species. Ireland significantly lacks mature forest cover, almost three quarters of which is less than 30 years of age. In Dublin, the forest cover accounts for a mere 6.5% of land. A large portion of forestry in Ireland is privately owned, intended for commercial use.

Sitka spruce accounts for 51.1% of forest area, meaning it is the most common species to be found in a forest.

There are numerous factors that contribute to the damage of our forests and woodland.

Stormy weather accompanied by strong winds or wildfires can have disastrous consequences for forests, as well as diseases, herbivory, and pests. Windthrow is the term used for the uprooting of trees by wind, and is said to be a primary threat for many of Ireland’s forests. Fortunately, with Ireland’s moist temperate climate, we are not as vulnerable to largescale wildfires as other countries.

However, this does not mean we are immune to these fires.

Uncontrolled gorse and heather fires, particularly during drier seasons, can have devastating consequences for an Irish forest, particularly tree plantations.

In many Coillte forests, which are home to the controversial monoculture plantations of Sitka spruce, the forest floor is covered with pine needles, which undoubtedly provides excellent fuel for a wildfire. Monoculture is defined as the growing of a single crop species in a given area and is fast becoming a common feature in Ireland due to its economic advantages. Sitka spruce forests often appear dense and devoid of other plant species, with Coillte receiving criticism for this practice.

Damage caused by animals, such as deer, grey squirrel and

Uncontrolled gorse and heather fires, particularly during drier seasons, can have devastating consequences for an Irish forest, particularly tree plantations

ARTWORK BY CELINE DELAHOY FOR TRINITY NEWS

rabbits, is a common threat to many Irish forests. In deerdominated areas such as the Wicklow mountains, large communities of deer consume the shoots of young trees which slows the regeneration and growth of forests. To combat this, many organisations must erect fencing to physically stop the overfeeding by plant-eating animals.

However, this is a costly solution which unfortunately, is not always affordable for organisations.

Invasive species can also have a considerable effect on native biodiversity within forests, often significantly altering an ecosystem for the worse. By doing so they can endanger the survival of native flora and fauna.

As a direct result of climate change, Ireland is seeing more intense storms than usual, along with wetter winters and drier summers. The increased occurrence of extreme climatic events is likely to have a knock-on impact within ecosystems.

In October 2019, Coillte and Bord na Móna announced a plan to convert 15,000 hectares of ‘disused peatlands’ into native forests by planting 600,000 trees.

By doing so, this collaboration would support Ireland’s Climate Action Plan, which aims to plant

20 million trees per annum over the next 20 years This announcement was met with mixed feelings, as many felt that the reclamation of these peatlands for forests would be detrimental to the Irish landscape, and may in fact increase Ireland’s greenhouse gas output. In a chapter within the book, Irish Peatland Forests: Lessons from the Past and Pathways to a Sustainable Future

by Florence Renou-Wilson and Kenneth Byrnez, they note that the current waterlogged condition of peat, coupled with its lack of nutrients, makes it unsuitable for tree production. Peat would require intensive management for it to be more suitable for the establishment of trees. Even then, many issues arise such as loss of nutrients, phosphorus leaching, which can be damaging to local water systems, increased release of CO2 to the atmosphere, and waterways and the shrinkage of land.

In correct SFM, prevention of damage is prioritised over cure.

The limited use of pesticides and herbicides have been encouraged as a form of forest management.

According to the Forest Protection Guidelines by the Department Of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, if applied

sparingly during an appropriate time period, pesticides are said to be a favourable form of treatment for pest insects. Ireland’s status as an island, and the immaturity of the forests, can create an ideal situation, where it is less likely that pests and diseases will settle.

Yet the frequent trading industry of household plants and wooden materials increases the potential of disease transportation.

For the conservation of water quality and aquatic ecosystems, buffer zones are located between waterways and forests. These are areas where natural vegetation is encouraged to grow.

For the prevention of wildfires, public awareness is a main priority. This discourages carelessness while operating fires, as this is often the main cause of forest or gorse fires in Ireland.

Furthermore, as the issue of windthrow is most damaging, the formation of a solid root structure within a stable soil is crucial. This prevents the loss of healthy trees.

These are just a few of the practices that are involved in SFM in Ireland, and which help to maintain the health of our forests. But if we wish to increase our forest cover to that of other EU states, a lot more needs to be done.

25

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

SciTech

ning forestry in Ireland “

Ireland’s forestry industry and policy is at a watershed moment Jack Ryan Deputy Features Editor

W

hile the climate crisis has occupied the public consciousness, with mixed success, for the best part of the last two decades, biodiversity loss has increasingly risen in prominence alongside it in recent times. Once fashionable, neatly rolled lawns are increasingly viewed by the public as “green deserts”. Dublin City Council now leaves a wild margin throughout Dodder Park. Trinity has replaced centuries old lawns on College Green with a wildflower meadow.

A National Parks and Wildlife Service report published last year found that 85% of EU protected habitats in Ireland were graded as “inadequate” or “bad”. A growing cognizance of our bruised landscape has in part led to a

reexamination of how we manage our woodland areas, most of which are under the stewardship of the semi-state Coillte, and are managed commercially. Coillte manages 7% of Ireland’s land, a vast 440,000 hectare area, nearly five times the size of Dublin county. 80% of that land is devoted to commercial activity, and the remaining 20% is managed with biodiversity as the primary objective.

Most commercial forestry in Ireland is cultivated with a species called Sitka Spruce. This is a coniferous, fast-growing species that came originally from Newfoundland in Canada. It took to the Irish climate and soil like a duck to water. It takes 35 years to mature, while many Irish native broadleaf species such as oak can take over a hundred years.

Everyone in Ireland has seen these Sitka Spruce plantations.

They cover the Dublin mountains and most of the land dedicated to forestry in the country. Sitka is an appealing option for commercial forestry operators as it grows straight, it is cheap to extract and it gives a return in a couple of decades. It is often the tree of choice for overseas, absent investors in search of a steady financial return..

“

Everyone in Ireland has seen these Sitka spruce plantations.

They cover the Dublin mountains and most of the land dedicated to forestry in the country

While its commercial advantages are undeniable, Sitka has some key drawbacks as an option for the forestry industry in Ireland. It is evergreen, and in a plantation it forms a “closed canopy” all year-round, blocking light from reaching the ground.

According to a 2006 EPA report, “Sitka spruce and other heavily shading conifers is associated with an extremely impoverished ground flora.” For this reason, Sitka plantations are increasingly being thrown into the same category as manicured lawns, attracting the label of “green deserts”. While this is probably an oversimplification, anyone who walks through the silent eeriness of a Sitka plantation will generally see a barren landscape, the dark soil below littered with spruce needles and seemingly nothing else. Some locals who reside beside plantations complain of them as silent, impenetrable walls of trees, guarding dark, lifeless swathes of countryside. Campaigns such as the Save Leitrim group have been set up to oppose forestry plantations, which they say are emptying the life and people out of the villages and communities who live among them.

When harvesting native deciduous trees such as oak, birch or ash, the trees are generally gradually felled in rotation, using an ancient technique known as coppicing. This contrasts with the method of clearfelling that is used for Sitka plantations, in which a whole site is cleared of trees.

Although it is more cost-effective, a site that has been clearfelled is a scarred land, a barren site that often generates acid sulphate which damages our rivers and lakes.

Speaking to Trinity News, Ciarán Fallon, head of Coillte Nature, Coillte’s branch focused on biodiversity, described how Ireland’s current forestry policy first arose. “When the state was formed in the 1920s there was very little forestry cover, less than 1% of our landmass. The current EU average is 42%. Meanwhile our small patches of forestry were mostly for the recreation of landed gentry.” For the first few decades of our state, very little forestry was planted, according to Fallon. It was only in the middle of the 20th century that forestry became a concern, and the fast growing Sitka Spruce was seen as a useful way cover large areas of the country in forestry. “This was an understandable decision from their perspective at the time.”

Under this policy Irish forestry cover managed to increase to its current 11%.

Fallon says we are at a point now where we can make a decision about the future of our

Fallon says we are at a point now where we can make a decision about the future of our forestry policy

forestry policy. He sees a role for species such as Sitka as a reliable timber crop; “people need timber, and if we can produce that in Ireland then there’s no reason we shouldn’t”, although he stressed that balance in our forestry is key. The Dublin Mountains were planted with Sitka Spruce in the late 60s and early 70s. At that time Dublin city ended at Dundrum, and recreational visits to the mountains were rare, so this made sense. Now that the city extends right up to the mountains, and hundreds of people visit sites like Tiknock every day. For this reason, the Dublin Mountain “Makeover” is currently beginning, an effort that over the years will convert the Coillte estates that cover the Dublin Mountains into native broadleaf forestry. This forest will be ‘alive’ with diverse flora and fauna, and will be an attractive site for recreational activities for Dubliners.

Fallon sees an increase in interest from the public on forestry, and welcomes that people are expressing opinions on what they want woodland in Ireland to look like in 50 years, and even 100 years. According to him, the management of forestry is about political choices, rather than simple economic evaluations. The key factor which will decide what our forestry will look like is what function the Irish public would like it to serve. In the coming years it seems very likely that biodiversity and the beauty of our countryside will be foremost in our minds when reimagining our forests.

26

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Scitech

The science behind the new Book of Kells display New innovations in the case will help to preserve the artifact for years to come Nina Chen SciTech Deputy Editor

T

rinity unveiled its new Book of Kells display case in the Old Library in September, introducing a case that was exclusively designed by Goppion, an Italian manufacturing and design company that has created one of a kind display cases for the Mona Lisa, the Crown Jewels, and The Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Book of Kells is a manuscript Gospel book in Latin, which contains the four Gospels of the New Testament. For many years, it has been studied and has shed light on religious, economic, and social practices of the time, as well as being a lasting symbol of Irish nationality, culture, and creativity.

The new display has been designed to provide an enhanced viewing experience for tourists, but also to protect the manuscript from degradation. The most common causes of the deterioration of art and historical works are moist conditions, light exposure, air pollution, and accidental contact

of the pages.

Technological advancements have allowed for art to be restored, but art restoration can be extremely expensive, and therefore is not always an option. The best way to protect works of art is through art conservation, which is the care and protection of cultural property.

When it comes to art conservation, it is necessary for art conservators to analyse the object which they are protecting.

This initial assessment uses X-rays to gather information about the work’s composition, materials, the types of paints used, and what techniques were used on the work. Radiography is particularly beneficial because the radiation exposure to works of art is very low, and therefore non-intrusive.

This allows conservators to formulate an outline of what they are using and make note of what specific measures should be taken to protect the works of art. In addition, infrared reflectography can be used to see underdrawings and previous markings on the canvas, which gives great insight into the works of art themselves, as well as the history of the piece.

In the case of the Book of Kells, it is known that this manuscript is made of 340 folios made from calfskin vellum. A folio is an individual leaf of paper or parchment. Vellum is a prepared membrane, used as material for writing on. Because the vellum in the Book of Kells is made of

“

Uncontrolled gorse and heather fires, particularly during drier seasons, can have devastating consequences for an Irish forest, particularly tree plantations

calfskin, it is smooth and durable, but still susceptible to damage if preserved incorrectly.

Vellum must be stored in a stable environment with a constant temperature (ideally 20 ± 1.5°C) and 30% relative humidity. When stored somewhere with less than 11% relative humidity, it becomes fragile and brittle, and susceptible to mechanical stresses. If the humidity is too high, it becomes vulnerable to mould.

It should also be noted that lettering for the Book of Kells was created with iron gall ink. This ink, which is made by mixing tannins with iron sulphate, is acidic, and ultimately will create holes on the writing surface being used on. This is accelerated by high temperatures and humidity.

The temperature and levels of humidity are maintained via the new display case to protect the Book of Kells. The case ensures that the air exchange between the case’s exterior and interior is at a minimum. The airtightness allows for a stable micro-environment, preventing any severe changes to temperature and humidity.

Temperature and humidity are not the only factors that can cause degradation to the Book of Kells. Exposure to light, periodic rotation and reducing movement of the piece are also factors in how well a work of art is preserved.

These were all factored in when designing the case. The new case allows for every page to be displayed on a rotating basis, L-R: Provost Patrick Prendergast, Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin, and Librarian Helen Shenton at the launch of the new treasury and new display case for the Book of Kells exhibit in September

PHOTOS BY PAUL SHARP

Folio 7v, “Virgin and Child”, one of the pages of the Book of Kells on display at the launch of the new case meaning that the folios in the Book of Kells are all periodically rotated. Special lighting is also in place, which enhances the visitor’s experience.

Additionally, the Book of Kells is not to be moved from the case, but risks of earthquakes and shock are prevented with a variety of structural techniques.

This is done by looking at different levels of shock absorption: the building’s underlying structure, the structure of the display case, and the individual mount for the manuscript. By allowing for anti-seismic devices, there is a prevention of risk to the manuscript via earthquakes and vibrations.

These measures put in place will hopefully help preserve the Book of Kells for many years to come.

27

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Sport

Sports journalism won’t go away without a fight Cameron Hill

page 28

Ireland battles it out in a draw with Wales Shannon McGreevy

page 32

Student-run sports podcast digs out stories The DugOut features many guest speakers talking about sports in a relaxed manner, as well as a series on women in sport Shannon McGreevy Sport Editor

T

rinity is a vibrant and diverse place, home to all kinds of creatives and creators. But there are some who go above and beyond. The DugOut podcast is a sports show run entirely by Trinity students. Releasing new episodes every week, dedicated podcasters and sports fanatics Cameron Hill, Conor Doyle, Charlie Giese, and Keith Kelly talk about everything from sports rivalries to their latest Coronavirus opinions. It’s admirable how they are able to make hours’ worth of content on a consistent basis, and their growing following shows that they really are worth listening to.

Hill, the podcast’s founder, was able to shed some light on how it was inspired and got up and running. He’s always had a “deep passion for podcasting” and even began volunteering at his local radio station. Doing a few music shows here and there was not enough for him, so he says, “In second year, I really wanted to do a sports show. I cobbled together a few of my like-minded friends and we began producing the DugOut every week”.

“I think when we started, I was under the impression that it was just a bit of craic, but Cameron was always very serious about making something successful,” remarks Giese. He says that the show was inspired by a lot of great sports talk shows, like Off the Ball and Second Captains.

Doyle, who became a full member of the DugOut team last year, says that “Cameron was the brain of the operation and asked me on the podcast in the lead up to the 2019 Six Nations.”

Doyle is a self-proclaimed “rugby nut”, which becomes clear after listening to only a couple of episodes of the podcast.

The team’s diversity of views on everything from football to rugby serves for some good moments and laughs. “Our different sporting rivalries mean that there is always time for a few cheap shots. I’m an Arsenal fan and with Charlie being a Chelsea fan and Keith following Spurs, there is a lot of banter about who’s the best team in London,” says Doyle.

While there are plenty of lighthearted moments, the show does have some serious goals. Hill says, “I suppose our real goal is to be a forum for the discussion of sport in Trinity. With podcasts, you’re not just a fly on the wall, you genuinely feel part of the discussion”. As nothing like this has ever been done before in Trinity, the DugOut is really paving its way as a sports show. Giese even admits that they are hoping to win the overall prize at the YAP student podcast awards.

The show regularly includes some impressive guests, such as Joy Neville, ex-Ireland rugby international and now elite referee.

Specifically, Extra Time is a series that focuses on women in sport.

“The Extra Time podcast has been a really interesting project to be a part of,” explains Doyle. While the main show has had its fair share of interviews, they tend to be more jovial and blithe. Extra Time provides a more serious forum to talk specifically about the “opportunities and challenges involved in achieving gender parity in sport”, as the bio of the show puts it.

The most recent guest of Extra Time, Sarah Colgan, is the cofounder of the 20x20 initiative.

This project was born in October 2018 and was the first of its kind in Ireland. It works to focus on the cultural shift in the country to be

“

With podcasts, you’re not just a fly on the wall, you genuinely feel part of the discussion

one where “women in sport are seen as strong, valuable, and worth celebrating”. Hill interviewed her at length about the project and how it has coped with the global pandemic situation. Colgan says in the episode about the birth of the initiative that “20x20 was started with a mission to change our culture in terms of the Irish mindset that has been so deeply embedded for so long around girls and boys or men and women when it comes to sport”.

Hill and the other members of the DugOut team conduct insightful interviews with guests similar in stature to Colgan in a variety of fields. Some other noteworthy guests include Irish professional football player Rianna Jarrett and former Ireland women’s rugby union international Nora Stapleton. They also have had shows with interviews of fellow Trinity students, including Trinity Women’s Soccer Captain Frannie Smith.

“I think the best show we’ve done was our International Women’s Week episode on TFM last year,” says Hill of their interview with Smith. “The chemistry between the contributors was phenomenal.”

Clearly he was not the only one to have enjoyed this show in particular, as they went on to win an award for it. He’s most proud of the hugely positive response they received from it though: “Some agreed with what we had to say, some were very critical, but when you get a reaction like that, it demonstrates that you’ve said or done something that really matters.” Following on from the overwhelming success of that episode, they began the regular

“

Podcasts like the DugOut offer the perfect avenue to hear an accessible discussion about your favorite teams and players series on women in sport.

While sports can sometimes be dense and hard to follow in the media for those who aren’t already dedicated fans, podcasts like the DugOut offer the perfect avenue to hear an accessible discussion about your favorite teams and players.

Undeniably, all of these sports fanatics have some passionate views that make for good content.

“We try to keep it quite accessible to newcomers by focusing on interesting stories and generally highlighting just how strange sports can be sometimes!”

Hill says. Even if you are not an avid sports fan, many topics are covered in each episode that make

it worth listening to.

The show has still been releasing episodes frequently, and continued to do so during the nationwide lockdown. There is no doubt about the members’ dedication to creating content despite some rather challenging obstacles. The DugOut publishes episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podomatic. The best way to follow the activity of the show is on “The DugOut Podcast” Facebook page. They are also on Instagram as well, and they have just begun releasing content on YouTube.

Whether you are looking for something to listen to while during your commute or trip to the shop, or happen to be a sports fanatic yourself, the DugOut is definitely the show to tune into to offer some entertainment during a time when sports are at a standstill.

28

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Sport PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MULLIGAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Cameron Hill Columnist

Sports journalism won’t go away without a fight Amid the lack of sporting events, Ger Gilroy from Off the Ball is among journalists determination to still bring stories to fans

W

hen the pandemic properly took hold across the world in mid-March, the sports industry was just one of the many sectors in society that would suffer widespread disruption. The worldwide lockdown devastated the sports calendar, with countless events either postponed or cancelled altogether. Obviously, this was to be expected - rumours had been swirling since late February that Covid-19 would bring significant consequences, and the threat of cancellation loomed large over competitions such as the Six Nations and the Champions League.

Then, the pandemic ensured that all fixtures and events save for a certain horse racing festival- were put on hold for the foreseeable future. As players and coaches began negotiating remote training plans and fans pondered what they would do with themselves at weekends, sports media was in dire straits.

Suddenly, it seemed their place in the world had disappeared; it’s difficult to report on sport when there’s no sport to report.

However, some journalists were unwilling to go gently into the night. Ger Gilroy, one of Ireland’s foremost sports media personalities, had no intention of sitting around for however long

it would take for some semblance of normality to return. Gilroy, managing director of Off The Ball, understood the importance of routine in making it through the initial weeks of the lockdown: “We made the decision very early on that we were going to keep up the exact same schedule that we always had. We thought it was important because it gave all of us a daily focus, but also, it showed to our audience that we weren’t going away.”

“There were plenty of stories at the start about sports being cancelled, so there was a huge surge in traffic and then, a lot of our audience would’ve been commuters, so in April that disappeared. Then in May, June and July, a lot more people were listening to our podcasts, so our audience changed, and our programming changed with it. Initially, that was a bit of a challenge, but people were stuck at home, and people wanted to have a conversation. We also had to develop our product line, to be nakedly commercial about it.

Within our show, we cover a lot of sports, and we have a lot of partners for those sports, so purely from a business perspective, we have to offer new products so people will want to come invest in them.”

Indeed, with the uncertainty arising from the pandemic, media organisations have turned their attention towards staying afloat financially. Less sports coverage means less advertising revenue, making it much more difficult to maintain their current roster of reporters, production and editorial staff. The industry has already witnessed redundancies on a significant scale, and Gilroy fears there may be more to come: “A lot of the media have been reliant on the pandemic payments; at some point, the value of those is going to decrease and several media organisations are going to be left very exposed. It’s going to be very interesting to see in 18 months

“

Suddenly, it seemed their place in the world had disappeared; it’s difficult to report on sport when there’s no sport to report how many media companies will be covering sports in the same way as they did before.”

It’s not just in sports media most clubs and organisations have felt the full force of the pandemic, and their survival is far from certain. Macclesfield Town FC was the latest high-profile football club in England to wind up operations.

Gilroy believes similar challenges lie ahead in Ireland, not just for clubs but entire sports: “I think rugby is facing something of an existential crisis. [World Rugby] had a window of opportunity about 6-8 weeks ago to come up with a global calendar and that didn’t happen. A lot of money was about to flow into rugby through venture capital, which doesn’t have a long history of propping up things, because they’ll want their money back quickly so we’ll see where that goes.

“Football is interesting; unless the Premier League clubs give over a lot of cash to the lower-league clubs, then those teams won’t

survive. I think it’ll be interesting to see what happens with the IRFU and the FAI, and to a lesser extent, the GAA. I think the GAA will actually be fine because people will still go and play for their clubs, and those clubs will survive. In fact, despite short-term pain, I think the GAA will 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 - and it’s what the players wanted, and also what the organisation wanted, in a way.

Will that happen with football in Ireland? I don’t know. Some of the League of Ireland clubs will have to go semi-pro, but maybe it’ll be an opportunity to hit reset on that too.”

When the pandemic first hit and all sport was cancelled, most media organisations opted for the warm comfort of nostalgia when trying to drum up some content.

RTE showed all of Ireland’s games from the 1990 World Cup, while Sky Sports and the BBC offered classic matches from the Premier League, as well as past Wimbledon finals. Off The Ball picked the brains of football legend and regular contributor Johnny Giles for his thoughts on the best-ever XIs of clubs such as Leeds United, Liverpool and Arsenal. It proved a successful approach with the consumer, but critics dismissed these features as lazy or uninspired.

It’s a tag with which Gilroy takes umbrage. He believes that revisiting sport’s past serves a greater purpose than merely production banal content: “I’m a little bit defensive about the people who say that all nostalgia is lazy, because it’s not - it’s about properly examining and analysing the past to explain what’s happening right now. It’s actually history; it gets labelled ‘nostalgia’ because it’s easy to dismiss it as just ‘some old bollocks.’ Ultimately if things are presented and structured properly and context is given, it can be anything from revisionist history - coming at something with all the knowledge of what happened afterwards - or it could be an excavation of names and events that are still relevant for whatever reason.

“I think Gaelic football in the

“

Even with the growing emphasis on instant news and social media engagement, there is still room and opportunity for sports reporters to perform that most basic function of journalism: to tell a story 00s is particularly interesting because it’s the foundational moment of the seething rage which fires up the Dubs for the decade afterwards, and there’s the Kerry-Tyrone saga developing.

At the time, you think it’s a whole load of stuff that’s just happening.

But those sorts of things are great to debate because they’re still fresh enough in the mind so there’s a good understanding of it. Some of it is pure nostalgia - the Italia ‘90 stuff after Jack Charlton died was pure nostalgia - and I get that nostalgia is something that blunts people’s perception of the now.

But looking at Manchester United beating Juventus in ‘98 helps to inform everything that happened with United after that. So I think we shouldn’t dismiss looking back

29

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Sport

“

Granted, sport’s return may seem steady and permanent, but sports writers won’t be fooled - if they know anything, it’s that you shouldn’t call the game when there’s so long left to play as automatically lazy; if anything, we should be doing more of it.”

Despite all the redundancies an the general uncertainty around the industry, there are reasons to be optimistic about a potential career as a sports journalist. Landmark pieces, such as the “Where is George Gibney?” podcast from the BBC and Second Captains, or “Champagne Football” by Sunday Times duo Mark Tighe and Paul Rowan, have demonstrated that even with the growing emphasis on instant news and social media engagement, there is still room and opportunity for sports reporters to perform that most basic function of journalism: to tell a story.

Gilroy asserts that the advent of the Internet has changed the industry for the better: “Beforehand, if you owned a media organisation, you were practically

printing your own money; you couldn’t spend it quick enough.

Then the Internet came and blew everything up, and since then, we’ve been trying to come to grips with what the future looks like.

If you believe you can do work that’s as good or even better than what’s on the market, go for it, but the last few of those who believed sport was a cushy number, the last of those are just leaving the system now. The salad days of people being lazy and knocking out a few pieces a week, those days are gone, and that can only be a good thing, right? I don’t know, maybe those days were the best days, and we’re just Tony Soprano, coming in at the end.”

Maybe the future isn’t that bright after all, but barring an utter catastrophe, there is a future, and although it may take time, there will be a return to familiarity.

With that return, one is anxious to rediscover the simple pleasures and profound joys of watching live sport. Gilroy is eager to finally get back into the stands to experience the drama firsthand: “I stumbled across a minor Gaelic football game the other day and I was watching it. The standard wasn’t very good; there was no score for 10 minutes either side of half-time.

One of the mentors was getting shite talk from the corner-forward and I was agog at the level of abuse he was getting from this player.

Under normal circumstances, I would just walk on, but I was dying to see what happens next.”

So what does happen next? It’s a question that people are asking around the world. With the future looking increasingly frightening, teams and clubs are beginning to crawl out of pandemic-induced hibernation as some form of playing season begins to take shape. They’re all too conscious that if case numbers reach critical levels, their way of life will be derailed once again after all that progress. Granted, sport’s return may seem steady and permanent, but sports writers won’t be fooled - if they know anything, it’s that you shouldn’t call the game when there’s so long left to play.

PHOTO BY DU ORIENTEERS

Out of Left Field: DU Orienteers DU Orienteers plan to remain active despite Covid-19 uncertainties Shannon McGreevy Sport Editor

E

specially in the given circumstances as Dublin faces level 3 Covid-19 restrictions, it is hard for many Trinity sports clubs to be active. Committee members for the 2020/21 year Becca Payling, Christian Schweizer, and Adam Harmon assure that the DU Orienteering Club will remain as involved as possible. For those that are unfamiliar with the sport of orienteering, it is a competitive sport that combines running with navigational skills. This particular sport club provides an opportunity for those that enjoy running or walking for long distances to get adventurous with it and explore around the country!

Payling, the current Captain, hopes to continue the recruiting process and spread her love for orienteering to others. She ensures that the club is very inclusive, saying “We take everyone at all levels. The added map reading is a skill you can pick up easily, and of course we are outdoors and

can operate a bit easier than many other sports clubs!” So, if map reading can seem intimidating, especially if you are a bit directionally challenged like I am, Payling assures that it is nothing to worry about. DU Orienteers Secretary Schweizer says that the reason he joined was to have the “opportunity to see some nature in Ireland” in a “relaxed” way.

Another plus is that events are free!

Harmon, another committee member, is passionate in his love for the sport and encouraging more students to get involved.

He says, “Orienteering is a great sport to do at any level. It’s a great way to improve your fitness and get some fresh air, but if you’re not into running it can be very relaxing and scenic.” Especially since students will be attending classes online, this is a club that will hold events outdoors in a safe manner for free. “It is a good fit for anyone,” Harmon enthuses.

He has a long history of interests that align perfectly with orienteering. “I have always been huge into the outdoors and will find any excuse to go out into the hills for the day. I have hiked and camped out in the mountains for as long as I can remember,” he remarks, “[Orienteering] seemed like the perfect combination of all these interests.” It most definitely seems like a way to get outdoors and also fit in those daily 10,000 steps. Payling even had participated in orienteering when

she was younger, but regained her love for it when she came to university.

Perhaps most importantly, the DU Orienteers are hoping to remain as active as possible under these unprecedented circumstances. Although, as Payling says, “A lot of the events we would normally be attending all over Dublin and Wicklow have been postponed.”

They are currently focusing on “introducing people to the sport in a training session, do a range of orienteering courses through a new app launched this year that allows for socially distanced orienteering.” Although traditional orienteering may not be able to take place, Payling is determined to make the most out of this year and give members the best experience they can safely have.

The club held an event last year where members travelled to Edinburgh, which is documented thoroughly on the club’s Facebook page. Schweizer seems to have particularly enjoyed the trip and scenery. While this club is not mainstream, Harmon assures it is “underrated”.

In a time where so much of sport is uncertain and unsafe under Covid-19 guidelines, the DU Orienteers are able to safely operate and provide a space for Trinity students to experience nature and improve their overall fitness.

30

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Sport

GAA clubs remain at the centre of the community Amid the changes to sport and training, GAA clubs in rural areas try their best to keep the community together during hard times Megan Collis Contributing Writer

N

o part of Ireland has not felt the effects of Covid-19.

Rural communities in particular have taken this hit close to home. What continues to remain constant though, is the influence of the GAA clubs on their surrounding areas and how they were forced to try and bring back a sense of normality in times when everything is changing.

GAA clubs throughout Ireland have faced severe difficulties over the last 7 months as the way in which clubs could fundraise has been greatly reduced. Whether it be through bag packing in Dunnes Stores or a club lotto every Saturday in the local pubs, these GAA clubs and the communities which they house are trying to continue existing in a climate where they are running on less and less money. Foxrock Cabinteely GAA club is an all-girls GAA club that exists in close proximity to two other, larger mixed clubs. For this team to be able to compete on a fair playing field, they needed the

extra income to combat the better facilities of Cuala and Kilmacrud Crokes.

The GAA’s core principles have always been to bring the community together. Before the global pandemic, there was much debate that money began to run the clubs that were supposed to benefit the community. It seems that something as drastic as the outbreak of coronavirus across the country has forced clubs to reevaluate the principles they were founded on.

To Foxrock: “Community means everything to our club.”

No supporters to be allowed at any games was a shock to the system. Many had been used to the incredible support of club and family, but when they played their championship games with no support, it was difficult for some to have the passion, fire, and drive that comes with an energetic crowd. When the Senior team made the Dublin final just a few weeks ago, the match was streamed live through the Dublin Ladies YouTube channel. While this could be seen as an excellent chance for more media coverage for Foxrock Cabinteely, it was unfortunate that the livestream glitched throughout, which then made it difficult for the supporters to feel as included as they could have been if they were at the match in person.

There have been other efforts by the GAA to reunite the community, and in particular help the elderly at a time when they are at especially risk. SuperValu, which sponsors the All-Ireland Football Championship, and Centra, which sponsors the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, have teamed up with the GAA to sponsor “Club Together”. This is an initiative meant to offer support to elderly during the current

“

The GAA’s core principles have always been to bring the community together

restrictions. “This is a testing time and one when the oft-mentioned virtues of the GAA’s community ethos needs to come to the fore,” said GAA head John Horan.

In a rural community like Sligo, the effects of Covid-19 were deeply felt at training nights. There used to be more than one team training, but that was unable to continue under Covid regulations. It was bizarre for many to train on such an eerily quiet pitch, but others were ecstatic to be able to return to sport after such a long break.

The GAA club was the focal point of the whole town and it showed, as a list of phone numbers of local volunteers was created and given to the vulnerable or elderly people that they could call if they needed any help or support. The community here really banded together and it brought out the best in the people as it showed how the GAA club meant a lot more to people than just playing football.

Nine transf landscape o A look at some of the most exciting moves that could potentially happen this season James Mahon Contributing Writer

T

he transfer window is one of the most adrenaline inducing periods of the football calendar.

Emotions can fluctuate between those of euphoria when your club is signing a potential superstar that could change the fortunes of the entire team, or despair when you realise that your team is on the naughty step and excluded from sharing in the sweets that are being handed out. Whichever one you’ll experience is dependent on the decisions of managers, agents, chief executives and many more in the complicated system that is the transfer market.

From swashbuckling buys to more economic purchases, the following are nine signings that could change the landscape of the Premier League.

Firstly, there is Jadon Sancho to Manchester United. It seems that the Jadon Sancho Man United rumour has been around since the dawn of time. Yet, with the team’s lacklustre start to the season and criticism surrounding the inaction of Clive Woodward in the transfer window, as well as Donny Van De Beek being the only signing, it has certainly escalated. There is no denying Sancho will add dynamism and creativity to a team which has become ever more reliant on the brilliant Bruno Fernandes. Evidence of Sancho in full flight manifested itself in his personal demolition of Borussia Monchengladbach in Dortmund’s 3-0 win over them on the opening day of the Bundesliga season.

With a bitter aftertaste still left in their mouth from their 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace at the start of the season, it is clear that Man United need a rejuvenation and Jadon Sancho could just be the answer.

Next up is Kalidou Koulibaly to Manchester City. Like Sancho, Koulibaly has been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium throughout the summer.

Koulibaly’s combination of sheer

“

It is clear that Man United need a rejuvenation and Jadon Sancho could just be the answer physicality and defensive prowess makes him an enticing asset for a leaky Man City side, whose defence looked all too fragile during the course of last season.

Despite Nathan Aké’s recent addition, the injury of Aymeric Laporte, and Guardiola’s perennial dislike of John Stone, Man City desperately needs someone of Koulibaly’s stature. It has been revealed though in the last few days that Liverpool are attempting to hijack City for Koulibaly’s signature, further intensifying the stakes.

Arsenal’s potential signing of Houssem Aouar would be significant. With Mesut Ozil being deemed surplus to requirements and Matteo Guendouzi frozen out, Mikel Arteta is frenziedly searching for a creative spark to reenergise his club. Houssem Aouar, the 22-year-old Lyon playmaker, is the Spaniard’s primary target.

Aouar’s balletic feet and technical dexterity would further Arsenal’s potency in attack. His versatility in a variety of positions is an added bonus for Arsenal. The attacking midfielder could adapt quickly to the pace of the Premier League and aid Arsenal in their quest for a top four place, which has evaded them over the past several seasons.

Declan Rice to Chelsea would be another impactful transfer. The 21-year-old has been integral to the stability and functioning of West Ham in recent seasons. Despite his age, his leadership qualities have been self-evident in guiding West Ham to safety last season. As a proven Premier League pedigree and at a progressive age, Rice would make an excellent addition to the Chelsea squad. David Moyes has declared his intention to keep Rice.

31

TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 13 October

Sport

ARTWORK BY JACK SMYTH FOR TRINITY NEWS

fers that could change the of the Premier League

“

There is no doubt that Julian Draxler to Leeds United would change the pace of the Premier League as well

Fifthly is Adama Traoré to Liverpool. Liverpool have operated shrewdly in this year’s transfer market, signing a world class midfielder in Thiago and the promising Diogo Jota. They could add to their haul with Traoré. A revelation at Wolves over the last couple of seasons, his explosive pace and daring runs ensure that he leaves full backs brimming with nervous tension as they face the Spaniard. This could drastically change the dynamic of the title race as Liverpool attempts to overcome the threat of Man City.

Liverpool will definitely face tough competition for Traoré’s signature.

There is no doubt that Julian Draxler to Leeds United would change the pace of the Premier League as well. Marcelo Biesla, the master tactician of Leed’s thrilling style of play, could enhance his squad’s strength with the World Cup winner Julian Draxler. Currently at PSG, Draxler was considered one of football’s brightest talents less than four years ago, although this has slightly dimmed with a lack of regular football. Biesla

could be just the right manager to reinvigorate Draxler’s undoubted talent. Although unrealistic, what a brilliant move this would be for Leeds as they try to keep their heads above water in the Premier League.

Rafinha to Everton is another potential transfer that cannot be overlooked. Rafinha could soon follow his brother Thiago to Merseyside, this time for the blue of Everton. Everton have looked sharp and creative in the season openers and James Rodriguez with his silky left foot has been the main contributor. Rafinha could further propel hopes of European Football for the ‘Toffees’ with his incisive and direct play, adding pace and conviction to Everton. Barcelona educated, this could be another coup for Ancelotti and his team.

Milan Skrinar transferring to Tottenham would undeniably be notable. Whether you loved or hated the new Amazon documentary on Tottenham, it certainly gave us an insight into José Mourinho and Daniel Levy’s approach to the Transfer Window.

Whether Levy will consider

“

Doubt remains though about Levy’s willingness to meet the asking price

buying the Inter Milan defender is another question. José Mourinho has declared his admiration for the Slovakian, who’s playing style encompasses strong tackling and authoritative headers. Skrinar will be essential in providing Tottenham stability at the back,

especially considering the loss of Jan Vertoghen this summer.

Doubt remains though about Levy’s willingness to meet the asking price.

Lastly, there is the potential for Arsenal to pick up Thomas Partey.

Although Arsenal have previously been mentioned in this article, the potential signing of Partey could not go unreported. Partey, in his prime at 27 years of age, is viewed

by Arteta as integral in completing the jigsaw. Currently at Atletico Madrid, his defensive output in midfield has been outrageous and his no-nonsense mentality is transferable to the Premier League. For too long, Arsenal have been perceived as lacking in grit and determination, but Partey could guarantee that this is no longer true.

Whether all, some or any of these transfers will come to fruition is difficult to predict.

However, the sheer possibility of the likes of Sancho or Traoré coming to your club is intoxicating enough to keep you glued to the screen waiting for that next transfer rumour notification.

32

Tuesday 13 October | TRINITY NEWS

Sport

Student-run sports podcast digs out stories Shannon McGreevy

page 27

GAA clubs remain at the centre of the community Megan Collis

page 30

Ireland battles it out in a draw with Wales With five players being unavailable due to a confirmed Covid case, three new faces appeared in the starting lineup

“

Ireland - 0 Wales - 0

A player - who cannot be named at this time - tested positive on Friday after a negative test on Monday

fter disappointment earlier in the week, Ireland was set to face Wales in the Nations League at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday. It was a particularly dramatic morning on October 11 for Irish football, with the news that five players had been stood down from the matchday squad due to a case of Covid-19.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) confirmed one player, who currently remains unnamed, tested positive on Friday October 10 after the squad’s return from Slovakia. A negative test on Monday prompted the return back and those that were close contacts, thought to be Callum Robinson, Alan Browne, John Egan, and Callum O’Dowda, have been stood down since.

In a statement, the FAI explained: “Stephen Kenny’s Ireland squad has received one positive Covid-19 test result ahead of [the] Nations League game against Wales at the Aviva Stadium, after the latest round of Uefa testing. A player - who cannot be named at this time - tested positive on Friday after a negative test on Monday, but his case is not related in any way to that of the backroom team member who tested positive on Monday last. Talks with the HSE late last night identified four other players as close contacts of this positive case and they have been stood down from the matchday squad for today’s game against Wales.”

The news came in the wake of players Adam Idah and Aaron Connolly being withdrawn from the squad mere hours before the Euro 2020 play-off semi-final against Slovakia on October 8.

Ireland went on to unfortunately lose this match on penalties, and

the squad changes likely had an impact, as Connolly had been in the starting lineup for that game.

There’s no doubt that Covid-19 has affected sports in every aspect, and that the Irish team felt it acutely as of late. These new developments left manager Stephen Kenny facing another major reshuffle on short notice for the Wales game, and the trip to Finland scheduled for October 14.

The revised lineup was as follows: Darren Randolph, Matt Doherty, Captain Shane Duffy, Kevin Long, Enda Stevens, Conor Hourihane, Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady, Jayson Molumby, James McClean, Shane Long. Substitutes included Mark Travers, Caoimhin Kelleher, Daryle Horgan, Sean Maguire, Josh Cullen, Cyrus Christie, and Jack Byrne.

After the national anthems played across the eerily empty stadium, referee Sidiropoulos got the game underway. In the first five minutes, there were no major probing attacks yet by the Irish as they moved the ball around a lot in defence and spread the play out wide.

Wales attempted to make a move down along the wing, but Hourihane was quick to react and helped the ball back as far as Randolph.

The opening quarter of an hour lacked intensity as Wales was quick into the faces of the Irish midfield.

It’s safe to say both teams were cancelling each other out. Ireland finally saw some action nearly 20 minutes in as a cross from Doherty allowed Hendrick to set up Brady for a nice shot, but it was cleanly blocked by Wales’s Joe Rodon.

The first booking came soon after the attempted shot and,

Shannon McGreevy Sport Editor

A

to Ireland’s delight, it was of a Welshman. Deemed by referee Sidiropoulos to have led with his arm against Kevin Long, Kieffer Moore was handed a worthy yellow card. Long was injured as a result and came off the field as his left eye appeared to be noticeably swelling. He acknowledged the challenge wasn’t intentional and gave an encouraging fist bump to teammate Christie as he came on in his place.

After only being in for a short while, Christie himself received a booking as he gave the ball away in a rather dangerous position and tugged the shirt of Wales player Joe Morrell. Thankfully, Hendrick did a bang up job to flick it off the head of Rodon after the resulting free-kick.

Notable for Wales in the first half was the penalty they felt owed when Randolph dropped the ball at corner and collided into Ethan Ampadu. Officials waved off the Welsh protests. At half time, it remained a frustrating stalemate.

Undefeated in their last seven matches in competitive football, Wales did not seem concerned starting off the second half. They were in the same situation in both their previous Nations League games against Bulgaria and Finland, and still came out on top.

If you were rooting for Ireland, at this point you were most likely starting to worry.

Thankfully though, Ireland shut

“

Despite having an additional four minutes of play, neither team could clutch the win.

It would have been great for Ireland to have gotten the win to use as a backdoor to a play-off for the 2022 World Cup

down the Wales counter-attacking game with some impressive defence. The rather unimpressive offensive play was nothing to gloat about though as Long missed a nice cross from Stevens. Long had another opportunity to score after receiving the ball from Hendrick, but rather than taking a touch he looked for the one-two, meaning another missed goal and a continued stalemate.

Another booking came at the 79th minute. James McClean of Ireland clumsily ran across the heels of Connor Roberts, an especially painful injury for the as McLean’s studs ran down the back of Roberts’ Achilles, apparently accidentally. A yellow card followed soon after. Only a few minutes later McClean caught his second yellow and was forced to walk off the field after challenging Ampadu.

Despite having an additional four minutes of play, neither team could clutch the win. It would have been great for Ireland to have gotten the win against Wales to use the Nations League as a backdoor to a play-off for the 2022 World Cup. Ireland could have also really used the points pickup from a win against Wales to improve their seeding for the Cup. Clearly having been affected by the late notice Covid-19 case, this missed opportunity will not go unnoticed for the Irish.