Trinity News, Vol. 67, Issue 6

Provost election swaps Library podiums for Zoom

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opening hours should not be restricted

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LIFE pullout

TRINITY NEWS

Ireland’s Oldest Student Newspaper

ESTABLISHED 1953

Vol. 67, Issue. 6

Three-way provost race confirmed between Doyle, Hogan and Ohlmeyer A woman will hold the role of provost for the first time in Trinity’s history Shannon Connolly News Editor

C PHOTO BY SALLY NÍ THUAMA FOR TRINITY NEWS

OLLEGE HAS P U B L I S H E D THE NAMES of successfullynominated candidates seeking to become the next provost of Trinity, with an entirely female lineup for the first time in

Sunken Salmon

the university’s history.

Three Trinity academics Professors Linda Doyle, Linda Hogan, and Jane Ohlmeyer have officially been named as candidates.

The candidates were announced following an interview process, carried out by an interview committee chaired by Professor Rose Anne Kenny. Having been approved by the committee, each of the candidates also secured nominations from at least 12 members of the electorate in order to make it onto the ballot.

All nominations this year are women. In Trinity’s over 400 year history, the role of provost has exclusively been held by men.

The campaign period for

the position officially began on February 5, and will run until April 7.

The campaign “Kick-off Meeting” was held on Monday February 8 at 6pm, where the Registrar opened the meeting and each candidate had 6 minutes to address the College staff. The order in which candidates speak will be chosen by lot.

Current Provost Patrick Prendergast term in the position will end on 31 July 2021, after ten years in the position.

Among the nominated candidates is Professor Linda Doyle, who was until recently Trinity’s Dean of Research, a role that she held since January of 2018.

She is Professor of Engineering

& the Arts, Computer Science and was the founding Director of the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) research centre CONNECT. Professor Jane Ohlmeyer is the Erasmus Smith’s Professor of Modern History and has run for the position of provost once before, coming in second to the current provost, Patrick Prendergast, in the 2011 election for the role.

Ohlmeyer is the current chair of the Irish Research Council, a role she has held since 2015. She was president of the Irish Historical Society from 2003 to 2005, and College’s vice-provost for global relations from 2011 to 2014.

The final candidate, Professor Continued on page 2>>

A statue of former Provost George Salmon, who infamously said that women would enter Trinity over his dead body, pictured on campus the day that three women were announced as the candidates for College’s next leader.

Trinity tackling spread of virus cases in residences on and off-campus Shannon Connolly and Lauren Boland News Editor and Editor

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RINITY IS TACKLING an outbreak of Covid-19 cases in student accommodation on and off campus, with some students unable to move into a private accommodation building due to the presence of the virus.

At a town hall meeting on Thursday evening led by Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) and Junior Common Room (JCR), Director of the College Health Service Dr David McGrath said an outbreak of cases in Goldsmith Hall has “spilled” across campus.

Urging students to “hold firm”, Dr McGrath said that “we’ve had a lot of cases”, with the outbreak in Goldsmith Hall coming as the result of five people from two households meeting together in the previous week to ten days.

Earlier on Thursday, College confirmed it was aware of three people in Goldsmith Hall and one person on the main campus who have tested positive for Covid-19.

However, Trinity News has learned of at least five residents living on the main campus who tested positive for the virus at the College Health Centre in the last week.

Students each received a text confirming their appointment for a test on campus, with another text from the HSE after their results returned positive.

McGrath also confirmed that 160 people living in a student residence operated by Aparto, a private student accommodation provider, have been tested in Croke Park, with 25 positive cases and a Continued on page 3>>

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

In this issue News

Clinical placements for student nurses and midwives resume - page 4

Provost candidates confirmed Features

As the transition period ends, Brexit finally takes hold - page 11

Comment

The pandemic will pose even more hurdles for SU elections -page 18

SciTech

Virtual simulations and the labs of the future - page 24

Sport

How sports are responding to Black Lives Matter - 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 Features Editor Comment Editor Gaeilge Editor Scitech Editor Sport Editor

Shannon Connolly Kate Glen Olivia Flaherty-Lovy Dearbháil Kent Gráinne Caulfield Lucy Fitzsimmons 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

>>Continued from front page Linda Hogan is a former Vice Provost of Trinity and currently holds the role of Professor of Ecumenics.

She spent five years as Vice Provost and Chief Academic Officer, with her Trinity profile stating that she “coordinated strategic planning, and had responsibility for the direction and quality of research, undergraduate and postgraduate education and the student experience”.

Voting for the provostial position will be held online this year through an “e-voting” format.

Only members of the electorate can vote in the Provost elections.

Voting will take place on Saturday April 10, with the eligible electorate expected to be around 850 people.

Dr Sarah Alyn-Stacey, an Associate Professor in the Department of French who had in December announced her intention to apply for the position has not made it onto the final list of candidates.

There are no candidates who do not currently hold positions within Trinity.

Trinity tackling spread of virus in student residences >>Continued from front page “large number of close contacts”.

The building was closed to new residents, which impacted 100 students.

McGrath warned students about “Covid danger”, saying we are “all in it”.

All student residents and staff in Goldsmith Hall are being tested for Covid-19 after the confirmation of several cases.

McGrath said that 118 tests were to be conducted on Friday in the Aviva stadium due to the outbreak at Goldsmith Hall.

Speaking to Trinity News, a spokesperson for College told Trinity News on Thursday that the tests were being offered as a “precautionary measure”.

“People need to follow all guidelines to minimise transmission of Covid-19,” the spokesperson said.

“In addition to regular handwashing, cough etiquette, physical distancing and face coverings, it is critical that people from different apartments do not meet up socially and that no one enters an apartment where they are not residing.”

“Anyone who develops symptoms should self-isolate and contact College Health.”

The town hall was organised by

the JCR and TCDSU for students to voice their concerns and questions about restrictions in Halls, where some students expressed that the treatment they experienced after breaking restrictions caused them distress.

One student said they were subjected to “verbal abuse” by a member of staff, and although they will accept repercussions for breaking Covid-19 restrictions, they would “like that kind of thing to be stopped”.

McGrath said that during the pandemic, staff are under “tremendous stress, under tremendous pressure”.

However, he said that he “sees both sides”, and that it is “normal to want to have parties”, but “the fallout can be very complicated”.

“It’s really important to realise that this is affecting every single age group,” McGrath said. “It’s an extremely difficult situation.”

McGrath said that being urged to meet with some friends can seem like a “fantastic idea at 2 o’clock in the morning”, however, the fallout of it can be “absolutely traumatic”.

Halls, located in Dartry, has the capacity to house around 1,000 students, which is mostly comprised of first years.

TCDSU and JCR to try to provide “clarity” following students’ concerns in Halls

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Goldsmith Hall residents tested for Covid-19 after three virus cases confirmed

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Analyis: Trinity’s management of the Goldsmith Hall Covid-19 outbreak

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Warden to host “party to end all parties” after pandemic ends

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Editorial: College’s lacklustre Covid-19 response is part of a national problem

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Possible “Vi in lieu of ca Audrey Brown

Deputy News Editor

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“VIRTUAL BALL” MAY BE HELD this term to replace the annual Trinity Ball that has been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Ents Officer has said.

Following Trinity Ball’s cancellation, Trinity News spoke with Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Entertainments (Ents) Officer Hugh McInerney on alternative arrangements.

Detailing a series of events that were safely conducted in the past year, McInerney concluded that there may be a possibility of holding a modified, virtual ball in April.

The event has been cancelled for a second year in response to

Voters get fir promises in c Equality, research and climate change have emerged early as themes Lauren Boland and Finn Purdy

Editor and Deputy Editor

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TAFF AND STUDENTS GAINED A FIRST LOOK over the weekend at the issues candidates for Trinity’s next provost are putting on their agenda.

Candidates for provost have launched their digital manifestos and websites on Friday following the confirmation of nominees.

Professors Linda Doyle, Linda Hogan and Jane Ohlmeyer have successfully been confirmed as candidates in the race, establishing Trinity’s first ever election for provost with a ballot comprised solely of women.

The candidates have taken different approaches to outlining their priorities for the role, but consistent themes can be seen across all three manifestos.

A number of topics, including equality, research, and climate change, have been raised by candidates.

Professor Doyle’s manifesto outlines a commitment to “rebalance power structures and bring

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

irtual Ball” to be held ancelled Trinity Ball the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and uncertainty around future restrictions.

McInerney referenced this “uncertainty of public health restrictions and the volatility of regulations” when explaining why the Trinity Ball Committee (TBC) made the final decision on the cancellation.

He had proposed the possibility of a ball later in the year than typically scheduled, but “with the numerous factors surrounding large events in Ireland and how the situation can drastically change in a matter of days”, the ultimate decision was made to cancel the event altogether.

“We are, of course, extremely disappointed by the cancellation of the ball for a second year in a row, but public health and student safety understandably has to come first,” said McInerney.

McInerney was elected into a

role that appears drastically different from the position of the same title in the past. Ents Officers in previous years have arranged student events to take place at nightclubs and other large venues, with their term culminating in the organisation of Trinity Ball itself.

However, McInerney maintained that “although we couldn’t give the students the nights Ents usually provides, we have done everything we can to provide alternative entertainment options during these extremely challenging times”.

He referenced events that he helped arrange, such as Ents Online, a “collaboration between six Dublin colleges that saw artists like Soulé and Tolü Makay perform for students as they watched from the comfort of their home”, and a series of “Clash of the Comics” classes.

“Entertaining students with a

rst look at campaign candidates’ manifestos clarity to decision-making”.

“We have witnessed an increased concentration of power at the centre and a growth of more corporate managerial approaches driven in part by the homogenising of the university system at a global level,” Doyle says.

Her manifesto says that academics are currently “heavy with administration”, but that teaching and research must become the top priority for College.

Among her campaign promises are to “re-energise democracy” in Trinity, support student learning, promote equality, and create a “climate-first Trinity”.

Professor Linda Hogan has identified her priorities as strengthening education by investing in schools, providing supports for research, and placing Trinity in

the top 50 universities.

Hogan says she wants to create a culture of respect, empowerment and trust in Trinity.

“This decade is make or break for climate change, and I am committed to making Trinity carbon neutral as a priority,” Hogan says.

“As I’ve listened to colleagues and students across the university, you’ve identified many challenges, support for research, lack of promotion, student welfare and the need for greater inclusivity. I’ve heard these concerns and I share them.”

Professor Ohlmeyer says she would know she had carried out the job of provost well if Trinity is a “serious player on the world stage” in a decade from now.

She says that, as provost, she would recognise the “significant

wide variety of events while keeping them safe has been our number one priority,” he said.

Additionally, he emphasized that events held so far this year had been completely free to attend.

In December, McInerney organised the Trinity Christmas Ball, which consisted of a line-up of Trinity students performing in The Workman’s Club in order to raise money for charity. The outcome of the event produced over €,1000 for the Peter McVerry Trust.

He referenced this event as a possible source of inspiration for a modified Trinity Ball this year, stating that “we will be looking at numerous possibilities to replace Trinity Ball”, and due to an assumption that Ireland will remain on some level of lockdown in April, “a format like the Trinity Christmas Ball looks increasingly likely”.

“Although it won’t be quite the same as the real thing, we will explore all possibilities surrounding a replacement and will endeavour to give students something special to entertain them on the last Friday of term.”

PHOTO BY ZAHRA TORABPOURAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Students told to update old laptops due to security concerns Kate Henshaw

Assistant News Editor

challenges” that College faces internally and externally.

“This is a time for change. With your vote, I will bring new ideas grounded in broad experience, new energy, empathetic leadership, as well as a return to putting people first and trusting and valuing our Trinity community. Together, we will unlock Trinity’s full potential,” Ohlmeyer says.

“My commitment to you as Provost is that our shared history, collective understandings, and diverse and rich expertise will be nurtured and facilitated under my stewardship to impact society, to inspire the brightest minds and to support excellent research.”

In outlining their strengths, all three candidates have emphasised their experience in leadership roles in College and their record of publications and research Each of the candidates required nominations from twelve members of the electorate to appear on ballot.

Doyle has secured the backing of former Dean of Graduate Studies Neville Cox and Professor Carol O’Sullivan, Head of the School of Computer Science and Statistics and a former Dean of Graduate Studies, while Hogan was nominated by Trinity Hall warden Roja Fazaeli and Dean of Trinity Business School Andrew Burke.

Ohlmeyer’s nominees include Labour senator Invana Bacik and biochemist Dr Luke O’Neill.

The term of office for the current provost, Patrick Prendergast, expires at the end of this academic year on 31 July 2021.

The electorate is made up of full-time academic staff who have been in post for at least 12 months on the date of the election. Certain part-time members of academic staff are also eligible to be members of the electorate along with some student representatives.

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TUDENTS HAVE RAISED concerns about a warning from College to update older laptops as they pose “security concerns”, with at least one student told they have no option but to replace their laptop.

Older MacBook laptops running MacOS High Sierra software are to become obsolete in the coming months after Apple ends support for the software.

In an email seen by Trinity News, College informed postgraduate students that they need to update their laptop software as a result of security risks that the old software pose.

“Any Mac running High Sierra are running with an elevated security risk to all the data, including both their personal data and any research data they are using, as well as any financial information, like personal banking stored or used on these devices.”

Apple will no longer be providing any security updates for this version of macOS. Initially, there were concerns among students that their laptops would be immediately unable to use any TCDconnect services. In one email seen by Trinity News, IT services informed a student that if they could not upgrade their laptop’s software they would have “no option but to replace the laptop”.

Speaking to Trinity News, one student expressed their concerns over this calling the move “elitist and exclusive”.

“It’s unfair to expect students to shell out for a new laptop out of the blue,” the student said. “I obviously don’t have the funds to do so right now and especially during Covid it seems like the college has not even considered students before making this move.”

The student went on to say that this move is forcing her to now ap-

ply for the recently implemented Laptop Loan scheme.

“I’m not sure if i’m eligible for it, even if I am eligible for it, it’s a shame that I get it when I have a perfectly fine laptop and some other student who doesn’t have a laptop and needs it more loses out on it.”

However, College later confirmed that they will not be disconnecting anyone running the older software from TCDconnect or other TCD IT services “in this current academic year”. No communication has been made to undergraduate students on this at the time of publication.

However, many students who are not already connected to TCDconnect will not be able to do so if they are running the older software. This means that if any incoming students are using older Macbooks, they will be unable to access any of the TCDconnect services on campus.

Many students rely on services such as the mytrinity apps and softwares such as Strata for capstone projects and masters programmes.

Several students have raised concerns relating to their devices being made obsolete on campus.

Speaking to Trinity News, one such student expressed their frustration with the situation saying “the worst part is that my laptop works perfectly fine”.

“It’s so classist and I’m sure many students will be excluded because of this move at a time when digital inclusion should be the goal.”

17,000 laptops were allocated for lending to third level students this year under an initiative by the Department of Further and Higher Education.

The laptops were covered under a €15 million technology fund that was introduced as part of a €168 million package for the further and higher education sector in a bid to mitigate the impact of Covid-19.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Clinical placements for student nurses and midwives resume on phased basis Kate Kenshaw

Assistant News Editor

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ANDATORY C l i n i c a l Placements for student nurses and midwives in first to third year have resumed on a phased basis from yesterday.

From February 8, student nurses and midwives are returning to placements in phases, the Department of Health has confirmed.

In an email to students seen

by Trinity News, Dr Damien Byrne of the School of Nursing and Midwifery said he was “very pleased that the national suspension of placements has been lifted”.

“It is the consistent position of our school that, as far as possible within the current Covid-19 context, supernumerary placements should proceed,” Byrne said.

The decision will have an immediate impact on Senior Fresh students who were on placement at the time of the initial suspension.

College has advised that “not all placements will be viable from February 8 and that there will be “some unevenness in the timing of the return of students”.

College has also stated that they expect placements for Junior Fresh and Junior Sophister students to proceed as planned in March.

On January 29, after an initial two-week placement hiatus, it was reported in the national media that the suspension was to be extended by another week. This led to disappointment among students who were not aware of the decision before the news broke.

On February 4, in a letter from the Department of Health, Chief Nursing Officer Rachel Kenna acknowledged that this failure in communication from the department had an adverse effect on students.

“I want to make it clear that it was not the intention that my letter last week would reach you after the media reported the decision and it is important for me to acknowledge that this added to your concerns at this challenging time,” Kenna said.

The Chief Nursing Officer said the department will continue to monitor the situation and she will be in contact with students again the during the week of February 15.

Clinical placements for student nurses in first to third year were suspended since the government announcement on January 16.

TCDSU and JCR to try to provide “clarity” following Halls concerns First years living in Halls reiterated questions and concerns at a town hall meeting Shannon Connolly, Kate Glen and Kate Henshaw

News Editor, News Analysis Editor and Assistant News Editor

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TUDENT representatives are to try to provide “clarity” for residents in Trinity Hall (Halls) who have raised concerns and questions about the implementation of Covid-19 restrictions.

At a Town Hall on Thursday evening, students expressed to Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) and the Junior Common Room (JCR) their worries about fines and the level of repercussions for breaking restrictions in Halls, as well as the overall experience of living in Halls this year.

A Halls survey conducted by the JCR identified frequently asked questions around events for residents, living alone, and the Halls gym, which is closed during Level 5 restrictions.

Students living alone in Halls are allowed to “bubble up” with another flat, or move to a spare

room in another apartment, the JCR said.

Students have raised concerns in recent weeks around Covid-19 restrictions at Halls, which they say they understand are necessary, but that the treatment of students by staff in implementing the restrictions has caused stress and upset.

One student asked if a defined list of “punishments” could be issued. The student said that the “everyone would benefit if we could get a defined list” and understand the consequences for breaking the restrictions.

Another student who said they had broken restrictions said that a warden swore at them, spoke in a manner “totally beyond what [they] would have needed to do their job” and “made attacks on someone’s nationality”, alongside attacks on relatives.

“We would like to ask that that kind of thing be stopped,” the student said.

The student concluded that the “verbal abuse” was “way beyond what was remotely necessary to do their job” and “swearing and completely talking down to us” was “way too far”.

Another student at the meeting said that a warden said a situation was “f-ing disgusting” and told students “you’re f-ing disgusting”.

The student said the warden was “threatening things worse than a fine” directed at students who held a gathering in their apartment.

The student said the experience “made [them] feel really uncomfortable” and “we don’t want anyone else to have to go through this”, but they understood that they broke the rules and wouldn’t

be filing an official complaint.

Responding to this issue, TCDSU President Eoin Hand said students should reach out to the welfare team if they have any concerns and that he was sorry to hear the students were distressed.

He asked students to “be mindful that everyone is quite worried at the moment”.

“Staff and students can both lose their tempers, left, right, up and down, lose the plot completely,” Hand said.

Hand said that it was unacceptable behavior, but reminded students can always reach out to their welfare team if they are worried.

TCDSU Communications and Marketing Officer Philly Holmes said that “it doesn’t matter whether you broke the rules or not, everybody deserves fair treatment”.

Holmes said that the issues raised “questions of power dynamic at play” and that “Halls residents are adults and should be treated as such”.

Director of the College Health Service Dr David McGrath asked students to be mindful of the dangers posed by the spread of Covid-19.

Dr McGrath said that he could “see both sides of things” and “wouldn’t excuse behaviour on either side”.

“It’s normal to want to have parties” but the “fallout from it can be very complicated,” McGrath said.

Students also asked questions regarding privacy concerns in Halls, and whether an appeals system is in place for fines issued to students.

It was suggested that students would appreciate a document outlining the defined role of wardens and security staff. They said that there is “confusion” among students around the remit of staff and that students “haven’t a leg to stand on” if they feel a staff member has overstepped.

A member of the JCR’s Welfare committee raised a concern around JCR committee members moving out of Halls, suggesting that first years had been “abandoned”.

Head of Student Counselling Trish Murphy emphasised that counseling services are in place for students, stating that there is “a lot of genuine suffering out there”, and urged students who are struggling to reach out for help.

Two weeks ago, concerns were raised at a meeting of the Trinity College Dublin Renter’s Union (TCDRU) around students living in Halls feeling that they had been treated unfairly after breaking Covid-19 restrictions.

A spokesperson for College told Trinity News that an outbreak of Covid-19 had been avoided in Halls to date “in large part due to the students who continue to make significant sacrifices to stick to their apartment bubbles and do the hard work of social distancing, wearing masks, and washing their hands”.

“Lives are at stake. We need to ensure that everyone shows respect for Level 5 rules and Hall rules, which we will continue to apply as fairly and consistently as possible,” they said.

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

Goldsmith Hall residents tested for Covid-19 after three virus cases confirmed Student residents and support staff in Goldsmith Hall are being tested at the Aviva Stadium Lauren Boland Editor

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HREE PEOPLE have tested positive for Covid-19 in Trinity’s Goldsmith Hall residence, College confirmed last Thursday.

All student residents and support staff working in Goldsmith Hall are to be tested for Covid-19 at the Aviva Stadium testing centre as a “precautionary measure”.

Additionally, College said it was aware of one confirmed case of Covid-19 in accommodation on the main campus.

The decision to test residents and staff in Goldsmith Hall comes

because outbreaks are assessed on a case by case basis in consultation with the Department of Health and the HSE, a spokesperson for College said.

Speaking to Trinity News, a spokesperson for College said that that close contacts of the confirmed cases have been contacted by HSE contract tracers and tested.

“In addition, as a precautionary measure, all residents of Goldsmith Hall and support staff will be offered a test as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said.

“These tests will take place at the Aviva testing site.”

People also need to follow all guidelines to minimise transmission of Covid-19, according to the College Health Service.

In addition to regular handwashing, cough etiquette, physical distancing and face coverings, it is “critical” that people from different apartments do not meet up socially and that no one enters an apartment where they are not residing.

Anyone who develops symptoms should self-isolate and

contact College Health.

Most apartments in Goldsmith Hall, where there are currently around 135 residents, include four to five bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a shared kitchen and living area.

Residents are being advised that they do not need to restrict their movements while waiting for their test results, except for those who are close contacts of confirmed cases.

However, they are being asked to monitor themselves for symptoms of Covid-19.

In an email to residents on Wednesday last, seen by Trinity News, Director of College Health Service David McGrath said there has been a “significant increase” in people presenting to the College health service with Covid-19 type symptoms.

McGrath told students there was a “number of positive cases on campus”.

“I would strongly encourage you to familiarise yourself with the current regulations issued by the government regarding Covid-19.”

Students were subsequently sent

Kate Glen News Analysis Editor Analysis: Trinity’s communication on the Goldsmith Hall outbreak lacked clarity that students needed

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rinity’s communication to residents during the recent Covid-19 outbreak in Goldsmith Hall and the subsequent testing of all residents, while swift on some fronts, has highlighted shortcomings in College’s approach to students.

On Wednesday, February 3, residents in on-campus accommodation including Goldsmith Hall received an email from the Director of College Health Service, Dr David McGrath, about there being “a number of positive cases on campus”.

This email went on to advise students to follow government regulations and observe handwashing and social

distancing etiquette. McGrath emphasised that “it is critical that people from different apartments do not meet up socially”.

No further details were given in the email regarding the location of the cases.

At 5pm on the same day, residents in Goldsmith Hall received an email from the Accommodation Office “further to the e-mail from Dr David McGrath”.

This email asked residents to complete an attached form “as a matter of urgency” before midnight that night.

The form asked that students confirm their residency in Goldsmith Hall and also requested that they give their full name and provide their phone

number “to update our records”.

No further details were given as to the reason for filling out the form.

Students who completed the form began receiving text messages the next day from the Health Service Executive (HSE) informing them of a time for their Covid-19 test at the Aviva Stadium.

Speaking to Trinity News, one resident said they and their flatmates were “really confused” by the tracing text message as at that point they “didn’t know that we were even being tested”.

Students were not aware they had been signed up by Trinity to be tested at this point, or that their phone numbers had been given to the HSE.

a form from the Accommodation Office asking them to enter their name, student ID number, room number, phone number, and whether they would be in their room on the night of February 3, February 4, or both.

On Thursday afternoon, residents were told that the Health Service had been notified of an “outbreak of Covid-19 in residential accommodation on campus”.

“So far, a number of positive cases have been confirmed in Goldsmith Hall,” McGrath said.

“The HSE has requested that we provide contact details for residents to be tested, including a mobile phone number. This is necessary so that you can be contacted to arrange a test and provide your result in due course,” he said.

Students are to receive a text of their phone from the HSE with the date, time and location of their test.

“It is critical that you attend at the correct time,” McGrath said.

“Should you have a Collegerelated commitment at the time Another resident said she “felt panicked” because “no information was given to us.”

Some students with international phone numbers were called by the HSE instead of texted, but since they were not expecting a call regarding testing, they did not pick up an unknown number.

If Trinity had communicated to residents about the mass testing at the time they collected phone numbers, residents would have been prepared to be contacted.

At 4:18pm on Thursday, the University Times posted an article on their Facebook page sharing that there were three positive Covid-19 cases in Goldsmith Hall and all Goldsmith residents were being tested.

At 4:29 pm, 11 minutes after the UT article, residents in Goldsmith received an email from Dr McGrath telling them “a number of positive cases have been confirmed in Goldsmith Hall” and that all residents in Goldsmith would be tested “as a precautionary measure”.

The email went on to say that “the HSE has requested that we provide contact details for residents to be tested, including a mobile phone number”.

The handling of this outbreak has raised a number of questions about communication and data protection for residents in Goldsmith Hall.

Goldsmith residents learned of the reason they were being tested from a student newspaper, instead of a formal communication from College.

Instead of properly informing

allocated for your test, please prioritise the test and inform your School that you are required to attend for a test.”

“For those who have been tested as close contacts and received a negative test, you will receive an appointment for a further test next Tuesday at College.”

“This does not apply to people who are to be tested at the Aviva.”

As of the start of last week, no outbreaks of the virus had been confirmed in Trinity Hall (Halls), College told Trinity News.

In October, College confirmed to Trinity News that students living together in an apartment are recognised as a household and will be asked to restrict their movements if a student in their apartment has symptoms of Covid-19.

College accommodation has remained open this semester for students living on campus.

However, College asked students to consider whether it was necessary for them to return after Christmas in a bid to curb unnecessary movement during Level Five restrictions.

Students living on-campus who choose to leave before the end of February will only be charged for the time they spent in their residence.

students about the situation when collecting information, residents were not told about the outbreak or the testing plans and their phone numbers were shared with the HSE without residents’ knowledge or consent.

This potentially raises questions about residents’ data protection, with one of the data protection principles outlined under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) being data needs to be used for the purposes which were explicitly given at the point where the data was collected.

Residents were not told when filling out the form that their phone numbers would be shared with the HSE, did not give consent for them to be, and were unprepared for being contacted regarding testing.

A Goldsmith resident said they “felt extremely violated” when they discovered their phone number was given to the HSE without their permission. “Although it was for a good reason, they definitely crossed a line.”

Goldsmith residents said that they understood the collection of phone numbers for the HSE was needed to contain the outbreak. H However, not properly informing students of the reasons for their collection led to confusion when the HSE reached out to residents and denied residents the opportunity to give consent for their information to be shared.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Analysis: Trinity’s path to becoming a University of Sanctuary Kate Glen News Analysis Editor Trinity has become the sixth university to received the University of Sanctuary Status in Ireland

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RINITY HAS become the sixth university to have received the University of Sanctuary Award by the People of Sanctuary Ireland, an initiative which has been running since 2016. The aim of the initiative is to encourage universities and other higher education institutions to promote a welcoming culture for the asylum seekers.

To achieve the status of University of Sanctuary, Trinity first needed to prove that they have been educating the community about the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees and have created a steering group to promote long-lasting efforts at inclusion.

Second, universities are required to demonstrate they have taken positive action to foster a culture of welcoming including providing scholarships or bursaries for refugees, supporting volunteering efforts by students and staff, and building their relationship with their City of Sanctuary group. Finally, institutions are encouraged to share the methods they found worked best to promote inclusion with other institutions.

Officially, Trinity began working towards achieving the University of Sanctuary award in 2018, when the Participatory Advisory Group was founded on the recommendation of the “Learning to Build New Lives” report in 2017. The group, co-chaired by Dr Gillian Wylie of the Irish School of Ecumenics and Dr Fintan Sheerin of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, fulfilled the requirement of a steering committee.

In 2019, progress towards Sanctuary status was made when Trinity provided four scholarships through the Asylum Seeker Access Provision programme for students in Direct Provision. These scholarships cover all fees, on-campus food allowance and public transport costs, as well as

providing a stipend of €1,500 per year and a laptop. However, only two out of the four scholarships were awarded in 2019, with 2020 being the first year all four were given to students.

Trinity has been criticised for the relatively small number of scholarships provided, especially when they are viewed in comparison to scholarships for asylum seekers provided by other Universities of Sanctuary.

University College Cork (UCC), which was awarded Sanctuary status in 2018, provides seven.

University College Dublin (UCD) offers thirty scholarships, National University of Galway (NUIG) has twelve, Dublin City University (DCU) offers fifteen, and University of Limerick (UL) waives tuition fees for first-time higher education applicants who identify as refugees or asylum seekers.

Beyond financial support, Trinity has also been working towards promoting awareness of the refugee crisis through public lectures, volunteering by staff and students, and hosting the Dublin City of Sanctuary on World Refugee Day in 2018. The Registrar’s Civic Engagement Award for 2020 was given to Dr Rachel Hoare from the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultural Studies for her efforts to help unaccompanied and separated children who are seeking asylum in Ireland through art psychotherapy.

Students have also been important drivers in Trinity’s path towards University of Sanctuary status. Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) voted for a mandate to actively oppose Direct Provision in 2014, four years before the Participatory Advisory Group was founded in 2018. Students have been actively involved in promoting the end of the Direct Provision system, with the student movement Aramark Off Our Campus staging protests in 2018 to oppose the presence of the catering company for Direct Provision on campus.

Halls Warden to host “party

The most common Covid-19 violations in Halls this year are hosting non-residents and throwing parties Trinity Hall warden Roja Fazaeli says restrictions are crucial for safety amid students’ concerns over “harsh” repercussions Shannon Connolly News Editor

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HE TWO MOST C O M M O N V I O L AT I O N S OF COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS in Trinity Hall (Halls) this year is hosting non-residents in the accomodation campus and throwing parties, the Halls Warden has said.

Speaking to Trinity News, Dr Roja Fazaeli has promised to throw a “party to end all parties” after the pandemic ends and students can return to enjoying social lives safely again.

Fazaeli spoke to Trinity News in the aftermath of claims of “harshness” from students in the implementation of restrictions at Halls and repercussions for students who break the rules.

Fazaeli confirmed to Trinity News that there “most certainly” has been incidents where Halls residents have “engaged in behaviour that has broken governmental restrictions”, as well as “the Hall rules temporarily adopted to address this pandemic”.

“The two biggest categories of violation that I have seen over the past twelve months have been students bringing non-residents on site and students having parties,” Fazaeli said.

The warden said that there are more students breaking rules and being given punishments this year,

and she thinks this is because “the stakes are so much higher when it comes to Covid-19”.

“Having seen the way that this virus has ripped through other halls of residence around the world and moved into surrounding communities, I’m certainly determined to hold the line on non-residents and parties,” Fazaeli stated. “I believe that’s a position which the great majority of our student residents respect and appreciate.”

Fazaeli said that her role in Halls is “ultimately a pastoral position of protecting this place and all the people who live here”, however, she does also exercise the disciplinary function of a Junior Dean.

Fazaeli explained: “In normal years, this means helping to establish and preserve an atmosphere of mutual respect amongst residents so that all students can pursue studies and extracurricular learning to their fullest potential.”

In January, students raised concerns at a meeting of the Trinity College Dublin Renter’s Union (TCDRU) around feelings that they had been treated unfairly after breaking Covid-19 restrictions in Halls.

Addressing these claims made by students, Fazaeli emphasized that the repercussions for breaking Level 5 restrictions in Ireland are “significant for anyone at present”, and “Covid-19 is a crisis from which unfortunately no one is exempt”.

“Trinity Hall is part of the same national fabric of this country, and I would hope that every student is able to acknowledge that some repercussion is justified for breaking the rules that apply equally to everyone,” Fazaeli said.

“In this context, I must say that I do not think the repercussions for breaking rules at Trinity Hall during this time are overly harsh.”

“There is always a formal process of a hearing where I listen quite closely to the student or students who have been written up for discipline and seek to consider both their perspective and any mitigating circumstances,” Fazaeli explained. “I have also been at pains to ensure that any student facing any financial hardship is able to avail of alternative ways of repairing their breach of community trust.”

Fazaeli said that there are a small group of students who she has “repeatedly” met with over breaking restrictions, and she has tried to “offer multiple chances to students”, “to exercise patience in the midst of this most difficult time”, and to provide “opportunities to contribute some positive service to the Trinity Hall community rather than engage repeatedly in fining the same individuals”.

Fazaeli said: “I frankly do not want them to feel punished or caught, rather I want to come to a mutual understanding around why and how their actions were either dangerous or disrespectful

Trinity awarded Universi Sanctuary status Finn Purdy Deputy Editor

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RINITY HAS been awarded the status of University of Sanctuary for its work in promoting the integration, inclusion and welfare of refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants.

The status is awarded by People of Sanctuary Ireland. The organisation’s website states that the purpose of the initiative is to “encourage and celebrate the good practice of universities, colleges and other education institutes

welcoming refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants into their university communities and fostering a culture of welcome and inclusion for all those seeking sanctuary”.

The recognition is something that College has been working towards for three years, having established a participatory advisory group in February of 2018 with the aim of applying for the status of a University of Sanctuary.

Welcoming the announcement, Trinity’s Equality Unit stated that they were “proud and delighted” that Trinity had received the status.

Six other higher education

institutions in Ireland have already obtained the designation of the title, including University College Dublin (UCD), the University of Limerick (UL), University College Cork (UCC), National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway), and Maynooth University.

Dublin City University (DCU) was the first university to be granted University of Sanctuary status in December 2016, and In April of 2019, Trinity’s University Council voted to approve four fully-funded scholarships per year for asylum seekers to study at Trinity. All four scholarships were awarded in this the second year of the programme, with only two of

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

y to end all parties” after pandemic What to themselves and/or the greater community.”

Smetimes these disciplinary meetings determine that there was no infraction, or that there was simply a misunderstanding.

Staff in Halls are regularly in concert with student’s College Tutor.

“As such they are intended to be scrupulously fair and any repercussions are weighed carefully alongside student welfare, mental health, and personal circumstances. With all that said the most typical repercussion for a disciplinary infraction has been a monetary fine.”

When asked whether she thought the current repercussions were fair, Fazaeli stated that “it’s not fair for any of our students to have to be living through university days during this time”.

However, Fazaeli emphasized that she “wouldn’t be doing justice” to the students who live in Halls if she were to “turn a blind eye to parties and non-resident guests”.

“For many students this term – whether related to health considerations, lockdown travel logistics, family dynamics, internet access, or other factors, Trinity Hall is a necessary and essential home,” Fazaeli said. “And in this year, which is unlike any other, we need to continue to strive to live together and keep each other safe.”

She added that she “hopes” that on reflection of Halls residents over the past year, they will not see their student Covid days as “a lost opportunity to party”, but “rather as a moment when they learned that they were strong in ways they had not known before”.

She said tthere is a “mutual frustration” between staff and students in the complex at the moment.

“The extracurricular and social

ity of

side of Halls is something that we’ve always worked very closely on with past JCRs, and frankly there is mutual frustration and sadness that at the moment that side of Hall has, necessarily, had to be so drastically curtailed,” Fazaeli explained.

“Like everyone else, I miss the way life at Trinity Hall used to be – the student camaraderie, the friendships, and the social bonds that give this place life have all been put under tremendous strain as a result of this pandemic.”

On whether it is frustrating to see students repeatedly breaking Level 5 restrictions, Fazaeli said she thinks that “at this point in the pandemic everyone is frustrated”.

“I think at this point in the pandemic everyone would like to have their friends over to visit and to have a good party,” Fazaeli explained. “When this is all over I will personally host a party to end all parties at Trinity Hall and you are all invited.” However, Fazaeli stated that in the meantime, we must “keep on keeping each other safe by social distancing, masking, and washing hands”. “At present, unfortunately, a small minority of students, either intentionally or exhaustively breaking rules, seems to have dominated the narrative of what is happening and also what is possible at Trinity Hall during this time.”

“The powers of a Warden are overstated: I cannot magically bend the science of virus transmission on the Trinity Hall site. That means that parties are not possible, that non-residents cannot visit, and that, in the same way that household visits are now paused throughout Ireland, moving between the household bubbles of apartments is also not allowed. That’s simply the fact of where we are at present.”

22>> Op-Ed Dr Gillian Wylie

“You can’t legally enforce quarantining in the bedroom for example, that wouldn’t be practical.”

Micheál Martin, Taoiseach “There has been a marked increase of people being sicker this time around than the first time around.

Denise O’Connor, Paramedic “As Black History Month begins today, we remember and honor those who have come before, and we work to build a brighter future for all who follow in their steps. Kamala Harris, US Vice President

PHOTO BY EUAN CARROLL FOR TRINITY NEWS

“To my daughters Zoe and Hailee, I hope I have done enough to secure you both a future free of financial worries and that even with me not here to guide you, you can both pursue your dreams. And always remember, Mammy loves you.”

Lynsey Bennett, victim of Cervical Check Scandal

Team behind “Save Trinity Ents” drops campaign as nominations open in sabbatical officer elections Kate Henshaw

the four having been awarded in the initiative’s inaugural year.

These scholarships provide the potential for four students from direct provision to be admitted to Trinity free of charge, depending on them securing places through the Central Applications Office (CAO). The scholarships were an important part of Trinity’s bid to secure the recognition from People of Sanctuary Ireland.

they said

Assistant News Editor

T

HE TEAM BEHIND THE “SAVE TRINITY ENTS” petition created last year has decided not to bring the issue forward at the next Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union(TCDSU) Council meeting.

A spokesperson for the team told Trinity News that they feel it would be “unfair to talk about the petition so close to elections”.

The petition originally looked to replace the Entertainment (Ents) Officer with a dedicated committee to run events instead.

The Ents Officer is elected by

members of the student body during TCDSU elections. The position is paid full-time and the officer receives accommodation on campus.

The nominations for the next TCDSU sabbatical officers, including the Ents Officer, opened on February 1. Nominations close on Monday February 15.

Recently, several of the Save Trinity Ents petition’s supporters have distanced themselves from the campaign.

Speaking to Trinity News, previous supporter of the petition and current Ents Treasurer Anthony Gleeson said that he has “not taken any further action” since Michaelmas term.

Gleeson went on to say that he is “looking forward to seeing

the Ents Committee becoming an official part of the Ents constitution once the process has started in the coming months” and he hopes that the sabbatical officers “would be kind to include a select number of the Ents Committee members during the constitutional review process”.

“I believe the input from the committee members will prove to be vital in the shaping of ents for years to come.”

Speaking to Trinity News in September last year, Gleeson highlighted the “mediocre levels of engagement when it came to Ents events” as a major reason for his support of the petition.

He emphasized that this low level of engagement would be “continuous” and that “every Ents

Officer will face this problem”.

“They’re just going to look at it like ‘there’s no real solution’,” he claimed. “This is the solution.”

The Save Trinity Ents petition was launched in September 2020 and sought to “remove the Ents Officer from the Constitution in June 2021”. The position would be replaced with four part-time paid Heads of Ents; Head of Operations, Head of Planning, Head of Community and Head of Marketing and Communications.

As a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, no oncampus campaigning will be allowed in this year’s sabbatical elections. Voting will take place online and results are due to be announced on March 11 ahead of Reading Week.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Beyond Trinity

Forest Walks A Trinity student takes a moment to breathe in the trees of Forêt des Soignes outside Brussels PHOTO

BY ELIZA MELLER FOR TRINITY NEWS

Students receive Leaving Cert grades from exams in November In the deferred Leaving Certificate, 39% of students’ results increased compared to the calculated grades they received Connie Roughan and Jamie Cox Staff Writer and Contributing Writer

S

TUDENTS WHO sat the “traditional” Leaving Certificate examinations in November received their results last Tuesday at midday.

The usual Leaving Certificate examinations that take place in June of every year were cancelled last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Out of 1700 of the 2155, just under 8 in 10, of the students that chose to sit the November exams also received Calculated Grades in the summer. In the exams that these students took, 39% of their grades increased from their Calculated Grades.

The final certificate combines the best results from both processes. These results are subject to appeal, and it is possible that there will be further upgrades.

On Sunday, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris announced on Twitter the number of places to be offered to students who sat the delayed traditional Leaving Cert in November.

Posting on Twitter, Minister Harris announced that 554 level 8 college places will be offered to students today, to begin in the next academic year. Posting the update, Minister Harris commented that as well as the 554 level 8 places being made available, 37 level 6 and 7 places will also be made available to students.

In his update, Minister Harris announced that “institutions are in the process of contacting each student directly”. Each student will then be offered college places for the following college year.

Likewise, the Minister wished to express his congratulations to the students who received their grades earlier last week.

All candidates entered for the 2020 Leaving Certificate were given the opportunity to sit the November exams.

The majority of the students taking the exams did receive Calculated Grades in the summer, however, there were also approximately 460 candidates who were unable to access Calculated Grades as they were studying one or more subjects outside of school, or who chose to forego the Calculated Grades progress.

On average, the students in November sat just over two exams

each, with Biology and Maths dominating the subject choices.

Some 2,600 students applied to sit the exams, but only 2,155 presented at the exams.

In late September, 6,100 students had the Leaving Certificate upgraded after the discovery of coding errors in the calculated grading system.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Education Minister Norma Foley,emphasised their

commitment at the start of this year that Leaving Certificate students would sit exams this year.

However, in light of the current school closures, government is coming under pressure to revise this. The Irish Second Level Students’ Union conducted a poll in which a choice between physical exams and Calculated Grades was the most popular for this year’s examinations.

A homeless man, Michael Byrne, known affectionately as “Old Man Belfield” died sleeping roughly on the campus of University College Dublin’s (UCD) on January 11. The 71 year old spent more than 40 years roaming the campus, and his funeral service was told that he did not believe he was homeless, because “UCD was his home”.

Byrune was remembered by UCD chaplain Fr Eamonn Bourke at as “an important member of our community” at his funeral mass, and his death led to a huge public response from UCD academics, staff, students and graduates who fondly recalled a man who was a permanent fixture on the Belfield campus but “never spoke”.

A statement issued on UCD’s Twitter following his death said that Byrune was “a fiercely private person”, and “we thank those of you who quietly looked out for Michael”. “We will miss him around the campus. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam,” they continued.

Maynooth University is withholding Christmas exams grades from language students due to integrity concerns. The students were issued a warning before the start of exams, reminding them to “behave properly” in the assessments. Due to the nature of last year’s exams being held online, administrators reminded students that though they may be “tempted to share answers”, any “suspected anomalies” in the student’s grades would require the student to sit a supplemental exam this term. Upon the releasing on grades early last week, several Maynooth students have had their grades withheld on this account, and are being required to sit a supplemental exam in the upcoming week.

According to the Irish Examiner, a community outbreak in the Mid-West of 61 cases occurred through transmission at “social gatherings and household visits among the student population”. The gathering of students in the Mod-West led to an outbreak of 61 cases, alongside infecting a wedding. The Health Service Executive (HSE) confirmed that one of these cases from the gathering “worked at a hotel during a wedding, and transmission occurred among 16 wedding guests and work colleagues”. Two cases within this outbreak also ended up infecting their households.

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

International students tackle travel challenges in return to college With some returning to Ireland and others remaining abroad, international students faced difficult decisions at the start of the term

Audrey Brown

Deputy News Editor

A

SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF N T E R NAT I O NA L STUDENTS have elected to return to Trinity to complete the academic year in Ireland despite a lack of physical classes.

Some students, however, report having delayed return times or not come back at all in response to Ireland reaching the highest Covid-19 infection rate in Europe during January.

A Senior Fresh history student living in New York, Daragh McMahon, reported that he noticed the upward trend in cases in Ireland early enough to have moved his return flight back by a

month, delaying his return until February 20.

“I pretty much expected our second semester to some extent to be online,” McMahon remarked.

Therefore, after announcements that all of his classes would be conducted remotely, the move online provided him with more “flexibility” as to when he chose to return to Dublin.

Erin Buckley, a Senior Fresh student from Texas, has already returned to her accommodation in Ireland, but chose to delay her travel plans for a week “because of issues [she] had with the airports I was connecting through”. In January, the Irish government announced that all international travellers to the country would be required to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of travel.

However, specifications about whether the 72-hour mark fell before one’s departure from the country of origin or arrival in Ireland were unclear, and in fact, one of Buckley’s flatmates “got turned around at the airport in the States because her test was within 72 hours of departure, not arrival, so she had to rebook and get another test”.

Of course, while the new requirements for international travellers cause stress prior to departure, most students agree

that the new mandates are beneficial in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19. McMahon stated: “I honestly feel that this was an appropriate move”, especially “with the advent of new strains and such”.

Meredith Silfen, a Trinity student living in New York, however, elected not to return to Dublin for the semester, even though she admitted that she “was excited to hear that incoming students had to present a Covid-19 test”, and she “believe[s] that this rule should have been implemented for those flying into Ireland in the fall” as well.“ Although it would have been tempting had Trinity considered in person or hybrid class, realistically this would be impossible, and dangerous for the student body, faculty, and the public”, continued Silfen.

Aidan Desjardins, who lives in campus accommodation, reported having planned to remain in Dublin for the holiday period, which would have erased any issues regarding the need to quarantine or provide negative Covid-19 tests, but ultimately, he returned home to Germany for a week.

Although he, too, will be taking classes entirely online for the semester, he cited having access to the library and the desire to

be in Ireland while he sat Schols as being key in determining his return to Dublin. “Given that this was the fourth or fifth time I’ve had to quarantine”, he added, “it has gotten a lot easier”.

Generally, international students who have travelled between their home countries and Ireland for college have experienced several periods of self-isolation between last March and this winter.

In terms of mental health, Desjardins reported to have “seriously struggled” during the second lockdown in Ireland, but since the move to the current, third lockdown, “things have been better”.

Buckley, who is still in her quarantine period, similarly reported having “learned how to manage” her mental health better and to “pinpoint why I feel the way I do”. She noted the situation in Ireland itself as seeming “much more serious” in regard to adhering to lockdown measures, which she is “definitely not complaining about” Both McMahon and Silfen, while they are currently home with family, reported struggling mentally at the onset of the semester.“Even though I’ve surrounded myself with family while being back home, I cannot help but feel somewhat isolated in a remote learning environment”, said McMahon.

“Most of my friends are back in Dublin, and most of my local friends are back at their college elsewhere, so there is some degree of loneliness that is tied with online learning from home”.

In general, however, although most students expressed chagrin at having to remain online for the second semester in a row, they believe that the decision was necessary and expected.

Nominations open in TCDSU elections Nominations for the TCDSU Sabbatical elections race have opened and will run until Monday February 15 Shannon Connolly

activities through any academic year. The President, the Education Officer, the Welfare and Equality Officer, the Communications and Marketing Officer and the Ents Officer all organize different events and factors in the union throughout any given year.

Alongside the sabbatical elections, the editor of the University Times (UT) editor is also elected by the student body.

Voting for sabbatical officers will start after the campaign period ends in March, and the new officers will assume their role in May. TCDSU represents all students in College, and any registered Trinity student can run for the roles within the union.

During the campaign period, candidates running in the elections will be permitted to do

most of their campaigning online, however, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no students will be permitted to campaign on campus.

No posters will be allowed on campus during the campaigning period either, in a bid to stop an influx of students coming to campus on the election days.

Voting will take place online rather than through a ballot box as in a usual year.

News Editor

N

ominations for Trinity College Dublin’s Students’ Union (TCDSU) sabbatical elections opened last week, with the campaign period to take place from March 1 to March 15.

Nominations for the sabbatical officers are open until Monday, February 15.

TCDSU has five sabbatical officers which oversee the union PHOTO BY LAUREN BOLAND FOR TRINITY NEWS

Library announces new addition to Beckett collection Sarah Emerson

Contributing Writer

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OLLEGE HAS ANNOUNCED A NEW ADDITION to the Trinity alumni Samuel Beckett

collection.

The Library has acquired the archive of “Rockaby”, the 1981 play by Irish writer and playwright Samuel Beckett.

The archive includes copies of the original play and its French translation, production notes, correspondence from Beckett, material from the play’s premiere and photographs of Beckett at later rehearsals in London.

The Library released an online exhibition last Wednesday, and announced that the entire Rockaby archive will be made available later in 2021 in the Library’s Digital Collections.

The Rockaby material adds to the Library’s Beckett Literary Archive Collection, which was founded by Beckett himself with the gift of four notebooks in 1969.

The Library has expanded the archive over the years, and it is now a “leading” collection of original material and research relating to the Trinity alumni.

The Beckett collection is considered significant for scholarship on Beckett’s life and works, providing insight into his creative process and response to his plays’ performances.

In addition to the latest Rockaby material, the Trinity collection contains the largest collection of Beckett’s private correspondence, draft notebooks of the prose work Imagination dead imagine, and a first edition of Waiting for Godot, annotated

by Beckett when directing this play’s first performance. Trinity librarian and archivist Helen Shenton said: “The Library of Trinity College Dublin has one of the world’s greatest collections of Beckett archives.”

Shenton continued: “The archives relating to the origins and world premiere of the play ‘Rockaby’ is significant for Beckett scholarship, both nationally and internationally.”

“We welcome the opportunity to be able to share these collections with researchers,” she added. “We are especially grateful for the philanthropic support which made the acquisition of these manuscripts possible as well as their cataloguing and conservation.”

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

Features

Provost election swaps podiums for Zoom Olivia Flaherty-Lovy

page 12

As the transition period ends, Brexit finally takes hold

The consequences of Brexit on Irish students are beginning to take shape Anna Sheehan Contributing Writer

W

hilst 2020 will doubtless earn a sweeping spot in the history annals, it’s amusing to reflect on 2016, a year which, at the time, sparked political chaos amid two of the world’s most powerful nations.

When the UK voted to leave the EU and the US elected a reality TV star to The Oval Office, an unparalleled shaping of politics began permeating the globe Alas, many were indignant that the limits had been reached in terms of political outlandishness and absurdity. But as Murphy’s Law encapsulates, just when one reckons things cannot possibly get any worse, they normally do.

And five years down the line, as one chapter has finally drawn to a close, the other is unfortunately only on the cusp of unleashing its wrath.

Last month, the United Kingdom’s Brexit transition period expired, and the nation drew the line on a 48-year relationship with the EU. By abolishing its ties with the European project, Britain departed the single market and customs union, the structures which support the free movement of money, goods, people and services across the bloc’s borders.

While the Withdrawal Agreement prevented Ireland’s neighbouring isle from depositing a trail of utter destruction in its path, there’s no denying it will induce many a quandary for the Irish people, both financially and logistically.

Regarding Brexit’s main impacts, it’s no breaking news

that Irish companies will lose their legally enforceable EU-level rights when dealing with British companies. In further common knowledge, Irish people may now incur customs charges when buying goods from the UK. While such impacts are certainly relevant on a general level, the question remains as to how Brexit will alter the lives of Ireland’s student cohort specifically.

Under the circumstances of Brexit, the European Union (EU)/ European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss students will forfeit their home fee status in England from the beginning of the 2021/22 academic year.

In other words, they will no longer qualify for the same tuition fees and financial aid as UK domestic students.

Luckily for Irish citizens, though, the Common Travel Area arrangement between Ireland and the UK ensures that their rights to study and access UK benefits and services will be protected on a reciprocal basis.

Irish students planning to undertake an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at an English university will therefore continue to pay the same fees as before. However, the real disparity will be noted by those with intentions to study in Scotland or Wales in the coming years.

Up until now, Scotland was a haven for Irish students, who relished the privilege of paying home rule fees on most courses.

Furthermore, the NHS covered the fees of Irish students pursuing healthcare degrees in Scotland.

Post-Brexit, however, Irish students choosing to study in Scotland will be liable to a £9,250 annual fee - the same as what they currently pay to study in England.

Students choosing a programme in a Welsh university will be subject to a maximum of £9,000, which is twice the previous course rates.

While this evolution will surely

dissuade Irish students from studying in Scotland or Wales, predicting the outcome of the English situation is a more delicate task, as no financial adjustments have been made for Irish students in the wake of Brexit.

Trinity graduate Caoimhe Gordon has been studying at a London university since September, despite

having n e v e r actually visited the campus due to the pandemic. “We’ve spoken about Brexit several times in class and so far, the general consensus is that it was ushered in without much ado, given the other challenges the UK was facing”, Caoimhe remarked.

“However, I feel the long-term effects will be felt for students, particularly in relation to the Erasmus+ program, in which the UK will no longer participate.”

While the Irish government has agreed to extend the benefits of its Erasmus+ program to students in Northern Ireland, UK students can no longer partake in the Erasmus+ exchange to mainland Europe. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the UK’s plans for the replacer “Turing scheme”, a new programme which will offer funding for placements and exchanges commencing in September 2021.

“I find it quite sad to be honest, as I can’t imagine this new scheme will offer the same culturally immersive opportunity,” Gordon said.

“My Erasmus year was truly a highlight of my university experience and I know my classmates who I met there from

Standing up for student renters David Wolfe

page 14

the U K would agree. It’s a casualty for Irish students too, for whom it won’t be possible to study in the UK via Erasmus+.”

Despite the implications of Brexit, Gordon still intends to move to the UK to pursue journalism after she graduates. “Right now, I still think London is a cosmopolitan and exciting city with so much to offer”, she explained. “However, I wonder if this reputation will diminish as it’s going to become so removed from its European neighbours.”

“I definitely don’t regret my choice to study with a UK university, as it offered me the best potential opportunity for my chosen path,” she continued.

“However, the settlement scheme presents new challenges for EU citizens. Therefore, they may be tempted by somewhere with less logistics to consider, somewhere that allows them to avoid unnecessary university fees and continue the free movement that the EU happily allows.”

As long as the Common Travel Area arrangement prevails, and university fees remain the same, Gordon doesn’t think Irish students will be swayed from studying in the UK. “In fact, it might become more of a rite of passage for them,” she mused.

Killian Madden, financial

“

There is certainly scope for a domino effect in terms of both in university options and travel

analyst at a l a r g e Irish airline and aviation i n d u s t r y expert, doesn’t predict Brexit will stimulate colossal reform of the travel industry, to any extent.

“For the most part consumers won’t even notice it,” he began. “Any problems that arise will stem from the legal side. For example, Ryanair can no longer operate a London to Glasgow flight like they could when Britain were in the EU. As a result, they were forced to set up an English subsidiary called Ryanair UK.” Madden foresees a lot of airlines taking a similar route in order to minimise Brexit’s influence as much as possible. “In terms of the actual travel experience, it’s kind of a best of both worlds situation for the Irish”, he continued. “Unlike other European citizens, we can travel to both the UK and the EU as freely and safely as before.”

Madden pointed out that UK airport charges are already “some of the most expensive in the world”. He added: “After Brexit these are no longer controlled by the EU, so the UK can essentially charge whatever they want. It’s hard to predict, but I have a feeling that post-Covid, it may become more expensive to fly into the UK. Naturally, this will affect Irish students if connecting via the UK, be it when heading on their J1, going backpacking or studying abroad.” As a result, Madden anticipates a possible increase in connections through the continent and fewer tendencies towards stopovers in London airports.

Overall, for Irish students, Brexit’s impact on both travelling and studying abroad is fortunately quite minimal, thanks to the Common Travel Area arrangement. In contrast to the remainder of the EU, Ireland’s students lie in a fortuitous position, with a foot in the door of both Europe and the UK. While behaviour changes are unlikely to arise as a direct result of Brexit, there is certainly scope for a domino effect in terms of both university options and travel. Could it be that the adversities faced by EU citizens will consequently avert Irish students from studying within their neighbouring isle? Will the road to a culturally diverse and less regulated mainland Europe become the one more travelled for students of Ireland? Only time will tell.

ARTWORK BY SARAH LARRAGY FOR TRINITY NEWS

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Features ARTWORK BY VIRGINIA GINNY BERNARDI FOR TRINITY NEWS

Provost election for Zoom in high

Trinity’s Registrar, who oversees the election, says its online format won’t stem collegiate spirit

New year, same online term Students and staff share their thoughts on a second digital semester Dearbháil Kent Comment Editor

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ost students would agree that initially the prospect of going to a 9am class online in your pyjamas from the comfort of your own bed was very attractive, at least at the beginning of the academic year. It is almost a year now since the announcement of coronavirus’ arrival in Ireland and few students had anticipated the pandemic to last as long as it has. There was a brief glimmer of hope towards the close of the first semester when students were given a slithery promise of inperson classes; these hopes were only to be dashed with stricter restrictions, meaning any hope of going back to college was now a pipe dream.

Students and staff were left disappointed, but many had anticipated online classes for the second semester. ”I would have been in favour of more in-person classes,” said MPhil classics student Patrick Hayes.

“But I understand that it was a necessary move, especially in light of the increase in cases and deaths after the Christmas period.” It is true that College, and universities nationwide, have a responsibility to reduce the spread and prevent reproduction of the virus on campuses. On the other hand, universities also have a responsibility to their students to provide adequate education and services to uphold their participation and engagement.

Senior Fresh European studies student Vanessa Nunan “had this

optimism for the entire term last year that there would be at some point at least some in-person classes”. Students across the country can certainly relate to how Nunan feels about the loss of in-person classes, and not being able to hang out with classmates - before, during, after and in between lectures.

Those studying languages face additional challenges with the move to online learning, as it is quite difficult to replicate the process digitally. Dr. Rebecca Usherwood, Assistant Professor in Late Antique and Early Byzantine Studies, admitted that she was heartbroken when College announced the move to online teaching for the second semester.

“I miss being in the classroom, and I miss the natural interaction you get from being in a classroom and working in a building with my colleagues and students. I love teaching, and it has been so sad to realise that it won’t happen the way we would like this year.”

Equally, Trinity has a responsibility to deliver its highly ranked education and resources.

There is an air of acceptance about students’ inability to change the circumstances of the pandemic and the effect they have had within the last year, and most students are sympathetic towards the predicament College is in.

Hayes recognised that “Trinity made the right move concerning in-person classes despite the results of the survey”.

This sentiment echoes throughout the student body.

“The student survey was done at a different time, even though a large percentage of students were in favour of in-person classes. But it’s really important to listen to the few people who didn’t want to go in because of who they’re living with and their circumstances,” Nunan agreed. “I think that while it’s disappointing I can’t hang out with my friends, it doesn’t make sense to ignore the health crisis at the moment.”

In spite of this sympathy, the choices College have made within the face of the pandemic are not without its challenges or faults; while Dr. Usherwood recognises “how incredible my colleagues and students are for adapting to such difficult circumstances”, Hayes argues that College “should have kept open the library reading rooms that have now been closed, e.g. 4/5th floor Ussher library.” It is exactly these kinds of challenges, accessibility to the library for postgraduate students being just one, that Dr. Usherwood speaks of.

Another challenge that faces students ahead of the second semester, put no better than The Clash: should I stay or should I go? Some students like Hayes had the foresight to avoid any dilemmas surrounding rent.

Others have found themselves caught, forced to choose between paying rent or moving back home. “I love being in Dublin, but whether that’s worth hundred and hundred of euro a month - it makes you think,” said Nunan.

“My college years are certainly the main part of my life that I see myself in Dublin for. It’s sad to think that half of that time is essentially taken away. Even if I’m in Dublin right now, I’m still staying home most of the time. I don’t get the benefit of living close to town; I haven’t been able to walk home from a gig and think, ‘I don’t need to take a taxi back.’

It’s sad that aspect doesn’t really matter this year.” Many students, however, have chosen to move home rather than try to justify paying the already unaffordable Dublin rent.

Many students would expect that a new year would start with bright new shiny starts to all things, but this year has started how the last ended: in the age of the coronavirus. Despite these difficulties, though, both students and educators are stepping up to do their utmost to get through these tough times.

Olivia Flaherty-Lovy Features Editor

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or the first time since Trinity’s establishment

by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592, the role of provost will go to a woman, whose ten-year term will commence on 1 August 2021. Professors Linda Doyle, Linda Hogan and Jane Ohlmeyer are vying for the spot after the three academics were officially confirmed as candidates on February 5.

In a less unusual move, no external candidates from universities other than Trinity will appear on the ballot, with all three candidates having spent much of their careers working and researching in Trinity. In the 2011 provost race, which featured one external candidate, then-Irish Times Education Editor Sean Flynn argued that College was holding itself back by not attracting more candidates from further afield. “By any standards, this is a ‘blue-chip’ educational appointment,” Flynn wrote. “It should draw the best and the brightest from Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford and the rest.

The process for appointing a

new provost began last September, with applicants interviewed by a panel during December and January. Following the interviews, successful applicants were invited to seek nominations from twelve members of the electorate, which is composed primarily of full time academic staff members, along with six representatives from the Students’ Union and four representatives from the Graduate Students’ Union. Of the three candidates whose names have made it onto the ballot, no student representatives are among their twelve nominations.

The most drastic departure in the election from previous years, beyond the gender profile of the candidate pool, are the logistics of the election itself. Like much of life in 2021, the election is to be ran digitally, with campaign events and voting taking place online.

This appointment process is overseen by a steering committee, which is chaired by Registrar and Professor of Computer Science and Statistics Brendan Tangney.

This year, in light of the pandemic, the electorate will meet over Zoom instead of in the Exam Hall, and the counting of ballots will be carried out online instead of inperson.

Speaking to Trinity News, Tangney said that the essence of electing a provost remains largely unchanged despite the lack of physical presence. “It’s hugely important because it gives an opportunity for everybody to think and talk and discuss what they think are the important issues,” he said. “It requires the candidates to articulate a vision for the university, and it gives

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swaps podiums The Irish far-right’s hly unusual race role in the infodemic the electorate an opportunity to interrogate the candidates and to generate new issues which the candidates may not have thought of.”

Though virtual formats can create a sense of alienation and disconnection, Tangney stressed the importance of maintaining the communal aspects of the Provost appointment process, perhaps now more than ever. “It’s an opportunity for everybody beyond the immediate electorate to raise issues and to have discussions,” he said. “It really is in the spirit of the collegiate nature of College that we do get together and reflect on where we’re coming from from the past 10 years and where we want to go for the next 10 years.”

All three of the candidates who successfully completed the interview process and subsequently secured 12 nominations from the electorate are senior professors who are well established in their respective fields and who have worked with

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We reflect on where we’re coming from and where we want to go for the next 10 years

international audiences. Professor Linda Doyle is a Professor of Engineering and the Arts who has raised over €70 million in funding for Trinity and who served as the Dean of Research at Trinity since 2018. Professor Linda Hogan is a Professor of Ecumenics in the School of Religion who previously served as the Vice Provost and Chief Academic Officer of College.

Professor Jane Ohlmeyer Erasmus Smith’s Professor of Modern History and was the first Vice President for Global Relations, a position she held from 2011 to 2014. She ran for Provost once before in 2011, coming in second to the current Provost Patrick Prendergast.

The formal campaign period commenced on 5 February and will begin with the “Kick-off Meeting,” during which each candidate addressed the College faculty in six minutes or less. This will be followed by several forums: one with the faculties of the departments of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, one with the faculty of Health Sciences, and one with the faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, all of which will be held in the week from February 11 and 18.

Later, candidates will have the opportunity to engage in a debate focusing on climate change, which will begin on February 22 and which both students and staff are able to attend. A students’ union hustings will be held on March 29, followed by a GSU hustings on March 31. The election itself is due to take place on 10 April, and after being approved by the Board, the new provost will commence her term on 1 August 2021.

ARTWORK BY ELLA SLOANE FOR TRINITY NEWS

As political tensions rise, right-wing groups in Ireland have found their way to the center of the action Jack Ryan Deputy Features Editor

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he death of George Nkencho at the start of the year brought Irish far-right online activity, which had been bubbling and fomenting under the surface for years, into open view and public discourse.

Likes, posts and comments surged on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Above are two typical examples, posted on the Irish Patriot Movement Facebook page, which is followed by ten thousand people. The reaction to George Nkencho death was just a recent incarnation of the notable increase in online right-wing conspiracy theories cropping up over the last few years, particularly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. But is just a spontaneous consequence of ever-encroaching social media?

To what degree are Irish right wing parties and organisations responsible for nurturing and promoting conspiracy theories on social media?

At a public meeting of the Policing Authority in October 2019, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris noted this acceleration, stating; “It’s very clear from my interactions with European colleagues, and then also what I see myself, that there is a rise in right-wing extremism right across Europe.” He added: “The difficulty with it is that it’s spread through the web and spread through social media. And we just need to be very careful, in terms of some of the things that have happened to date here in Ireland. We now see it starting to arrive on our shores,” The media has to be apportioned some of the blame for this phenomenon. In extensive coverage of anti-mask activists such as Gemma O’Doherty, some media gave her the public platform to magnify baseless conspiracy theories. Given the fact that groups such as AntiCorruption Ireland, O’Doherty’s organisation, enjoy very little support among the Irish populace, one might reasonably ask why

articles such as this one exist, giving desperately needed oxygen to fringe political groups. From the perspective of a media outlet, outrageous headlines and extremism generates clicks, retweets and ad revenue. Thus controversial actors such as Gemma O’Doherty and Katie Hopkins can enter into symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationships with media outlets; coverage in return for clicks. And despite this, coverage of the current growth in Irish far right activity online is necessary, as recent protests in Washington and Amsterdam have shown how online discussion can mutate rapidly into real life consequences.

Of the constellation of Irish right-wing political groups, AntiCorruption Ireland is perhaps one of the most extreme, but many others exist, all with little electoral success. The National Party, led

by Justin Barrett, occupies the far right end of the spectrum. Barrett has in the past stated he would totally ban Muslims from entering the country, telling Cork 96FM: “There needs to be a check of all people coming into this country.

Most people, at a quick glance, you can tell they are no threat.”

In 2020, the National Party Twitter account retweeted a tweet from Leo Varadkar condemning racism, adding, “If racism is the virus then cultural distancing is the best prevention”.

Last summer, Justin Barrett took to the stage at the March for Innocence protest, falsely declaring Minister for Children Roderick O’Gorman “a paedophile apologist”. This allegation was levelled at O’Gorman as he had appeared in a photo with British campaigner Peter Thatchell in 2018. It was comments made by Tatchell in a 1997 letter to the Guardian newspaper for which O’Gorman was baselessly attacked on social media. As a gay man, the homophobic subtext of the attacks on O’Gorman could hardly be more clear. O’Gorman was also accused by some of having shared cannibalistic Satanic images, echoing conspiracies of powerful Satanic paedophile rings; a regular motif for the QAnon movement.

In the last year, Covid-19 conspiracy theories have become increasingly common on somewhat more mainstream, although still very minor, parties such as Direct-Democracy Ireland, Renua, and the Irish Freedom Party. All three have sown doubt over the safety of the Covid-19 vaccines. Direct Democracy Ireland has openly questioned the existence of the virus on social media, sharing a post alleging that hospitals

are empty, and that they “feel sorry for these Nurses and Doctors compelled to keep this secret. Obviously the pressure of losing their jobs is keeping the health care staff quiet.” The Irish Freedom Party’s Chair Professor Dolores Cahill of UCD has been centre stage on the anti-vax and “plandemic” circuit, both in Ireland and internationally, sharing to her 70,000 Facebook followers that “people might start dying after taking the (Bill) Gates vaccine”.

Speaking to the Trinity News, former Nigel Farage aide and leader of the Irish Freedom Party Hermann Kelly says that the Irish Freedom Party has no connections with Anti-Corruption Ireland or the National Party, and is often criticised by those parties as being “too moderate”. He confirmed that they currently have a pro-free speech and anti-lockdown leaflet and social media campaign with Renua and Direct Democracy Ireland. Kelly said that the Irish Freedom Party is opposed to racism in all its forms, but that it was no more responsible for comments left on its Facebook page than any other online publication.

Below a video they posted on rioting in Belgium were some explicitly racist comments - “there are no decent Africans”, “post them back”. Kelly says that such comments are deleted as soon as they are noticed. The Irish Freedom party are Eurosceptic, and a good deal of Kelly’s campaigning efforts are directed towards increasing support for an “Irexit”, and drawing attention to controversial fishing practices by foreign fishing “supertrawlers” in Irish waters.

Right-wing groupings in Ireland hold very little electoral clout, and none of the above political parties have ever managed to elect a TD. But the past year has shown a marked increase in online activity and traffic to conspiracy theories on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.

These range from shady cabals planning global mind control through vaccination; to photos of “empty” hospitals ‘proving’ that the virus does not in fact exist.

Conspiracies and misinformation have already fueled protests such as the March for Innocence, and the anti-mask “Yellow Vest Ireland” protests. Irish right wing or far right parties, small as they are, have provided a forum for this misinformation, and presented it to a large audience. Whether this will become a permanent legacy of the pandemic in Ireland remains to be seen.

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Standing up for student re A look inside the newly established TCD Renters’ Union fighting for students’ rights David Wolfe Contributing Writer

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aunched in the opening days of the new year, the newly formed TCD Renter’s Union (TCDRU) has attracted hundreds of followers across their three social media platforms in the first few weeks of its existence. On these platforms, the TCDRU states its mission “to give a voice to all student renters”, and lists among its aims a 25% reduction in rent for this academic year as well as a permanent 10% reduction, as well as a commitment that students who terminate their accommodation during the pandemic will not incur financial penalty. The union also seeks a guarantee from the college that no student faces repercussions, either financial or academic, for involvement in rent strikes or protests.

Speaking to Trinity News, Liam Kiernan, chair of TCDRU, said that the formation of the group was a collective response to the unfair treatment of students during the Covid-19 pandemic, which emphasised the need for student renters to “collectively stand up to the college”.

The group has pulled its inspiration from a wave of student rent strikes and tenant protests in the UK late last year, many of which saw significant success. Described by the Guardian as the “biggest wave of university rent strikes in four decades”, students in over 20 UK universities withheld their rent in a strike before Christmas. After students in Manchester University

won a 30% reduction in fees in their first term, their example was followed in both Cambridge and Bristol, with students making similar demands, as well as calls for immunity from financial penalty for students terminating their accommodation. In January, TCDRU followed suit, alongside seven London universities, including Goldsmiths, King’s, and UCL, all fed up with unfair accommodation practices.

Though the students of Manchester have no intention of backing down until winning cuts for the rest of the academic year, their incremental victory in securing 30% rent reduction for their first term illustrated the effectiveness of organised action, a principle which is at the core of TCDRU’s ambitions: “Long term, we want to build an organisation that can effectively represent and stand up for students to achieve lower rent and better living conditions.”

However, TCDRU has announced that it has no intentions of a rent strike this semester, citing the obstacles of Trinity’s financial calendar. Like any union, TCDRU’s power and effectiveness relies on strength in numbers, and as such their primary goal this semester is to build membership and establish a body coordinated enough to make change.

“At the moment, our priority is getting TCDRU fully up and running, namely by getting our branches in Trinity Hall, oncampus, Kavanagh Court, and Binary Hub and our four subcommittees functioning,” he said. “We will look to run online events on the basics of tenant unionisation and the importance of collective action, as well as host tenant’s rights workshops in the upcoming future.”

The focus of the Renters’ Union, however, is broader than merely the financial side of accommodation.

Niamh Ní Hoireabhaird, who is the TCDRU’s Disability Officer, told Trinity News she was glad that the Renters’ Union have also

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made the welfare of students with disabilities a central part of their mission from the beginning.

“Accessible accommodation for students with disabilities is an important issue that I’m really interested in. I’m really thankful to the other Officers in TCDRU who reached out to me and wanted to include accessible accommodation for students with disabilities in their aims,” she said.

For students with disabilities, accommodation options are severely limited by issues such as accessibility and proximity to campus, especially those for whom commuting is not a viable option. Access to appropriate, disability-accessible, on-campus accommodation, such as Botany Bay, the GMB, and the Business School, is itself restricted by exorbitant fees, costing around €9,100 per year for a room, following last year’s 4% rent increase.

“The price of accommodation is a huge issue for me and has been for the past few years in which I’ve lived on campus”, Ní Hoireabhaird said. While the price of accommodation is a major concern for all students in

A banner in 2019 calls students to march against the housing crisis. PHOTO BY TAKE BACK TRINITY

“

As a student renter, I can see how awful an issue rent currently is in Ireland need of it, “living with a disability incurs extra costs so I think it’s vital that students with disabilities are supported in applying for expensive, accessible on-campus accommodation”.

“I am really hopeful that TCDRU will raise awareness of this issue and achieve some sort of rent reduction or cut for students with disabilities”, Ní Hoireabhaird said.

Many of the members which the union has registered in its first month have been first-time student renters. Fionnuala Maher, a firstyear Halls resident, spoke about the uncertainty of entering the world of student accommodation, and why she has joined the new Renters’ Union.

“As a student renter, I can see how awful an issue rent currently is in Ireland, especially in Dublin.

I strongly agree with [the Renters’ Union’s] aims to try combat exploitation of renters and to campaign for lower rents”, she said.

Though only a “lay” member as of yet, Maher embodies a passionate support for renter solidarity which, if shared by

all members, promises to make the new initiative a force to be reckoned with. “I hope to be as active a member as possible as it’s something I feel very strongly about. I hope we as a union achieve better renting conditions, if not for ourselves, then for students to come.”

Maher felt that a separate renters’ union was a more effective approach to the issue of accommodation than striving for the same goals through the collegeaffiliated Students’ Union, arguing that it allows the organisation to be more focused and independent.

However, rent is as vital an issue as any the SU campaign on behalf of, and like many students, Maher believes that as a representative of the whole student body, the SU has an obligation to speak up. “They’ve sent out a petition calling for Provost candidates to be committed to the environment.

They should share information about the Renters’ Union too, and aid in all campaigns. Issues of rent are obviously affecting students, and thus they should be involved”, she said.

In September of 2019, a similar student-renter-oriented group by the name Cut the Rent TCD was formed, with similar aims and strategies to those of the TCDRU. Cut the Rent organised a series of protests on campus, as well as holding a number of public meetings, and canvassing students to take part in a rent strike. Relations between Cut the Rent and the Students’ Union were varied, with the SU initially voting down a motion of support for the group before eventually approving a revised motion in support of the aims and strategies of Cut the Rent TCD. Previous statements by TCDRU indicate that while seeking endorsement from TCDSU is not something the organisation has explored, “we’d be happy to take [it]” were it offered.

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enters

O BY JOE MCCALLION FOR TRINITY NEWS

“The biggest threat to domestic security is white nationalism” The political landscape of the US is more difficult to predict than ever after the riot at the Capitol Catherine Forristal Contributing Writer

Eoin Hand, President of TCDSU, confirmed that TCDSU welcomes the establishment of the new organisation and expressed optimism for future cooperation between the two bodies: “we at TCDSU would be delighted to endorse and facilitate the aims and ambitions of TCDRU as far as the health and safety of our students will allow it”, he said.

Hand acknowledged that popular organisation is often a vital spark in making tangible progress, noting, “grassroots movements are often where important change happens in our society, realising live emotions and feelings in our society and acting on them in real and radical ways to secure a better tomorrow”. Though the Renters’ Union have made clear that they wish to remain entirely independent from the college, such open support from the college Student Union can only serve to benefit the aims and enhance the bargaining power of the organisation.

The formation of the Renters’ Union, and its rapid growth in membership, illustrates more than anything a solidarity among student renters and a desire to combat unfair accommodation practices in unity. Student renters are acutely aware of the exploitative reality of renting, be it from private landlords or from college itself, and are beginning to recognise their capacity to fight back. The organised collective approach of the newly founded TCDRU presents greater prospects of success for fighting this battle than any individual could. The existence of an independent, dedicated group on the issue of renter offers more effective protest to win real change in the area of college accommodation, and its leadership is optimistic that their goals can be achieved to the benefit of all student renters, present and future.

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n the weeks since the violent attacks seen at the Capitol in Washington DC, it is no surprise that there have been an abundance of questions about police preparation, prior intelligence, and the impact that this siege has had on the political landscape of the United States. This riot, which caused five deaths, was sparked by Donald Trump’s instruction to his supporters to “fight like hell” in the wake of the election results.

Despite prior intelligence of this insurrection, additional state and federal law enforcement were not dispensed ahead of the day, a marked difference in response in comparison with last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests.

The violence and chaos that ensued has led to the resignation of three major Capitol security staff, including Steven Sund, Capitol Police Chief. Since the beginning of the investigation into the siege, officials have made conflicting statements regarding their prior knowledge of the attack, with numerous sources claiming that warnings of potential violence had been

flagged on social media weeks before. According to Malcolm Nance, former US intelligence officer and current analyst of foreign policy and terrorism, there had been many signs of planned attacks on social media.

Furthermore, an FBI report from January 5 warned of extremist violence at the Capitol the next day, clearly aware of the possibility of a siege.

John Sandweg, former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and former general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security, claimed that, “with proper planning, Capitol Police could have controlled the growing crowd Wednesday without assistance from the FBI or National Guard”. Video footage captured at the insurrection clearly shows Capitol police completely outnumbered by the rioters, unable to prevent their eventual invasion of the building itself.

In response to the riot, thenPresident-Elect Joe Biden stated: “We saw a clear failure to carry out equal justice [...] No one can tell me that if it had been a group of Black Lives Matter protesters yesterday that they wouldn’t have been treated very, very differently than the mob of thugs that stormed the Capitol yesterday.”

This contrast to the police response during the Black Lives Matter protests has been heavily scrutinised around the world.

Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, a civil rights advocacy group in New York City, described the difference in police treatment of protestors.

“When black people are protesting, there’s an overmilitarization of communities…

It was as though two sets of rules apply,” he continues, “one for these pro-Trump protestors and another set for not just Black Lives Matter but civil rights protests.”

During the Black Lives Matter protests last summer, police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and military-grade assets.

According to data collected

by Bellingcat and Forensic Architecture, there were almost 1,000 accounts of police brutality recorded during the Black Lives Matter protests last year. Moreover, a recent study conducted by the US Crisis Monitor found that US police are three times more likely to use excessive force against left-wing protesters.

New research at Princeton University has found that at least 93% of last year’s protests were peaceful.

A third-year Trinity student from California described his experience of being tear-gassed last June following the death of George Floyd: “The police told us to move back, and we did. Then all of a sudden they started just getting really aggressive for no reason. Nobody in the group had provoked it,” he said. “They were in riot gear even though it was all pretty peaceful, and then they put on the gas masks and threatened to start gassing us if we didn’t disperse [...] They didn’t wait for anyone to go their separate ways, and then next thing I knew I started choking, and my eyes started to burn.”

Dr. Daniel Geary, Mark Piggott Associate Professor in American History at Trinity College Dublin, said Trump’s claim of victory in the 2020 election which sparked this riot is just one of the many examples of ‘white victimisation’

that can be found in much of the far-right rhetoric across the US today. He explores this in his book, co-authored with Jennifer Sutton and Camilla Schofield, “Global White Nationalism: From Apartheid to Trump”. He describes how the electoral right “has consistently appealed to racial fears among whites about loss of status.”

According to Dr. Geary, Trump’s statement to his supporters encouraging them to “take back our country” is a clear example of this self-victimisation.

Dr. Geary explains, “Trump’s ability to speak to the language of grievances and victimhood appeals to white nationalists. The biggest threat to domestic security is white nationalism”.

So, what does this mean for US politics? Dr. Geary suggests that the rise of the far-right has not stopped or even slowed. In many respects, the US has become more divided than ever before, making it difficult to predict the political landscape in four years’ time.

Since the Capitol siege, many concerns have been raised about the potential oppression of protests. Following the widespread criticism of the handling of this riot, many Democrats have called for a “war on terror”, with Joe Biden labelling as “domestic terrorists” This effectively allows the State to violate the civil liberties of these rioters, which indirectly connects to the quashing of any opposition to the status quo, according to Akin Olla, political strategist and organiser. He continues, “While this may be well-intentioned, it fits neatly within the trajectory of attacks against civil liberties over the last two decades.”

ARTWORK BY JACK SMYTH FOR TRINITY NEWS

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Breaking up big tech Conservatives decrying “unfair” treatment ally with progressives as big tech gives ground for left and right to unite Sean Gordon Dalton Deputy Features Editor

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s concerns deepen over the power of companies such as Google and Facebook, a growing coalition of countries are making moves to regulate the power of Big Tech.

Europe has been a global leader when it comes to increasing the pressure on tech giants, with the EU threatening to introduce hefty fines to penalize companies that refuse to “play fair.” Last month, after the European Commission proposed a similar framework in its Digital Markets Act (DMA), Germany approved a reform of national competition law, making them the first country in the world with preventative rules tailored to combat the market power of large digital platforms.

The UK and China are also pursuing similar rules for similar reasons. The British Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Google over potential violations of antitrust law, while Beijing recently announced plans to impose competition obligations on Big Tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, and the Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba. Now, the US has become the latest country to join global efforts to bring the technology sector under regulatory control, filing antitrust lawsuits against Google and Facebook.

US president Joe Biden said during the election campaign that he wants to “break up economic monopolistic powers”, mirroring calls from high profile progressive lawmakers such as Senator Elizabeth Warren. House Democrats, who previously launched a 15-month investigation into the market power abuses of Big Tech, issued a 400-page report condemning Facebook, Google, Apple, and Amazon for engaging in anticompetitive behavior. They called for stronger regulations to curb the reach of these monopolies.

Now the Right have joined the call, although for different reasons.

For some time, prominent American conservatives have hit out at companies such as Facebook and Google for the supposed censorship of

ARTWORK BY PATRICK BYRNE FOR TRINITY NEWS

Republicans and conservative views. This animosity has only intensified after social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Youtube banned or suspended Donald Trump and other members of the Republican party who pushed dangerous conspiracy theories and incited violence online. Fellow tech giants Apple and Amazon have also removed Parler, a social media app popular among the far-right and Trump supporters for their failure “to rein in hate-filled, violent speech”.

These suspicions have provided a rare and notable instance of bipartisan support among Democrats and Republicans for

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Both sides recognise that Big Tech has too much control over public discourse

strengthening anti-trust laws.

However, while the two parties agree that tech companies have too much power, their wildly different reasons do not translate into obvious solutions. Speaking to Trinity News, MSISS student and member of DU Pirate Party Bríd O’Donnell said: “When the right talk about content moderation, they want to remove the ‘conservative bias’ that they believe exists on social media.

This bias hasn’t been proven”.

“When the left talk about content moderation they are talking about hate speech and radicalisation on social media,” O’Donnell said. “Both sides recognise that Big Tech has too much control over public discourse and that there needs to be some serious change on the regulation and enforcement of content moderation however neither side agrees with what that moderation would look like.”

“This is why I don’t think the left or right are exactly united.

Both sides want Big Tech to be punished and to be weakened.

How they are going to do that is unclear.”

This appears to hold true, as polls have found that while the vast majority of Democrats approved of Twitter’s decision to permanently suspend Donald Trump following the violent insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, the majority of Republicans disapproved. This

polarity in responses highlights a divergent criticism of tech companies among the two parties.

O’Donnell believes the cornerstone of the content moderation issue is Section 230, better known as the “26 words that created the internet”. This small piece of law which was introduced in the 90s essentially says that websites do not have the same liabilities as publishers.

However websites can still moderate so long as they do it in good faith. Therefore, Twitter is neither a public square nor a publisher, existing somewhere in between. “Section 230 is hugely important in the growth of the general ecosystem of the internet and social media. However it also gives a free legal pass when it comes to moderation issues to internet giants now like Facebook and YouTube,” she said.

“I mentioned section 230 because both Biden and Trump have mentioned repealing this law.

That would be big,” she continued.

“Firstly you can’t just repeal it, you need to replace the law with something, because as much as Facebook should have more liability for what is posted on it, it is definitely not a publisher the same way Trinity News or the New York Times is.” She added: “Also repealing Section 230 would just destroy a ton of smaller sites, which would actually benefit the Big Tech giants in the long run”, effectively undermining the goals of antitrust laws.

Despite this, support for antitrust action has led to five antitrust cases being launched against tech companies. Both the Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from 48 states and territories filed twin lawsuits against Facebook claiming it illegally maintained its social media monopoly through acquisitions of rival companies, such as Instagram and WhatsApp. Similar cases brought against Google accuse the search engine of also illegally maintaining its monopolies.

The trajectory of these efforts will likely be dependent on who President Biden appoints to the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department, the government agencies that oversee antitrust cases. Biden’s pick for attorney general, Judge Merrick Garland, considered likely to be a formidable opponent of Big Tech, has written about antitrust law, briefly taught the subject at Harvard Law School, and has weighed in on a number of antitrust cases while serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.

According to O’Donnell, plenty of experts are debating this issue but unfortunately, few of them are influential in the policy circles of Washington DC. “It’s more likely that the big donors from Silicon Valley will have their way with both the left and the right. On this issue, I doubt content regulation will be seriously and effectively enforced. You are more likely to see privacy laws and antitrust action breaking up Big Tech.”

GrĂĄ i gcoraintĂ­n page 3

Having the ultimate Valentine’s night in page 11

Societies fighting against prejudice page 12

LIFE

TRINITY NEWS

Inside: Abstract pop artist Audrey Hamilton makes a bang

ARTWORK BY ZAHRA TORABPOURAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Table of contents SAD Days in lockdown - page 6

Careers in the Arts

Abstract pop artist Audrey Ham

Society spotlight - page 4 Valentine’s night in - page 7 Keeping social media addiction in hand

- page 13

We need to talk. Period.

Jane Loughman talks to Audrey Hamilton about her journey from Los Angeles acting to running a successful art business

- page 11

DUGES and QSoc on fighting prejudice on campus - page 15

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 Co-Editor Sex & Relationships Co-Editor

Kerry O’Sullivan

Societies Editor Societies Deputy

Ciara Cassidy Grace Fannon

Student Living Editor Student Living Deputy

Cian Dunne Isha Neurgaonkar

Eva O’Beirne

I

rish abstract pop artist Audrey Hamilton has been moving from strength to strength with her quirky, colour-saturated, statement paintings. Since her humble beginnings in 2017, she has become a notable presence as a contemporary artist in Ireland, raising money for great causes close to her heart, and running a 35k follower Instagram account (@audreyhamiltonart). However, before Hamilton turned her passion into a business, she had been pursuing a very different career path in Los Angeles acting.

Hamilton and her thenboyfriend, now-husband, Jack Lowe had been living in the City of Angels for over two years when Hamilton bagged herself the role of a lifetime. Before the lifechanging casting, she had been living the LA lifestyle: auditioning, auditioning, auditioning, and filming for ads and pilots. With auditions comes a lot of waiting, so Hamilton kept herself busy

by dabbling in painting, creating pieces for her LA home with old makeup brushes and left over blue and white wall paint. She grew up in a creative household and was always making things in her youth, but was never formally taught in art: she received a degree in Journalism, Film and Media from Dublin Business School.

Her life-long dream was to act, so she also went to the Gaiety School of Acting and RADA in London and worked hard to earn herself her very own trailer on a Netflix set. Everything was on the up for Hamilton when she was cast for the Netflix role, but the dream did not last long. On her first day on set, she was informed that the production company was not aware until that day that she was on a work permit, and they no longer wanted her for the role.

Hamilton worked hard to have the right visa to achieve her dream, but the company did not want “to deal with paperwork” as she told Today FM. She had to pack up everything and leave straight away, so she was “glad [she] didn’t

“

She grew up in a creative household, but was never formally taught art

post it on social media.”

Hamilton was understandably heartbroken, but she soon picked herself up after Lowe encouraged her to turn her hobby of painting into something more, buying her some professional paint and tools to “see where it goes.” There in LA, she created the first group of her iconic animal paintings, POSH PIG, HIS GIRAFFE, and HER GIRAFFE. Her friends and family saw potential, and on moving back to Dublin, she started sharing her work online.

Hamilton worked on making prints on fine art German Cotton Rag paper to sell, working with The Copper House Gallery, who she still works with to this day.

She began growing a following, and by April 2018, she made a TV appearance promoting her art on Ireland AM before holding her first art launch INSTINCT later that month. Hamilton’s vibrant paintings of animals and faces were being shown frequently at events and her business took off. In December 2019, she had her own pop-up shop in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre for three whole weeks.

Audrey Hamilton’s Instagram is a dazzling, vivid collection of her work, and her account is a true reflection of her bubbly personality. As well as sharing her paintings, she chats on her stories and shares her daily life, the behind-the-scenes of her art business, motivational captions, her flawless makeup looks and colourful outfits that match her bright artworks. Hamilton has admitted that she only started dressing in such bright colours since she became an abstract pop

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

milton makes a bang

“

Hamilton wanted to create a piece that represents all of the different shapes and sizes that our breasts come in, all around the world artist. She told Elaine on Virgin Media that she “swore by black… my whole wardrobe was just easy.”

She wanted to start “wearing what she was painting,” and became a fan of fun and clashing colour combinations. She also revealed on Elaine that she had been working on an apparel line that she is currently planning on launching this upcoming SS21.

Hamilton has been working with charities and organisations since her early days in the art world, donating her HIS GIRAFFE piece to a Peter McVerry Trust fundraiser in 2017.

When Australia experienced the horrifying bushfires in January 2020, animal lover Hamilton was haunted by the devastation. To help, she decided to paint KOKO, her adorable koala painting, to sell in order to raise money for WWF Australia. Within one hour, 100 prints were sold, and within a week the entire edition sold out, which had never happened before. She was blown away by the amount of money she had raised: €20,000, or AUS $35,000, that went straight to the WWF Australia fund. The Australian Ambassador of Ireland is even hanging his own KOKO in the embassy. She told VIP Magazine: “I still often think about how it really is through the power of social media being used in its most positive form, that we can all come together and help in areas that need it.”

In the mindset of lockdown last year, Hamilton created works using similar colours to her KOKO painting, like MOTHER HEART, STAYCATION and TWOGETHER, establishing her Pop Art Shapes collection. One of her most popular works of 2020 was FEMME, which she painted for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October to raise money for Breast Cancer Ireland (BCI)

who lost a lot of funds due to the pandemic. Her best friend, health and wellness podcaster Georgie Crawford, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, and since, Crawford has been an amazing advocate for breast cancer awareness. So, Hamilton teamed up with Crawford to create FEMME and fundraise for BCI and breast cancer research, and raised €21,000. Hamilton wrote on her Instagram that she “wanted to create a piece that represents all of the different shapes and sizes that our breasts come in, all around the world.”

Hamilton is an inspiration for those who wish to turn their hobbies into businesses. She is not only admired by her followers, but also by many young primary school children who have used her art as foundations for their creative endeavours. She has been told by many teachers that their students have created their own animal portraits, even over Zoom art classes. Hamilton shared on her Instagram that this was “one of the most rewarding things in [her] career yet.” She is delighted that art is taken seriously in so many schools, as she believes that “it is such an important part of education that can’t be made secondary to others.”

Hamilton recently released prints of her white, orange and purple on black work THE LIONESS in 38x45, her largest print size yet. There is a quiet yet vigorous strength expressed in the eyes of the lioness, and her power is something that is seen in Hamilton’s character. While her animal works are her most well-known, I adore her human portraits. Against bold primary colour backgrounds, the faces are dashed with yellows, pinks and blues to unveil the inner colours of these unique faces. My favourite of these is HOT MESS, not only for its title but the large splash of pink that hides one eye.

I could scroll through Hamilton’s Instagram all day, and I hope to one day display one of her prints, or maybe even one of her originals, in my own living room.

I asked Hamilton what she has coming up for Audrey Hamilton Art: “I’m working on a few bits at the moment that will be launching soon…. [I’m] just working away in the studio and will be doing some more pieces for charity this year too.” Who knew that a visa issue in the States would lead Hamilton from acting to owning an art business? She certainly never expected it, but as she told Georgie Crawford on Crawford’s podcast, The Good Glow, that upsetting moment on the LA set, a time in her life when she thought she had truly failed, in fact, brought her on the right path - one on which she “could not be happier.”

Grá i gcoraintín Labhraíonn Hazel Ní Bhroin faoi thionchar na paindéime ar an gcaidrimh atá againn le daoine éagsúla ar fud na tíre agus conas iad a choinneáil slán

C

ibé duine atá grá agat dóibh; do thuismitheoirí, do pháirtí, nó do sheantuistí, tá sé míle uair níos tábhachtaí ná riamh a bheith i dteagmháil leo le linn na n-amanna gan fasach seo. Faraor, agus muid faoi dhianghlásáil eile, tá sé deacair ar dhaoine an uaigneas a sheachaint. Ní féidir linn taisteal níos mó na 5km faoi láthair, agus mar sin, b’fhéidir nach féidir leat do chara nó ball de do theaghlach a fheiceáil ar feadh tamaill. Bíonn éifeacht ollmhór ag an easpa cheangal daonna seo ar mheabhairshláinte an duine agus mar gheall air seo, tá sé go hiomlán normálta má tá tú ag mothú sáinnithe agus uaigneach.

Bheartaigh mé léargas a fháil ar chonas is féidir leat caidrimh maithe a choineáil le daoine i rith géarchéime.

Táim i mo chónaí in árasán le mic léinn eile faoi láthair. I dtosach, bhí sceitimíní orm mo spás cónaithe féin a bheith agam agus cairde nua a dhéanamh. Ach mar thoradh ar an gcoróinvíreas, bhí sé deacair orm socraigh isteach. Bhí strus orm mar bhí a fhios agam nach mbeadh mé in ann mo chlann i nGaillimh a fheiceáil ar feadh tamaill fhada.

Chun cabhrú leis seo, chruthaigh mé gnáthamh laethúil nua dom féin, leis mo chlann agus mo chairde i nGaillimh san áireamh.

Gach lá, nuair a bhí an t-am agam, rinne mé iarracht glaoch a chur orthu. Níor mhair na glaonna gutháin ach thart ar 5 nóiméad uaireanta ach fós chabhraigh siad liom gan a bheith cumhach.

Cinnte, molaim físghlao a dhéanamh más féidir mar is rud deas é do chlann nó do chara a fheiceáil agus a bheith ag caint leo, fiú muna bhfuil siad in aice leat go fisiciúil.

Anuas air sin, ceapaim gur smaoineamh iontach é litreacha no bearta a sheoladh chuig do chlann nó do chairde. Níl ann ach beart siombalach don ghrá atá agat dóibh ach beidh siad anbhuíoch asat ar aon chaoi. Nuair a sheol mé bronntanas chuig mo thuistí agus mé i mBaile Átha

Chliath, bhí siad chomh sásta leis agus mhothaigh mé gur laghdaigh sé an bhearna eadrainn píosa. Tá sé éasca a bheith dúghafa leis an teicneolaíocht sna laethanta seo, go háirithe mar tá go leor eachtraí curtha ar ceal agus ní féidir linn taisteal níos mó ná 5km. Mar sin, is rud iontach é píosa ama a chaitheamh ó na scáileáin chun litir a scríobh. Is mór an difear idir litir a fháil sa phost agus téacs a fháil ar do ghuthán.

Labhair mé le mo chara faoi na deacrachtaí a bhí aici i rith na paindéime. Conaíonn sí i mBaile Átha Chliath agus conaíonn a pháirtí i Luimneach. Dúirt sí go raibh ‘gach rud ceart go leor i rith an chéad dianghlasála mar cheapamar nach mbeidh muid in ann bualadh suas le chéile ar feadh cúpla seachtain ar a mhéad’.

Lean sí ar aghaidh, ‘tar éis tamaill, tháinig frustrachas orainn agus cheap mé nach mbeadh muid in ann fanacht le chéile’. Goilleann sé orm go bhfuil an coróinvíreas ag scriosadh na gcaidrimh atá againn le daoine eile timpeall na tíre. Cheistigh mé conas a d’athraigh sí an dearcadh diúltach seo a bhí acu, ‘rinneamar iarracht an caidreamh láidir a choinneáil eadrainn [trí] smaoineamh ar rudaí eile le déanamh le chéile go fíorúil’.

D’foghlaim mé go gcaithimid a bheith cruthaitheach agus dearfach fad is atá muid faoi dhianghlasáil. Níl dabht ar bith ann go bhfuil sé níos deacra caidreamh a choinneáil gan

na daoine atá grá agat dóibh a fheiceáil go fisiciúl. Tugann mo chara cúpla nod dúinn: ‘Ba chóir daoibh coinne a eagrú le chéile gach cúpla seachtain, mar a bheadh déanta agaibh i ngnáthamanna’, a dúirt sí. ‘Bí cinnte scéal mór a dhéanamh de’. Gheall sí go gcabhraíonn sé má tá sibh ‘gléasta suas, amhail is dá mbeadh sibh ag dul go dtí bialann ghalánta le chéile’. Smaoineamh eile a bhí aici ná nuair nach bhfuil tú in aontíos le do pháirtí ‘scannán a fheiceáil le chéile. Is féidir libh an scannán céanna a chur ar siúl agus sibh ar físghlao’. Lean sí ar aghaidh: ‘I gcomhair lá comórtha ár gcaidrimh, dhear muid cártaí ghrá dá chéile — is rud an-speisialta é seo, mhothaigh muid nach mbeadh sé déanta againn gan an dianghlasáil’.

Gan aon agó, tá tionchar mór ag an gcoróinvíreas ar nascanna daoine éagsúla timpeall na tíre.

Ach, léiríonn an t-alt seo go bhfuil sé indéanta na caidrimh atá agat a choinneáil nó fiú a neartú agus muid faoi dhianglasáil. Tuigim go bhfuil rudaí difriúil agus i bhfad níos deacra sna laethanta seo, ach caithimid a bheith dóchasach — níos mó anois ná riamh. Cinnte, tá bealaí ann chun an ghrá atá eadrainn go léir a choinneáil i gcoraintín ach is léir go bhfuil comhiarracht agus meon dearfach ag teastáil. in healthcare, George Michael’s political beliefs, and the European witch trials. Submissions for Bram papers are currently open.

ARTWORK BY ZAHRA TORABPOURAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Society spotlight

DU Classical Society

Grace Fannon discusses the society you haven’t joined, but should wish you had

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o many, classics may seem something of a niche field. A subject reserved for waist coat clad and pipe smoking spouters of ancient languages, all of whom probably went to Eton. But, Jared Miller, Auditor (Chairperson) of Trinity’s Classical Society, is neither waistcoat wearing nor pipe owning. Barring the fact that he does study Ancient Greek and Latin, he seems to be a normal Trinity student, albeit one that can describe the etymology of essentially any word you require. In any case, a knowledge of classical languages is in no way a prerequisite to society membership.

Founded in 1905, the Classical Society is one of the older of Trinity’s societies, though by no means the most venerable.

Although Miller isn’t aware of any record of the exact reasons behind the society’s origins, he does have his own “personal theory.”

He proposes that in earlier eras, classics (meaning Ancient Greek and Latin) was central to higher education, and therefore there was less need for a specific society, considering that ancient languages were still the bedrock of a traditional university degree. As this changed, and course variety increased, classics became another sector in the field of humanities degrees. It was an area of more specified interest, and thus a society of like-minded people was formed at Trinity. Currently, the society has around 200 members.

The Classical Society may not be one that most Freshers “set out” to join, like the Phil or the Hist, but they often end up attracting people at Fresher’s Fair who might not have originally thought of becoming members. Miller says: “At Fresher’s Fair, that’s where we

get a lot of our members, because we really reach out to people and we’re very personable.” Certain committee members have been known to dress up in classically inspired costumes to draw in browsing first years. Miller assures that the Classical Society is for anyone with an interest in all things classical, from mythology and ancient history, to theatre and architecture. Although some members are part of the Classics Department, a large proportion are not.

Miller’s own origin story with the Classical Society began during Freshers Week in his first year at Trinity. He remembers buying a burrito at Mama’s Revenge, and not knowing anyone but a few classics people, decided to hover near the Classical Society stand while eating his lunch. “I just kind of ate it there standing up so I didn’t look alone.” Anyone who has survived the first few weeks of first year can understand the fear of an entire campus full of strangers, and the desire to latch onto the nearest familiar face.

In his second year, Miller was elected as an OCM (Ordinary Committee Member), and then became Chairperson the year after. He hopes to continue being a member of committee in his final year, but most likely not as Chairperson.

The society holds “all kinds of classically inspired events”.

They often host a version of Saturnalia, the Roman precursor of Christmas; and Lupercalia, a kind of Roman Valentine’s Day, though “not quite as wholesome” as the Valentine’s Day we now know. Each year they hold their traditional toga party in collaboration with the Archaeological Society, where, surprisingly, all attendees must wear a toga. “A fun highlight of the evening is everyone realising they don’t know how to tie a toga, and there’s always – every year – one person who knows, and a queue kind of forms around them. People are just walking around with their bedsheets flung around them until it’s their turn with the one person who knows how to tie it.” They also organise typical society events like pub

quizzes and guest speakers, and have a Classical/Archaeological Society ‘Imperial Ball’ each year.

These past few years the ball has been held at Sam’s on Dawson Street. Of course, the likelihood of the ball going ahead, at least in person, is slim.

This year has certainly posed unique challenges to all societies. “It’s been tough,” says Miller. “It’s been a much more draining year for the committee.”

Organising events, and thinking of new ways to engage members requires constant creativity. So far, however, the committee has certainly delivered with this creativity, hosting mythology groups, a classically inspired dress up party, quizzes and the society’s first ever art exhibition. Miller, himself an avid baker, hosted a honey cake cook-along earlier in the year. He has found that in this virtual landscape guest speaker events work well. There is even a silver lining in that it has been possible to invite speakers who wouldn’t have been able to come in person. For example, they welcomed a scholar from New York City who is currently researching the relationship between Irish legends and Homeric texts. Asked whether he and the committee feel fatigued at the prospect of another term of virtual society events, Miller replies, “I think there’s two sides of the coin; there’s definitely burn out around what we can do and exhaustion of ideas, but there’s also a feeling of less pressure.

Essentially, like, ‘you know what, it’s a weird year, its Ok if we do more pub quizzes then we usually do, or do a stranger toga party than usual.’”

Overall, what Miller misses most about is the social aspect.

“Because, although we do have events this year, the society is about seeing people and interacting with them in person, especially in relation to a love of classics.” It is clear from the kind of events they hold, that the aim of the Classical Society is to create a place where people can approach and celebrate classics in a fun, social way, and encourage all kinds of interest in the classical world.

Íoga, machnamh ag choinneáil - cén fát

Pléann Chloe Ní Ghríofa conas is féidir ióga, machnamh agus dialann a choimeád cabhrú le do sláinte intinne ar an aimsir seo

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an dabht, ní chreidimid an suíomh ina bhfuilimid i láthair na huaire.

Cuireadh ár saolta bunoscionn agus mar sin tá sé i bhfad níos tábhachtaí ná riamh aire a thabhairt dár gcuid sláinte intinne. Buíochas le Dia, áfach, tá rudaí gur féidir linn a dhéanamh chun ár gciall a choinneáil faoi láthair. San alt seo, labhróidh mé faoi cúpla nod chun feabhas a chur ar do chuid sláinte mheabhrach. Is modhanna seanbhunaithe iad na nodanna seo - cloiseann tú futhú lá i ndiaidh lae ach b’fhéidir nach bhfuil a fhios agat cá dtosófá, nó an tábhacht a bhaineann leo.

I dtosach, ní féidir a shéanadh go bhfuil an-tóir ar an machnamh le blianta beaga anuas. Is cleachtadh spioradálta é, nuair a thógann tú sos ó do chuid smaointe agus déanann tú iarracht a bheith i láthair. Chuala mé faoin machnamh go minic ar Instagram agus i leabhair ach níor chuir mé é i bhfeidhm. Tá neart buntáistí sláinte ag baint leis, agus mar sin, ní raibh aon rud le cailleadh agam chun é a thosú. Ní

hamháin go gcuidíonn sé an strus a laghdú, agus smacht a fháil ar imní, ach cabhraíonn sé le feidhm chognaíoch agus feabhsaíonn sé do chodladh chomh maith.

Thosaigh mé ag déanamh machnaimh beagnach gach maidin ar feadh deich noiméad, agus caithfidh mé a rá gur mhór an bearrán é ag an tús nuair a thagann an iomarca smaointe isteach i d’intinn, ach tar éis cúpla seachtaine, éireoidh tú níos suaimhní. Táim chomh sásta gur thosaigh mé cúpla mí ó shin agus is nós laethúil é an machnamh i mo shaol anois.

Uaireanta, is é an rud is deacra ná chun tosú agus ar ámharaí an tsaoil tá neart aipeanna ann atá sár-mhaith chun tús a chur ar d’aistear machnamhach. Ceapaim go bhfuil na haipeanna Calm, Headspace agus Unplug iontach ar fad. Tá a lán machnaimh faoi threoir le fáil go hiomlán saor in aisce, agus tá leibhéil difriúla ann ó thosaitheoirí go hardleibhéal.

Tá an-chuid físeáin ar Youtube freisin agus tá siad an-chabhrach má éiríonn tú tuirseach as na guthanna céanna ar na haipeanna.

Mura mian leat íoc as síntiús ar na haipeanna seo, is féidir leat amadóir 10 nóiméad a chur ar siúl agus úsáid a bhaint as teicnící análaithe. Sílim go bhfuil “box breath” iontach ar fad agus tá go leor teicnicí eile má dhéanann tú cuardach ar líne. I gcomhair an “box breath”, tarraing anail le haghaidh ceathair shoicind, coinnigh é istigh i gcomhair ceathair shoicind, agus ansin scaoil d’anáil amach i gcomhair ceathair shoicind agus coinnigh é amuigh i gcomhair ceathair shoicind. Déan an próiseas seo arís is arís i gcomhair cúig, deich, nó pé am is fearr leat. Mothóidh

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

Youth inspires at the gus dialann a th a chleachtar iad? Apollo Project Elena McCrory speaks to Jessica Sharkey on her upcoming exhibition about “boring art”

T PHOTOS BY ZAHRA TORABPOURAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

tú an-zen tar éis sin, geallaim duit.

An chéad rud eile a chabhraíonn liom ná ióga. Nuair a smaoiním siar ar an gcéad agus an dara dianghlasáil, smaoiním ar ióga don chuid is mó (seachas an ghéarchéim dhomhanda).

Is cleachtadh thar bharr é chun feabhas a chur ar do sholúbthacht agus do chothrom. Thosaigh mé féin agus mo Mham ag leanúint Yoga with Adrienne ar Youtube agus rinneamar an dúslán tríocha lá le chéile. Bhain mé an sult as dul amach sa ghairdín le mo Mham i rith an tsamhraidh chun ióga a chleachtadh leis na físeáin seo - cinnte gur deas an rud é nuair atá cara leat ag an tús.

Bhí mé ag titim i ngach áit don chéad cúpla uair, ach d’éirigh mé i bhfad níos lúbaí ag deireadh na tríocha lá. Is dóigh liom, áfach, go gcaithfidh tú é a dhéanamh go rialta chun na buntáistí ar fad a bhaint amach.

Tar éis an dúshláin sin, thosaigh mé ag cleachtadh an t-ióga i m’aonar agus d’úsáid mé an aip, Down Dog. Is aip den scoth é agus tá sé saor in aisce más mac léinn thú. Tá léibhéil difriúla ann freisin agus is féidir leat am ar leith a phiocadh nuair atá tú ag iarriadh an t-ióga a chleachtadh.

Bíonn laethanta ann nuair atá mé ag iarraidh uair a chaitheamh air, agus laethanta eile nach ndéanaim ach cúig nó deich nóiméad.

Athraím idir an aip, Down Dog, agus físeanna Shona Vertue ar Youtube. Mholfainn go láidir daoibh Shona Vertue a leanúint ar Youtube agus ar Instagram (@shona_vertue). Déanann sí físeanna soléire, aeistéitice agus eolasacha. Anuas ar sin, ní féidir liom Rí Ióga na hÉireann a fhágáil amach - Ciarán Mac Fhearghusa ó Óga Yoga. Tá suíomh idirlíon,

Youtube agus cuntas Instagram aige. An rud is fearr faoi ná go múineann sé a ranganna trí mheán na Gaeilge. Deis iontach é chun feabhas a chur ar do chuid Gaeilge agus suaimhneas anama a bhaint amach.

Faoi dheireadh, measaim go bhfuil dialann a choimeád, nó ‘‘journaling’’ as Béarla, cabhrach ar fad sa lá atá inniu ann.

Choimeád mé dialann ó bhí mé trí bliana déag d’aois ach níor scríobh mé go rialta. Phioc mé suas arís é an bhliain seo caite, áfach, agus scríobh mé píosa beagnach gach lá. Tá sé iontach deas a bheith in ann léamh siar ar mo shaol ó am go ham. Anuas air sin, is minic a bhíonn do chuid buarthaí níos lú nuair atá siad scríofa síos ar pháipéar agus as do cheann. Is deis iontach é an cleachtadh seo chun breathnú thart ar do chuid mothúcháin.

Cabhraíonn sé leat gnéithe duit féin a fháil amach nár thug tú faoi deara riamh. Is aoibhinn liom ag baint úsáide as “spreagthaí dialainne” ó Pinterest. Chomh maith leis sin, chuir an cuntas Instagram @leabhairpower liosta de spreagthaí dialanne suas, agus an rud is fearr arís ná go bhfuil siad ar fad as Gaeilge.

Déanaim an t-ióga ar béal maidine agus déanaim an machnamh agus scríobhaim sa dialann díreach tar éis sin.

Is nós laethúil iontach é agus cabhraíonn sé go mór liom le linn an dianghlasála seo. Gan amhras, tá sé deacair coinneáil leis ar dtús, cosúil le gach rud i ndairíre, ach is fiú a mheachán in ór é nuair a thugann tú aire do do chuid sláinte intinne - is féidir leat a bheith cinnte faoi sin.

here is no doubt that the arts have suffered monumentally since the pandemic hit Ireland. Innovation and creativity work synchronously and it is vital that as a nation we find a way to provide programmes and projects for our future generations in this business. That is what makes the Apollo Project so significant. I got to chat with a fellow Trinity student, Jessica Sharkey, on her involvement in this astounding programme, as a student of art history and architecture.

Embodied with the phrase “Art makes you”, the Apollo fellowship is a long-term project hosted in the National Gallery of Ireland that aims to connect with young artists, designers, and creatives so that education, creativity, and wellbeing can happen simultaneously. In a nutshell, Sharkey describes the programme as “a medium through which young people can connect with each other and with art. Events that the Apollo Project runs are always aimed at young people, and like the upcoming exhibition, they focus on engaging with young people no matter how many artistic bones in your body.

Genuinely, there is something for everyone.” It only takes a scroll through the Gallery’s webpage to

confirm the statement; through the current Apollo Project creative careers discussions and artistic licence activities, aiming this programme at young creative minds is a way for the Gallery to create strong future innovators with the support of professionals.

As many students in the arts will come to realise, opportunities like these do not present themselves often. Sharkey discusses how she stumbled upon such a programme. “I actually found out about the Apollo project from Instagram, or maybe the Gallery website? It was an event called Gamechangers and there were people speaking about the Climate Crisis. It was brilliant.

I went out of sheer curiosity and have not looked back. Since then, the Gallery has been a part of what I do, especially our new exhibition.”

It can be challenging to find a programme as immersive as this one, throwing you into the real world of networking, organising, curation, and exploration. But it is a project that offers pro-activity, and it is invaluable. Sharkey explains: “This project is quite literally walking through every step of the curatorial process, from choosing our works to creating our own themes and despite the ongoing restrictions, staff from the Gallery have been incredibly helpful in joining our meetings. Elaborating on this, she says: “To replicate the process of curating an exhibition we are having meetings and discussions with Gallery staff on Zoom, which is strange but also great to have that feedback, steering us in the right direction and helping at every stage of the process.”

The Apollo Project’s main contribution from their programme is the exhibition they will be holding for young

people, led by young people.

Unfortunately, the show has been postponed due to coronavirus restrictions and is set for later on in 2021. Sharkey assures me that “worst case scenario everyone will be cordially invited to view it virtually.” She states: “We are taking that into consideration while we are planning it. The possibility of creating an effective virtual exhibition experience in the future is not such a shame because we have adapted to plan and curate a whole exhibition almost solely through online meetings. So, if an exhibition takes place online, it’s a new medium to explore and new ground for both the NGI and the Apollo Project.” With the support of the Gallery the opportunities creatively are endless, and it is exciting to see such a renowned institution mentoring our future innovators.

I sneakily ask about the exhibition itself and Sharkey reveals that the title is “Boring Art?”. “It’s going to be an exhibition worth seeing. We are creating an experience to deconstruct the idea of boring art. Our team of young thinkers are coming to this project with different backgrounds and our approach is really going to be evident in the finished product.”

If all goes to plan, the exhibition will run from the 16 October 2021 to the 16 January 2022 at the Hugh Lane room with free admission. The Gallery in the past year has delivered entirely on exhibition experience, and much like their Mondrian exhibit, they have learned to adapt to a new means of display. I have no doubt that they, along with the Apollo team, will create something particularly special.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Staying afloat with societies Societies play a very important role in student mental wellbeing, writes Grace Fannon

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niversity can be a difficult time for anyone. The challenges of self-motivated learning, the often-jarring experience of leaving home, and the anxiety of navigating new social relationships take their toll. Increasing responsibilities and the impetus to perform well academically can put a strain on mental health. Finding the “right” group of friends and the expectation to maintain an Instagram-worthy social life are common pressures. Not to mention the stress of a part-time job, accommodation, tuition, and internships. According to the findings of a 2019 report from the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), 38.4% of students experience severe levels of anxiety and 29.9% suffer from depression. On the other hand, the conversation around mental wellbeing has been growing this past decade, as more and more efforts are being made to educate people about the importance of psychological health and reduce the stigma around mental illness.

Trinity has a number of initiatives and programs in place to support positive mental wellbeing, and provide help to those struggling with mental

serTCDSU Mental

health issues, from college counselling vices to

Health Week.

Yet, the role that Trinity’s societies play in the mental health of students is also an important one. When it comes to taking care of one’s mental wellbeing, the USI report found that students who engage in activities outside of coursework felt more positive about their mental health on average. Finding a distraction from stress in an activity that you enjoy, and maintaining social interaction, has clear benefits.

Trinity’s societies can be an outlet for relieving stress, making like-minded friends and expand-

ing your interests.

DU Psychological Society is one with a particular emphasis on mental wellbeing. Society chairperson, Danielle Caffrey, explains that “psychology places a large emphasis on the understanding, diagnosis and treatment options for mental health issues, so this focus on mental health is something that we aim to reflect in the society.” PsychSoc organises events that aim to encourage awareness and communication around psychological wellbeing, and always hold a panel discussion during TCDSU Mental Health Week. Caffrey strongly believes in the importance of Trinity societies for student wellbeing. “I think societies help us all to strike a work-life balance, which is imperative in normal circumstances, but perhaps even more so during this crazy year!”

Indeed, this year presents unique difficulties for any student.

Loneliness, anxiety, a lack of regular social interaction and the challenge of online learning are issues that we are all struggling with to varying degrees. Societies may provide some respite from these feelings. TCDSU Welfare Officer, Leah Keogh, says: “Societies are intrinsic to student mental health now more than ever. Social isolation has a high correlation with poor mental health and societies foster a sense of community, albeit online.” Societies have made an admirable effort to maintain this sense of community and continue to organise regular events, despite the complexity of doing so virtually. Above all, they encourage some sense of normality, and are an uplifting presence in their enthusiasm.

TCDSU Mental Health Week also had

to move mostly online this year.

Keogh remarks: “Remote campaigns certainly bring with them a number of obstacles. Notwithstanding, this was the first of the year and I really wanted to do a good job. I shifted my focus towards social media and outreach by live-streaming the panel discussions and open conversation.”

Societies are normally involved in the various events scheduled during the week, and this year was no different, with a film screening, yoga class, Comedy Soc X Ents collaboration and mental health panel discussion. This Coping with Covid panel was hosted

by PsychSoc. Caffrey explains that the discussion included the “importance of psychological well-being during the pandemic; such as learning to balance working from home with relaxing” and “useful ways of coping with the uncertainties of everything going on at the moment”, along with “methods of boosting mental resilience.” Mental Health Week, which also included an ice-cream van on campus, proved a success.

Perhaps more now than ever, having a specific week dedicated to mental wellbeing is essential. In Caffrey’s view, it creates a positive environment on campus and “gets us all reaching out and checking in with our friends and families to see how they’re doing, while simultaneously making ourselves do a little soul-searching of our own to check in with our own mental health.” The overarching message of the week is “It’s OK not to be OK”, a mantra which aims to “break down the stigma around mental health issues and ask for support and help when we need it.”

We are currently facing another term characterised by uncertainty and government restrictions.

Although there is now light at the end of the tunnel, this will be an undeniably difficult last hurdle. Being conscious of mental wellbeing, along with feeling able to ask for help if needed, is important for students. Taking time out of coursework, or even finding a distraction from feelings of anxiety about the future, is not to be underestimated: societies are a perfect vehicle for this. Although many may be understandably wary of Zoom interactions, making the effort to engage is definitely worth it.

Long nights a As short days stretch into February, Sarah Elizabeth shares tips on battling extended winter blues

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ebruary has been every bit as cold and dark as the last few winter months. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can hit hard at this time of year, and an added pressure this year is prospect of being locked down until March 5. No matter how well you had been adjusting to Zoom University, SAD’s seasonal pattern is almost impossible to avoid.

Afterall, they don’t call it “Blue Monday” for no reason.

In a typical year, symptoms appear, or worsen, in the winter months and ease in the spring and summer seasons when the weather is a bit less cruel. The opposite can also occur. It can be triggered by multiple factors, whether that be prospective seasonal holidays, the general rotten weather of an Irish winter, or just the fact that the sun is out for a total of 30 minutes a day.

Nevertheless, SAD is still not completely understood, so it’s easy to dismiss and even easier to make you feel confused and ashamed for falling victim to it.

To make matters worse, the idea of having no control over it can be extremely daunting for people who experience it. Factors causing depression, such as past trauma, health issues and family history, can also lead to SAD. More specifically, it is thought that reduced sunlight exposure affects the brain’s hormone production by producing too much of the sleep hormone, melatonin and too little of the happy one, which is serotonin. It also disrupts the circadian rhythm, known as the body’s clock, affecting sleep and wakefulness. SAD is thought to be more prevalent in countries with greater changes in the daylight hours and weather, like Ireland.

On the shortest day in Dublin this year, the sun rose at 8.40am and set at just 4.10pm. Of course, sometimes it doesn’t seem like the sun is there at all.

SAD varies from person to person, but psychological symptoms can include a consistent low mood, tearfulness, poor self-esteem, feeling despair, guilt and helplessness, a loss of motivation, a lack of enjoyment, irritability, avoiding social contact, thoughts of suicide or self-harm, along with other symptoms of

depression. Physical symptoms include fatigue, sleeping more or less than usual, and changes in appetite and weight.

Moreover, the current lockdown measures have exacerbated the difficulties associated with SAD. At the best of times, student life in Dublin can be a difficult experience.

Cold houses, long commutes in the rain, and arriving and leaving college in the dark exposes students to the extremes of winter in Ireland. The current circumstances have made everything more difficult, since students are unable to do many things that normally benefit their mental well-being. With little to no in-person teaching and limited opportunities to meet people, socialise or take part in extracurricular activities, academic performance suffers, and students’ entire well-being is negatively impacted.

Recent research has investigated how the restrictions have impacted on student mental health. According to a UK study, the Student Covid Insights Survey (SCIS), 57% of students reported that their mental health had become worse over the course of the Autumn term. Other research has shown that student loneliness affects confidence, achievement and mental health. And all of this is extremely hard, of course, because while we are trying to adhere to health guidelines in an effort to halt the rise of Covid-19 cases in Ireland, we are slowly but surely losing the plot.

While not everyone experiences SAD, everyone has mental health that fluctuates and needs constant care. Whether or not someone is diagnosed with SAD, here are eight recommendations that may help alleviate the winter blues that aren’t just “smile more”.

Go outside daily Get as much natural light as

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

and SAD days

Socially distanced dates

PHOTO BY ELIZA MELLER FOR TRINITY NEWS

possible. Try a brisk walk in the morning, on your lunch break, or between lectures. If you can, walk around a nearby park instead of the roadside.

Get warm At the risk of sounding like a mother, wear warm clothes. Bring a change if you’re going to get wet on your commute. Blankets and a hot water bottle at bedtime are a life-changer. Consider picking up a €20 oil-filled radiator from Aldi - it will heat a room in no time. If you need to, have your hot water bottle at all moments—even if this doesn’t provide helpful, it is nicer to be cosy and warm than cold.

Aim for regular sleep Stress, anxiety or depression can cause insomnia, but in a vicious cycle, poor sleep can make things worse. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even if it’s tough getting up earlier at first. You can set up your phone to remind you to get ready for bed. Relax for some time before trying to sleep; maybe read a book, and avoid using screens late at night. Limit your caffeine consumption, especially later in the afternoon.

Study by a window A few weeks ago, I realised that I was spending most of my day at my desk with my back to the window, meaning I missed most of the daylight. I decided to rearrange my furniture to place the desk by the window, and it seems to have improved my essaywriting spirits.

Light therapy/SAD lamps Some people have found that using a light box for phototherapy has significantly helped with seasonal depression, lethargy and insomnia, when used correctly.

This is because light boxes simulate sunlight and can help to correct that circadian rhythm.

Light boxes come in a variety of forms, such as desk lamps or wall fixtures. I have a sunrise alarm

clock, which gradually wakes me as it lights up my room. Though I’m not sure if the science backs it up, you have full permission to light a candle or put fairy-lights up. It may be a fleeting happiness, but it’s happiness nonetheless.

Fuel and move your body It’s important to keep a healthy diet to care for your physical and mental well-being. A healthcare provider may recommend a supplement if you are deficient in certain vitamins or minerals. Also, find an exercise that you love, and force a housemate to join you on your endorphin hit, whether that’s yoga or sea-swimming or boxing.

Make sure the exercise you do is something you enjoy.

Practise self-care It’s important to get to know yourself better, so that you are aware when your mental health dips and what can help. For you, self care might mean painting your nails, taking a bath, tidying your room, getting a coffee, tending your plants, practising mindfulness, praying or keeping a journal.

Get support There are so many excellent supports available for students.

As well as the college health and counselling services, you can talk to your college tutor, the SU Welfare officer, one of the chaplains, an S2S peer mentor, or someone on Niteline, the studentrun helpline. Samaritans also offers a free 24-hour confidential mental health service.

Irish winters are long and hard, especially so this year. It’s important to try to find the light in whatever is good, help each other, and look forward to the darkness lifting. When times are tough we must try to remind ourselves that, in the words of Andrew Peterson: “All this darkness is a small and passing thing.”

How to have the ultimate Valentine’s night in Eva O’Beirne explores the world of restaurant food boxes

T

ransitioning your dating life into something fit for level 5 national lockdown can present some challenges. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, treating that special someone may seem like an impossible task. Whether you live together or have to spend February 14th apart from your dream date, here are some ideas to make it a night to remember.

For a date night that screams “notions”: Wild Atlantic Picnics Wild Atlantic Picnics is the company that knows you have notions and encourages you to embrace them fully.

Based in County Clare, they offer their customers both “exciting experiences” along the west coast as well as a delivery service for their picnic kits and grazing boxes. Founded in 2019, Wild Atlantic Picnics aims to support local producers and businesses while setting up scenic picnic sites in areas such as the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Doolin. With links to Edie & Bibi Foods, Traditional Cheese Company, and Mossfield Organic Farm, just to name a few, Wild Atlantic Picnics promises to live up to your expectations, be it indoors or out. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, their event and outdoor picnic services have been suspended but you can still indulge in the fantasy via their range of grazing boxes and tables, starting from €12.50 per person.

For the flatmates who are missing the local pub: Cocktail Competition Learning how to make cocktails at home is one thing, but competing against your friends is even better. Simply search up recipes on websites such as BBC Good Food and add your own personal twist for some serious wow factor! Use edible glitter, marshmallows or some gorgeous glasses to really impress your housemates.

It may be cheating but if you can’t get your hands on some ingredients, you can

order ready-made cocktail sets (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) from Irish businesses such as Cocktail Care Packages or RHK cocktails. Not only are they affordable but they’re delicious! Just stock up on ice, get some martini glasses and put on your favourite romcom.

For the singleton: indulge in self-care for the night First of all, exit out of Tinder and put that phone down. Valentine’s Day can feel incredibly lonely but that doesn’t mean you should be texting every stranger that pops up on your screen to feel something.

Instead, switch off your social media for a few hours, buy some scented candles and cook something you adore. The best way to beat the single blues is to do things that make you feel both independent and good inside. Dress up, take some unreal selfies, and be your personal hype man. Do what makes you happy and happiness will come to you.

For the person searching for a new connection: Society Speed Dating Thankfully, college societies have realised how close it is to Valentine’s Day and have planned some events accordingly. Cumann Gaelach TCD have organised a “Cumann Get Your Love Event” where those who take part are given the opportunity to send a card to their “perfect” match. DU LawSoc’s “Find Lawve” will attempt to set each participant up on 3 zoom dates. Whether you’re looking for a Valentine or a new pal, Trinity’s societies are here to help you!

On the healthier side: Salumi Grazing Based in Terenure, Salumi Grazing offers a small taste of Italy in Dubin’s suburbs. With date night deals and reasonably priced grazing boxes (starting at €25), Salumi is a great starting point for those who may not be too certain on the concept of charcuterie boards. With vegetarian options available for all boxes, Salumi Grazing is a great port of call for those looking to change up their takeaway habits and switch to a healthier alternative.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

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Contact editor@trinitynews.ie to get involved with Trinity News

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

What’s on(line) in Dublin Tuesday Dublin Chinese Lunar New Year Online Dublin City Council, until Sunday The Crafty Rock Crochet-ALong - The Pansy The Crafty Rock, 8pm Thursday The Role of Medication in Mental Health (webinar) by Aware, 12pm Dublin Language Exchange

by BlaBla Language Exchange, 7pm

What’s on(line) in Trinity Wednesday Speak out, Read Up! International Aid BookClub Suas, Global Development Society, SOFIA, EnviroSoc, 7pm This House Regrets Feminist Icons The Hist, 7:30pm Sonic Spaces | Sounds of the Environment panel discussion Trinity Long Room Hub, 7pm Thursday Translation Studies Reading Group Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation, 1pm

What we’re watching

It’s a Sin Channel 4

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

What sex education didn’t teach me Kerry O’Sullivan unpacks the failures of her Sex-Ed

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still remember sitting there at the ripe old age of eleven, hyper screams and laughter reverberating around a dingy little classroom; the very first time we got “The Talk”, the infamous and nervewracking discovery of what scary things were about to happen to us. My vaguely catholic school had deemed biological facts too inappropriate for our teacher to teach us himself, and so they had recruited a lay person employed by the Catholic church, who came in with terrifying diagrams of our genitals and a skirt down to her ankles. She had a box where we could put anonymous questions, that she pulled out and decided were too inappropriate for the class to hear. A special mention to a question I asked about tampons that got entirely shot down and balled up tightly, only to be nuked in the bin. Boys shouted out words they had heard on TV and in songs, eagerly searching for definitions of things their mothers told them they would

tell them when they were older.

It was like the sex education in Mean Girls (“if you have sex you will get pregnant and die”) and culminated in the eleven year old boys being sent out to play football while the girls were told the bare minumum they needed to know about their ‘monthly friend’ in hushed whispers.

Secondary school had much the same impact as primary school, except this time my school wasn’t co-ed, so the misogyny of the sex education curriculum really reared its ugly head. It didn’t much help that our sex education was given in religion class, so it really was the bare minimum about what relationships were (not forgetting that the only truly important one was with God).

After that, it really depended on what particular questionable narrative your teacher was into.

In the early years, it was endless STI flowcharts and hour-long conversations about pubic lice.

STIs were discussed as jokes, as if none of us would ever have to worry about them, whilst we were made to match up over the top and unnecessarily graphic symptoms with the name of the STI on centuries-old worksheets.

When the time came for my friends and I to actually be

confronted with these realities, we had to Google where to get tested and had no idea of tangible and realistic treatment options. For all we knew, we could die of herpes at any moment. Everything was taught to us as if it were a life or death situation, and always with the overtones of guilt and shame.

I remember vividly that instead of suggesting condoms, a female teacher looked us in the eye and told us that “the only true way to prevent chlamydia is celibacy”.

In the later years began the cautionary tales of girls who had gone to the Gaeltacht and had sex, “only for her to come back to school and everyone had found out she had sex!” God forbid a seventeen year old girl should not be ashamed of it. We were shown videos of women who had gotten abortions in purgatory for their sins and watched endless videos made by Garda in the early 2000s about online trafficking.

The Repeal abortion discussion was a no-go with most teachers, who also conveniently neglected to mention any contraception.

Needless to say it was tasteless, never mind entirely useless. I never felt so misunderstood by my school - were they that oblivious to the majority of us having sex already? Or did they

just not want to be confronted with that fact, brushing it under the rug and pretending like they had done their duty over the last twelve years of turning us into god-fearing young women prepared to wait for marriage in the twenty-first century? My true sex education came from hurried conversations with friends, a plethora of truly terrible experiences, and unreliable internet searches that only exacerbated my cluelessness.

I wish somewhere, somehow, the curriculum could allow for sex being not just about the act of making a child, that girls can have sex with girls and boys can have sex with boys and your genitals do not dictate your gender. I wish I didn’t have to go out of my way to educate myself of LGBTQIA+ issues when I was in school and that my friends had felt supported and safe and clued in about their own identity. There are countless incredibly important aspects of sexuality left out on purpose, of its fluidity and how it is more than just a couple of labels assigned to you. The SpunOut posters haphazardly stuck up in unused corridors are not enough for the Transgender teenager grappling with their identity, the vague mention of gay sex as if it

is a shameful, unfortunate fact is not enough for gay students who deserve to know how to protect themselves just as much as straight students. w At the end of the day, our sex lives are about pleasure and whatever that means for you.

Imagine how differently you would feel about your body if masturbation was normalised and openly discussed in school.

Imagine your teenage self not losing your virginity to someone who learnt how to have sex through watching porn. Imagine learning earlier that sex involves much more than penetration and knowing how to put a condom on a banana. And why shouldn’t we admit that is what sex is about? It’s about making yourself and your partner feel good. It’s fun and it’s messy and it is to be enjoyed. Any changes that we want to make in the conversation around sex starts with how we broach the topic with young people at all. If it’s not sex positive, useful, and honest than what exactly is the point in having a half-baked curriculum that doctors the human sexual experience to fit within a Catholic narrative? It’s time we confront the failures of Irish sex education - no one should have to Google how to have sex.

Dazed, alone and without a phone

It is not until we lose them that we realise how much we rely on our phones writes Virginia Ginny Berardi

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ow much do you use your phone? More importantly, how much do you depend on your phone?

For yours truly, the ideal answer would be “not a lot”. The reality however is that I need my phone for so much more than I realise or would like to admit. I came to this realisation a few weeks ago when, though it seemed in perfect condition with no falls from balconies or into toilets, my phone died one evening and wouldn’t turn back on. At first I didn’t think too much about it.

This had happened to my phone before, so I decided to let it charge overnight and hope for the best.

However, I encountered an issue straightaway: without my phone

I had no alarm, and I’m not in the position where I can trust myself to wake up naturally. So I plugged in my laptop, turned down the brightness and turned off the sleep function so that in the morning it would wake me up. Nevertheless, worrying about my phone combined with the stress that the laptop alarm wouldn’t work meant that I woke up multiple times in the night to check it was still functioning.

The morning did not bring good news: my phone was still dead. I coordinated Facebook video calls with my family to inform them and searched for repair stores. Thankfully I had no classes, so I could take the morning to try and sort my phone out. Ideally, I would be able to function perfectly well without the aid of a phone, and I often claim that this is the case. However, as I headed out to fix my phone, I was forced to reassess these claims. I found that not having it made everything more inconvenient and, frankly, annoying. I realised just how much I go on my phone when I’m walking around. Normally, even when I try and put my phone away to look at my surroundings instead, my hands feel the itch to take it out and scroll through Instagram, though I know I don’t

need to since there will be no new content to see. Not being able to do this meant I walked around and took things in more. I found myself laughing at little things, wanting to take a photo of them and then feeling silly when I remembered I wasn’t able to. I felt like I was underwater, unable to reach or be reached by anyone.

Unfortunately, I also had no idea what the time was. I’d found a watch among my belongings but, surprise surprise, it was broken too. I went around town, blindly hoping hours wouldn’t go by. I resorted to taking out my laptop to check the time. That’s a funny thing we don’t think about: everyone goes on their phones while walking about and no one thinks anything of it, but standing there, with my laptop out in the street I felt incredibly out of place.

Why did a laptop feel so awkward compared to a phone? Have we normalized being on our phones so much that they have become an extension of ourselves?

The response I got from repair stores wasn’t promising: it looked like I would have to spend a minimum of €80 for any kind of repair, since they didn’t know what the problem was, and wait between five days to a few weeks.

They also informed me that they may have had to send my phone

away to fix it. I decided to hold off from giving away my phone to a store and, instead, followed my brother’s advice to try and charge it wirelessly in case the charging port was the issue. I borrowed my friend’s charger and left my sad, lifeless phone on it. I tried to get on with my day without thinking of the stress, effort, and expense involved in the whole affair.

Being virtually timeless and unreachable hindered my lunch and dinner plans, as well as a tutoring lesson I had scheduled. I got around this by pre-arranging a time and place for lunch, arriving early and waiting for my friend.

I floated, out of time, and got back home in the nick of time for tutoring. At dinnertime, I asked my friends to meet near my house so I could receive their messages on my laptop, knowing that if I left I wouldn’t be able to. Needless to say, not having my phone made all sorts of communication so much harder with those not around me. I had no idea where people were and struggled to coordinate with them, which revealed how much I normally use my phone to function.

I didn’t miss scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, filling my brain with mindless content.

What I missed was knowing what the time was, being able to set an

alarm, or take a photo if I wanted to. I was stressed because no phone meant no online boarding pass which would make it harder to go home under Covid-19 norms. When your family lives in a different country, when you own no other clocks or alarms, and so much is accessed through QR scanners and communication with people involves using your phone, then a normal day without it can easily take a turn. Trying to fix it took a lot of time out of my day which I had wanted to dedicate to other tasks, so I wanted to resolve it quickly and became frustrated I couldn’t. I also found that I was so stressed about the expense and hassle of fixing my phone, that I couldn’t even relax and enjoy my phone-free time.

After the second night of charging blank screened, I tried to automatically restart my phone for what seemed to be the 500th time, as a last chance saloon before I gave up, and it came to life. My relief was immense, not because I could go on social media again, but because I didn’t have to add the worry of sorting my phone out to my daily list. I could once again do many menial tasks with it, which I had taken for granted—thank god for phone calculators. Safe to say, though, I’ll be buying a watch.

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

We need to talk. Period.

Eva O’Beirne on the politics of periods

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t has been estimated that those who mensturate in Ireland spend between €132 to €208 on sanitary products annually. This is a total cost of up to €8,100 over a lifetime. There is an almost automatic assumption that those who need period supplies can afford them and they should sacrifice their income to avoid social embarrassment. There is also the common misconception that period supplies start and end with a mere packet of tampons or pads. However, this is not the case. Periods often require the use of pain relievers, hygiene products

and, occasionally, prescriptions from GPs. Period poverty is a problem no person should ever have to face. It is an issue that has been hidden away by a shroud of shame and guilt and finally, in 2021, legislation has been proposed in the Seanad to make period products free in Ireland.

But why has this legislation taken so long and how much does this problem affect the Irish population?

Period poverty refers to a situation where a person cannot afford sanitary products during menstruation due to financial difficulty, and activism to end this issue in Ireland is far from new.

Homeless Period Ireland, founded in 2016, is affiliated with the UK branch of the group that pushed for the Scottish Period Products (Free Provision) Act that passed

in November of 2020. Homeless Period Ireland collects donations of free sanitary products from a number of drop-off points throughout Ireland and drops care packages to homeless shelters, direct provision centers, and food banks. Homeless Period Belfast runs a similar operation in Northern Ireland. In order to combat Covid-19 restrictions, Homeless Period Ireland have partnered with Easho, a service that allows users to buy from wishlists to allow for ease of access when it comes to donating to the charity. Similar political efforts to eradicate period poverty in Ireland have been prominent since 2019. In March of that year, the Irish Women’s Parliament Caucus called on the Irish Government to provide safe and suitable sanitary products in schools, universities,

ARTWORK BY GRÁINNE QUIGLEY FOR TRINITY NEWS

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60% of women reported a dissatisfaction with the way they were taught about periods hospitals, refuges, homeless services, detention centres and Garda stations. The Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/Green Party’s Programme for Government 2020 has also committed to providing a range of free, adequate, safe and suitable period products in all publically-funded educational settings in Ireland, a promise they have yet to fulfill. They will, however, receive the chance if the Labour bill introduced into the Seanad during the last week of January passes.

The Period Products (Free Provisions) Bill, introduced

by Labour Senator Rebecca Moynihan, promises to make pads and tampons freely available in schools, education centres and other public buildings. It may appear as though period poverty affects very little of the population, but surveys conducted by Plan International contradict this and reveal the true cost of menstruation. Almost 50% of girls between the ages of 12 and 19 found it difficult to pay for sanitary products, with one in ten of those surveyed admitting they were forced to use “less suitable” sanitary products as a result of the high monthly cost.

The pandemic also worsened the issue of period poverty for many across the country with a Plan International survey conducted in 2020 revealing that up to four in ten people reported that accessing period supplies became harder as the pandemic unfolded due to panic buying . Ultimately, purchasing these supplies became more costly due to shops not running promotional offers to discourage this bulk buying.

Some also reported that the added emotional stress of the pandemic amplified their PMS symptoms and period pains. Other participants expressed that they felt guilty going to their GP with period related issues. It is clear that these issues have been placed on the backburner in this country for too long and the pandemic has revealed how much people who experience periods sacrifice their

wellbeing for an apparent greater good.

Although this Bill is a welcome change in eradicating period poverty, one has to look to the future of menstrual products.

Unfortunately, most sustainable products, such as menstrual cups or period underwear, are either subject to VAT or are simply too expensive. Making these products accessible to all is important, but so is protecting the environment.

Menstrual products are the fifth most common item to be found washed up on beaches. The government must invest heavily in this scheme if it is to be a true success. Working with companies such as Thinx, Knix, Proof, Cora and Mooncup will not only help to eradicate the cost of sustainable products, but will also increase their consumption across the general public. Installing tampon and pad machines is all well and good, but can we rely on the government to supply us with suitable, sustainable and high quality products?

The government could turn to international examples for inspiration on how to de-stigmatize periods. Both Scotland and New Zealand have rolled out programmes to supply schools with free sanitary products for all students with the former promising to supply adequate menstrual educational programmes to all schools.

But as educational facilities remain closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, the government must think of innovative ways to help those in need of both free products and essential education with regard to maintaining menstrual hygiene. Plan Ireland surveys revealed a fact that is not surprising to anyone who went through the Irish education system: 60% of women reported dissatisfaction with the way they were taught about periods. The gaps in Ireland’s Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programmes allow for complaints to be made about tampon advertisements for being “obscene” and “offensive”, as we saw back in the summer of 2020.

We are simply not given enough information on how to take care of our bodies. Most of my own knowledge on periods comes from peers, female family members and, unfortunately, the internet. Small things like finding out caffeine makes cramps worse or that certain symptoms are completely normal would have saved me years of pain and stress.

Looking to the future, I can only hope that the Irish education and health systems will start to acknowledge this bodily action that occurs to half the population, twelve times a year.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Pubs sent to the An addictio pandemic slaughter Ailis Haligan’s ode to the punctuational pint

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ast summer I worked at a pub in Falmouth, Cornwall, right on the sea. From my position behind the bar, I could watch the activity of the world’s third-deepest natural harbour– cruise ships, naval vessels, paddleboarders, and the occasional millionaire’s yacht. Fortunately, Covid-19 cases in the South West were low, and the hospitality industry was able to take advantage (responsibly) of the summer boom in domestic tourism. Rules were the same all over: table service only. There was no sitting or standing at the bar, which denied dock-workers and fishermen regulars their staple position.

For many of the old men, this took some getting used to, and, watching them grapple with mask straps and fathom QR codes, I was able to engage in some typical over-the-bar dialogue, albeit shouting to people at their tables.

I got to know characters such as “Carlsberg Kev”, who we would look out for on the pub terrace, and, in spotting him, race to break the record of fastest time between customer entry and acquiring and paying for a pint. This involved the throwing and catching of a card machine and a hairy breakneck dash to Kev’s table with tray balancing pint balanced on hand.

The record stands at 6 seconds, the number of pints dropped stands at a respectable two.

The charming Daryl would shout for a Sea Fury dark ale upon arrival, despite a 15-order backlog, and then complain about the number of bubbles in the head of his pint before demanding a new one. And there was Bob, who wore big boots and a bandana and worked on the docks. Every day he would come in, raise a hand to us in greeting, have two pints and

two cigarettes in silence, and be on his way. For these people, the pub is a ritual, something they do to fill a dedicated time period, a break, a pause, a moment of relaxation, of conversation. The loss of pubs as a result of the pandemic is a loss of a building block of life, something which may have previously marked our days and our weeks: a kind of punctuation point.

With little left to track the progress of time in lockdown, as we are forced to literally look to seasonal change to remind us that we are not stuck in some timeless vortex, we reminisce over the past and how we filled our lives: the 10-minute pint pit-stop, the Guinness so drawn-out it’s warm for the final gulps, and long blurred evenings when drink number is forgotten and irrelevant. A pint is a measurement of time—one that can be as compressed, as drawn out, or multiplied as many times as an evening demands.

Of all the questionable replacements for pre-Covid-19 indulgences, such as Techno live streams, “click-and-serve” McDonalds, and meet ups on House Party, why are take-away pints so unsatisfactory in replicating the pub experience? Not just unsatisfactory, but sad. In making the idea of the pub portable, that is, the instant of handing over a pint in a plastic cup on a dark street, the core of the thing becomes a transaction. When take-away first came into effect, I personally questioned why anyone would pay the price of a Dublin pint when their drink has been stripped of the experience it normally represents. Pre-pandemic we got fun, friendship, maybe even meeting the person we’ll marry, all factored into the price of €5.50.

What I think is going on is people’s deliberate triggering of those memories of what we had before, to the point where they will bring themselves right to the door of their favourite pub to be handed that bitter-sweet pint of gold. The tap of their card on the

sterilised card machine is their investment in hope—they’re showing they are keeping the faith in the idea that what they so love will reoccur. They miss the multisensory experience of these places: the sweet smells, the sticky bar tops where they scrabbled for their damp change, the noisy heat, the dance-like manoeuvre through the rammed bar three pints in hand, the legs swinging carefree from stools, and the cigarettes rolled with borrowed filters and frozen fingers. They miss the time spent with friends, old and new, the goals scored, the songs sung, the subsequent hangovers, the pick-me-ups, the celebration pints and the Wednesday afternoon pints.

To me, it seems heart-breaking to engage in simply the act of ordering, receiving, paying and drinking, as this comprises so little of what actually makes a pub. I think I would rather nothing than be part of such a reduced version of this ritual. To go to a pub is to meet people; to talk, to experience that space for an amount of time.

The drink is complementary to where you are—it both creates and enhances the atmosphere, but is also dependent on it—the two work in harmony. I understand that the act of buying take away pints is something of a gesture of support, but can we gesture for months and months? The action then starts to become resonant of the gap between the good times and now—a symbol of lack and loss.

No one can say if pubs will ever return in their pre-pandemic form, nor if Grumpy Daryl will ever be able to sit right at the bar and shout in my ear, nor if Kev could take his pint straight out of my hand and replace it with a crumpled fiver. As someone who has worked in the industry for several years, I would consider it a huge shame if the pubs we knew throughout our teen years were to exist only in memory form, as impressions of past enjoyment; as echoes.

PHOTO BY AILIS HALIGAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Apps that provide us with harmless entertainment become more dangerous once exams roll around writes Ellen Kenny

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ne of my favourite films of all time is The Social Network, a biographical drama detailing the creation of Facebook and the hubris, lawsuits, and downright iconic laptop-smashing that ensues thereafter. Along with the exceptional performances and razor-sharp dialogue, it’s fascinating to see the sordid origins surrounding the platform that became the benchmark for online communication. This kind of film is not only appealing because of the finesse, intrigue, and the ever-handsome Andrew Garfield, but because we’re so invested in the social media networks that permeate the twenty-first century. Students today have only a vague recollection of life without social media; we’ve spent most of our lives watching it evolve like an artfully crafted film.

In the past, when young people wanted to amuse themselves, they would have to seek out a television or a radio or strange circular objects I believe they called “CD’s.” Today, there’s a whole whirlpool of distractions sitting right in our pockets. From a historical standpoint, I see the rapid progress in technology as the sequel to the invention of fire.

As a student, I would very much be tempted to travel back in time and smash every single computer Mark Zuckerberg owned if it meant social media wouldn’t exist and I might finally be able to focus on work every now and again. Facebook isn’t the sole source of my procrastination, but it’s certainly the blueprint.

Social media apps are truly viruses when it comes to work and focus; instead of running through pages of textbooks that would help me get a degree and an actual job, I always find my fingers itching to scroll through my phone. And Facebook is not the only culprit; there’s a whole cast of computer-coded characters whose ultimate purpose is to waste my time. But what is the most addictive social medium right now? Which app is the current foil to a productive study-routine? Like all trends, social networks rise and fall, but

a certain few across the years certainly lead the way.

I do love The Social Network, but, nowadays, I’m more entertained by the film than the actual app it was based on.

Of course, when it comes to engagement, there’s no denying Facebook created the formula for success; the ease of access, constantly upgrading features, and a variety of available content made it immediately addictive. It took the daunting world of social interactions and put it online for a much more convenient, effortless experience. Instead of having to pluck up the courage to talk to someone in person and pretend to be cool, all you had to do was send a friend request from an impeccably curated profile and craft a message that would convince anyone you’re the suavest twelve-year-old around.

From my perspective, Facebook hit its addictive peak around 2013, when “poking” was a valid form of greeting, Troll Meme pages were the peak of

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There’s a whole whirlpool of distractions sitting right in our pockets comedy and art, and the strength of friendships was measured by how many body paragraphs and inside jokes you could include in a birthday post. I would spend entire evenings scrolling through Facebook, revelling in all the selfies with over-saturated filters; all the John Green quotes that flooded my page; all the groups I was in with my friends.

According to The Social Network, Zuckerberg created Facebook to make you feel like you are part of a wider group with little effort. It was the ease of access to a gigantic community that made Facebook so addictive, and it’s this accessibility that is the core of any addictive social media app.

Nowadays, Facebook is nowhere near as addictive as it once was. I suspect our growing indifference towards the app is directly correlated to how much our parents use it. I’d rather not cultivate my online personality and obsessions where my aunts can respond with Minion memes.

Older people catching on to social

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

on kept in hand

media and having their own addictions has simply made some platforms less cool. For most young people now, Facebook is akin to checking your emails; it’s reserved for keeping up to date with college societies and liking comments from relatives as per your mother’s instructions— overall, not as detrimental to someone’s study routine as it might have once been.

Today, social media apps are even more devastating when it comes to focus and routine, since the technology that we need to work from home is also the technology that is so good at distracting us from work. Though Facebook might not be the main offender anymore, the apps that distract us the most now seem like sequels and reboots to that original gateway drug. I’ve always thought that, once Facebook lost its allure, users would migrate to both Twitter and Instagram to fill the virtual hole in their hearts. You can go to Instagram to endlessly scroll through picture-perfect forms of friends and celebrities and present your own aesthetic, and you can go to Twitter to delve into an endless array of hot takes and humour.

Using these apps doesn’t feel like an addiction—it’s just a given that I keep up with the latest trends on Twitter and deep dive into friends’ accounts on Instagram. It doesn’t even feel like I’m wasting time on these apps, especially in today’s world where I can’t just meet up with friends to stay updated on their lives. I might spend a bit too much time staying updated instead of studying, but as a student today, I would most definitely lose my mind if I didn’t have some way to maintain connections with other students.

Be that as it may, there is one platform that has perfected the strategy to become the most addictive social media app, and I can’t even justify the hours I spend down rabbit holes of lipsyncing, short videos and homemade musicals about animated rats. I am of course referring to the final boss of social media platforms, TikTok. What started as a Vine knock-off has become a sprawling online powerhouse that has grown so popular and has shaken up the world so much that grown-up-baby Donald Trump tried to issue an executive order against it, probably because Charli D’Amelio never followed him back.

From the moment you open TikTok, short and punchy videos reel you in. You might not enjoy every video recommended to you, but the ability to scroll endlessly through a page made by an algorithm catered to your preferences means it’s very hard to get bored. You might find yourself on the make-up side of TikTok one moment, the next on the alternative side, the next on the frog side. The way the algorithmic functions curates a unique “for you page” while also promoting videos from smaller accounts, giving them the chance to reach a huge

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TikTok is like popcorn for the brain: addictive, buttery, empty satisfaction

audience. The typical length of the videos also aids the addictive nature of the app; you might have the restraint to stop yourself watching a twenty-minute video on YouTube, but it’s so easy to tell yourself you’ll just watch a few little videos on TikTok and then suddenly it’s been three hours and you’re behind on lectures, but at least you have all the details of the Olivia Rodrigo drama.

The rate at which trends come and go on TikTok means there’s always something to keep you hooked, while the convenient disappearance of the clock at the top of your screen doesn’t make things any easier when it comes to keeping track of time.

TikTok provided the perfect escape during the first lockdown; these days I romanticise the times where my page was full of whipped coffee videos and Willy Wonka thirst traps. Back when I had little to do, TikTok truly filled an empty space in my head in need of a quick fix. Now that I should be filling my head with a healthy study routine, TikTok isn’t cushioning a space so much as it is colonising my brain with a battering ram. There isn’t even a justification for how much time I spend on the app; it caters to the mindless fun that we all deserve, but I don’t think staying up until three in the morning engrossed in POV’s and astrology videos counts as self-care. TikTok is like popcorn for the brain: addictive, buttery, empty satisfaction.

It’s never been as easy to waste time as it is right now. 2020 was a disaster film that no one wants to watch again. Without the variety of real life, real people and real places, we seek entertainment out online. As the internet becomes an ever-growing source of entertainment, it is also becoming our place of work and focus. I don’t think we can be blamed for struggling to balance online work and play, especially when the social media apps are so adept at keeping us distracted in all kinds of ways.

ARTWORK BY VIRGINIA GINNY BERNARDI FOR TRINITY NEWS

How the light gets in Grace Gageby reflects on how Leonard Cohen’s work haunts the years past as Marianne and Leonard: Words of Love turns two

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n the night of the US presidential election, Leonard Cohen was trending on Twitter, with hundreds of thousands praying for the materialisation of Cohen’s famous lyrics: the coming of democracy to the US. The song saliently captures the wry cynicism Cohen is famous for, through the allusions to the disaffected voters and downtrodden, who are “neither left or right/just staying home tonight/getting lost in that hopeless little screen”. It’s a fitting image beyond question, conveying how many of us, even across the pond, stayed up to watch the votes trickle in, hopeful that there would be a light (or at least a crack) at the end of the tunnel for 2020.

“There is a crack in everything.

That’s how the light gets in” state the famous words that spawned countless saccharine Instagram captions, and many more terrible tattoos. These were the lyrics of Leonard Cohen’s Anthem. Cohen died in 2016, and a posthumous documentary, Marianne and Leonard: Words of Love premiered at the Sundance festival on the 27th of January two years ago. It explores the romance between Cohen and his muse, Marianne Ihlen, set against the dream-like backdrop of emerging 1960s youth culture in Hydra.

Like swimming in the Irish sea and baking banana bread, lockdown brought with it the resurgence of the dying art of letter writing. When watching

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A moving tribute to a love story that transcended borders, age, time and space

Marianne and Leonard, the most beautiful part is arguably the concluding scene, which narrates the final letter Leonard sent to her: “Well Marianne, it’s come to this time when we are really so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine;” a moving tribute to a love story that not only inspired So Long, Marianne, but also transcended borders, age, time and space.

Cohen is famous for his poems, many of which in their embryonic form, were letters he wrote to women. They are famously Romantic in a sense, both with and without the capital “R”. However, Cohen humorously stated that, when it didn’t work with women: “I appealed to God.” His work can be characterised by its unique ability to walk the fine line between the holy and the human - his second poetry collection, The Spice Box of the Earth, refers to the Jewish Havdalah ceremony which marks the end of the Sabbath; it occupies the boundary between the holy day and work week. In this collection, the sacred and the secular appears alongside poems about love and sex, as well as fairytales of mythical heroes.

His death in 2016, days after the US Presidential election, saw a resurgence in the popularity of his music. Seemingly, his notorious penchant for doom, gloom and destruction became more relevant by the day, as Hallelujah appeared on American Billboard Hot 100 for the first time. His songs not only articulate a sense of hopelessness often mitigated by an appeal to higher powers, but the feeling of emerging from chaos to survey the wreckage. Cohen released You Want it Darker, his final album, just three weeks before he died; the once-great gravel voice reduced to a croak.

As the psychological fallout of 2020 persists at the dawn of the new year, and vaccines appear on the horizon, there is still a pervasive sense of emerging from disarray to survey a trail of destruction left in the wake of the last twelve months.

In 2013, Cohen performed in Dublin live at the age of 79, breaking in between songs to thank the audience for attending “at great geographical and financial inconvenience”. Forced to commence touring late in life after being embezzled by his previous manager, and partaking in countless encores before he left the stage, there persisted a certain finality to the performance.

Cohen died just three years later. Revisiting his work at the dawn of a new year seems all the more pertinent, as the blurred boundaries between the everyday and the extraordinary are thrown into sharp focus.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

PHOTO BY ZAHRA TOURABPOURAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Buaigh an téarma seo

Gráinne NicCathmhaoil Téigh ar ais chuig na bunrudaí agus ná bí ag deifriú, a deir Gráinne Nic Cathmhaoil

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í cheapaim go raibh mé i m’aonar ag tnúth le bheith ar ais sa choláiste don dara téarma, fiú i gcomhair lá amháin i rith na seachtaine. Le cinnteacht nach mbeidh an chuid is mó againn ar ais, agus go leanfaidh coláiste ar líne, ba cheart dúinn leas a bhaint as an am seo a oiread agus is féidir. Seo alt ar conas is féidir leat lántairbhe a bhaint as an téarma seo, mar níl aon rud is fearr ná nuair a mhothaíonn tú go bhfuil cúrsaí ollscoile ag éirí go maith agat. Fiú gur thosaigh an tearma cheana féin, níl sé ródhéanach guaim a chur ort féin.

An chéad leid atá agam ná liosta a scríobh le do mhodúil agus na liostaí leitheoireachta a bhaineann leo. Leid shimplí í seo, ach is bealach í chun cuntas a choinneáil ar gach rud, agus cabhróidh sé leat chun a bheith eagraithe agus suas chun dáta le do ranganna teagaisc agus do léachta. Anuas air sin, molaim duit roinnt léamha a phriontáil amach chun sos a thógáil ó na scáileáin ó am go chéile.

Má tá dúshraith lag ag teach, beidh an structhúr ar fad lag.

Muna bhfuil tú ag codladh go maith nó go leor, muna bhfuil tú ag glacadh sosa ó na scáileáin, muna bhfuil tú ag ithe réim chothrom bia, beidh tionchar leis ar do fheidhmíocht, agus d’fhéadfadh tionchar a bheith aige ar do mheabhairshláinte chomh maith. Ceapaim nach mbaineann na nithe is tabhachtaí i do shaol mar mhac léinn leis an ollscoil ar chor ar bith, mar baineann siad go hiomlán leat féin. Tósóimid le codladh.

Feictear go gcoiméadaimid

níos mó eolais foghlamtha i rith an lae má tá codladh sásúil againn an oíche roimh ré, agus ansin an oíche dár gcionn. Tá a fhios againn chomh maith go gcuireann solas gorm isteach ar choladh mar cuireann sé isteach ar tháirgeadh meileatoinin, an hormón chodladh. Ina theannta sin, feictear go nglanann codladh tocsainí amach ó d’inchinn a ardaíonn i rith an lae. Mar sin, dar leis na heolaithe, bíonn gnáthamh chodlata ag teastáil ó do chorp chun gach rud a choimeád chomh sláintiúil agus is féidir.

Agus mar a tharlaíonn sé, cabhraíonn gnáthamh aclaíochta le do chodladh. I do shuí os comhair scáileáin i rith an lae ar fad, beidh fuinneamh sa bhreis agat ag deireadh an lae mar is féidir le do cheann a bheith tuirseach, agus fuinneamh fós ag do chorp. Mar sin, ní bheidh codladh chomh maith agus is féidir agat an oíche sin. Chomh maith leis sin, cinnte dom féin, athraíonn mo ghiúmar nuair a théim ar shiúlóid san iarnóin.

Caitheann gnáthamh aclaíochta an fuinneamh breise sin chun cinntiú go mbeidh codladh iontach agat agus chun do cheann a ullmhú don lá dár gcionn.

Ina theannta sin, déan cairde le teorainneacha agus tú ag obair ón mbaile. Bí cinnte go ndéanann tú idirdhealú idir do chuid oibre agus do chaitheamh aimsire, agus is féidir é seo a bhaint amach ag bunú uaireanta oibre — uaireanta atá beartaithe agat roimh ré chun obair a dhéanamh. Ar an mbealach seo, structúr láidir agat, agus beidh níos mó oird ar do lá.

Faoi dheireadh, smaoinigh siar ar an gcéad téarma — cad a a bhí cabhrach, is cad nach raibh rómhaith. Mar shampla- an raibh ort pulcadh do do scrúdaithe, ar chaith tú oícheanta ag gabháil do na leabhair? Mar sin, an bhfuil tú ag iarraidh aon rud a fheabhsú ón gcéad téarma? Tig leat liosta a scríobh leis na rudaí faoin gcéad téárma a thaitin leat agus na rudaí a bhfuil tú brodúil faoi, agus na rudaí nach raibh cabhrach. Ansin, molaim duit liosta eile a scríobh, ag rangú gach rud isteach i gcolúin atá faoi smacht agat, agus na rudaí nach bhfuil. Beidh tú in ann ansin diriú isteach ar na

rudaí atá faoi smacht agat, agus glacadh leis na rudaí nach bhfuil aon chumas agat chun athrú.

Mar bhuille scoir, molaim duit machnamh a dhéanamh ar chiall an fhocail ‘rath’. Bíonn ciall an fhocail difriúl do gach duine; tig leis a bheith ag baint céadonóracha amach i ngach modúil atá á dhéanamh agat, nó ag fáil pasanna i ngach rud.

Baineann sé sin le do thosaíochta féin, agus níl aon duine eile in ann é sin a oibriú amach duit.

Cosúil le gach rud i do shaol, chun aon athrú a fheiceáil tá cleachtadh de dhíth. Ach má dhéanann tú iarracht chomhfhiosach, ar a laghad ar bith, beidh tú níos eagraithe, beidh tú ag codladh níos fearr agus ag déanamh níos mó aclaíochta ar son do shláinte. Tóg é go bog é, níor cheart athruithe a dhéanamh faoi dheifir, agus tóg é ó lá go lá.

Gluais (Glossary) • Guaim a chur ort féin - To get yourself together • Cuntas a choinneáil - To keep track • Ranganna teagaisc Tutorials • Léamha- Readings • Dúshraith Foundations • Feidhmíocht - Performance/ Ability • Meabhairshláinte - Mental Health • An oíche roimh ré - The previous night • Solas gorm - Blue light • Táirgeadh meileatoininMelatonin production • Giúmar - Mood • Cinntigh- To make certain • Teorainneacha - Boundaries • Uaireanta oibre - Work hours • Roimh ré - Beforehand • Tosaíochta - Priorities • De dhíth - Needed • Iarracht chomhfhiosachConscious effort • Oíche a chaitheamh ag gabháil do na leabhair- To pull an all-nighter to study • Ar a laghad ar bith- At the very least • Ar son X- In the name of X • Tóg é ó lá go lá- Take it day by day

DUGES and fighting again Ciara Cassidy on why DUGES and Q-Soc deserve widespread support

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ollege is a place where anyone can express themselves, explore their identity, and figure out who they are. For some students, self-discovery can be even more challenging in a world where vitriolic debates ripple throughout social media. It would be difficult to argue that any society has felt this difficulty more than Q-Soc and the Dublin University Gender Equality Society (DUGES).

Originally named ‘the Gay Society’, Q-Soc was officially recognised in 1983 by the Central Societies Committee (CSC), making Trinity the first University in Ireland to institutionally recognise an LGBTQ organisation in its campus. As far as Q-Soc members are aware, they may be the first university LGBTQ organisation founded in Europe - a prestigious and progressive achievement.

Like many social movements, the momentum of gay rights was in large part focused within student groups and youth action. This paved the way for other Irish Universities to establish their own student organisations. Yet, this was not victory without struggle.

One member tells me that “when Q-Soc was FIRST first proposed to the college half a century ago it was rejected out of college’s fear that having a gay society would dethrone them from their good name”. Though the society has come a long way since it was founded over 30 years ago, many of its goals have remained the same. Q-soc Auditor Luca Caroli states that “Q-Soc was founded to fight against bigotry and homophobic laws [...]. Our purpose was, initially, to engage in radical activism, fight for our rights, and let “polite society” know that we would not hide anymore. That has not changed to this day”.

The 1990s saw feminism enter the mainstream. Following radical changes in Irish law such as the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the legalisation of divorce, Trinity estalished the Gender Equality Society. Since its foundation, the society has created an avenue for feminism to grow in Trinity

by providing a safe space where ideas about current sexism can be discussed. In the words of Margot Kavanagh, the society’s chair, DUGES stands for “open and critical discussion of feminist ideas and gender relations [...], for the safety and rights of all women to bodily autonomy and to possess a voice in their community, whether in Trinity or in society at large”.

Throughout the years, both societies firmly established themselves as not only a fun social outlet for their members, but also as a support base for many students. DUGES provides community support for many female students in college that need a safe space or wish to discuss certain feminist issues.

The society has created an avenue for feminism to grow in Trinity by providing a safe space where ideas about current sexism can be discussed. DUGES successfully deals with many difficult topics to discuss such as abuse and rape culture in their weekly meetings.

Ideas about feminism have been able to grow and members themselves have learnt whilst being in the society that it is not just one ideology. As Kavanagh states: “I’ve seen myself grow with

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

Q-Soc: Societies nst prejudice on campus

“

Accusations of man-hating are a little repetitive, while others simply find new expressive contortions of their face to give us while passing the stand

this society over the years and have personally had my views on feminism and equality expand and change quite a bit through the friendships I’ve made and conversations I’ve had”. Likewise, Q-Soc holds weekly coffee mornings on Discord (prior to Covid-19 these were held daily), along with safe spaces, nights outs, movie screenings, quizzes, game nights and art sessions.

Caroli says that they are more than activists: “we provide people from the LGBTQ community with a safe space where they can escape prejudice, explore their sexuality and gender identity, and meet other LGBTQ students, and I know just how important that is from personal experience. I was but a kid from rural Italy when I first joined, and I had never really got a chance to truly understand myself before Q Soc”.

Despite their efforts, members of both societies still believe that Trinity has a long way to go before their goal of gender equality has been achieved.

Indeed, Kavanagh believes that Trinity is far from realising this goal. Kavanagh cites that a recent study conducted by The Nation University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) and the Union of

Students in Ireland (USI) found that 3 in 10 third-level students in Ireland report experiences of sexual assault (see here). The fight aginst sexual violence has a clear place on university campuses, and societies such as DUGES are directly engaging in that fight.

“While DUGES doesn’t want to speak to any one individual’s experience, we know not just from this data but from our own membership that sexual abuse is all too common as a college student in Ireland, particularly if you are a woman.”

For many the topic is clearly an uncomfortable one...she describes the “rite of passage” awkward confrontations between DUGES members and students at the Freshers Fair stand: “accusations of man-hating are a little repetitive, while others simply find new expressive contortions of their face to give us while passing the stand”. Kavanagh argues that feminism and gender “has to become a persistent point of discussion at every level of college”. “Greater consciousness and measures can be taken by administrators and by students and student leaders themselves to ensure the safety and equal opportunity of its members

regardless of gender”.

The repercussions of an unwillingness to engage with these issues is felt frequently by the members of Q-Soc themselves. Ignorance of this debate is displayed by staff and students alike, resulting in consistently uncomfortable/ insulting exchanges with society members. One member states that “I did get the usual uncomfortable questions from people wishing to know more about my sexuality and my sex life”. Another member recounts how they “have been subjected to regular verbal abuse, [whilst other members] again have had to listen to their own TAs and lecturers make transphobic comments under the guise that they were “just a joke”. While some of these incidents have been reported to the relevant authorities, nothing much has been done, unsurprisingly”. It is hard to feel like you have a voice when reporting discrimination if it is not met with proper consequences. Creating a voice for students is the essence of these societies’ goals. With a wider student support base instances of prejudice and abuse can be easier to stamp out.

Both Q-Soc and DUGES have clearly fostered profound bonds between its members - something that should be commended by society chairs and committee members everywhere. When asked what Q-Soc means to them, one member replied with just one word: “family”. Similarly, when Kavanagh was asked why she joined DUGES she replied that she wanted to find a “community of people who shared similar values and experiences”. From the brief interviews I conducted with Q-Soc and DUGES, it became very clear that members of the two societies celebrate and deeply value the community it has found. In many ways this is inevitable, as good friendships are invariably built upon shared values, interests, hardships, and most importantly mutual respect.

As with every society, finding like-minded people is vital.

“

Q-Soc needs its members to be the best it can be and the more people join, the better for everyone “Q-Soc has been a great support for many of us, especially in times of stress. It has given us the opportunity to become friends with people like us and meet friendly faces while recharging our batteries…” says one member. The strength of their communities has clearly helped it achieve such commendable successes thus far.

Nonetheless, whether members or not, students should support these societies by calling out instances of discrimination, prejudice and abuse by the Trinity establishment. Being aware of what Q-Soc and DUGES do and acknowledging their values can be extremely helpful. Kavanagh concludes that by “listening and spending time with sometimes uncomfortable conversations, and discovering ways to engage and grow personally with feminism” is extremely important. Similarly, Caroli states that “Q-Soc needs its members to be the best it can be and the more people join, the better for everyone. We provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ students and support for everyone who needs and wants it but can only do so if people engage with the society”. Solidarity, as displayed in these two societies, is the key to fighting prejudices on campus and in wider society.

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Puzzle page Crossword solution, December 15 Across 4. Ominous 5. Dexys 7. Mink 8.Evermore 9.Doomscrolling 12. Sahrawi 14.Snowdonia Down 1. Kashmir 2. Zombie 3. Rescind 6. Perforation 10. Offal 11. Mas 13. Texas

Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

CROSSWORD BY JULES O’TOOLE FOR TRINITY NEWS

Across

Down

4. Sporty insects (8)

3. Goddess of Love (9)

7. ‘Perky, Arty’ pop star (4,5)

5. Brian Boru’s Battleground (8)

8. ‘Andy Anchor’ enjoys this grape variety (10)

6. Rock band that appreciates ‘the small things’ (8)

10. Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘fruitiest’ daughter (5)

9. …Bea, comedian (7)

1. Insurance obsessed meerkats (8)

14. Banjo playing amphibian (6)

2. Romantic flower (4)

11. Collins’ word of the year 2020 (8)

16. Baby hedgehog (5)

12. ‘Aretha Micron’ leaves on this continent (12)

18. TV Turkey (6)

13. Basil and Sybil…, comedic hoteliers (6)

19. Slytherin founder (7) 20. Bald, burping comedian (9) 21. … Gomez, betrothed to Ariana Grande (6)

15. They prefer blondes (8) 17. Modern day Constantinople (8)

WORDSEARCH BY DARRAGH CREAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

Atone Bugle Cairo Conspire Decry Festive Incline Manual Molten Obfuscate Pesto Queue Rind Slum Vice

Trinity shouts and murmurs idek who lives in the room beside me but if you heard me crying all evening and then blast enchanted by taylor swift, no you didn’t -@Snev_ skagged for a hearty broth and/ or stew -@miaohreally i lurv how the world is ending and like im just sat here in the lib doing tap tap tappy -@hiba1234321 Nothing makes me more self conscious than that weird kinda half step knee bent walk you have to do going down the steps from the Naussa st entrance ramp down to the arts block benches -@ellebellenic the “i love learning” buzz of week one baby... enthusiasm for the concept of writing an essay.... riding high on these four days -@furtiso conservatively estimating that 90% of my dissertation will have been written with the US Office playing in the background -@FollowTheLaoide

PHOTOS BY ELIZA MELLER FOR TRINITY NEWS

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

Comment

The pandemic will pose hurdles for the SU elections Luke Hayden

page 18

Dearbháil Kent Comment Editor

Burnout is inevitable if online learning continues in future years

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he start of a new term is upon us. For students at the beginning of their college journey, this most likely means that they have yet to step into a lecture theatre and join their classmates for the very first time. They’ve yet to make the mistakes that we have all made and fear equally: confidently walking into a lecture late only to realise you’re in the wrong room and immediately leaving, blushed and flustered; showing up to class in a questionable outfit for a compulsory 9am lecture, still drunk; dying at home from a hangover deliberating on whether or not to go into college that day. For final years, it means that we cannot join the people we’ve spent most of our college lives in class with, or get away with any of the aforementioned carry-on. First and final years are at beginnings and ends of their university lifetimes; first years can take comfort in knowing that there will be a time, and hopefully soon, that they can make mistakes and live out their dreams of being a college idiot. Final years, in contrast, feel the bittersweet sentiment of time lost, and the inability to redeem themselves from Trinity Balls in years gone by, but ultimately they can take comfort in the lifelong memories they created in their more junior years.

We’re all sick of being reminded about the obliteration of the social aspects of college thanks to coronavirus. The social moments that segmented our lives have been robbed from us. The dreary familiarity and banality of the everyday demotivates and demoralises even the most bubbly and enthusiastic students. That’s not to say that first and final years won’t ever experience burnout, but the recognition of where they are in the span of their college lifetimes can help to reassure the good times ahead and

those gone by. First and final years roughly have the same amount of work cut out for them: first years are clueless and are starting from scratch, figuring out how to get by, socially and academically. For final years the work can seem insurmountable. Burnout is certainly possible for both classes of students but they can anticipate that they either don’t have to worry about grades or that they’re moving on to a different chapter of their lives.

But what about those in progressing years? Arguably, they are the most overlooked and vulnerable category of students. They have more savoir-faire than first years, but not nearly as much sophistication as final year students.

The middle years of college are for growth, both academically and socially. Conceivably, those in progressing years acquire more responsibilities as they go, but also a steadily increasing workload with either no motivation to do it or ability to recognise the value of doing it. Trinity’s expectation and culture of individual and independent learning is tough even at the best of times, but learning online has created an expectation of even more student autonomy. The failure of this medium of learning is that it completely overlooks the essence of student life. It’s all work with essentially no social life — it’s through no fault of College’s own, but of the global health crisis facing us that has forced students to burn out.

Burnout is more than an inability to do anything or general “laziness”. It is the disconnect of self, mentally and physically, and a state of being completely overwhelmed by our collective responsibilities as students. In addition to this, there are the responsibilities of other roles that we play in our lives: the helpful sibling and fami-

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The middle years of college are for growth, academically and socially

Library opening hours should not be restricted Ella Sloane

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ly member, the politically engaged citizen, the good student. Without social distraction, these roles eventually take their toll. Burnout is not necessarily a binary state either. You don’t wake up one day and feel burnt out. It’s a steady and gradual descent into the rabbit hole of responsibility. The creeping onset of stress related to these responsibilities is what inevitably leads to overextension, disengagement and, eventually, full burnout.

The loss of the Trinity community, of extra-curricular life and even the socialisation of the classroom means that there is nothing to stop this descent. Students are hiding behind their phones and screens sending faux-apathetic texts to each other, promising that they’re fine, because they know that there are people that have it much worse than them and these are “just the times we are living in”.

But the reality is that burnout is a collective problem: if we haven’t experienced it already, we will at some point of our lives. Conversely, the onus of preventing burnout is put on students individually.

This notion was once again emphasised in a recent email from the Senior Lecturer, reminding students of the basics they can do to prepare themselves for the forthcoming term: go to lectures, create a routine, engage with societies and events, and use College supports. While this is all well and good, there is nothing really pushing students to do any of these things. I do wish there was more of a check-in from tutors, TAs and lecturers. Some might think that’s unnecessary but sometimes all it takes is a simple and individual conversation between a faculty

and its students to get a genuine insight to what is going on.

As a final year, it’s difficult to imagine where I’ll end up next or what I’ll do. Whatever I decide, I can take comfort in the certainty that I will be finished college. Honestly, it is those in the years behind me who I worry about the most.

This turn towards online learning has left us all quite drained. While the vaccine is in sight and giving everyone a glimmer of hope, it’s not necessarily a ticket back to the way things were before the pandemic. There’s no knowing of when coronavirus mutations will stop. The resumption of normality may yet be far off. So it piques my concern that those in progressive years will live the rest of their college lives deteriorating behind screens.

BNOCs, Trinity W*nkers, social climbers: whether you love them, are one of them, or hate them and laugh at them, they are at the heart of the Trinity community. As long as the drought of social life continues on campus and as online learning becomes the norm, College needs to step up and realise that it is their duty to prioritise the wellbeing of their students. This can be as simple as encouraging student-staff conversations and check-ins, but it is certainly more than an email informing students “how to prepare” for semester two. Fundamentally, it is the everyday cycles of college life that prevent students from burning out. College must realise that the community of students cannot be replicated online. There is more to student life than sitting behind a screen for hours at a time.

ARTWORK BY ELLA SLOANE FOR TRINITY NEWS

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Comment PHOTO BY SALLY NÍ THUAMA FOR TRINITY NEWS

Ellen McHugh

Contributing Writer

Trinity’s first woman provost will need to bring real change to be truly historic

I

t is a truth almost universally acknowledged that the first woman to be elected to a certain office will be subject to more scrutiny than her male predecessors. Supposedly acting as a litmus test for the suitability of any and every woman for the role, the first woman will be watched carefully by those waiting to seize upon something that can be used to justify their assumptions about women in general.

The reality of women’s experience in public office is often harsh and unforgiving, as illustrated by the level of online abuse to which many are subjected: abuse that is often directed at their personalities or appearances rather than their policies or actions. However, all this is not to say that we should hold our next provost to lower levels of scrutiny than we would their predecessors simply by virtue of the fact that they will be a woman. Rather, we should use this historic moment to push for real improvements and change. While the election of a woman as provost represents an important step forward for a university that did not admit women until 1903, this does

not automatically mean that it is a victory for those seeking to eliminate gender biases in academia.

Nor does it necessarily follow that the University will automatically proceed in a different direction than it has during Patrick Prendergast’s tenure. As much as we might hope that the election of Professor Ohlmeyer, Professor Hogan, or Professor Doyle will lead to tangible improvements, we cannot take this for granted.

A key area in which we might hope to see improvements during the tenure of the next provost is, as mentioned, the pervasive gender biases in academia, both in Trinity and further afield. While there have been vast increases in the number of women choosing to attend university over the last number of decades, there are significant gender disparities remaining in academia on both a teaching and a research level. In many syllabi, there is a significant gender gap in course content, with the male experience centred as the default and the female treated as niche. This is seen particularly clearly in the social sciences, where students taking year-long classes on social or

political theory might be so lucky as to have one whole week dedicated to “women” or “feminism”.

Not only do “women’s issues” find themselves relegated to the position of afterthought, female authors are often disproportionately under-represented on course reading lists. Some quick, or if we’re being honest, hours’ worth of calculations of the composition of two political science reading lists in the last semester revealed that female authors made up 23.8% of total authors listed on one reading list, and, wait for it, 13.6% of the other. While this may not be a representative sample, it warrants further investigation, and it is something the next provost could and should instigate. If this trend is found to be repeated across modules and disciplines, it would indicate a serious knowledge gap in the content of courses in the university. This has two main effects.

First, it could lead to the disengagement and disillusionment of female students, which would then discourage them from continuing with certain subjects. This, in turn, perpetuates male dominance in certain fields, and the vicious

cycle begins again. Second, the knowledge gap leads to a deficit in information in the application of University teachings beyond a university’s context. This is applicable to areas as diverse as policymaking, medicine, design, and a whole host of other fields.

Addressing the lack of female writers and thinkers in Trinity’s syllabi is not merely an exercise in “wokeness”. Rather, it is a crucial step in ensuring the academic rigour of courses taught in Trinity and in ensuring that the university’s graduates leave with a more complete understanding of their chosen field, and of the world in general. While individual schools and lecturers have a great deal of power in setting syllabi, Trinity’s next provost, whoever they may be, should encourage, if not mandate, those who construct syllabi to undertake an evaluation of their content and implement any necessary reforms.

On a research level, female academics often face greater barriers to publication than their male counterparts. These barriers range from implicit constraints on the amount of time they can allocate to research and writing, to explicit biases in selection for publication.

The next provost of Trinity can do two main things to help dismantle these barriers, to which the University governance should be responsive. First, they can advocate for greater use of blind review systems in academic journals and publications, coordinating academics in a concerted call for the introduction of these systems where they are not already in place. Second, they can seek reviews of work allocations within schools and departments to ensure that they are fair and equitable. As a research-driven university, it is vital that Trinity acts as a leader in achieving gender equality in this area.

It is important, however, that we do not assume that the first woman elected as provost will (or, indeed, should) focus solely on “women’s issues”. There are a number of important issues, such as the issue of climate action and sustainability, that have been raised by students and staff alike. As much as the election of a woman as provost represents a milestone in terms of gender equality in academia, it also represents an opportunity for the next provost to make the role their own by becoming a leader in these areas.

Whoever is elected, they have the potential to make a real and lasting impact on the trajectory of Trinity College. By seeking to bring about the positive changes discussed, Trinity’s next provost can vastly improve both the university’s academic standing and the experience of its students and staff. In order for Trinity to “inspire generations”, it must be at the forefront of including more diverse perspectives and promoting cutting-edge research. It must seek to ensure that all students and staff can flourish, academically, professionally, and personally, and it must work to eliminate persistent obstacles to this flourishing.

The pandem more hurd

T

hose elected to sabbatical positions of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) this time last year could not have even begun to predict the level of disruption that would come to define their term in office. As we approach the end of it, new elections loom, and the setting in which students will cast their ballots is like no other in the union’s history.

With all on-campus activity halted until at least the beginning of the next academic year, the campaigns run by those who choose to run will have to be 100% online. Typically, the college is abuzz with campaigners trying to get their candidate’s message out to the student body, with posters adorning every corner of campus.

In student accommodation, supporters of each candidate would go door to door, much like in a general election, with political party advocates. Of course, with the current government regulations in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has reached its worst point so far since it’s arrival into this country nearly a year ago, all of this will be completely impossible.

How, then, will these candidates go about getting their names into the general student consciousness?

It may be possible to gain further insight by looking at another section of college life that has had to drastically change its approach to student engagement due to the national restrictions: the College’s societies. Any other year, a society’s calendar would be chock full of in-person events, from debates, to talks, to the auspicious annual balls. But, all of this has had to shift focus to a digital format, and the migration has taken its toll on student engagement, a key issue that any SU candidate will have to keep in mind.

I asked Joe Coughlan, the Chair of TrinityFM, for his views on how societies have had to adjust to this new structure of things.

“Keeping students engaged has been an uphill battle this year from the start,” he said, which does not bode well for those attempting to win over a large portion of the student electorate.

Coughlan said that “some societies have found alternative methods

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

Comment

Luke Hayden

Laura Galvin

Contributing Writer

mic will pose even dles for SU elections such as livestreams and Discord servers for hosting their events.

These measures have had variable degrees of success.” Such methods of campaigning may seem enticing to prospective candidates, but the issue of engagement must be front and centre in this election cycle.

It is no longer possible to simply wait outside a lecture hall, and hand out pamphlets as hundreds of people stream past – students will have to want to learn more about these candidates. It is going to prove a herculean task to reach the level of engagement needing for a campaign to succeed.

Due to the prevalence of social media, the world is more connected than ever; over half of the global population is recorded as having at least one social media account as of 2020. However, engaging with people has become increasingly difficult during lockdown, with national governments starting campaigns explicitly encouraging the populace to stay in touch with one another, and to reach out to those they believe to be isolated.

Word of mouth has always been an extremely important factor in SU elections, as the “friend of a friend” trope factors into many students’ votes – the known, however strenuous the connection, is always far easier to cast a vote for

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No matter the strength of the social media campaign, it can’t truly replicate a physical presence

than the unknown. This trait is lost through the digital medium, and no matter the strength of the social media campaign, it can’t be truly replicated.

Despite the many issues that arise due to a lack of in-person campaigning, the logistical ones cannot be ignored. The fear of a digital election is twofold: the system itself failing in some way, or it being compromised. Technical errors are a risk in such a system, but previous elections prove that the SU is capable of dealing with any issues that arise as a consequence of a computer glitch. For example, the Class Rep elections were held at the beginning of Michaelmas Term, and they were virtually seamless. Of course, there was the occasional hiccup, which included candidates not being listed, or links not working, but these issues were temporary, ultimately being resolved quickly after attention was brought to them. If this template is anything to base what the sabbatical elections are going to be like, it does present an optimistic picture.

However, the issue of election safety is not one that lacks merit.

On the one hand, it would be hoped that all candidates would run and act in good faith; on the other hand, it is not out of the question that a third party could try to interfere in the elections for reasons of their own (no reminders are needed of the havoc that was carried out at the Schols information evening at the end of November last year).

This potential issue is, of course, fully hypothetical, and a robust enough system could prevent it – regardless, its possibility poses problems for the Union’s Electoral Commission.

Despite the current situation, the SU plans to soldier on with their sabbatical elections this year, regardless of the less than ideal circumstances.

These elections often provide a platform for candidates to demonstrate their personality through their campaigns, giving them a chance to get their message out in new and unique ways. Never has that been more needed than this year, where the very notion of getting the student population engaged in the campaigns is fraught with difficulty. Nevertheless, these shall be SU Elections like no other.

Deputy Comment Editor

Britain’s withdrawal from Erasmus+ will hinder its relationship with Ireland

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peculation on whether or not the UK would remain within the EU and EEA’s student mobility programme, Erasmus+, has ensued since the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016. A last-minute decision resulting in the United Kingdom resolving to stop participation in all aspects of Erasmus+ will have the potential to damage the UK and Ireland’s relations on top of Brexit alone. British and Irish students will find themselves missing out on the opportunity to share perspectives and cultures that have been exchanged for the 30 years that the Erasmus+ scheme has been running for.

Although the UK are planning on replacing their participation in Erasmus+ with a new, more internationally oriented scheme called the Turing scheme, its focus has turned away from the UK’s closest neighbours and instead emphasised exchanges in countries farther afield, abandoning their European ties. This great loss will have an impact on many students and the countries they originate from in a variety of ways, seeing the United Kingdom’s younger population losing out on the inclusion in the EU that many of them voted for.

The cultural aspect of the exchange is one of the main things Britain will lose out on with Ireland - with the ease of the Erasmus+ scheme, Europeans’ ability to travel with the security of a monthly grant and direct admission to another university, as well as full facilitation through their home university, cannot be replicated. This rendering Erasmus+ among the easiest ways to experience another culture, it is disheartening to see Britain retreating from this opportunity.

As Erasmus+ is one of the primary agents for new cultural experiences for young people, it promotes an in-depth understanding of other cultures.

Given the complex relationship the UK and Ireland have always had, the importance of the two countries fostering a better level of understanding between their people is tenfold. British school systems for the most part ignore the long-intertwined history of Ireland and Britain, and as such it’s no surprise that there are often common misunderstandings

“

With a potential for a United Ireland or Scottish Independence, Britain needs to be sensitive to a changing diplomatic situation, and to understand Ireland now more than ever

and stereotypes that need to be schooled out of young people as much as possible. This lack of understanding stretches not only to the educational sphere, but even from the top down; lest we forget in 2018 when Boris Johnson, acting as Foreign Secretary at the time, compared the Irish border to the border between Camden and Islington.

This being said, the long history of Irish emigration to the UK is one that has not necessarily been one of education and cultural exchange. The difficulties in the past between our two countries rooted in sectarianism and resentment have resulted in discrimination of Irish people in England and a relationship that is now finally on the mend. Britain pulling out of Erasmus+ is something that is bound to impede on the gradually improving dynamic between the two countries.

Connections are also a huge part of Erasmus+ that the UK and Ireland may lose part of

between the two countries: connections to people, such as lifelong friends and partners, are part and parcel of exchange programs. Not only this, but Erasmus+ fosters connections to universities, to places of work, and to the cities and countries of destination themselves. These connections are so important for Ireland and the UK to have at the moment; as a result of less Irish and UK students being given the opportunity to study in each country through the Erasmus+, many of these interpersonal connections may never come to fruition. Bonds created with certain cities where the students may have returned to later in life are never made. The London Irish Centre keeps a large archive online of these stories and photographs of Irish in Britain, exemplifying these lifelong connections.

As a result of not being allowed to study in Britain under the Erasmus+ scheme, Irish students will look elsewhere for their studies, at other European neighbours. This could be considered a shame: the UK is our closest neighbour, and English as a shared language creates many more options for study for the students who aren’t doing a modern language for their degree, but still want to experience a different culture or live away for a year.

The students who choose to go on Erasmus+ to enrich their studies with new experiences are part of the current student generation who will be shaping the future in years to come.

Students who are forced to turn their backs on our closest neighbour, with whom we share so much of our history and language, embedded within a deeply complex relationship, will look elsewhere for future connection.

With a potential for a United Ireland or Scottish Independence, Britain needs to be sensitive to a changing diplomatic situation, and needs to understand Ireland now more than ever.

The connections we have made with Britain thus far should have been strengthened as opposed to undermined, to create more opportunities to cooperate in the future.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Comment

Ella Sloane

Contributing Writer

Library opening hours should not be restricted in the upcoming term

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tudent morale is at an all-time low; a postChristmas cloud of gloom has descended on the student population with the realisation that we will be entering the second semester amid the country’s third lockdown. For many the library is a safe haven and the most exhilarating part of their week; I must admit that the opportunity to venture beyond the four walls of my student accommodation to the library has become a somewhat thrilling prospect.

However, library opening hours are promised to shrink drastically this term, with revised opening hours already in effect before the beginning of semester two. The Berkeley, Lecky and Ussher are all to offer new opening hours of 1-5pm, with the Ussher Basement, 4th, and 5th floors to become inaccessible for the foreseeable future. This change in accessibility to a crucial college service threatens to decrease the quality of student life even further due to unalterable circumstances caused by pandemic.

Regular trips to the library have become an essential aspect of student life this year and for the vast majority it has served as the only way to maintain a sense of college community and identity. With no lectures and tutorials to attend, the library has become a last resort to maintain a sense of stability and normality when all else remains uncertain and wavering. Many students are isolated from the college and have yet to experience a single class on campus. Under the current circumstances this cannot be helped, however, I believe that the library is a thoroughly regulated environment that poses very little risk to student health and therefore should be kept open for the usual hours if at all possible. Unfortunately, the value of the library service to students during these isolating times is being severely underestimated.

It is one of the only facilities to remain open and the proposal of significant cuts to opening hours threatens to sever the gradually

fraying ties that remain between the student body and their sense of belonging to their college community.

The library also serves a vital academic role to students of all levels, both undergraduate and postgraduate. Postgraduates rely heavily on the library for resources to aid their research and the new reduction in opening hours will have a detrimental effect on the progression of their studies. These students have been expected to pay the same extortionate fees as any other year, despite the rapidly decreasing access to the usual services College has to offer. The issue of the limited availability of LEN books which can be taken out on loan from the library presents an obstacle at the best of times and this problem will be worsened by the restricted opening hours. An email from the Secretary’s Office informed students that there will also be no counter services in the library for the time being and pre-booking will be essential to collect items,

resulting in less access to library services than initially anticipated.

The recent changes will make it even more challenging than usual for students to gain from the resources the library has to offer.

A large proportion of students do not have access to a suitable learning environment at home and depend heavily on library services to keep up with the academic demands of college.

It is extremely challenging and frustrating to keep focused on the task at hand when surrounded by the chaotic home environment that some students are faced with, and this year, in particular, more students have had to remain living at home. A survey conducted by the college towards the end of last term highlighted just how many students are having to cope with learning from home, with a majority of 61% of respondents reporting that they are currently staying at home with family.

The survey also indicated how students feel that they are keeping up with their studies and how they are managing overall with

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With no lectures and tutorials to attend, the library has become a last resort to maintain a sense of stability and normality when all else remains uncertain the current situation. The results showed that 18% felt they were significantly behind with their learning and a majority of 53% of students were feeling a bit behind but were making progress.

Furthermore, the survey indicated that 20% of respondents felt very stressed and worried. This survey was taken when the library was remaining open for its usual hours of 9am-5pm, the benefits of which were surely felt by the student population. With a lack of educational support at home, the library is both an essential facility and an escape for some; the benefits of keeping this service as widely available as possible are vast. Restricting library access would not only put an immense amount of pressure on students

who are already struggling to work from home, but also cause further stress and anxiety.

A range of issues that already exist due to the reduced amount of library seats because of social distancing measures will only be exacerbated by these further restrictions. It has already been a challenge this year to secure one of the highly coveted library seats online before they’re whipped up in a matter of hours and these new narrower opening hours will make the library an even more inaccessible facility. Whilst the intention of reducing opening hours was most likely to minimise the amount of student contact and thus the risk of students and staff contracting the virus, these restrictions will actually result in an even higher demand for seats concentrated into a matter of hours. Although the library’s capacity will be further reduced by these measures, it will merely be the opening hours that will be cut rather than the amount of students who actually enter the premises. Those who have the privilege of being able to go to the library will not have classes or commitments that clash with the library’s exclusionary four-hour study slot.

Evidently, limiting library opening hours creates more issues than it solves. As we prepare to brace ourselves for the remainder of the third lockdown the library will prove to be a vital service, creating a link between the student population and the college, a link that is weakening as the pandemic continues to isolate students from other valuable resources and aspects of college life. Students are being deprived of both their academic and social needs due to the rapidly decreasing connection to the college campus. Now, more than ever, as the only college space still open to students, library availability is crucial to providing a fulfilling student experience, albeit a limited one.

PHOTO BY VICTORIA SALGANIK FOR TRINITY NEWS

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Evan Carron-Kee Contributing Writer

The growth in Irish learners online is a hugely positive step

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early every country saw a spike in Duolingo sign-ups after Covid-19 restrictions became widespread in March. In most of the English-speaking world, learners focused on Spanish and French. However, Ireland was the exception: 43% of new sign-ups in March and April were for Irish, almost doubling the proportion of Irish learners on Duolingo. This trend highlights some of the flaws of how Irish is currently taught and promoted, but it also points to a new direction for both Irish language education and activism.

The first question we must ask is: why didn’t we see a similar rise in new learners studying Spanish and French, as in other countries?

While we don’t have access to the data necessary to provide a definitive answer, there are two factors which likely contributed to this trend: problems with the Irish language education system, and a

more general desire to engage with Irish among the population, which the pandemic facilitated.

It is helpful to divide the new Duolingo learners into two groups: those who joined to aid their schoolwork, and those who joined for other reasons. About 45% of new sign-ups to Duolingo in March cited school as their motivation for learning a new language. As schools closed, students turned to online resources to help them learn. To an extent this explains why trends in Ireland were so different to the rest of the Anglosphere. Unlike most English-speaking countries, Spanish and French are not the only languages taught in our schools.

However, it is likely that the state of Irish language education has also contributed to the disproportionate rise in Irish learners on Duolingo. It is still outrageous that many students felt the need to turn to Duolingo during the lockdown to learn Irish.

Problems which have plagued Irish language education for decades have yet to be tackled. Partial immersion in Irish at primary level is a noble goal, but we have yet to deal with the “self-confessed lack of confidence and competence of teachers” in the language, according to a 2016 report by a European consultancy firm. With regards to second-level education, it is cliché to argue that we should move away from teaching poetry and prose, and towards conversational Irish, but the curriculum remains unchanged. We didn’t see a spike in sales of “An Triail”, a text commonly set for the Leaving Certificate, over the lockdown.

Instead, students chose Duolingo, an app which teaches simple, conversational Irish in an interactive way. This is yet another indictment of the Irish education system; many students want to learn Irish but find that the education system does more harm than good.

The other half of sign-ups to

Duolingo have implications for how Irish should be promoted outside of the education system.

The key insight here is that there are many people who hadn’t engaged with Irish before the lockdown, but who chose to do so after restrictions had been put in place.

These are people who would like to take up Irish as a hobby, but feel that normally they don’t have the time or motivation to do so. This points to a future for Irish as a kind of ‘national hobby’. There is obviously a latent desire to learn the language within the population.

How can we encourage people to begin learning the language as a pastime?

Let’s consider an analogy from abroad: South Korean hiking culture. South Koreans are obsessed with hiking. In 2018, they spent more on mountain climbing gear than they did on cosmetics or cinema tickets. While some take the

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About 45% of new sign-ups to Duolingo in March cited school as their motivation for learning a new language

activity seriously, most Koreans see it as a fun pastime. Nearly twothirds hike once a year and a third of the population go hiking once a month. There are two reasons for this popularity. First, mountains are intertwined with notions of national identity for Koreans. The national origin myth is that the Korean people are descended from the mountain god, and mountains are mentioned in the national anthem. Second, hiking is accessible in Korea. South Korea’s 22 national parks are well maintained and nearly all are mountainous. Also, most paths are safe and easy to climb, so people of all abilities can take part.

The parallels with Ireland are obvious. Irish is already part of our national identity, and the trend in Duolingo sign-ups shows that people want to engage with it. If we want Irish to become a ‘national hobby’, we need to make it more accessible. That means a focus on ‘weak engagement’ with the language. Support for the Gaeltacht, Irish-medium degrees, and Irish-language university accommodation are excellent policies for creating talented Irish speakers and writers, but they don’t encourage people to take up Irish in their spare time.

Universities should focus on both on improving students’ fluency in the language, and normalising its use on campus. They can start by raising awareness of Irish electives and free classes and by creating Irish-only areas, for example. When it comes to promoting social engagement through the language, the work done by Cumainn Ghaelacha across the country cannot be overstated.

Here in Trinity, Cumann organises an annual week-long Irish festival, Éigse na Tríonóide, as well as ciorcal comhrá and other social events throughout the year. Universities should seek to support their Cumann as much as possible; competency in the language is important, but without a vibrant social scene, Irish will struggle to attract new learners.

There is a role for the State too: as new learners progress on apps like Duolingo they will need to broaden their experiences with the language. In response, government support for ciorcal comhrá and Irish language hours in cafés should be expanded. Perhaps secondary school teachers of Irish could be paid to take on a parttime community role in promoting Irish, organising evening classes and events as Gaeilge. Awareness of An Fáinne, a distinctive gold or silver badge worn to show one’s willingness to speak Irish, should be promoted. If An Fáinne were more prominent in daily life, it could contribute enormously to the normalisation of speaking Irish. The rise in Irish learners on Duolingo is exceptionally positive news, and it shows that people want to learn Irish. However, an increase in Duolingo sign-ups alone can’t save a language. It is our responsibility to respond to this news with action, and turn a cause for optimism into actual progress.

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Editorial: College’s lacklustre Covid-19 response is part of a national problem

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rinity has not bathed itself in glory with respect to its Covid-19 policy this past month. A small outbreak in Goldsmith Hall on February 4 resulted in the entire accommodation complex being sent for testing, while several other cases were reported in oncampus housing. Its swift response of sending students to be tested was needed, but the problem is that College was either uncertain of or obfuscating the extent of the problem. Official communication from College that afternoon said that there was “one case” in main campus accommodation and three in Goldsmith, but an official at a town hall meeting that very evening spoke of a significant number of cases across residences, with multiple students who live on the main campus confirming to Trinity News that they had tested positive at the College Health Centre. Clearly something has gone awry.

In many ways though, Trinity is just taking its cues from the wider government response, which has been alarmingly handsoff. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly’s notorious thumbs up text and Leo Varadkar telling the Fine Gael parliamentary party on February 3 that Covid-19 will probably be around “for an eternity” – both recent incidents speak to a Cabinet that feels fundamentally passive about it all.

Covid-19 is here, they don’t feel that anything they do will make

a measurable difference, and they are mildly resentful of being asked to talk about it and deal with it constantly.

This in turn is reflected in their policy response and public messaging. The focus is very much on “individual responsibility” and what you, as a citizen, should be doing to help the country get through it. The line is “you shouldn’t be going to work” (as Dr Ronan Glynn said on February 2), rather than “we have passed regulations to compel workplaces to let employees work from home”. Press releases are full of language about how citizens need to proactively “remember to take precautions” and “take care of their mental health”, rather than laying out top-down strategies the government is taking or offering any kind of institutional support to people. The government had to be strongarmed by immense public pressure to introduce even at-home quarantine for travellers arriving into the country. And who can forget the decision to so rapidly remove restrictions at the end of November explicitly against NPHET advice, a decision which cost literally hundreds of lives?

These are all the actions of a cabinet that wants to do the smallest amount that it can get away with because, again, the real issue here is “individual responsibility”.

And Trinity has embraced this. The primary response to the Goldsmith outbreak was an email reminder for people to wash their hands, stay away from each other

and “familiarise yourself with the current regulations”. There was no mention of College itself doing anything more active than booking residents in for tests. Trinity has also embraced the logical followon of the individual responsibility narrative – a punitive approach to any transgressions. Because after all, if the primary responsibility for solving a global crisis falls on each individual student, there must naturally be a retributive response when they shirk that responsibility, right?

No one would argue that it was right, good, or unselfish of some Halls residents to breach either College’s or the government’s guidelines on social activity and gathering. It is obvious that students should not be putting others or themselves at risk of the virus by ignoring public health advice. But the response by some staff that students have reported is simply unacceptable. Students being subjected to “verbal abuse”, “swearing”, “attacks on someone’s nationality”, telling students they’re “f—king disgusting” and unspecified threats of “things worse than a fine” cannot be justified under any circumstances.

It would be wrong, however, to characterise these things as a simple, one-off mistake. These problems are systemic. It’s the end result of a system that’s designed punitively. If the system is centred around seeing guideline-breaching as a moral issue that must be punished, it’s not much of a leap to think that people who breach

guidelines should be treated extremely harshly.

And the system is punitive.

Instead of making more effort to support students who are isolated in their apartments for 23-24 hours a day, Halls management has drawn up lists of punishments including €100 fines, writing “essays about the importance of rules”, and on at least one occasion, evicting a student. This speaks to a deep contempt and condescension that the Warden Team has for the students in its care, viewing them as errant children (not that it would be acceptable to treat children this way either) who need to be disciplined until they fall in line, as opposed to rational adults struggling with loneliness and other issues in the midst of a uniquely difficult situation, and responding in ways that aren’t always totally upstanding.

A punitive approach makes no sense – it does nothing to address the root cause of the problems, that students need more help and support from their university during a difficult time, and instead just seeks to be retributive when problems crop up. On top of that, the specific punishments chosen are repugnant. Monetary fines only punish those who can’t afford to take the financial hit, eviction in the middle of a pandemic is wildly disproportionate to anything a resident could do (and ironically vastly increases the risk of them catching or passing on Covid), and there is no possible justification for mandatory essay writing except

satisfying some desire for petty revenge on the part of the essay setter.

In short, this system will not do anything to make such infractions less likely in future - because students are still unsupported, isolated and struggling, and may therefore do things they shouldn’t – and is simply a gross failure on the part of Trinity in how it should be treating its students. College and Halls need to apologise to the students involved, rewrite their policy from the ground up, and teach their staff to treat students with basic respect.

And for their part, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) must come out with a stronger institutional response than suggesting students reach out to Welfare if they’re worried.

Comms Officer Philly Holmes is right to say students are “adults and should be treated as such”, and President Eoin Hand needs not to excuse staff behaviour as simply a “loss of temper”. Students should not be breaching regulations - but there is no justification for verbal abuse.

A hands-off approach to the control of the virus combined with an instinct to blame and belittle students for perceived wrongdoing is possibly the worst combination of policies possible. College needs to turn this around immediately.

The virus has been present in Ireland for 11 months now, and the time when we could excuse this kind of institutional response is long past.

Op-ed: Trinity is becoming a University of Sanctuary after years of work, with many more still to come How universities respond to global displacement and third level access is vital Dr Gillian Wylie

Assistant Professor in International Peace Studies

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e live in a world marred by the highest number of forcibly displaced people ever recorded. All over the globe people are forced into movement by wars, human rights violations, deprivation of human needs and climate change, amongst other reasons. When people find themselves on the move or seeking refuge, access to education at any level is compromised. Third level access is decimated. Only 1% of the

world’s refugees are in university, according to the UNHCR. How universities and colleges respond to this reality is vitally important. Education is a basic right and a vital way forward for people who are displaced. How a university’s research and teaching help to understand the dynamics of forced displacement is equally important in creating ethical responses to this global challenge.

Across Trinity’s students, teachers, researchers and activists, many people have been responding to these issues. As a consequence, on February 19, the Trinity community will celebrate becoming a University of Sanctuary. On that day, we will officially be joining the University of Sanctuary Ireland network – a vibrant network of universities and colleges who are recognised as places of Sanctuary for asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.

As a University of Sanctuary we must demonstrate that three key principles are at work in our community: learning, welcoming and sharing. Learning implies

being a place that encourages understanding of the global and local dynamics that force people to move and the responses they encounter. Welcoming means being a community that actively brings in people from asylumseeking or refugee situations and makes them welcome. Sharing is being part of wider community networks and sharing good relationships and practice.

In recent times there have been many initiatives around Trinity that embody these principles. We have the “Learning to Build New Lives” Equality Fund project, which consulted with asylum seekers and refugees to determine what people with these experiences need from an institution like Trinity. We saw the creation of the Asylum Seeker Access Provision (ASAP) scholarships for young people in Direct Provision unable to access third level due to being designated as international students after the Leaving Cert.

Student groups have highlighted issues with Direct Provision, especially the successful

campaign to keep Aramark, a food supplier to Direct Provision centres, off campus. Additionally, a Trinity Education elective module on “Displacement: Exploring the Human Experience of Forced Migration” was created.

As someone who has tried to keep track of all the different Sanctuary-related initiatives in our community, I know there is a wealth of others and many more I have missed.

Being recognised as a University of Sanctuary is testimony to all this exciting, important work that already exists. However, it is also only a beginning and a crucial issue now is to extend, sustain and deepen the work. Although we are able to show that Trinity is a place of learning, welcome and sharing, we know these principles need more work.

Conversations at Sanctuaryrelated events teach me that not all students find Trinity welcoming.

The challenge of creating a more inclusive curriculum is important to develop the learning principle. How we build alliances

beyond our walls with people in situations of refuge or asylum needs more work. Sanctuary will be an ongoing process, not a final award. Joining the UoS Ireland network will be of great help in this respect, learning form other institutions’ experiences and giving us collective voice to press for reforms at policy level.

Before this next phase of being a University of Sanctuary begins, we will make time to celebrate. The launch on February 19 at 11am will be marked by our Provost and the chair of Places of Sanctuary Ireland. We will also celebrate some of the Sanctuary work done to date around College, including the “launch within the launch” of a short film “Flight” made by Dr Michelle D’Arcy and colleagues with support from the Trinity Visual and Performing Arts Fund.

We hope that the community will join in the online celebration, and that new participants feel welcomed to engage with the Sanctuary Advisory Group in the work of being a University of Sanctuary.

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Virtual simulations and the future of labs Lucy Fitzsimmons page 24

Covid-19 variants explained Nina Chen page 26

The vital role of zoos in conservation Ex-situ conservation and other programmes could be a saving grace for endangered animals Nina Chen Deputy SciTech Editor

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oos have been around for centuries. Once a symbol of royalty and power, zoos are now major players in saving endangered species and conserving wildlife. But what role do zoos play in our conservation efforts today?

Conservation is the protection, preservation, and restoration of the natural environment and wildlife. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, over 375 billion tonnes of carbon has been released into the atmosphere, causing severe global warming and resulting in increased natural

disasters. Last year Australian bushfires killed nearly 5,000 koalas and destroyed 24% of koala habitats on public lands. Additionally, as temperatures rise, ecosystems will continue to change. Many species of butterflies and foxes migrate farther north in search of cooler temperatures, but other species, like polar bears, may be unable to adapt to these changes and face a risk of extinction.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List states that over 35,500 species are currently threatened with extinction. For some species, the outlook for survival is so bleak that the only short-term way to prevent extinction is by ex-situ conservation, where an endangered species is rehabilitated outside of its natural habitat.

Since the 1970s, many zoos have dedicated themselves to the conservation of the environment, working together to preserve nature and help save certain animal species, one example being the Californian condor.

In 1987, there was a total population of 27 Californian condors, a species of vulture, in the wild. To prevent extinction, wild condor eggs were brought to zoos.

There, chicks were hatched and the

condors were raised in captivity, before being released back into the wild. This process is known as captive breeding. As a result, the population of wild condors grew from 27 birds in 1987, to

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Modern zoos, like Dublin Zoo, not only attract droves of visitors globally but inspire us to save animals for our future generations

161 in mid-1999. As of 2019, there are 518 Californian condors in the world, proving that ex-situ conservation and captive breeding are able to prevent the extinction of species.

According to the IUCN assessment of the status of vertebrates, 13 out of 68 species reduced their IUCN Red List threat level by 2010, thanks to the use of captive breeding programmes, the Californian condor being an example of this. Not all of these captive breeding programs involved zoos, though zoos played a major role with financial and technical support for nine of the 13 species.

Dublin Zoo partners with 25 conservation projects, both in Ireland and internationally, providing annual financial support and also taking part in breeding programmes for over 35 different species. One of these species is the Humboldt penguin, which lives in the wild off the coast of Chile and Peru. These penguins are classified as vulnerable, under threat due to both invasive rats that predate (steal) their eggs, and increased water temperatures due to climate change. Since 2008, Dublin Zoo has provided annual financial support for Humboldt

penguin conservation, as well as participating in the European Endangered Species Breeding programme for the penguins.

Dublin Zoo is currently the home of 16 Humboldt penguins, and welcomed two newborn penguin chicks last April.

Breeding programmes like these are run by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), and make zoos a research centre for zoologists and ecologists. The programmes allow the EAZA to monitor the age structure and genetics of animal populations in over 300 zoos in nearly 50 countries. This has given zoos valuable information on diet, reproduction, and behaviour, which benefits researchers working with certain species in the wild.

The research done in zoos differs from research done by wildlife ecologists in the wild; zoos work with many different species in controlled environments.

This results in zoo research being focused on better captivity programmes, and aspects of this, such as effective reproduction and the prevention of disease.

Ex-situ conservation in zoos helps rehabilitate animals, as well as providing zoologists with key information about wildlife.

Whilst it has been useful in our efforts to protect the environment, ex-situ conservation does have its limitations, some of which can be overcome with research.

One of the difficulties in ex-situ conservation is the reintroduction of species to their natural habitats.

In 1993, Whooping cranes were reintroduced to a natural environment setting in central Florida after selective breeding programmes. However, after release, flocks of the cranes did not migrate south during fall, in their natural process which occurs so the Whooping cranes can spend the winter and early spring in the Aransas National Wildlife refuge.

With research, scientists found that the flock of cranes could learn their route by following an ultralight aircraft, and in the following years were able to migrate without any assistance.

This programme, which is now known as Operation Migration, highlights the importance of zoology research, conservation, and rehabilitation programmes.

In order to prevent species extinction and help protect our ecosystems, more and more zoos are working together to help fund research and conservation programmes to save thousands of species. Modern zoos, like Dublin Zoo, not only attract droves of visitors globally but inspire us to save animals for our future generations. As a global network, zoos are able to play a key role in protecting our environment.

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Dear Demystifying Medicine Every issue, Trinity News’ SciTech section bringing you this new column called Dear Demystifying Medicine, where students can ask questions that spark their curiosity about health, fitness, or human biology.

Why are my sleeping habits changing and my sleep time is shifting?

There are a lot of factors that could affect why your sleep times and habits are shifting. Firstly, your biological clock is the main driving mechanism between sleep-wake cycles. The hormone melatonin that increases the feeling of sleepiness is produced when the biological clock senses when it’s dark outside. In the winter months, there is a reduced amount of sunlight outside, therefore it’s common that individuals tend to feel sleepier during the winter months. It’s also known that sleep habits and sleep time can change with getting older. As we age, our quality of sleep decreases. There are several phases of the sleep cycle and the amounts of time in each stage can change over time. As we get older, we tend to get less of the deep restorative sleep that helps us feel refreshed the next morning (I’ve definitely felt this change over time). Additionally, changes to your sleep habits and sleep time could possibly be due to some common substances that can alter your sleep quality and quantity such as antihistamine drugs used to treat allergies, caffeine, alcohol, or other prescription medications.

Another interesting thing that could actually be affecting global sleep habits is actually the Covid-19 pandemic itself. New research published in the journal Canadian Psychology has revealed that this pandemic has taken a huge toll on sleep patterns and habits. There have been increases in anxiety levels during the pandemic and this could actually be one of the main drivers of insomnia. Individuals who categorize themselves as good sleepers can also develop transient insomnia during stressful periods of time.

How do some of the Covid-19 vaccines differ?

There are currently four main Covid-19 vaccines to consider in this discussion: Oxford University-AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Gamaleya (Sputnik V).

These vaccines differ in their composition, their effectiveness, the temperature at which they’re stored, as well as their cost per dose.

For example, the Oxford and Sputnik V vaccines are viral vectors, which means they use another harmless virus to deliver genetic instructions to our cells to make an antigen for Covid-19.

An antigen is a part of a virus that can cause an immune reaction.

This allows our cells to produce antibodies against that part of the virus, and therefore prevent us from getting sick.

The Moderna and PfizerBioNTech vaccines are RNA vaccines. This means they deliver a different type of messenger code from the virus itself into the body, which allows our cells themselves to make those viral proteins and then produce the antibodies against them. It’s important to understand that the proteins produced do not cause disease.

Another reassuring fact is that the technologies used for all of these vaccines have been researched for over a decade.

All of the vaccines require two doses in order to reach maximum effectiveness. The Oxford, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Sputnik V have 62%-90% (depending on the dosage schedule), 95%, 95%, and 92% effectiveness respectively. Both the Oxford and Sputnik V vaccines are able to be stored in regular fridge temperatures, which make them easier to transport. The Moderna vaccine requires storage temperatures around -20°C. Finally, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires storage at -70°C. In terms of the cost per dose, the cheapest vaccine is the Oxford at €3.39. The Sputnik V costs €8.47 per dose. The PfizerBioNTech comes in around €16.95 and the Moderna at €28.25. Both storage and cost per dose are critical factors to consider when looking at the logistics of rolling out a vaccine.

It’s been fantastic to see the global scientific community coming together to create these vaccines for the world. Although all this hard work has been done, now comes the challenge of ensuring that vaccines are accessible to individuals in all parts of the world.

Is it really healthy not to eat meat at all?

I’m sure we’re all acquainted with at least one person who doesn’t eat meat in our social circles. For some, the decision is based on the environmental burden that farming causes, whereas others claim it’s for health reasons. These health reasons can vary, as some individuals claim that meat isn’t healthy or others have a hard time digesting it and can feel heavy or bloated after a meal.

Over the past few years, red meat has gotten a pretty bad reputation, but why is that? Red meat is considered to be mainly beef, pork, and veal. According to the World Health Organisation, red meat is considered a Group 2A carcinogen, which means there has been limited epidemiological evidence to suggest that there is a correlation between red meat consumption and colon cancer specifically. However, correlation and causation are not the same

thing and therefore, this is not complete conclusive evidence that increased red meat consumption causes colorectal cancer. There is also limited research available on red meat consumption and increased risk for other types of cancer, so there’s no complete conclusion.There has also been no concrete evidence of any correlation between poultry and cancer risk, but limited studies have shown poultry may lead to decreases in colorectal, esophageal, and lung cancer risk.

Additionally, it is important to know that meat contains some important micro- and macronutrients that are required by the body for normal biological processes. For example, meat contains protein which keeps your body satiated and is a key building block for muscle.

Red meat especially is also high in iron which is critical to maintain enough oxygen carrying molecules called haemoglobin in the circulation. If you aren’t eating meat, then you have to find alternative sources of protein. Furthermore, in women especially, it’s critical to ensure that iron levels are within healthy ranges. Some plant-based foods that contain iron are nuts, broccoli, tofu, and legumes. So there is really no hard conclusion to say that eating meat or not eating meat is the concrete “healthier” choice. It’s up to you, but eating less processed meat and red meat in general may be something to look into as the research evolves! Overall, eating lean meats in moderation can be part of a healthy diet.

Dear Demystifying Medicine says: As a medicine student, I get asked a lot of questions about body functions, overall health, and fitness. Most of the questions I get from people who are in a nonbiology/medical field are based on their own personal curiosity or from reading articles on the internet, where it can be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction.

We’re putting together this column to give students a space to ask basic medical, health, and fitness questions. As a Bachelor of Science graduate, a medicine student, and a member of a professional fitness organisation, I’ll be looking into the most recent and high-quality research to help answer your questions in a way that everyone can understand with the support of a team of peers in science and medicine.

I will not be providing medical advice or diagnoses, so please don’t write in and ask for a cure or a diagnosis.

The information that is presented is for educational use only and should not be a substitute for professional medical advice.

Consult with your doctor or qualified health professional for any advice.

Labs of th

Could virtual lab simulations provide an alternative to their in-person counterparts?

Lucy Fitzsimmons SciTech Editor

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ndergraduate science labsa crucial learning environment, a right of passage, or an environmental hazard waiting to happen? Like them or not, the majority of science students here in Trinity will spend a large portion of their degree working away in one of Trinity’s many lab environments.

Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, all these forms of teaching labs have had to adapt to prevent the spread of the virus.

Across Trinity, these changes have seen some labs move to an online format, particularly anything of a computational nature that works just as well remotely as in person. Some labs simply cannot be carried out remotely and have gone ahead in person with social

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The need for new methods of teaching students practical skills in a safe environment has led to a boom in the use of this type of simulation distancing and reduced class sizes, and occasionally with the use of remote and in-person hybrid techniques where one lab partner carries out the physical experiment and the other assists and collects data from outside the lab.

Some universities are taking a more innovative, if slightly controversial, approach: virtual

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SciTech

he future?

more opportunity for learning.

In addition to this, a 2013 study by de Jong et al. showed that students achieved very similar learning outcomes from virtual experiments as they did from inperson experiments.

Mads Bonde co-founder of one of the main lab simulations used, Labster, carried out research on virtual labs in the Technical University of Denmark. As part of the experiment half of students in a life science course carried out lab simulation experiments in addition to traditional teaching, while the other half served as a control group. The groups were swapped for a later experiment, to ensure that one group was not just academically stronger than the other. In both cases, the group that carried out the virtual labs did significantly better when tested on the topic, by an average of 76%.

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ARTWORK BY MEERA ENQELYA FOR TRINITY NEWS

lab simulations. Though lab simulations were in use before the beginning of the pandemic, the need for new methods of teaching students practical skills in a safe environment has led to a boom in the use of this type of simulation in second and third-level education globally. In essence, the lab simulations are similar to a basic video game: using the avatar, you can carry out everyday lab tasks such as putting on a lab coat, weighing reagents and observing reactions. Some follow a set experiment and guidelines are given throughout the simulation, while others allow students to create their own experiments without the safety concerns this would involve in a real lab.

Though companies such as Labster and PraxiLabs offer advanced individual or group packages for a fee, I tested out a more basic free software from a project called ChemCollective to get a feel for the virtual lab. As a sophister chemist, I had a go at some basic first-year acid and base chemistry. I filled my virtual workbench with some beakers and pipettes, some stock acids and bases, and a trusty bottle of phenolphthalein indicator. In the simulation, I weighed out my reagents using a button for precise or approximate measurements (I, of course, chose approximate measurements as this is closest to

my slapdash in-person lab style).

When I combined the acid and base, along with my indicator, the colour of the reaction mixture changed, and its pH, temperature etc. were shown at regular intervals as the reaction progressed.

In essence, even this basic, free lab software was a fairly decent substitute for a similar in-lab experiment. Yes, we naturally learn more skills from physically carrying out practicals ourselves and it is unlikely a simulation will ever give the same results. Some universities have been carrying out labs in the pandemic by asking students to watch a recording of a demonstrator carrying out the experiment. In comparison, online simulations certainly gave

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The lab simulations are similar to a basic video game

Simulations allow students to carry out experiments that are very dangerous or even physically impossible in an undergraduate lab

Virtual lab simulations have some obvious advantages: they cut down on lab costs, don’t require supervision, and students can learn at their own pace and repeat steps outside of the typical time constraints of a regular lab session.

And there’s no tedious glassware clean up at the end! They avoid any elements of danger that an in-person lab can pose, and not only this but the curious student can actively carry out dangerous experiments to see what will happen. I think that most of us in the labs have at least once or twice had the urge to go off-piste, and completely ignore the lab manual, heat something up that shouldn’t be heated up for good reason, or add a whole lot more of a certain reagent than needed just to see what would happen. In a lab simulation, you can indulge in that sort of curiosity without risking an irritated lab partner or a worried TA. To an even greater degree, lab simulations allow students to carry out experiments that are very dangerous or even physically impossible in an undergraduate lab, like looking inside a nuclear fission reactor or using the nasty chemicals that only PhDs and professors are entrusted with.

Greater funding for virtual labs comes with an increased level of detail, and in coming years virtual labs could become a more and more realistic reflection of their real-life counterparts, as we have seen the ability for fast improvements in similar industries such as gaming in recent years.

There are clear pitfalls to virtual lab simulations: for example, research has shown that students learn more from 2D simulations as they are overstimulated and distracted by 3D simulations. In addition to this, there are some concerns that students get sucked in by the novelty of the virtual lab, waste time messing around and do

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Greater funding for virtual labs comes with an increased level of detail, and in coming years virtual labs could become a more and more realistic reflection of their real-life counterparts

not see the simulation as an actual experiment, but something closer to a video game.

Will virtual lab simulations ever replace hands-on, real-world science teaching? Highly unlikely.

But they certainly have value in a pandemic remote teaching environment, and in the future could be used to supplement inlab learning. Virtual labs could become one of many new and innovative tools that change the way we learn and take education well into the 21st century.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Scitech

Explained: Covid-19 variants Emerging Covid-19 variants globally highlight the importance of vaccination Nine Chen Deputy SciTech Editor

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s new strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have emerged in the UK, South Africa, and, most recently, in Japan, it is easy to worry about what this means for all of us, from changes to the ease of transmission to the efficacy of current vaccines.

But how do these variations come about in the first place?

The only way for a virus to reproduce is through host cells.

Viruses attach themselves to the surface proteins of a cell membrane, then inject their genetic material (which is either DNA or RNA) into the cell. A mutation is a change in a virus’s genome, which is the set of instructions that are required for the virus to function. All viruses mutate over time, though the rate at which a virus mutates will vary.

Covid-19 is an RNA virus, and therefore mutates rapidly, faster than DNA viruses, because it multiplies very quickly. The quicker a virus multiplies, the faster its natural mutations will arise. As Covid-19 has passed from person to person, it has been mutating

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All viruses mutate over time, though the rate at which a virus mutates will vary

at a very slow pace. One such Covid-19 variant was reported by UK health officials on December 14. It is formally known as B.1.1.7.

The method by which Covid-19 B.1.1.7 mutated is unclear, though scientists are looking into whether or not the mutation emerged in a patient with a weaker immune system, giving the virus time to evolve.

The UK Covid-19 variant appears to have accumulated a slew of mutations that caused 17 amino acid changes in the virus’ proteins. 8 of these changes affected a crucial spike protein, which the virus uses to attack human cells. Among these, there are three changes of particular concern.

One change, 69-70del, is

a deletion that was found in Cambridge, UK, which leads to the loss of two amino acids in the spike protein. This deletion alone was found to make the virus twice as infectious as that containing the two amino acids.

The second change, N501Y, a mutation found in the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, affects how tightly the spike protein binds to the entry point into human cells. This particular mutation was also discovered by researchers in South Africa, which investigated rapid outbreaks in three coastal provinces.

The third change, P681H, alters the site where the spike protein must be cleaved to enter human cells, a change which may allow it to spread more easily.

Scientists believe that these three changes are why the UK variant appears to be more infectious, though there is not any evidence that the new variant can evade masks and social distancing.

However, whilst it appears that the new variant may be able to spread more quickly, scientists also note that there is little reason to believe that they lead to more severe diseases. Viruses rarely mutate into deadlier strains, though of course increased infectiousness leads to more cases and higher death tolls without the actual strain being any more deadly.

Vaccines and natural infections appear to lead to a broad immune response, which would target many parts of the virus. For example, viruses like measles and polio are never able to evade the vaccines which target them.

Early research shows that the

Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech appears to protect against N501Y, the mutation which controls how tightly the spike protein can bind to the entry point in humans. Vaccinated individuals develop antibodies which are able to work against viruses with the N501Y mutation.

However, the mutation found in Covid-19 variants in South Africa, Brazil, and Japan appear to affect the spike protein which binds to human cells, as well as evading

recognition by the immune system. This particular variation highlights the importance of vaccinations; it is necessary that populations be vaccinated sooner rather than later, and that as many people as possible be vaccinated as soon as we can. Vaccinating will naturally prevent Covid-19 related deaths and illnesses, but will also reduce the opportunities for Covid-19 to mutate and evolve new strains which may be more dangerous to us all.

Trinity’s ADAPT and CONNECT research centres awarded €81 million in SFI funding The centres are among five research facilities receiving combined funding of €193 million Lucy Fitzsimmons Deputy SciTech Editor

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wo Trinity led research centres, the SFI Research Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology (ADAPT) and the SFI Research Centre for Future Five Science Foundation Ireland (CONNECT), have received approximately

€81 million in SFI funding to expand their current research and strengthen Ireland’s research environment.

The centres are two of five nationwide research facilities that have received combined funding of €193 million from Science Foundation Ireland, also included are the SFI Research Centre in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG) led

by University College Dublin, the SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices (CÚRAM) led by NUI Galway, and the SFI Research Centre for Software (Lero) led by University of Limerick. 17 higher educations institutions in total are in partnership with the five centres. €42 million has been awarded to ADAPT to continue its current research trajectory for the next six years. Research from the ADAPT

centre is centred around the furthering of AI-based technology to impact and modernise both the workplace and daily life. To date, the centre has trained nearly 100 PhD students in this field and its researchers have contributed to over 1,500 journal and conference publications. Six spinout companies have formed in ADAPT, including Data Chemist and Iconic Translation Machines.

CONNECT has been awarded approximately €39 million, to further its research also until December 2026. CONNECT’s research is focused on developing solutions for current communications and network challenges. The centre is a hub of new technology, and its researchers have filed 52 patents and made 158 Invention Disclosures. Over 140 PhD and MSc students have been

trained through the centre, and its researchers have also produced over 1500 journal and conference publications.

The total investment by the SFI will support over 1060 graduate, postdoctoral students and Research Fellows across the five centres. In addition to this over 200 industry partners of the SFI have committed to contributions summing to over €91 million, both in cash funding and through benefits in kind to the centres.

Trinity Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast celebrated the welcome funding for the collegebased centres: “We are delighted that the Trinity-led ADAPT and CONNECT Centres are among those to have secured significant second-phase funding to build on their many initial successes.”

“Trinity’s researchers, many of whom conduct research in these Centres or collaborate closely with others who do, have made significant societal and economic contributions by fostering links between research, government and industry partners through their work. They have also developed the foundations for future excellence by training many talented PhD and Post-Doctoral students to be future difference-makers.

Collectively they have helped to make Trinity – and Ireland – a world-leader in research and innovation.” says Prendergast.

All five centres receiving the funding were established as a result of the 2013 SFI Research Centres Call and this second round of funding strengthens the centres’ positions for progress in the future.

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

Out of Left Field: DU Frisbee Jonathon Boylan page 29

Sport Cameron Hill Columnist

Kabbadi: A most extreme form of tag The sport is ingrained in the cultural fabric of the Indian subcontinent

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t is quarter past nine on a dull Sunday night in March. After a 4-course feast of football, rugby, Formula 1 and whatever else in between, there is officially nothing to watch.

You flick through the standard off-peak programming that sports channels broadcast at the end of a hectic day of action. LiverpoolArsenal from 1989? No thanks.

The 2010 Winter Olympics official film? Pass. Golf? Absolutely not. As the print on your switch-channel buttons is being worn away by the blunt force of your thumbs, you are beginning to lose hope.

Suddenly, something catches your eye. You had never heard of it before this arduous search for something - anything - to watch.

“Pro Kabaddi”. It is worth a shot, you think to yourself. Nothing could have prepared you for the sheer chaos you were about to witness. Bodies smashing into each other, tackles flying, brutal collisions, with no ball, flag or finishing line in sight. It is not a combat sport, because the players do not seem to be trying to knock the opposition out cold. There is a skirmish and a scramble, all in the pursuit of one goal, a goal which is not immediately clear to you. In fact, you have no idea of any of the rules of this bizarre game. But you do not care. You are hooked.

What you are actually watching is a form of kabaddi, a sport which is massively popular in South Asia, particularly in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The game has been a

regular feature at the Asian Games - a quadrennial multi-sports event akin to the Olympics - since 1990, and the fourth Kabaddi World Cup took place last year, with Pakistan emerging as champions.

Registering 1.1 billion viewers over the course of the 2018/19 season, India’s Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) competes with cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL) for the title of India’s most popular sport.

Given its high acclaim among approximately an eighth of the world’s population, it is surprising that kabaddi is relatively unknown to Western audiences. Not only is it a thrilling sport, it is also being used to challenge social norms.

And, unfortunately, kabaddi has also been used as a political tool.

Upon first viewing, one may think the rules are rather complicated; in fact, they are quite simple. There are two teams, consisting of seven players each, on opposite sides of a rectangular court or field. The attacking team nominates one player, known as a “raider”, to cross to the other team’s half and tag as many opposition players as possible, all the while chanting “kabaddi, kabaddi”. In order to score points, the raider must return to their territory

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Not only is it a thrilling sport, it is also being used to challenge social norms

without taking a breath or being caught by opposition players, known as “defenders”.

If the raider is caught, the defending team earns a point.

Similar to dodgeball, all tagged players are eliminated, but when the defending team scores, a player is “revived” and allowed to return to the game. If a raider manages to successfully tag all the players in one play, an “all out” is called, and the attacking team is awarded two extra points. The defending team is then restored to full strength.

Each raid has a 30-second time limit. The game is played over 20-minute halves with a 5-minute break between periods. This is the standard version of kabaddi, but there are many variations on the sports. Punjabi kabaddi, for example, incorporates the same basic rules as the standard version, but is played on a circular court instead.

Kabaddi is a sport deeply rooted in the mythology of the Indian subcontinent. Some speculate that the game has prehistoric origins, as it served to train humans in the essential survival skills of

How my swimming experience is helping me during the pandemic Shannon McGreevy page 32

self-defence and hunting. The Indian epic poem, Mahabharata, also offers clues to the genesis of the sport. Seen as an important source of the development of Hinduism, the poem depicts a military operation that is noted by scholars for its resemblance to kabaddi. Whatever its beginnings, kabaddi became a crucial aspect of the region’s culture; Indian gurus used the sport as physical exercise for their pupils.

The rules of the sports were finalised and published in India in 1923, and exhibition games at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin marked kabaddi’s first appearance on the international stage. While it is still primarily played in South Asian countries, immigrants from the Indian diaspora have spread kabaddi to many other nations. The England national kabaddi team was formed in 1992, and there are currently 32 countries in the International Kabaddi Federation, including the United States, France, Japan and Kenya. The sport has become a valuable cultural asset to Asian communities in these countries.

Kabaddi is also being used to promote significant social change. Terre des hommes, a Swiss organisation for children’s aid, has founded a project which encourages young girls in West Bengal to play kabaddi. According to their website, the organisation has set up a local kabaddi league and runs workshops on gender issues, both of which “encourage the girls’ life skills, participation and independence” and protect these vulnerable children from “trafficking and unsafe migration”.

However, like most sports, kabaddi is occasionally caught up in politics, as demonstrated by last year’s Kabaddi World Cup held in Punjab, Pakistan. India refused permission for its players to participate in the World Cup,

but an Indian team did end up competing at the tournament, finishing as runners-up. Since the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, relations between India and Pakistan have been on a knife edge. The attacks, which were carried out by Pakistani militants, led to India cutting bilateral cricket ties with their neighbours.

Since then, these tensions spilled into other sports, with Indian authorities ordering a freeze on sporting contacts, and in 2019, a Davis Cup tennis tie between the two nations was moved from Pakistan to Kazakhstan. It is tragic that kabaddi, a sport which unites countries in the Indian subcontinent, has been mired by diplomatic tensions.

Nonetheless, kabaddi is a thoroughly engaging and entertaining sport. Although the simplicity of its rules means it runs the risk of becoming little more than a “moments factory”, the sport does well to blend athleticism and agility. It also leaves little room for playing conservatively - taking risks is an essential part of raiding, and the high stakes involved make it a heart-stopping watch.

But discovering these kinds of unorthodox games is always a treat for any sports fan. It is a reminder of why sport is so successful in capturing the imagination of so many people. You do not need to understand the intricacies of the game, you do not even need to know the rules; merely getting caught up in the swell of drama and excitement is all you need to fall in love with a sport. So go ahead and take a chance on kabaddi. It might not resonate with you, or you might find a new favourite sport, joining the millions of die-hard supporters who chant in unison the name of the game they so enjoy: “kabaddi, kabaddi.”

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Sport

The power of the Olympics With rising uncertainty regarding the viability of the Olympics taking place in 2021, James Mahon looks back at era defining moments that have happened thanks to its existence James Mahon Staff Writer

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he Olympics has consistently been a source of unencumbered joy, inspiration, and athletic skill. Watching athletes from an eclectic range of sports has transfixed generations spanning centuries. The postponement of the Olympics in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the increased uncertainty in recent months, leads one to return to the moments in Olympic history that remain permanently imprinted upon our minds.

The roots of the Olympics can be traced back to ancient Greece.

Every four years, thousands Greek citizens would participate in and view a variety of sporting events, ranging from long-distance running to wrestling. The sporting festival was held in honour of the Greek god Zeus, with the sacrifice of 100 oxen in his name being the highlight. Thankfully this has been discontinued, yet the innate Olympic spirit remains a constant presence. It was Pierre de Coubertin in the 19th century who was the catalyst for the emergence of the Olympics as we know it today. Taking inspiration from Dr. William Penny Brooks, another 19th century figure advocating the creation of the modern Olympics, Coubertin made an eloquent plea to the “Union des Sports Athlétiques” in 1892 urging them to form a new contemporary Olympic games. Despite this, Coubertin was unsuccessful, with little or no response to his expressive speech. Nonetheless, mainly to reward his persistence, Coubertin was granted his wish when he made a similar argument at a conference on international sports in 1894. The Olympics as we are familiar with began in 1896, with the first revival of the “modern” Olympics being held in Athens, Greece .

Whilst an in-depth history of the Olympics would be far beyond this article, one can appreciate its historical significance through key era-defining moments that have occurred thanks to its existence.

Firstly, is the brilliance of AfricanAmerican athlete Jesse Owens at

ARTWORK BY GENEVIEVE RUESCH FOR TRINITY NEWS

the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin.

The backdrop to this of course was the Nazism that had infected Germany, spearheaded by its most potent force Hitler, perpetuating vile theories that people of colour are somehow inferior or lesser beings. However, Hitler’s intention to utilise the games as a means in which to observe the racial superiority of the ‘Ayran man’ was superbly undone by the athletic genius of Owens. The American eased to victory in the 100-meter

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The power of the Olympics as a medium to heighten global awareness regarding issues affecting all society can be found throughout history.

sprint, set a world record in the corresponding 200-meter event and, in a symbolic image, defying Hitler’s pronouncements, defeated the much lauded German Luz Long in the long jump. Owens ultimately capped it off with another recordbreaking performance in the 4x100m relay. Although criticised for attending by the AfricanAmerican organisation the NAACP, Jesse Owens through his actions, not his words, reminded us of the underlying purpose at the very core of the Olympics: to unite varying cultures, ethnicities, and nationalities in celebration of great human endeavour.

The power of the Olympics as a medium to heighten global awareness regarding issues affecting all society can be found throughout history. The actions of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, two African-American athletes are indicative of this. Smith and Carlos, after winning Gold and Bronze in the 200-metres sprint raised their fists in a Black Power salute while the American national anthem played during the podium ceremony. Peter Norman, the Australian athlete who finished second, stood in solidarity with them by wearing an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge. Less than a few months after the assassination of Rev. Dr Martin Luther King Jr and the increased disillusionment in American society regarding the Vietnam war, it was representative of their demand for better social and racial equality, not only for

African-Americans, but for all marginalised groups around the world. It was done as Smith said in 2008 because “we had to be seen because we couldn’t be heard”.

Smith and Carlos faced a barrage of criticism and abuse upon their return to America, including death threats. Eventually they overcame ostracization, both going on to pursue professional football careers. Peter Norman suffered similar consequences, he was isolated completely by the Australian Olympics team for his political stand with Smith and Carlos, before succumbing to depression and alcoholism.

Carlos and Smith were pallbearers at his funeral after his death in 2006. The courage shown by Carlos and Smith in addition to Norman, using the Olympics as an international platform to protest peacefully their desire for equality to be achieved strikes an even more poignant cord considering the events of 2020.

Smith, Carlos, and Norman proved the ability of the Olympics to connect with audiences globally regarding social justice and inequality. The 1992 USA “Dream Team” Olympic basketball team was an altogether different spectacle. This was the first occurrence of the American basketball team featuring professionals from the NBA, as opposed to college students.

Amongst the legendary players included were Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. The Olympic tournament itself was a formality, with the USA cruising to victory over Croatia 117-85 points in the final. Yet it goes beyond a gold medal, previously it was only imaginary exercises of the mind that allowed one to combine Bird or Johnson onto the same team as opposed to facing off against one and other. To see it manifested transcended all national and international tensions, the world as a whole collectively savoured the majestic “Dream Team” – illustrative once again of the unifying power of the Olympics.

In the 21st century, spectators continued to witness sporting figures enter the pantheon of greats, courtesy of their performances at the Olympics.

Michael Phelps, perhaps the greatest Olympian of all time with his singular dominance at all swimming categories, succeeded at the 2008 Olympics.

Phelps won eight gold medals at a single Olympics, breaking Mark Spitz’s record of seven that had existed since 1972. Phelps was an athletic outlier, reigning supreme in virtually all Olympics in which he participated. Similarly, Usain Bolt, with his charismatic charm and supersonic speed replicated Phelps, not in medal tallies but in his ability to grab the world’s attention with his multigenerational talent. Completing his Olympic career with eight gold medals, he is the greatest sprinter of all time. Though it is not his world record performances that stand out, but rather his 100-metre gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

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TRINITY NEWS | Tuesday 9 February

Sport

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If it is to be cancelled or postponed once more, it will hopefully make the wait all the sweeter when it finally does happen, be it in Japan or elsewhere Questions surrounded Bolt’s desire, tenacity, and endurance in the months before the Olympics, and he responded the only way he could by winning with a blistering time of 9.81 seconds. In a more personal reflection watching David Rudisha break his own 800-metre world-record at the London Olympics is something that is indelibly imprinted on my memory. His energy, fluency and poetic beauty captivated myself and millions of others on that August summer night.

Emotions like that which only the Olympics can evoke were threatened by the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics until 2021. Throughout 2020 there was a defiant optimism that the Olympics would take place the following year, reflecting the naivety regarding the pernicious nature of Covid-19. In recent months doubt has been cast on the Olympics happening in 2021, with rising Covid-19 cases globally and in Japan there is an emergency order in certain sections of the country. Despite the fact that almost 80% of the Japanese population do not want the games to go ahead, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) and local organisers are definitive that it will take place with Covid-19 measures enacted. A potential driving factor in this outlook is the billions already invested in the event and the expected revenue from TV rights that the IOC is hoping to receive. Nonetheless, despite the organiser’s certainty, one cannot stand by it giving the changing global environment. If it is to be cancelled or postponed once more, it will hopefully make the wait all the sweeter when it finally does happen, be it in Japan or elsewhere.

Once the Olympics inevitably makes its return, it will be a joyous occasion and be welcomed by nations everywhere. Undoubtedly it will serve to unite the globe in a time when such unification is more than necessary, showing what true power it continues to hold.

Out of Left Field: DU Frisbee Trinity’s own UFC no, not that kind Jonathan Boylan Staff Writer

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hen you first think of the UFC, it might be the Ultimate Fighting Championship that comes to mind, and not the Ultimate Frisbee Club. Indeed, one would be forgiven for associating the practice of throwing a plastic disc to a friend more with a dour third class P.E lesson or that weird episode of Zoey 101 where they play a frisbee/golf hybrid against prisoners, than with one of the most vibrant student societies on campus.

President of the society, Stephen Ryder, quickly dispels these misconceptions, but does inadvertently reference the brutality that gives Ultimate its title. He notes that he was “keen to try Ultimate out before coming to college,” having been “introduced to it by a friend who came home with a broken arm from throwing himself on to the floor trying to catch a frisbee.”

Ultimate by name, ultimate by nature.

Despite the physical toll of this evidently extreme sport, Ryder notes that “despite that fact I was an absolute beginner, the club was incredibly accommodating.” At first glance, if you are an adrenaline junkie seeking a less intimidating society, frisbee may well be the one for you.

Although “relatively new,” Ryder notes that the sport is becoming “more and more popular.” A typical year with the society is divided up into “indoor and outdoor intervarsity seasons, each with a

mixed number of men and women on each lineout, as well as a mens and women’s open.” If that sounds a little too serious for you, there are also “loads of tournaments during the year that are more focused on just having a good time, such as the beaches and siege of Limerick.” Crucially for potential newcomers, the underlying ethos of the club, “to keep playing and to have fun,” means that it is “open to people of any experience level or motivation.” Indeed, the club appears to be a surefire way to dip your toe into a new sport without the added strain of competitive expectation or talent based barriers.

That said, even if competition isn’t for you, the club functions so regularly that you could soon find yourself becoming the next Beau Kittredge or Brodie Smith (the first names that appear when you google famous frisbee players). Ryder notes that there are “three training sessions a week, once in Santry and twice in Iveagh Gardens, and in a normal year we would have indoor sessions on top of that too.”

Surely if you’ve always sought

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This is a society which is backed by dedicated people and one which is imbued with a sense of collegiality

a career in professional sports, playing frisbee three times a week would get you there in no time?

Professional ambitions aside, there is also a significant focus on social integration in the club, with “loads of social events throughout the year, and even a trip abroad.”

While social events may seem an alien concept nearly a year into a global pandemic, Ryder notes that the social side of frisbee hasn’t been massively curtailed, “as we’ve managed to hold zoom game nights pretty much every week.”

While it might not sound amazing, a virtual game night with a group of friends certainly sounds a lot better than watching Tony Holohan recite daily coronavirus case numbers or mercilessly refreshing Gavan Reilly’s Twitter in search of that familiar feeling of doom and gloom.

However, as has been the case with pretty much every society, Ryder acknowledges that “this year has been tough for us. Most tournaqments were cancelled and we obviously didn’t manage to get many training sessions in, but the ones that have gone ahead have been great.” Despite this, Ryder admirably reflects on “the ridiculous amount of hard work put in by our committee and coaches this year to keep the society on its feet.

We’ve managed to get the most we can out of the time we’ve had and that’s all down to their commitment to the club.”

Clearly, this is a society which is backed by dedicated people, and one which is imbued with a sense of collegiality that can often be absent, particularly in skills based college activities. It appears to be a sport which is open to all, and one which is definitely worth giving a shot.

When quizzed on how he would market the society to first years next year, Ryder summates as much. “Joining as a beginner, you’ll get the chance to learn the

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The club appears to be a surefire way to dip your toe into a new sport without the added strain of competitive expectation or talent based barriers basics of an amazing sport and socialise with people from around the country. Your year with frisbee will be filled with training, tournaments, socials and just fun in general. I’d highly recommend it to anyone because for me personally, it has been the highlight of my college experience.”

In essence, Trinity Ultimate Frisbee Club offers something a little bit different. It is a tight knit club which is, paradoxically, accessible to all. It provides students with the chance to learn a sport they probably haven’t encountered before, and hands them the keys to a game which, even if they hate, they can play safely at a social distance. It is undoubtedly one of the college’s hidden gems, and as a result of its social and practical diversity, has the potential to be something for everyone.

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Tuesday 9 February | TRINITY NEWS

Sport ARTWORK BY ZAHRA TORABPOURAN FOR TRINITY NEWS

The NBA ro for this seas

Number 1 draft pick Anthony Edwards has fallen out of the top 5 rookies of the year, giving room for others to take his spot

Trinity commits to the Cara Sport Disability Inclusion Charter The role of Sport and Physical Activity Inclusion Officer was created to foster a more inclusive atmosphere in Trinity Shannon McGreevy Sport Editor

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n a time when it is so easy to feel isolated, it is important to have programmes like those that Trinity Sport offers in order to feel a part of the community.

Trinity recently became one of the first Universities in Ireland to sign the Cara Sport Disability Charter and commit to its mission. By signing this charter, Trinity Sport is making promises to reevaluate its programmes and facilities so as to be more inclusive to those with disabilities. The Cara Sport Disability Charter outlines five key areas for organisations to improve on to better meet the needs of those with disabilities.

These areas are openness, people, activities, facilities and promotion.

The charter asks sports organisations like Trinity Sport to be open and understanding of people with disabilities, train staff and volunteers on how to facilitate the inclusion of all people, develop and deliver inclusive activities, review facilities and equipment in order to be more accessible and promote the inclusive nature

of activities outlined in the charter. The Cara Sport Disability Charter is the first of its kind in Ireland as it is entirely specific to the participation of people with disabilities in sport and physical activity. The charter looks for places like Trinity which has a reach in the community to spread its message and to help set an example for inclusiveness for all peoples. Ultimately, the goal is to remove barriers that those with disabilities face in participating in sports and other physical activities.

Head of Sport and Recreation at Trinity, Michelle Tanner commented, “We are delighted to sign the Cara Sport Inclusion Disability Charter and pledge our commitment to listen to the needs of people with disabilities. Our commitment is already evident through the introduction of the ‘Sport and Physical Activity Inclusion Officer’, which is an important role focusing on inclusion and ensuring that Trinity Sport is a place which provides support, access and opportunities to all, irrespective of ability, race, background, status, gender or otherwise.�

This new position of Sport and Physical Activity Inclusion Officer was created last year and is the first of its kind in an Irish University setting. Naz Velic, a Technological University Dublin Sport Management and Coaching graduate, currently occupies the role and has the full support of the Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC) here at Trinity. Velic is working to not only honour the charter in increasing inclusion of those with disabilities, but all people who have experienced exclusion in sport including those that are members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Trinity Sport has pushed for more

female participation and is hoping to apply the principles of the Cara Sport Inclusion Charter to females as well. “It’s fantastic to see Trinity Sport putting resources, energy and time into creating an environment welcoming to all, one where all members of our community can engage in sport and physical activity. Sport can and should play an important role in equality and inclusion.

I’m delighted to see Trinity Sport taking these important steps, such as committing to the Cara Sport Inclusion Disability Charter and creating a ‘Sport and Physical Activity Inclusion Officer’ role,� said Clodagh Brook, Associate Vice Provost for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Trinity.

As the charter outlines, sport and physical activity are central to life and even more so when most other activities are closed during Level 5 restrictions. All people have the right to be active in their local communities, including those with disabilities. The Cara Sport Disability Charter was created by surveying 140 people across 22 counties who were both physically active and inactive to see what their challenges, experiences and needs were in relation to participating and engaging in sporting activities in their communities. This is how the five key areas to foster inclusiveness were identified and are the foundation of the charter.

In a time when it is so easy to feel isolated, it is important to have programmes like those that Trinity Sport offers in order to feel a part of the community.

We are all in this together and being tried in our own ways, so let’s use this opportunity to make Trinity a more welcoming and inclusive place to those who have disabilities.

Shannon McGreevy Sport Editor

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hile most sporting events have been canceled in Ireland, the National Basketball Association (NBA) in America has been playing since the beginning of the pandemic, when they instituted the “bubble�. This season’s draft was watched by millions to see the fate of recent college basketball graduates in the professional league. The NBA Rookie of the Year Award is given to the top rookie of the regular season, decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

Last season’s award went to guard

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Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies despite most odds being in favor of Zion Williamson.

Williamson unfortunately was out for an extended period of time due to a knee injury, giving Morant his time to shine. Past winners include Derrick Rose and Lebron James, which serves as a testament to the prestige of this award. Let’s now take a look at the top 10 candidates for rookie of the year in the 2020/2021 season.

10. Cole Anthony (left) Anthony is playing as a guard for the Orlando Magic this season and no doubt has some stats to boast about. Markelle Fultz tore his ACL and is out for the season, giving Anthony lots of playing time for the Magic. So far in the five games following Fultz’s injury, Anthony has averaged 13.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

However, he is only shooting 33% from the field, a stat that must change if he is to move up this list to be in higher contention for Rookie of the Year.

9. Payton Pritchard Pritchard is the newly drafted guard for the Boston Celtics who is playing outstandingly this season. He was the last of the first round picks in November and made his preseason debut with the Celtics by scoring 17 points against the Philadelphia 76ers, and later against the Toronto Raptors scored a career high 23 points in a 126-114 win, with 8 assists and 2 rebounds. Pritchard

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ookies to look out son

is playing tremendously and is one to be on the lookout for as he is clearly having success with the Celtics.

8. Precious Achiuwa Playing as a forward for the Miami Heat, the 6 foot 9 Achiuwa is averaging 8.2 points a game and 5.7 rebounds. He also had a resounding 60% shooting through 11 games which is quite frankly, astounding, especially for the 20th pick in the draft. Miami just seems to get it with their picks, with their previous snatch of Tyler Herro in the 2019 NBA draft.

Achiuwa is no different and a key player for the Heat.

7. Saddiq Bey A wing from Villanova drafted to the Detroit Pistons is entering the Rookie of the Year conversation after coming off a career best 20 points and 10 rebounds against the Bucks. The Pistons have been relying heavily on young talent, and Bey has undoubtedly been contributing to their success. With impressive rookie stats like averaging 10.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 37% shooting from distance, it is hard to keep Bey’s name out of the question.

6. Anthony Edwards (above) Edwards was the number one pick of the NBA 2020 draft and drafted to the Minnesota Timberwolves to play as guard.

Unfortunately, he has been struggling this season and his stats are just not on par with the other rookies competing for the title.

He has only shot 1-of-14 from the field, not something that the number one pick should be doing regularly. If Edwards wants to try and get back into my top five Rookie of the Year rankings, he has to fix that 38% shooting.

5. Patrick Williams

The confident Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams has really benefited the Bulls play.

Although Chicago received some pushback for drafting number 4 pick Williams, it has served them well with Williams, only 19 years of age, starting every game for the Bulls. He is averaging 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 49% shooting from the field, stats which in my opinion make him hard not to place in the top 5.

4. Tyrese Maxey (right, top) The Covid-19 outbreak in the Philadelphia organisation has given guard Tyrese Maxey a chance to show the 76ers what he is really capable of, and force them to reconsider trading him in a package for James Harden. Since now being offered more playing time, Maxey has most definitely taken advantage of it and is averaging 18.8 points per game, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists with 50% shooting. If the 76ers weren’t rethinking their move to trade, they really should with Maxey’s recent performance. Seems to be only up for him from here.

3. Tyrese Haliburton At number 3 rookie of the year is the Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton. Number 12 overall in the 2020 NBA draft, the Kings got a steal and Haliburton has proven that correct with his fantastic play at the professional level. Over the course of his most recent 6 outings with the Kings, he is averaging 13.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.5 steals, all while shooting 52%.

Stellar stats and consistently remarkable performance that secures him the third spot.

2. James Wiseman While I am not a Golden State Warriors fan myself, it is hard not to give the number 2 sport to Wiseman. A whopping 7 feet tall, this center has played unreal during the regular season so far. Although Covid-19 caused him to miss training camp in the preseason, he did not miss a beat in his debut in the regular season and has been nothing but consistent in helping the Warriors in the paint. So far, he has averaged 11.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks with 48% shooting from the field. Such a high shooting percentage from the field for a center is very impressive and makes him the runner up for the Rookie of the Year. This year may be similar to last in that although most still believe that LaMelo Ball will take home the award, Wiseman has been playing unbelievably in the first couple weeks of the 2020/2021 season and it seems this is only the

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Ball has been taking the league by storm and making the Hornets a force to be reckoned with beginning for him.

1. LaMelo Ball (right, bottom) Playing as guard for the Charlotte Hornets and the number 3 draft pick in the 2020 draft, Ball has most spectators fairly sure he will secure the Rookie of the Year award. He is putting up some per-minute numbers that resemble some of the best league rookie guards over the past few years, including Luke Dončić. He’s arguably an adrenaline shot in the Hornets’ heart and helping to transform them into a pass-first team. Ball leads all rookies in rebounds per game and his teammates are shooting 47.3% of one of his passes, supporting the claim that he is revitalising the Hornets.

However, in order to really hold onto his number 1 Rookie of the Year spot and secure himself the award, he needs to improve his shooting average. Right now, Ball is only shooting 45.5% inside the arc and 33.3% beyond it. Despite this though, Ball has been taking the league by storm and making the Hornets a force to be reckoned with.

As of right now, even though it is still early in the season, these rookie standings are fairly stable, although I can envision some movement. For example, if Haliburton were to continue with his phenomenal play, I could see him giving Ball a run for his money for the spot of Rookie of the Year. Similarly, if Maxey is continued to be given the opportunity to play and put up his own impressive stats, he may be able to push into the top 3. There is so much fresh talent coming into the NBA right now and it is the shot in the arm that the league needs.

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The power of the Olympics James Mahon page 28

Sport

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Just keep swimming

How my experience as a semi-professional swimmer has helped me during the pandemic Shannon McGreevy Sport Editor

I

was a competitive swimmer in the Chicagoland area for 10 years. Some of my earliest memories are swimming and doing laps in the pool. My mom always told me that I was a “water baby” and was happiest when I was in the water. Eventually this love of the water turned into joining multiple swimming teams and competing regularly. I joined my first true team when I was 9 and found some of my best friends who eventually swam with me throughout high school.

My favorite memories were swimming and the many laughs my teammates and I shared during grueling practices and awful meets. I will never forget the lessons I learned while being an athlete and how those have helped me cope with studying abroad in Ireland as an international student at Trinity during a global pandemic.

It is no secret that swimming is a taxing sport and requires hours of practice and dedication. There was a point of time in high school that I was training an hour before school and over two hours after school – every day of the week. It was rinse and repeat for months.

I was run into the ground and my muscles constantly ached. the week. It was rinse and repeat for months. I was run into the ground and my muscles constantly ached.

Yet, I did not skip practice even if I was stressed with my academics or thought my body was going to shut down if I did another lap. I showed up not only for myself, but for my coaches and teammates because we were all in it together.

I knew my teammates were feeling the same (if not worse) and my coaches were only trying to make us the best possible swimmers they could. This motivation to benefit the whole team and not just myself has served me well during this pandemic. I learned to think selflessly. To do things I (really) did not want to do for the bigger picture, like social distancing, not seeing friends in person, and resisting going out.

Even though the temptation is there, I have learned that making the right choice and thinking about others is better in the long run. While it is no doubt difficult, just doing simple practices like sanitizing your hands before opening doors is helping all the healthcare workers out there and all of those that are at risk from Covid-19.

Swimming was more than showing up for practices and

going through the motions though. It was also what you were doing all the other hours of the day that would affect your performance. It was crucial to be getting adequate amounts of sleep and staying hydrated as well as fueling your body in the best way possible. One of the benefits of being in season was the amount of food you could eat without gaining a pound! But, in a global health crisis like the one we are living through right now, staying physically healthy in a well rounded manner is critical.

How can we expect our bodies to respond in the most efficient way fighting off a deadly virus if we are not taking care of ourselves? To be blunt, we can’t. While ordering a Chinese every night is easy and delicious, maybe make yourself a salad or cook from home most of the week and reserve the weekend for a cheeky takeaway. After all, there’s nothing like a bit of

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This motivation to benefit the whole team has served me well this year

NBA rookies to look out for this season Shannon MCGreevy page 30

comfort food to lift the spirits – in moderation of course.

Since us college students don’t have in person teaching for the foreseeable future, it is all too easy to wake up at 3 pm and stay up until the wee hours of the morning. However, it really is important to try and force yourself up early enough in the morning and stick to a normal sleep schedule. When our circadian rhythms get thrown off, there are many symptoms that come with it which are pretty hard to reverse without switching back onto a normal schedule. When I was in swim season, I had to maintain nearly an hour-by-hour schedule to make sure I could get to everywhere I needed on time and stay on top of my responsibilities. The time management and scheduling skills I learned through swimming have really helped me to stay organised and not fall behind in my online classes, as well as have all my schoolwork done by a reasonable hour with enough time to relax and rest. I would highly recommend investing in a planner, whether it be physical or online, and make to-do lists to stay on track and take some control over your life when we don’t have much in this ever-changing world.

Now, when I was in swim, there were many moments where I really needed that extra push to keep going and stay committed. I was very fortunate to have exceptional coaches who were hard on me even when I didn’t want to hear it, but also a mother who was my biggest self-proclaimed cheerleader. She came to all of my swim meets, home or away, and even if I did not perform as well as I wanted, she reiterated that she was proud of me. She’s always been an unbelievable support system for me and has helped me more than she could ever imagine.

Whether it be your mom, dad, sibling, friend, teacher, etc., do not be afraid to lean on them when you need to. There’s no need to grin and bear everything and sometimes you have to speak up and ask for a bit more support.

Being so far away from home and having constant travel uncertainty, it has been really beneficial for me to talk to my mom everyday and even though I undoubtedly annoy her at times, it’s good to keep an open line of support.

I’m sure going into this second semester that many students are feeling a bit burned out, especially since exams were after Christmas and there has not been much of a break before the start of a new term. It’s entirely natural to feel this way. It is just how you chose to cope with these feelings that is important. When I was

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Without the hard times and weeks where I felt like I was swimming upstream, I would not be handling this pandemic half as well as I am in my sophomore year of high school, I was feeling very burnt out by competitive swimming and seriously debated quitting. I felt that it was just getting to be too much and I was plateauing and not improving anymore.

However, I decided to stick it out for the rest of high school because I reminded myself of all of the great times I had in swimming.

The lasting friendships I made during it and the lessons I learned was more than enough to fuel me to stick with it and endure a rough patch. College is a time in our lives where we are meant to find ourselves and experiment and try new things. So, if you are feeling burnt out, try something new. Remind yourself of all the awesome opportunities you have as a student at Trinity. Learn a new hobby. Call someone you haven’t talked to in awhile. Give yourself a much deserved break from the day in and day out of life in lockdown and try to rekindle a drive that you had in the first term.

As someone who decided to take a leap of faith and study at Trinity not knowing anyone in Dublin, I have had to heavily rely on lessons I’ve learned up to this point. Many of these stemmed from swimming and how being a part of a team shaped me into the person I am today. Without the hard times and weeks where I felt like I was quite literally swimming upstream, I would not be handling this pandemic half as well as I am. I am beyond grateful for my swimming career and all of the people I met along the way.

While it did come to an end, I do not regret pushing through and staying dedicated to it as long as I did. Swimming has helped me more than I could have ever imagined.