Tuesday, October 20th 2015 | uccexpress.ie | Volume 19 | Issue 4
UCC First to Have Epipens on Campus Page 3
WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA: Ryan Tubridy receives his Honorary Lifetime Membership to Ravenclaw from UCC Harry Potter Society members.
President Michael Murphy Encourages Students to ‘Drop Out and Start Up’ Zoe Cashman - News Editor
a job than find one”.
UCC President Michael Murphy has stated that he would actually encourage some students to drop out of college in pursuit of setting up their own businesses.
Dr Murphy’s opinion echoes that of Silicon Valley billionaire, Peter Thiel, who set up a fellowship to pay promising students 100,000 dollars to drop out of college and start companies instead.
Murphy said if students could benefit society through the creation of products, services and technologies and create jobs then he would encourage them to drop out. He continued that those who drop out can always return to education. “I was always impressed by a line from the movie ‘The Social Network’, “it is better to create
In an interview with journalist John Kennedy, Murphy stated that “the university is focusing more on turning research into actual products and services and is reaching out to its wider graduate population to help it start up”, explained Murphy.
The university is one of the first European centres which has formed an alliance with the prestigious Blackstone Launchpad, an entrepreneurship programme that is kicking off on campus. Murphy continued that “it is designed to provide walk-in support to any student or graduate who has an idea to mentor them and encourage some of them to drop out”. “It is the case in my view that young people with very good ideas that have clearly met a need in society should be encouraged to do that at an early stage - because they can always
A Seanad Eireann & Its Place in Politics Page 10
return to education”. Murphy further went on to say that he feels college is not for everyone and that some people can exploit their talents much more successfully uncontaminated by higher education. (Continued on Page 3)
Interview: Mairia Cahill on Her Life, the IRA & Her Seanad Campaign Page 8 & 9
Tuesday, October 20th 2015 | UCC EXPRESS
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Inside Today: Student Council Page 4 Websummit Heroes Page 6 Mairia Cahill Page 8 Seanad Eireann Page 10 Photo Page Page 12 Cashel Topple UCC Page 15
Editorial team Editor-in-Chief: Brian Conmy Deputy & News Editor: Zoe Cashman Deputy News Editor: Chris McCahill Features Editor: Deirdre Ferriter Deputy Features Editor: Katie Jeffers Sport Editor: Neil Willoughby Photo Editor: Emmet Curtin Designer: Robert O’Sullivan Fashion Editor: Jessica NiMhaolain Online Editor: Afraic O’Riordain Byline Editor: Xander Cosgrave Fiction Editor: Austin Dowling Humour Editor: Lauren Mulvihill Arts & Lit Editor: Colm Ferlong Film & TV Editor: Olivia Brown Gaming Editor: Aoife Gleeson Music Editor: Holly Cooney Comic Editor: Dylan O Connell
Letter from the Editor Legacy
Brian Conmy - Editor
This week in the middle of an impromptu Express staff meeting someone quickly asked me if I’d had a chance to look through my email for something or other. This being the first I heard of it I didn’t even look up from a layout plan I was trying to sort out, I quickly said I wasn’t sure what they meant. In a slightly hushed tone they told me someone was looking for some poetry that had been submitted to and printed by us a number of years previous. The author of the poems had unfortunately passed away last summer and someone was trying to gather together his work. I stopped what I was doing. Asking for a few more details I give a quick scan of my email account for the requested work, thankfully intact and on record, quickly compiled them and sent them to the person who requested them. In scrolling back through this inherited account only a few people have ever had ownership of the thought of the cumulative amount of work that had ever gone into this small college publication hit me suddenly, the reality that I was searching for the work of a fellow UCC student who I had never and now would never meet compounding the realisation even further. I had to get on with the meeting though. That evening I had a quick moment to read over the poetry I had found and sent on. While not my favourite artistic outlet, the student’s poetry was sweet and showed a high level of thought and work. Often funny or poignant the few pieces I found painted half a picture of someone I didn’t know. Giving another look through my
account I eventually managed to find even more poetry from this single student, many of these I suspect for one reason or another went unpublished. Finding issues of the Express from the years in question is difficult so I’m still unsure what was and wasn’t printed. I read more and more of his poetry, eventually remembering to forward it to the friend of the student who requested them in the first place. I sent my condolences and asked a few questions I prayed weren’t out of line. Why I’m telling this story I’m not quite sure. Maybe I had nothing better to say this week, or maybe I didn’t want to comment on the front page story for fear or losing my job. Either way I guess I just want to say that we all leave some odd little legacy behind, even those of us who don’t write or create physical reminders of our short existence both here in UCC or in the world at large. It’s something to think about. And for the love of God if I find an untimely death nobody give my parents my comedy articles, some “legacies” are better left buried.
Damn You InDesign Robert O’Sullivan - Designer
In a rare move I’m taking a break from not-sleeping, drinking dangerous amounts of caffeine and...I guess designing the paper and Byline to actually write something. We’re now a third of the way through this year’s run of the Express, and it’s been interesting. To describe the process, everyone writes the articles, Brian copy-edits everything to make sure it’s all copacetic and then it’s over to me. This usually means several days & hours straight hunched over a laptop putting all the bits in the paper, making it look all perty.
Before this issue came to the design stage I thought nothing could top the first issue when it came to stress. Then this came around. After two days of no sleep, a series of anxiety attacks & a low mood delayed the beginning of the design process. Then, when I had most of Byline designed Adobe InDesign (the programe used to do the layout) crapped out and we had to waste a day trying to get it working again. Now, 4 hours until the deadline, I’m rushing to get it designed and fill all the empty space. Let’s hope Coke Zero and Gary Numan can get me through.
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UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, October 20th 2015
Cover Continued... (Continued from cover article)
thought which led to his success”.
Recalling an honorary conferring ceremony in UCC two years ago with Graham Norton, Fergal Keane, Donald Molloy and Demot O’Mahony, Murphy stated that “among the four people being conferred, one had been a drop-out, one did not receive enough points to attend university and one failed his exams and yet there we were honouring all three of them”.
When asked what he felt his peers in other Irish universities would make of a fellow academic encouraging students to drop out, Murphy replied “I’m sure some of them would have preferred to have said it first”
Murphy said that UCC has a tradition of independent thinking and went back to George Boole; “ he never had a formal education and if he had gone to Cambridge, as some suggested, he may not have retained the independence of
Murphy is encouraging a new way of thinking when approaching working life. He feels we should encourage young people to view things from unusual angles. “We have tried to shape the most recent generation to create their own jobs and not just look for a job at the end of their time in university”. As he nears the end of his term in office in
2017, Murphy reflected on the challenges of leading one of Munster’s largest institutions. Part of his success has been attributed to his open management style holding open forums every three months to discuss the various challenges with the staff. What is echoed in his ‘drop out start up theory’ is Murphy’s mantra of “Get away, young man”, when it comes to equipping the current generation for the challenges in life. Joe Kennedy, SU Education Officer, responded to Murphy’s statements saying “If you do encourage students to drop out to start a business it can’t just be ‘goodbye and good luck’, there needs to be continued support and an actual route to re-enter university, I think UCC could
do more on that front”. It appears that this “Get away” theory of dropping out in search of business opportunity is Murphy’s key to success. Murphy stated when asked his opinion of what it takes to be an effective university president stated that “it is not a position for anyone who craves popularity”. When asked for further details on his theory Dr. Murphy was unavailable for comment.
Court Case Rules in Favour of UCC Regarding 2009 Floods Zoe Cashman - News Editor
On the 5 October, the Commercial Court ruled in favour of UCC in the action it brought against the ESB for compensation for flood damage to its property following the extensive flooding of Cork City in November 2009. Mr. Justice Max Barrett ruled that the ESB was 60 percent liable for extensive damage to several buildings of UCC, caused by the flooding that affected the city. UCC claimed that 30 acres of its campus were submerged under water and 29 campus buildings, several student accommodation blocks and the entire Mardyke sports complex were damaged. Speaking at the opening of the case, Paul Gallagher SC, for UCC, commented that “It should have been obvious to the dams’ operators and managers they were facing a very difficult, serious and dangerous situation”. “Had the situation been managed and operated properly, there would have been a very significant reduction in the huge damage caused not just to UCC but to countless other property owners and businesses in Cork city”
UCC accepted the argument that water flow through the city would have been higher if there were no dams at all, however, UCC’s case argued that had the dam discharges been managed differently, the flood profile would not have been the same. In a 550 page judgement, Mr. Justice Barrett also ruled that UCC was 40 per cent liable for failing over the years to act on mounting information of flood risk to its properties and continuing to construct properties on the River Lee flood plain. He stated that UCC’s failure to engage with the flood risk was a “significant hazard”. UCC brought its claim on behalf of its insurer Aviva, which was seeking 20 million euro damages from the ESB for losses at UCC and a further 14 million for losses suffered by other property owners. In its statement on the 5 October in response to the court ruling, UCC believes the response of its staff to the flooding on the night of 19 November 2009 was exemplary and ensured the safety of all staff and students. UCC has put in place
significant flood protection works since the 2009 event to enhance the safety of staff and students and the protection of the campus. The statement continues; “UCC and Aviva would like to thank the Court for the time it has taken in hearing and considering this long-running and complex case. Aviva is committed to promoting awareness of the importance of flood risk management and this ruling provides an important clarification on the obligations of dam operators and property owners in the sphere of flood management”. Chief among the concerns of the Mardyke residents was the lack of adequate warning they received of the severe flooding, and the real possibility that similar events could occur in the future unless the management of the dam radically changed. Barry Keane, Spokesman for the Mardyke residents, stated that “The judgement confirms all of the claims made by the residents were correct. Many of those who began the fight are no longer with us. The very least they deserve is an apology from ESB and an acceptance of the
judgement and not to drag elderly and ordinary citizens through the courts”. Cork solicitor Joe Noonan, who represented 40 other affected property owners, said he hoped the ESB would accept the decision and not appeal. The costs of the case, which ran from June 2014 for 104 days, are estimated at several million euro. The ESB decided to appeal the Commercial Court judgement. A full reading of the decision shows the ESB case was dismissed. Barry Keane stated that “the victims expect a speedy Supreme Court decision in favour of UCC”. Keane concluded that “If they can explain why any of their failures were not negligent we will be impressed”
Tuesday, October 20th 2015 | UCC EXPRESS
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Learning City Award for Cork Zoe Cashman - News Editor
Cork City is to receive a UNESCO Learning City Award at the UNESCO International Conference on Learning Cities, held in Mexico City. UCC is one of four partners in the Cork Learning City initiative. In July, UCC President Dr. Michael Murphy signed a memorandum of understanding to advance the UNESCO Declaration on Building Learning Cities with Cork City Council, CIT and Cork Education and Training Board. Vice
President for Teaching and Learning at UCC, Professor John O’Halloran, said “We fully support lifelong learning and putting the citizen at the centre of both formal and informal learning”. 11 other international cities will also receive the award, with 600 political leaders, mayors, city education executives and civil society representatives from more than 90 countries set to attend the conference. Sonja Hyland, Ireland’s Ambassador to Mexico, will
formally welcome the Cork delegation. Cork has been selected as one of only three European cities to be showcased in a book entitled Unlocking the Potential of Urban Communities: Case Studies of Twelve Learning Cities, which will be launched during the conference. In Cork, a steering group called Growing Learning in Cork is driving the project, which includes representatives of the institutions that signed the memorandum together with statutory, private
and civil society groups. The initial stages of the UNESCO designation were laid back in 2002, when Cork City Council adopted the Imagine Our Future strategy. Since 2004, Cork’s Lifelong Learning Festival has proved t be one of the most powerful means of implementing that aspiration.
Student Council Returns Chris McCahill - Deputy News Editor
This year’s academic class rep training took place on 9th of October. In contrast to previous years, this year’s training took place on campus in the Western Gateway building, a cost saving initiative based on survey results from last year’s training, which took place in Cork Airport function room. It was also intended to make it easier for reps and students to attend. The day included a series of talks by the various officers and the four college clinics which preceded the first Student Council. The talks ranged from the very basics of class rep responsibilities to talks based
on how to deal with more personal issues such as stress management and mental health. Class rep training was also an opportunity to meet the new SU team for the year. Along with returning officers Joe Kennedy and Barry Nevin, who were re-elected to education and communications respectively, they were joined by new SU president Aidan Coffey, the new Deputy President and Campaigns officer James Upton, Welfare Officer Katie Quinlan and Entertainment Officer Adam Finn. Newly elected class
reps also got the opportunity to run for other positions within the SU such a Deputy College Rep or representative for a particular college. The student council also welcomed new members to its team, Ali Khan took over from Aiden Coffey as student council chair, while Lorna Kelly took over as secretary and Kelly Doherty was elected as the PRO officer. The first student Council was the final part of the training day and began with a brief talk by Khan on how the council works and how it helps students. In the first council two
motions were put forward, regarding peer support extension and better pay for nurses, which were passed without opposition. The final contested motion on the careers service was eventually passed after several amendments were made. The council was then concluded with final items put forward for discussion by class reps. The next student council will take place on the 28th.
or email Editor@UCCExpress.ie
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UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, October 20th 2015
Epipens on UCC Campus ‘A World First’ Zoe Cashman - News Editor
It is a ‘world first’ as the government has legislated to allow trained members of the public to administer life-saving medicines in emergency situations. New laws announced on Thursday by the Minister for Health Leo Varadkar have been warmly welcomed by two UCC health experts. Professor Jonathan Hourihane, a leading allergy expert and head of the department of paediatrics and child health at UCC, and Dr. Michael Byrne, Director of Student Health and Wellbeing presented to the Joint Committee on Health and Children on a proposal to establish a university-wide First Responder Anaphylaxis Autoinjector Programme, on a pilot basis. This life-saving initiative, however, could not be carried out due to the absence of appropriate legislation at the time. Hourihane had been on the verge of introducing EpiPens on campus five years ago, but this was put on hold amid concerns about administering prescription-only medicine to those who had not been prescribed that medicine. “We had everything in place. We had 50-60 people trained, we had protocols in place.
But a legal issue arose as to whether we, as trained medical prescribers, would be held liable for any adverse outcome”.
onset of the reaction, is vital to a successful outcome. Speed is the key when it comes to treating anaphylaxis”.
“The availability of Adrenaline, the most important drug in its treatment and the ability to administer it early after the onset of the reaction, is vital to a successful outcome”
Dublin teenager Emma Sloan, aged 14, died in 2013 on O’Connell Street after a pharmacy refused to give her an EpiPen. Thursday’s announcement sees the introduction of new legislation allowing for more life-saving rescue medicines to be administered by trained members of the public such as glucagon for diabetic hypoglycaemia, adrenaline (epipens) for severe allergic reactions and glyceryl trinitrate for angina.
Hourihane has been lobbying ever since for a change in the law to allow their life-saving initiative to go ahead, and met with Health Minister Leo Varadkar earlier this year. “We didn’t hear back and we decided to abandon it about three months ago”. Now however, UCC is on course to be the first university in the world to have EpiPens on campus. Hourihane expressed his delight at the end of a long campaign “Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening, generalised reaction. The availability of Adrenaline, the most important drug in its treatment and the ability to administer it early after the
“To date UCC has had a number of notable successes in the health arena” Mr Varadkar said he would be allowing organisations such as colleges, workplaces and sports venues to hold emergency “rescue” medicines and arrange for staff to be trained in their use. Dr Michael Byrne commented that “To date UCC has had a number of notable successes in the health arena. It was in the context of having established a
First Responder AED programme that I was approached by Professor Hourihane to seek to establish this Anaphylaxis Autoinjector Programme”. “Today is a momentous day for us and for other third level institutions, workplaces and sports venues as they will be allowed to hold these medicines and arrange for staff to be trained in their use” The Department of Health said 16,722 people died after suffering a heart attack from multiple causes between 2007 and 2013. There were 359 deaths following an acute asthma attack, 17 from hypoglycaemia and four from severe allergic shock. It definitely seems UCC are taking a great first step with this initiative in improving the safety of the general public.
Staff Celebrated at #UCCOscars Zoe Cashman - News Editor
UCC has honoured a number of its staff for their outstanding contributions to University life at the 2015 Staff Recognition Awards, dubbed the #UCCOscars. The awards ceremony combined presentations and accolades to winners from three separate award schemes: Teaching and Learning, Staff Recognition and Research. President of UCC, Dr. Michael Murphy, praised the recipients for their dedication and outstanding contributions to UCC, and also acknowledged the considerable work of the selection committees. He encouraged staff to consider proposing a colleague in the 2016 call for nominations.
In the Teaching and Learning Awards, 5 members of staff received an award for ‘Excellence in Teaching’. The Staff Recognition Awards provide a formal process for acknowledging outstanding achievements and for publicly recognising such achievements to the University and the wider community. Fourteen awards were made across six categories: The Frank McGrath Perpetual Award for equality and Welfare, Impact Award, Leadership Award, Exceptional Citizen Award and Enhancing the Student Experience Award. This year also saw the introduction of an additional award category, the Outstanding Colleague Award.
Ms Nóirín Deady of the Admissions Office and members of the Student Health Department received the award for enhancing the student experience. The impact award was received by Ms Loretta Brady (CACSSS), Dr Pádraig Cantillon-Murphy (School of Engineering), Dr Samantha Dockray (School of Applied Psychology) and Mr Timothy O’Donovan (IT Services). Former Student’s Union Welfare Officer, Cian Power, stated that he was “honoured to be invited to the UCC staff awards and to see UCC Student Health win an award for their dedication to students”. Many members of staff were honoured on the night and it is hoped
that the staff will continue to make these outstanding contributions to UCC in the coming year and for many years after.
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Tuesday, October 20th 2015 | UCC EXPRESS
Websummit “Heroes” Diarmaid Twomey - Features Writer
“Heroes of this economy are the people who set up new enterprise” Those are not my words, but the words of Richard Bruton TD at a recent business event; retweeted and endorsed by Eoghan Murphy TD and his party Fine Gael. Based on this utterance alone, one would have to wonder about the mind-set of both the politicians who regularly utter such nonsense, but more pertinently, the room full of entrepreneurs whom this was said to, who it seems didn’t object to this very generous characterisation of themselves. With big ideas come big egos it seems. Enter Paddy Cosgrave, of The Web Summit ‘fame’. For those of you who don’t know who Paddy is, he’s the same guy who said his own degree from TCD is worth more than yours, or any degree from any one of the six other universities for that matter. Don’t worry though, while he may not hire the plebs who are educated outside of the pomp of Trinity, he’ll still sell you an exorbitantly overpriced ticket to the Web Summit, so all’s not lost. But things haven’t been going Paddy’s way of late. For the past week, the Irish media (assisted by Paddy himself), have been cataloguing in intimate detail, the Web Summit’s seemingly laborious debacle with the government and associated state bodies. It seems that everyone wants to punish Paddy for being successful, and so he has decided, after 5 years of holding the summit in Dublin, that Ireland just isn’t offering him and the event enough anymore. In the 5 years since its inception, The Web Summit has received over €700,000 in funding from the IDA and Enterprise Ireland. The Web Summit organisers prefer to call it sponsorship. This funding comes every year, despite their ability to sell out platinum tickets weeks in advance of the event, even when they carry a price tag of €5000 a pop. But even with all this, it seems the faraway hills of Lisbon boasted too much greenery and lured Paddy away. At first glance, the Web Summit’s move to Lisbon for its 2016 event could be seen as more evidence of the damaging effect of red tape and civil service ineptitude. Further investigation suggests otherwise. For anyone who had the chance to read the list of Paddy’s demands for the 2016 event, they were quite literally unbelievable; Garda escorts for his VIP’s, road closures, free leap cards for all the attendees of the event, free rental of Dublin City Hall and Wood Quay, Web Summit branding for the city centre and parking permission suspensions. One could be forgiven for thinking that Air Force One was landing in Dublin, or that high-flying tech entrepreneurs might be short a few euro for the Luas. I am not one to praise Enda Kenny or the current government too often, but in retrospect it is hard to see how the Web Summit’s move to Lisbon has been brought about by anyone but Paddy, despite his poor attempts at covering his tracks.
“Surely having an individual demand free public transport for multi-millionaires, business people and those well able to afford that service proves just that?” In my years working to establish my own company, I met plenty of down to earth and honest business people, working hard just to put food on the table like anyone else. For that reason, I don’t want to generalise, or stereotype good, hard-working people. However, there is another side to the business and entrepreneurial community in Ireland, a side epitomised by Fine Gael’s characterisation of entrepreneurs as ‘heroes’. Listen to IBEC, ISME or any Chamber of Commerce representative and the self-centredness and inflated notion of self-importance emanates from them. Regulation, minimum wages, basic living standards, social services, tax and decent working conditions are all cumbersome blocks which require demolishing, in order to clear the road to prosperity. Just don’t mention that that road can only cater for a small % of society. It’s all well and good to be proud of your startup or business, but the fine line between pride and downright arrogance and self-entitlement is crossed too often for Irish business to be able to ignore anymore. Surely having an individual demand free public transport for multi-millionaires, business people and those well able to afford that service proves just that?
“...when such binary, self-indulgent and selfish attitudes exist within the business and entrepreneurial community, we all suffer the consequences”
Stephen Hawking recently identified what he believes to be the greatest threat to humanity’s future; it was capitalism. Business and capitalism thrive off inequality and scarce resources. As a result, when such binary, self-indulgent and selfish attitudes exist within the business and entrepreneurial community, we all suffer the consequences. Human beings, the environment and sustainable economic development are all being sacrificed for short term gain of a business elite. Therefore headlines about extinction, pollution and economic crashes should not surprise any of us anymore. Like anyone else in our society, entrepreneurs deserve respect, not least for the resilience they show in creating businesses and jobs. But so do workers, students, the unemployed, travellers or the homeless. Labelling an entrepreneur a hero is not only crass, but it diminishes the value of the word. Entrepreneurs and But there is a wider point to all this. For me, this is just another insight Paddy are not the only people who work extremely hard in our society, into the arrogance of the business and entrepreneurial community. In a and they most certainly are not the ones deserving of most state assisprevious life, and not all that long ago, I set up and ran two businesses, tance. I’m just not sure that is understood by Paddy or anyone else just so while I am not entitled to speak authoritatively with respect to suc- yet, and judging by recent events, possibly never will be. cess in business, I certainly have an idea of the business mind-set.
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UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, October 20th 2015
Opinion: Why Gun Control Won’t Happen in America Michaela Flonard - Opinion Writer
Over the past few weeks, the U.S. has once again had a rash of gun violence—from a mass shooting on an Oregon college campus to a two-year old using a revolver on his grandmother. These tragedies have caused a range of responses. Gun-control activists argue for stricter background checks or restrictions on weapons, while others argue for expansion of open and concealed carry laws and a focus on mental illness. Firearms in America can be a political minefield, but the struggle of one state—Colorado—shows how gun control, to any serious degree, is not foreseeable for the time being. Colorado, in terms of politics, is a torn, “purple” state. In 2014, 42% of its citizens identified as Republicans, who in general dislike gun control, while 42% said they were Democrats, who generally hold the opposite view. This divide is replicated in views on gun control, with a slight majority opposing stricter regulations to their weapons. Eighteen other states are similarly divided politically, while the remaining states have a stronger inclination to either party, according to a Gallup poll. The state also has a complex history with firearms. As a Western state, cowboy ideals and hunting have long been established. However, the state has also suffered two major tragedies—the Columbine high school shooting of 1999 and the Aurora theatre shooting in 2012. In both cases, over ten people lost their lives and many more were injured. So in 2013, in the wake of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, the heavily Democratic legislature and governor pushed through two measures. House Bill 13-1224 prohibited the sale of large-capacity magazines, which included shotgun magazines with more than 28-inches of shotgun shells or magazines greater than 15 rounds. Those already in possession of such magazines were “grandfathered” into the law. House Bill 13-1229 required background checks on private sellers. It excluded gifts, loans between immediate family members, transfer because of will, or temporary transfers. The bill also required mental health reporting, in an effort to prevent the mentally ill from obtaining firearms. These measures met with a variety of responses. The general populace supported both bills. However support for background checks was high, around 80%, while support for limiting magazines was at 49%. Some were outraged, seeing the bills as attacks on their Second Amendment rights. One ammunition magazine manufacturer, Magpul Industries, moved their operations to a different state. Several sheriffs claimed they would not enforce the law. They, in addition to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Magpul Industries, and others, filed suit against the laws, claiming
other concerns would limit their ability to enforce the new laws and that they were unconstitutional. The laws were later upheld by a federal judge. The voices in opposition were able to force a recall election for two Senators—the state’s first at such a level. A third resigned in threat of this election. The recall election saw a huge outpouring of monies, from the NRA to former NYC liberal mayor Michael Bloomberg. In the end, both Democrats lost to their Republican challengers. Both districts had a higher proportion of registered Democrats than Republicans, making the results surprising. The election featured a low turnout, and accusations of impropriety. Upon the next state election, the following year, both Republicans lost their seats, although the party gained control of the Senate. The laws remain in effect, in part due to the difficulty associated with removing previous legislation, despite attempts to weaken or discard them. Now why does this matter for gun control overall? Because of the message it sends to other “purple” states. States with a clearly dominant political affiliation will, most likely, have policies regarding guns pushed through without such complaints. But in split states, Colorado’s experience can easily be used as an example when discussing new gun control measures. Not only did the Senate lose positions and even control of the legislature, they also lost industry, which in the days of economic uncertainty, is a frightening possibility. The election also showed how pivotal of an issue firearms can be. Morse, one of the Democratic Senators who lost his seat, was a year away from leaving office. Activists couldn’t wait for the next election cycle to elect a pro-gun senator to his seat; instead, they spent considerable amounts of time and money to recall him, to express their displeasure in a more satisfying fashion. A recall election at a state level is a rare thing in the U.S.—only 37 have made it to ballot, and of those, only 21 have succeeded—and yet it worked. Traditionally, pro-gun supporters have been more politically active, donating more money to organizations that support their views than their opposition. This activism helps explain the success of the National Rifle Association. Those with guns are also less likely to vote for a candidate that doesn’t share their views than those who believe in gun control, by 41% to 31%, respectively. Generally, those who shout the loudest on any issue are those who affect the legislation on the issue. As pro-gun supporters seem to shout louder than most, they’ve had success at blocking major restrictive laws, at least at a national level. Because gun control is, for now, a state issue. The structure of the Senate, which guarantees equal representation of states, without regard for size, ensures
that pro-gun states, which are generally the rural, smaller states, can oppose tightening laws. In addition, Republicans control both houses of Congress, meaning bipartisan support is necessary to pass gun control legislation. As the 2012 Republican platform promised to “acknowledge, support, and defend” the individual’s “God-given right of self-defence,” such support is unlikely. It doesn’t help that only about 47% of the public, according to a 2014 Gallup poll, support stricter gun sale laws. While shootings such as the one on an Oregon college campus will raise such backing, this support is likely to disappear. In less than a year after the Sandy Hook elementary shooting, elevated support had disappeared, and support for harsher measures was back around fifty percent. A lack of sustained public support makes it hard to mount a campaign that will seriously bring about change regarding the nation’s gun laws. Of course, every state is different, and perhaps the factors that occurred in Colorado’s 2013 saga over guns do not exist in other states. Yes, the state succeeded in implementing new gun laws to prevent further tragedies. But it also suffered a defeat. Even though a majority of people supported the laws, opposition was able to roust political leaders, showing their clout to those with similar plans. This strength could make lawmakers in other purple states pause before proposing new laws. Colorado has already suffered two extreme cases of gun violence over a little more than twenty years. Yet this history was not enough to convince people that there was an issue with firearm legislation. Many simply look to mental health problems as the problem in these cases, ignoring, to a certain extent, the weapons. This raises the question—what will it take to convince Americans? But guns have always been a part of American culture, and love for the Second Amendment is strong in many. In 2013, Colorado showed how difficult passing laws—laws that don’t restrict the type of firearms available or take anyone’s guns—can be. With their experiences in mind, it is tough to see change in the near future. Perhaps the country will be persuaded to alter their approach to mental health, which may some impact, but this will not eliminate all tragedies.
Tuesday, October 20th 2015 | UCC EXPRESS
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Interview: Mairia Cahill
Brian Conmy interviews Mairia Cahill about her public allegations against senior members of the IRA, her life over the past year and her Seanad bid
Last year Mairia Cahill was kind enough to speak to the UCC Express about the experiences that brought her to public prominence. In that interview Mairia characterised her abuse as “part of my experience and its part of who I am” but as time removes us further from the initial shock of hearing Mairia’s story of abuse at the hands of a senior IRA member we’ve seen time and time again that this abuse has not defined her life. Instead it has been a part of a driving force that has taken her far and following on from a recent announcement that she is standing as a Labour candidate in the upcoming Seanad bye-election, continues to drive her even further in her pursuit of justice and to help other people through their own experiences of sexual abuse. Before speaking to Mairia on the phone she asks for the time I expect to call, stating that she doesn’t answer unexpected calls or unrecognised numbers for obvious reasons. Perhaps naively I had never thought of this, the changes entering the public consciousness (or political sphere) would bring to even a simple action like answering your phone. Upon questioning of this though Mairia she clarifies “I’m conscious that I keep in contact with other victims so I like to keep the phone free for those coming though”. As well as this she added “I don’t generally answer numbers that I don’t know anyway, you know because there is a risk there, I’ve had quite a lot of threats online and I have had nuisance or malicious phone calls that’s one of the reasons why I like to know who I’m answering the phone to first”
“The reason for all of the online attacks and smears and the disgusting blogs that were written at the start of last year, the reason that was done I think was clear to everybody, to any ordinary member of the public, and that was to try and either shock or shame me into going away. I took a decision at that point that even though it is very distressing that I wasn’t going to go away” It’s an unfortunate facet of modern life that many of us may be susceptible to nasty comments online, it’s imaginable that these comments multiply when someone enters the political arena to run for an institution like the Seanad. However the vileness and intent of these comments become less imaginable in Mairia’s case “the reason for all of the online attacks and smears and the disgusting blogs that were written at the start of last year, the reason that was done I think was clear to everybody, to any ordinary member of the public, and that was to try and either shock or shame me into going away. I took a decision at that point that even though it is very distressing that I wasn’t going to go away”. Again perhaps naively I asked if maintaining these social media presences was worth it in light of these sad realities, “Well I don’t have to you know, I always have a choice really to back out of doing it, it’s kind of stubbornness takes over… I dip in and out of social media like anyone else but I am entitled to a twitter account or Facebook page or whatever the same as anyone else is.” Having an account of rape and sexual assault during a person’s teenage years made so public and then to be scrutinised by powers that seemingly didn’t have their best interests in mind is something many of us likely can’t imagine. To compound this in Mairia’s case is the unfortunate fact that politics was involed. The political aspect of Mairia’s case is not a common one but on how it differentiates her experience from that of another sexual assault victim she points out “Well I think it’s dangerous to look at it that way, essentially when you strip it all back it was a case of abuse. What compounded the problem was when the IRA decided to involve themselves in the case of abuse wanting to protect their own reputation. That of the Sinn Féin party and of my rapist. So for example when they initiated the first investigation they were very keen to stress that my rapist had rights as an IRA volunteer and that’s a direct quote from them under the terms of the green book, an IRA manual if you like for those type of people. So in all of that the difference wasn’t really you know, I had the suffering and trying to deal with the trauma of the abuse
and I had to try to deal with the trauma of an unasked for, because I never went to the IRA asking for an investigation, they came to me.” Pointedly though Mairia notes that her experiences are more common than some would assume “So that was very traumatic and then I had the years afterwards where there was a silence imposed on it but essentially I think the difficulty in trying to cope has been the same as any other person who has gone through abuse or rape, it happens also in the context of the catholic church if you look at those investigations for example. You know those victims had the abuse first of all that was then compounded by an investigation by the church into some of the priests and in some cases some victims were made to sign documents and were kept quiet and there are parallel between the two”. Even within cases of abuse by the Republican movement she notes that “No one rape or abuse case is the same and indeed even within the republican movement and what I’m seeing now from victims coming through is no one case of abuse in relation to republican abuse has been the same either. Certainly there are similarities in relation to kangaroo courts and the same names popping up again and again” In UCC already this year there have been a number of reported instances of sexual assault on college students, in some instances even occurring in UCC related student accommodation. With this issue in mind I wondered if the college and the SU were doing enough, or what realistically they could do, to combat this issue. “I think any positive step in order to raise awareness of issues around abuse or sexual assault certainly is welcome and I think universities of course have a responsibility towards keeping students safe. University is a life changing experience for people when they’re on the cusp of adulthood and I understand that quite well because I had to drop out the first time I went to do a degree. I had to drop out because of an IRA investigation so I remember all of the different feelings students have when they’re moving from primary to secondary and then secondary to third level education. Any consent training whatsoever is of course to be welcomed, I think we have to get the balance of responsibility on it right also. The responsibility for abuse should never be placed on the shoulder of the victim”. She also highlighted the Dublin Rape Crisis’s new campaign around the topic of consent, praising its gender non-specificity and accessibility. To some, issues around combatting sexual and domestic abuse are a societal issue. Mairia highlighted her own view on this by saying “Well I think everything in life is a political issue, no matter what way you look at it. You know where you buy the coffee you get in the morning is political… You look back to Ireland for example and how quickly it has changed even looking back 20, 25 years ago with the contraceptive ban, the marriage bar being enforced, things like that in terms of female identity and having an identity of your own all came through the political system in order to have to be changed the same with the marriage equality referendum this year. So in that sense yes politicians can do a lot because they’re the people who’re entrusted with a mandate to help change society for the better and that doesn’t
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UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, October 20th 2015 always work like that and people get frustrated time and again.” On the idea that all things are political with specific reference to sexual abuse she added “It’s been a very difficult couple years in Ireland with austerity measures, funding has been cut to different services who work directly with victims but that said front line services I’m glad to say have been protected this year, specifically in relation to Dublin Rape Crisis Centre by the government. So that’s one positive aspect in a couple of years of negativity in Ireland. The economy seems to be back on track again so hopefully with that if for example I get into the Seanad my main and first priority is to victims of abuse or sexual assault and domestic violence. I’ll do anything I can to raise awareness of those issues and look at how we try to improve lives of victims. For example I heard just this week there are waiting lists for women who’re victims of domestic abuse to get into refuges and that’s a completely unacceptable situation for those women to be in and a very very dangerous one. So you know things like that need to be looked at and we need to look at how we ease the burden on victims and make it safer to live their lives” One of the greatest things in my mind that Mairia has done is so continuously stood up in the face of adversity. Not just in finding a way to live her life after her sexual abuse but to continuously stand in public in search of justice for herself but also for other victims of a failed justice system. With the news that she is standing in the upcoming Seanad bye-election I asked if this work would remain a priority for her, “Well I think that’s a huge goal and a huge priority for anyone to have, there are massive areas in relation to Irish life. You know 1 in 4 people is a victim of sexual assault or abuse, not quite sure what the figures are in relation to domestic violence but it is a problem we see played out time and time again through court systems both north and south. At the moment we also have the situation in my case where other victims of abuse by the republican movement have come forward and I also want to be able to help them. The Garda investigation and all that will continue if I’m in the Seanad but really you know we have seen situations in the past where senators have been able to make a difference”.
“I think also we need to probably start having a responsible conversation as to how we address perpetrators of abuse in a human way allowing them the opportunity to stop their behaviour and change” Specifically naming Averil Power and her work bringing forward the adoption rights bill as well as Katherine Zappone and her work on the marriage equality referendum, Mairia’s drive to leave a similar legacy of positive change behind is admirable but perhaps not without possible contention “I think also we need to probably start having a responsible conversation as to how we address perpetrators of abuse in a human way allowing them the opportunity to stop their behaviour and change. I understand that’s a very controversial thing to say for someone who is a victim of sexual violence but really you don’t have any hope of eradicating abuse or at least trying to curb it if you don’t deal with the root of the problem and the root of the problem in this instance you’re talking about the proprietors themselves.” It’s been some time now since the Seanad abolition referendum failed to pass by popular vote and with its failure any discussion of Seanad reform seems to have gone with it. While many believe the Seanad is weak, needless or toothless Mairia saw it as a worthwhile platform to work on “Well I had the opportunity to run as a TD and I decided not to. First of all the Seanad is a different ball game in relation to what it would be if you were running in the general. We’ve already seen some of it with the Seanad campaign but this Maria Cahill versus Sinn Féin when there are four candidates standing and not just two. I could have put Sinn Féin under serious pressure had I ran in the general election, I decided not to do that because the issues of abuse and rape and domestic violence would get lose in the circus really. That doesn’t need to be fought you know. I suppose what I’m trying to say but had I run in the general the issues would have been lost in the quagmire and it would have
come down to if I’d stood against Mary Lou for example, it would have been a circus. I would have been confident enough of taking a few votes off her but that’s not what I’m about, it wasn’t my motivation in coming forward. I came forward to use my voice to tell of my experience and to help others and that would have been lost had I rain for the Dáil. Now the Seanad is slightly different, it’s a bye election. You know the possibilities of being able to change things and turn things around quickly in relation to being able to help people is easier. So in that sense I’m quite happy to go in as a Seanad candidate” However she also noted
“Never say never, I may at some point down the line decide to run [for the Dáil] but for me right now and practically as a single mother of a young child you need a hell of a lot of time commitment to do both but I thought in the middle of a general election campaign that would be too much”
What surprised many, myself included, about Mairia’s announcement that she would be contesting this bye-election was the fact she would do so as a Labour candidate, she said “I was attracted to the Labour party both because of how they dealt with me and I’ve seen how they’ve been able to shape people’s lives for the better and you couldn’t find a better example of that than in the marriage equality referendum.” An earlier comment about being a single mother resonated with me and so I asked if Labour were assisting her as a woman trying to enter the Seanad “Absolutely, I think Labour stand on their record as consistently fielding female candidates long before gender quotas became an issue. The labour party were fielding candidates like Joan Burton, a great example, the first female chartered accountant in Ireland is now the leader of a party and the Tánaiste. I think that’s a great example for women, she has children herself and she has a life outside of politics too so she’s managed to strike a balance with it. They are very aware because I’ve made them aware that I have a young daughter and I’m not going to comprise my parenting of her in order to be in political life full time. That’s not to say I’m not committed but I think people are entitled to have a balance.”
“What Sinn Féin should probably do, in fact should absolutely do is to that family admit that the IRA killed him and take away the slur against his name that he was a criminal. He wasn’t.” Finally I wanted to address what I considered an elephant in the room, based on recent polls it seems possible that Sinn Féin may be one of the parties in power following the next general election. Asking if the possibility that they could be a partner in government while Mairia would reside in the Dáil was a daunting one Mairia reassured me that “I don’t think that’s going to happen. That’s the first thing. Secondly I’ve come across Gerry Adams many times in my life, as recently as the week before last or last week, I bumped into him in the corridors of Leinster house, I ignored him and he ignored me. That was it. I’d be much more concerned that people would fall for the lies that they have peddled, not just on the issue of abuse but across the board you know. For example they’re a party that implements austerity cuts in the North and complains about them in the South. There are a number of hypocritical stances they’ve taken on IRA activity, for example the denial that it was the IRA who murdered Paul Quinn who had a brutal death. A 21 year old boy with every bone in his body broken while his friends were made listen to him being beaten, Sinn Féin have never come out, in fact they labelled the young lad a criminal when he was killed. His mother Bríd and his father Steven are completely traumatised and his anniversary is coming up soon in November. What Sinn Féin should probably do, in fact should absolutely do is to that family admit that the IRA killed him and take away the slur against his name that he was a criminal. He wasn’t.”
If you have been affected by any of the content discussed in this interview, there are supports available. The Samaritans are always there to talk, and their free-call 24hr number is 116 123. For supports specific to sexual assault, the Cork Sexual Violence Centre is located on 5 Camden Place and can be called on 1800 496 496. Outside of Cork, the Dublin Rape Crises Centre is there to help. They can be called on 1800 778 888
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Opinion
Tuesday, October 20th 2015 | UCC EXPRESS
FOR - AGAINST SEANAD EIREANN For - A Voice for the Voiceless Xander Cosgrave - Byline
What does the Seanad actually do? It’s hardly an uncommon question. Well, it helps represent a unique sector of society that probably ought to be given a platform, but if we didn’t have it, would be completely forgotten. It gives a platform for people like Katherine Zappone and David Norris, who for a very long time were rare bastions of liberal ideas in a very conservative (Read; Backasswards) time in our nation’s history. It is surely hard to understand for younger generations nowadays what Ireland was like thirty years ago, but I
can assure you, the stereotype of ‘little catholic Ireland’ was hardly wrong. Would someone who was campaigning for LGBT*Q rights have been given a platform in the Dail? Or be given a chance to run by a party in open election? No, but because of the University ticket, it allowed a voice to be given to people who were being persecuted and gave them representation at government. The Seanad allows us to give a series of diverse opinions and ideas room to be expressed in
the highest levels of government, rather than the race to the centre populism of the Dail, and this is hugely beneficial to our development as a nation. Maybe we don’t like to hear some of these opinions, but we should probably be aware of them and their existence, rather than allow it to be pushed aside by the strength of popular opinion. The Seanad isn’t perfect, but let’s be honest about things, very few systems in governance are.
Against - “Reform A Requirement” Stephen Spillane - Political Activist
On October 4th 2013 I joined just over 51% of the Irish People and voted against the Abolition of Seanad Éireann. Why did I do this? I believe in a robust democracy and holding Government to account. I believe an effective way of doing this is with have an active and engaged upper house. Over the past number of decades we have seen Governments gain power in the Dáil and this has meant a loss of power for backbench TD’s who find it increasingly difficult to hold Government to account in that Chamber. Much like the House of Lords in the UK, the Governments power in Upper House is a lot less than in the Lower House and it is harder for them to control. In fact the Seanad is the only House in which the Government seems to lose votes. This makes it an effective Chamber. Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s decision to appoint a range of Independent voices to that chamber has further legitimised it in my view. Senators Katherine Zappone, Jillian Van Turnout and Fiach Mac Conghail have all contributed greatly to work of the Seanad and have added hugely to the expertise of the house.
Successive Governments have failed to use Seanad Éireann to its full extent. One has to go back to 1981 when Garrett Fitzgerald used his Taoiseach’s appointments to appoint Jim Dooge as his Minister for Foreign Affairs. On Seanad Reform, 13 reports and a constitutional amendment have not acted upon by Governments of all colours. This is not acceptable. Following from the Seanad Referendum in 2013 we had a promise that the 7th Amendment, which was voted on in 1979 would be implemented and two years later and an election fast approaching we are still waiting. In the current Seanad the Government parties are in the Minority. Fine Gael and Labour hold 28 seats while the opposition and independents senators hold 31 seats. There is one vacant seat, for which Maria Cahill will be contesting the by-election for on behalf of Labour. While a number of Independent Senators support the Government in the majority of votes, their support isn’t guaranteed. This means the Government has to work harder in Seanad Eireann and is no longer a backwater or a chamber for retired or upcoming politicians.
Now do not get me wrong, just like the House of Lords or Dáil Éireann, the Seanad is not perfect and if it is to be truly effective and representative some form of universal representation would have to brought in. This could see a partly elected Seanad with other members either appointed or elected indirectly. No political party has brought forward a new vision for the upper house and following on from the Referendum rejection I cannot see it playing a major role in any party manifesto in the upcoming General Election to the same extent that it was in the 2011 General Election. This should not mean that the next Government can think it can plod on with the Seanad as is. With a fairly split electorate for the Seanad Panels due to the number of Independent Councillors elected in, you can expect a very different Seanad for the next Government to deal with.
UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, October 20th 2015
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FLASH BACK<
Every issue the UCC Express team look back at our own print history and pick out some...interesting bits from papers’ past.
Going back through previous issues as far back as the 80s I expected some insane stuff to pop up for Halloween. After all there are some very tongue in cheek, risqué and even occasionally libellous stuff if you go back far enough. Surprisingly though there were very few issues that even mentioned the existence of Halloween at all so we’ve had to go to more recent issues for anything Halloween related at all. I imagine there’s some reason for this but I could never quite come up with one, print schedules were regular enough that people should have known they were at times coming out around if not on Halloween itself. Oh well. We’ll have something more insane next time.
Disclaimer: We present these excerpts unedited, to highlight how much has changed since they were first published.
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Tuesday, October 20th 2015 | UCC EXPRESS
UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, October 20th 2015
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Tuesday, October 20th 2015 | UCC EXPRESS
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UCC Hockey Set Down a Marker Ahead of Intervarsities
Clodagh Moloney & Fred McElroy - Sports Writers The Men’s first XI travelled to Aston on Thursday night with one eye clearly looking forward to hosting next weekend’s intervarsties. College started very strongly with a real sense of intent with 2 quick-fire goals coming from Shrew Power seeing the visitors leading 2-0 inside the opening 10 minutes of the match. The students enjoyed prolonged periods of possession throughout the first half, but Ashton’s defensive tactics continued to keep UCC at bay, frustrating UCC as they continued to attack in search of more goals. The pressure eventually told as Gary Wilkinson found himself unmarked at the back post to claim College’s third goal before the half. The 2nd half was all UCC again, but they struggled to find the net despite putting serious pressure on the Ashton defence. Captain Fionn O’Leary scored the 4th and final goal in the game to see the students take 3 points and a 4-0 win. The result will no doubt be a huge confidence builder ahead of next weekend. Captain Fionn O’Leary spoke in the aftermath of the game, “It was pleasing to get the 3 points and keep a clean sheet in the lead up to varsities. We won it the last time we were hosts and there’s plenty of work to be done if we want to repeat that success. It’s a tough group with reigning champions UUJ(University of Ulster Jordanstown) in the mix, but we’ll be quietly confident”
Coach Neil Welch will again be concerned with the standard of the short corners as UCC again struggled to use the set-piece to their advantage. This week there was 9 unconverted short corners which will need to be greatly improved before next weekend. However, Welch was pleased with Shrew Powers continuing goal scoring prowess, Power has scored 6 goals in the 4 games. UCC men’s first XI will compete in the top tier of the varsity hockey competition, the Mauritius cup. They have been drawn to play the University of Ulster and Trinity College Dublin in the preliminary group stage of the intervarsities. While DIT, UCD and Queens University Belfast make up the other side of the competition. The top 2 teams from each pool will proceed to a semi-final and final, making the opening fixtures vital to qualification. These games will be held between the Mardyke sports grounds and Garyduff sports centre in Cork next weekend. UCC will be looking to emulate the heroics of 2012 when they last held and won the cup. Greg Chambers and Julie Cronin have been extremely dedicated in organising the 44 games that will take place next weekend along with the many social activities which will be finished with the Ball for all players which will be held on the Monday night in Rochestown Park Hotel. The Ladies first team are also firmly concentrating on what promises to be an incredibly competitive weekend of hockey with many players vying for
a place in the final squad of eighteen players. The inter-varsities come very early this year with the firm eye on developing teams for the remainder of the regular League season. The weekend plays a big role in the bonding of the team ahead of the main body of the season. For the first time in five years UCC will play host to the inter-varsities which will consist of twelve College teams from around the country being split into two leagues based on performances at last years competition. The League section of the competition takes a round-robin format with the group games being held on Saturday and Sunday morning before Sunday afternoon’s knock-out matches and Monday’s finals.
such as current Irish captain Meghan Frazer and Shirley McCay will be leading their University of Ulster troops to the Rebel county, for a repeat of their outright victory from last year. UCC are underdogs in the top division of this tournament, but will be looking for at least a one place jump to their final 4th place ranking last year. The teams in division A will be as follows: University of Ulster, DCU, UCC, UCD, Trinity and Queens. The division B teams are as follows: NUIM, RCSI, ITT, NUIG, CIT and UL. This weekend promises to be a cracker and promises to add to the great spirit that will be in the city due to the Jazz Festival.
Although this is a college tournament, there will be plenty of talent to be seen,
Sports News in Brief - Munster Players Attend UCC Wheelchair Rugby Event UCC Disability and Awareness Society hosted an event on Wednesday night to introduce members and students to wheelchair rugby at the Mardyke. The Society was joined by the Munster Crusaders in hosting the event, who ran through drills and gave a demonstration of the sport. Ireland rugby international and Munster Captain Peter O’Mahony was present at the event after being released from the Irish Rugby World Cup squad following a knee ligament injury. O’Mahony was joined by several other Munster players at the event including Cian Bohane, Billy Holland, Stephen Archer, James Cronin, Niall Scannell and John Ryan.
UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, October 20th 2015
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Cashel Edge Out UCC in Close Encounter
Neil Willoughby - Sports Editor
UCC RFC played host to Cashel RFC at the Mardyke looking to get their season back on track following a tough loss away to Nenagh Ormond last weekend, seeing them come away on the wrong side of the scoreline 20-0. UCC came into the game with a largely depleted squad seeing just five of the team that started the season’s opener against Skerries on the field at the final whistle. The result was the first time this season that UCC have failed to take any points from a fixture, this season’s other defeat was softened by College earning a losing bonus point from their trip to Naas. College however saw the bright side from the loss to Nenagh Ormond, stating that the resolve of the side ‘‘shows great depth in the squad’’, continuing to say that ‘’we were second best in the clash against Nenagh.’’ Despite the hangover of last weekend’s heavy defeat still looming UCC headed into Saturday’s clash with a 100% record at home so far this season. Victories over Skerries RFC and Malone RFC so far this season have kept UCC afloat following indifferent form away from home, making the Cashel match vital in keeping UCC near the top of the table in their hunt for not only promotion, but also winning division 2A outright. The division is very tight this year with four sides com-
ing into this weekend’s games on ten points with Banbridge RFC leading on fourteen points and Cashel RFC laying closely behind on thirteen points. The Tipperary side were always going to provide a considerable challenge to UCC having taken thirteen points from their opening three fixtures including three wins and one bonus point victory in a thrilling 40-43 victory over Skerries RFC last month. The game was ferocious, physical and defense from kick-off and throughout as the two sides vied to dominate proceedings. UCC lead at the break through a try from Richie Walsh on the stroke of half-time, FullBack Kevin O’Keeffe providing the extras to give College a 7-0 lead. Cashel drew level fifteen minutes into the second half with a well-worked try, adding the conversion to bring the score-lines level. This was short-lived as UCC went on the attack straight away looking for a return to the lead, getting over the line through Kevin Slater to gain a seven point lead and a bit of vital breathing space between them and Cashel. Cashel again fired back, but this time failed to convert, allowing UCC to move into the last fifteen minutes with a precarious two point lead. The key to unlocking the tight affair came in the 72nd minute for Cashel as their attempt at a Drop Goal was successful to take
them into a 14-15 lead which they were able to see out. UCC Prop reflected on the match. ‘’It was a brilliant effort, but our decision-making needs to improve.’’ Reaffirming the belief within the squad that they have the ability to win these tight matches and compete for higher honours this season more and more as the side gels throughout the year. The loss sees UCC concede their first defeat at the Mardyke this season, losing their 100% record in the process. While Cashel move into first place with a game in hand over second placed Banbridge who lost out to Skerries in
Dublin on Saturday, still taking away a four-try and losing bonus point. The win sees Cashel secure their commanding position at the top of the table with four wins out of a possible four and therefore remaining the only side to maintain a 100% record in division 2A so far this season. Cashel will face Nenagh Ormond next weekend during the rest weekend for the other sides before UCC face Queen’s in Belfast on the 31st of October looking to get their season back on track.
Sports News in Brief - Scannell Shines as Munster Put Away the Blues Former UCC student Rory Scannell put in a very solid performance at inside-centre for Munster on Satuday afternoon. Scannell, who can also play at Out-Half and Full-Back, has become a regular in the Munster back-line so far this season as he looks to break his way into the first team. Opportunities are coming thick and fast while a strong Munster contingent remains away at the Rugby World Cup representing Ireland. Scannell played a key role in Munster’s 35-27 bonus point victory over the Cardiff Blues at Musgrave Park on Saturday afternoon.
ucc
sport
Tuesday, October 20th 2015 | uccexpress.ie | Volume 19 | Issue 4
College Awards Sport Scholarships
SCHOLARSHIP CEREMONY: Eamon Ryan with Ladies Soccer Scholarship awardees L. Lynch, L. Murphy, K McCarhty and A O’Connor.
Inside Sport
Neil Willoughby - Sports Editor UCC sport, under Director of Sport and Activity Declan Kidney, awarded sports scholarships for the coming academic year to successful students at the Mardyke on Wednesday afternoon. The awards, which gave out scholarships to 98 students, were presented by former UCC sports science lecturer, Eamon Ryan. Ryan recently managed to Cork Ladies to an unprecedented tenth All-Ireland victory in eleven years. The scholarships were awarded to students from a variety of sporting disciplines including Rugby, Hockey, Tae Kwon Do, Basketball, Triathlon, Gaelic games, Rowing, Kickboxing, Sailing and Soccer. Declan Kidney said that the purpose
of the scholarships were to help UCC’s athletes get to the ‘‘next step and develop as both a person and athlete’’. The scholarships application system required each athlete competing in a team sport to fill out a form discussing their goals and objectives for the season ahead in line with UCC’s policy of awarding these scholarships to not only the most talented, but also the most driven individuals. UCC can be very proud of its scholarship program which allows funding for a huge amount of students with a sporting talent and provides real strength behind these students. Compared to other universities UCC provides, along with its partners, significantly more scholarships than some other
College’s throughout Ireland. College’s such as Trinity award scholarships which cover students expenses to and from matches as well as full scholarships where UCC have looked to award as many full scholarships as they could where warranted. This year in particular has seen a large group of athletes from UCC qualify for funding which in turn is hoped to spur UCC’s individuals and teams onto great success this year to replicate the stunning achievements of the 2014/15 academic year. First year sports science student Eamonn Cashin spoke at the event with a firm message to the award receipents, ‘‘Winners never lose...it is the moments that challenge us
the most which truly define us.’’ Cashin is aiming to be the first Irishman to complete ‘the coolest marathon on earth’ by completing in the Polar Circle Polar bear Challenge in Greenland later this year. The challenge includes a full marathon followed by another half-marathon the following day through ice and snow. Cashin was keen to stress the vitality of physical and mental endurance in sport using his own example.
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UCC awarded a total of 39 scholarships to its athletes while further awards were sponsored by patrons of UCC sport.
PREVIEW: UCC HOCKEY PREPARE FOR UPCOMING INTERVARSITIES