The University Express - Vol.23, Issue 10

University Volume 24 | Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020

Express UCCExpress.ie

Raise The Roof Not The Rents

UCCSU with previous editions highlighting student financial pressure, by Caoimhe Leahy, University Express Photograhper

Writes Chloe Jesse, Staff Writer

owned accommodation rents will be increased by 3% during the 2020/2021 academic year. Students took to the quad during the afternoon, and subsequently camped for the night, demanding UCC retract this raise and, instead, implement a three-year rent freeze. Going forward, if the 3% increase does, in fact, go through, UCC accommodation rents will have risen by 19% over the last three years. Meaning students are paying roughly a fifth more than they were three years ago, amounting to almost 1,000 euro more in rent fees by the end of the academic year.

On the afternoon of February 25th, about sixty students convened on UCC’s quadrangle to protest increasing rent prices for campus accommodation. Amidst the on and off snow and rain rose chants of “What do we want?”

“Rent freeze!” “When do we want it?” “Now!” And “1,2,3,4: We won’t take this anymore! 5,6,7,8: We need funding from the state!”

Students walked in a circle around the quad carrying signs like “Raise the Roof, Not the Rents”, “You’re Taking the Piss!” and “Down With That Sort of Thing!”

The students were led by Stu- Ciara Kealy took to Twitter that dent Union Deputy President and afternoon and announced that Campaigns Officer, Ciara Kealy. “UCC students are being pushed out of education and this 19% This protest takes place after increase in three years is not acthe announcement that all UCC ceptable. Students should not stand for it, and neither will we.”

UCCSU Lead Campaign Against Rent Increases

Page 3 News

The Rise of Mass Tourism

Page 11 Features

She then invited other students in the country, as well as other Student Unions, to join and take part in similar protests.

Other students had similar opinions. “When I lived in Victoria Mills during first year,” one final year student said, “I was already paying 5,000 a year. I moved out just before the rent was raised by another 750.” “I had roommates who had to move out mid-year in Uni Hall,” said another final year student. “They couldn’t afford the rent increase and it was causing them a lot of stress on both ends: not being able to afford rent and then having to find another place in the middle of studies.”

In a statement released last week, UCC sighted these raises as being due to refurbishing work, rise in maintenance costs, and the investments required to house more

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Page 20 Byline

incoming students. UCC is included in one of five other universities in the country who are also planning on raising the rents, including University College Dublin, (UCD), who is currently setting to raise their respective rents by 4%. A similar protest at UCD took place on the 18th of February in retaliation against this raise.

Over the weekend many students continued the protest despite the best efforts of Storm Jorge.

The Students’ Union have really caught the attention of the media and several politicians have gone to meet campers to show solidarity, while some 300 staff penned a letter to the UCC President in support of their students. It remains to be seen whether a compromise will be met, but at time of writing a standoff remains.

European Football Recap

Page 36 Sport

Editorial

2 Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief – Ciaran Dineen (Editor@UCCExpress.ie) News Editor – Samantha Calthrop (News@UCCExpress.ie) Designer – Fiona Cremins (Design@UCCExpress.ie) Features Editor – Róisin O’Donnell (Features@UCCExpress.ie) Sports Editor – Jack Maguire (Sport@UCCExpress.ie) Opinion Editor – Elisha Carey (Opinion@UCCExpress.ie) Online Editor – Edel Lonergan (Online@UCCExpress.ie) Proof Editor - Chloe Jesse (Proofing@uccexpress.ie) Marketing Executive – Ciaran Dineen (Marketing@UCCExpress.ie) Webmaster – Jonathan Hanley (Webmaster@UCCExpress.ie) Photographer – Caoimhe Leahy (Photographers@uccexpress.ie) Byline Editor – Cian McGrath (Byline@UCCExpress.ie) (Deputy Editor) Eagarthóir Gaeilge – Hugh Ó Raghallaigh Mac Gearailt (Gaeilge@UCCExpress.ie) Food & Health - Katie Kelly (Food@UCCExpress.ie) Arts & Literature Editor – Fiona Keely (Arts@UCCExpress.ie) Gaming Editor – Jack Coleman (Gaming @UCCExpress.ie) Music Editor – Fiona O’Connell (Music@UCCExpress.ie) Film & Television Editor – Eoghan Creedon (Screen@UCCExpress.ie) Sexpress Editor – Caoimhe Battault (Sexpress@uccexpress.ie) Fashion Editor - Katie Burke (Fashion@UCCExpress.ie) Deputy Sports - Sam Curtin (Deputysports@uccexpress.ie) Deputy News Maeve O’Sullivan (Deputynews@uccexpress.ie) Deputy Features - Molly O’Rourke (Deputyfeatures@uccexpress.ie)

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

#OCCUPY

Writes Ciaran Dineen, Editor-in-Chief I swear there really aren’t enough hours in the day. While I’m usually not one to play the poor mouth or break out the violin, I have to say it’s been an incredibly difficult and tense couple of weeks. I write this, in my room on Sunday evening, my eyes having not left the screen of my laptop for the majority of the day. I have literally just submitted the first full draft of my 12,000 dissertation and now I type this with the last remaining drops of physical and mental energy that is in my body and mind. Anyway, how was your week?

I tell you who’s had as much of an eventful week, the Students’ Union.

I can’t but help enter into a miniature diatribe to commend the effort and commitment from members of this year’s intake, who have braved the cold and threats from Storm Jorge (my absolute favourite storm name so far by the way) and continue to #OccupyTheQuad. I’ve been extremely proud as Editor of the University Express during the last 6 months or so, as we have been front and centre of leading the charge against financial obstacles that face students today. While we are never afraid to criticise the Union, and have done so this year, it has been an honour to work alongside them in helping to promote student financial fair play. Together we have brought our message beyond the Quad and the gates that surround our beautiful University, reaching far and wide. I myself have appeared on local Cork radio shows to portray the developments that have been taking place. This has not only been important for students that currently study in UCC, but for future colleagues and their families. My writers, particularly News Editor, Samantha Calthrop, have been fantastic in going the extra mile to cover similar events since the start of the academic year, while another member of the team, Chloe Jesse, will see her name on the front page story for the very first time. I am incredibly proud of our Union and of all of our writers who continue to fight on behalf of all students.

This week there really is a focus on the protests relating to the rent hikes. We have an interview with Comms Officer, David Condon, and further details of the new SU constitution that they hope to pass via referendum. We have more brilliant articles in our features section from Roisin and Molly.

Next week, we go again.

As always happy reading.

Take care, Ciaran.

editor@uccexpress.ie

See You On The Picket Line

Writes Samantha Calthrop, News Editor First things first: Remember how two editorials ago I wrote about how I thought Coronavirus was probably not that big a deal? No? Yep, me neither. (If you see me in the New Bar, I’ll buy you a pint if you don’t bring it up.)

Anyway, fears of an impending global pandemic aside, I am going to use this editorial to tell you what you’ll be hearing constantly for the next week: the SU is important. It’s election time, and that means peak skepticism, annoyance, and frantically avoiding eye contact as one of the Ents candidates’ mate chases you with a box of lollipops. There is no other time in the year where the SU’s imperfections, failures and flaws are so on show. With that said, when you’re trying desperately to cross the front of the library and feeling like the word engagement has lost all meaning, remember something for me: the SU camping out on the quad trying to bring down rent.

Because that is why we have a union. Yes, the Union sit on endless committees and hold a lot of enigmatic meetings and have a poor track record with publishing their accounts, but without them? This 19% rent increase would have no formal, public body to speak out against it. The mainstream media are paying vague attention to the issue, but the frontline protestors and critics are the USI and their associates; the current protest, petition and letter would mean so much less without an organisation behind it.

The Student Union represents students, yes, and it lobbies on mandates issues, true, but here’s the key thing we need to remember from these protests: the union is also there to protect us, because quite a lot of us are young, unprofessional and poor. Because there’s not a lot between us, exploitation and poverty, and too often that goes over our heads.

The government’s up in arms, change is the key buzzword this election, and we’re all heading towards an uncertain future that probably doesn’t involve owning a house. We’re walking a fine line, and it’s too easy not to take the cuts and charges seriously when we’re not feeling affected. If you’re lucky enough not to feel the pinch of those rent increases, someone is. Stick together and stand up for them. See you on the picket line.

Samantha

news@uccexpress.ie #uccexpress

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

News

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UCCSU Lead National Campaign Against Rent Increases Writes Samantha Calthrop, News Editor

Photo Credit: Caoimhe Leahy, University Express Photographer

In protest against the announced 3% raise in rent on student accommodation, UCCSU have pledged to camp on the university quad until the rent increase is reversed.

Joining them are a number of students, with approximately 80 overall having set up to sleep in a rotating schedule. The SU and the students have seen support from UCC staff, with 500 staff members adding their names to an open letter addressed to UCC President Patrick O’Shea, calling on him to meet the demands of the SU and of the students. A petition by UCC students has also reached over 2,300 signatures.

The protests have drawn considerable attention on account of the students’ determination in the face of adverse weather conditions, with strong winds and low temperatures on several days. In addition to the active protesting, a large number of students, many of whom are in exam weeks, have been voluntarily bringing supplies and supporting the cause throughout the cold nights.

“The increase is not something we can support in any capacity,” said UCCSU Communications we Officer David Condon, speaking to the Express. “We are members of the board of directors who have engaged for the last three years, trying to proactively encourages them not to increase rents. Those planning negotiations have never been particularly fruitful. We’re hoping that this more radical option will lead to more radical change.

We will be pledged to remain here until the board of directors that oversees the campus accommodation reverses the decision.”

“The five campus accommodation blocks are overseen by a board of directors, and the students’ Union sabbatical team are members of that board of directors.

But what tends to happen is that that membership is used against us in a great capacity, because that means that when an increase comes in, UCC can release a media statement saying it was done in consultation with the student’s union. The reality is that, for the last few years, our voices have not been heard at all… [During both previous increases], the students’ Union have not been supportive of that drastic of an increase. We have always been supportive of the fact that on-campus accommodation needs to break even and be self-sufficient, but a 19% increase over three years doesn’t line up with any kind of expenditure sheet that we’ve seen.”

UCCSU joins other student unions across the country in protest action, where most universities have seen similar increases to UCC’s cumulative 19% over the last three years. In addition to the petition launched by the UCCSU, petitions have also been launched

by TCD and NUIG’s unions.

The USI is actively supporting the on-going protest action by its member unions. USI President Lorna Fitzpatrick and USI Deputy President Michelle By-

rne are due to meet Deputy Eoin Ó’Broin from Sinn Féin tomorrow about the issue. A meeting has also been scheduled with Jim Miley, the Director General of the Irish Universities Association (IUA) for next week.

In addition, USI’s elected Campaigns Strategy Committee are also convening next week and will determine plan of action to take.

“Students have been struggling for a long-time, but these increases are absolutely a step too far. We think universities need to care more about their students’ welfare and less about making profits from students simply looking for somewhere to live,” said Lorna Fitzpatrick, “We are not letting up on this and completely support the action being taking by students and we will continue to back them until the increases are reversed and rents are frozen. Members in UCC have been sleeping out since Tuesday, NUIG from today, and they will be until these decisions are re-

versed, which really shows that students cannot take anymore.”

The recent action is part of the USI’s ongoing ‘Break the Barriers’ campaign, where the USI highlights the barriers faced by students and their families when accessing study in third-level education. Lorna Fitzpatrick says, “These announcements fly in the face of the reality faced by students across the country. Students are being put in debt every month of the year in order to pay for their education, and for anyone living away from home, rent is their highest outgoing.

“Unfortunately, it seems universities seem to care more about their profit margins than their students and that is just not acceptable.”

You can sign UCCSU’s petition against the rent increase here: https://www.change. org/p/university-college-corkucc-freeze-the-rent-reversethe-3?recruiter=50640811.

In This Issue....

Features Being a Female Student in Tech Page 8 Food & Health Mystifying Menus and Perplexing Plates Page 18 Music The Creation of a Safe Haven in the form of Charity Gigs Page 22 Gaming Environmentalism in Video Games & Esports Page 30

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News

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

An Interview with David Condon: Campaigns, Changes and the Year Gone By Writes Samantha Calthrop, News Editor

Photo Credit: Caoimhe Leahy, University Express Photographer

With the UCCSU Elections fast approaching, feelings on the SU— their victories, their imperfections, and hopes for the next year— are running high.

With that in mind, the Express decided to sit down with David Condon, outgoing Communications & Commercial Officer for the UCCSU, and talk about the elections and the year gone by.

It’s been a year since you ran for election. For the sake of everyone that’s currently campaigning for the 2020/2021 elections, what would you tell yourself about campaigning if you could go and speak to yourself a year ago?

I would say that it’s an incredible privilege to be elected to represent 22,000 students. Every day we’re humbled, myself and the other sabbatical officers, and the other members of the executive too. It is quite an experience, it’s one like none other.

Really, the day-to-day changes in your job as you account for different circumstances...One day you’ll be working with De-

liveroo and businesses like that, one day you’ll be organising RAG week, the next thing you might be camping out in the quad. The diversity of your workflow really is incomparable to any other job you can do. It’s stressful, it can suck, but every day is really worthwhile. It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity. What I would go back and say to myself, and what advice would I offer to other candidates? You always have to remain humbled to the fact that you won’t know the answers to every question. What you have to do when you approach a job like that is keep an open mind towards finding the best solution, and representing students there.

With regard to the year gone by, how do you feel about your decision to run? Do you regret it, are you glad? Do you feel this changed you?

I never, ever, for a moment regret getting elected and getting the opportunity to represent students that way. As I said before, it’s an absolute privilege to know that a large number of students wanted me to represent them. As for this year… between nearly taking the college to the high court over the illegal capitation fee increases, the Entertainments Officer Sophie O’Sullivan having a successful Fresher’s Week and RAG week...

When you finish college, you’ll always remembers your Student’s Union, the one that guided in first

year and offered you a unique experience. It’s such an incredible experience to be on the other side of that, to offer that to first-years, to be their Student’s Union and help them enter university as smoothly as possible— which can be an incredibly stressful time, socially, emotionally and financially, in certain circumstances. I always see the Students’ Union as here to help with that transition, and through all the turbulence that can happen through university. To be on the other end of that is really amazing, and I would never regret being a part of that.

There’s often the raised is-

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express sues of too many freebies on campus and people going over their campaign budget, and unrealistic election promises. With regards to candidates “buying” votes, how would you address criticism against the election system?

With regard to election budgets, that’s not something the Union oversees— that’s overseen by the returning officer.

We’re really kind of detached from that whole process. I do have full confidence in our administrators in their ability to oversee that, and after all, all receipts are delivered up afterwards. There is a robust sanction system in place for anyone that is caught overspending.

We do try to enforce them, but yes, that’s not something we’re particular privy to as sabbatical officers— with good reason, as we tend to know people running. In terms of candidates coming out and over-promising with arguments that are unachievable, do talk to the previous officer— or even other officers, because SU officers are hard to get rid of at UCC! I’m personally a big believer in fresh faces and optimism. What can often happen in people who get been in the SU for too long is that they think in a certain way, and see certain things as, “Oh, you can’t do that”, “That’ll never get done”. I have respect for new ideas, even if they are big ideas and would be definitely difficult to accomplish...

That’s the right kind of thinking to have. I’d rather have that than a lot of cynical candidates.

Your platform when you were running was very much one of reform— you had new ideas and you wanted to change up how things were done. Have your feelings changed on that? Do you feel you’ve done a good job, or do you feel your perceptions of the SU have changed since then?

I was happy enough with the platform I ran on. I did very much run as an “outsider candidate”. My perspective on the Students’ Union was that it was very good at engaging with people who wanted to engage

with it, but the question was, how well did they engage with people who don’t want to engage with it?

Due to personal reasons I wasn’t particularly able to get involved with the Students’ Union or UCC Societies in first year, and in second year I was only barely involved, and in third year I was on erasmus. So my involvement with the SU was relatively limited.

When I ran, I ran as the one who hadn’t been reached. As communications officer, my question was how to reach those individuals like myself. In terms of the breakdown of the views I had, I purposefully ran with a limited manifesto. My perspective was one of the big things I wanted to bring to the Union. Personally, with the work I’ve been involved on, with the capitation fee and rent increase, are not particularly within the remit of a Commercial and Communications Officer specifically, I like to think to manage to fulfil that position and represent students well in that regard.

As I said before, I personally like the idea of outsider candidates. I do think outside candidates bring outside ideas, new ideas, whereas candidates who have been heavily involved before have a certain perspective. But I also appreciate that you’ve got a six-person sabbatical team and a larger ten-person executive, and you need a diversity of opinions. Our exec is definitely one of that, perhaps the most diverse. Fully gender balanced amongst the ten, I believe, and definitely amongst the six. We’ve had students who have been heavily involved with societies, students who’ve been on the SU before, students who’ve had very limited involvement…

That mixing is really good. The Students’ Union is not a dictatorship in any capacity, not at all.

Could you very briefly outline the major changes you’ll be introducing in the new constitution?

In terms of sabbatical positions, we’ve combined the Communications part of my job with the Campaigns role of the Deputy President and Campaigns Officer.

That is now becoming the Communications and Engagement role, where engagement is both civic engagement but also reaching out for community engagement. It’s the broader concept of

News campaigns, because campaigns is current quite a small concept and we wanted to give it a larger remit. in terms of the Commercial and Fundraising role, we hope that’ll tie in nicely with the Entertainments officer’s role, to allow greater fundraising for charities like during RAG week but also to ensure that fundraising for the Union is kept up. Speaking from experience, the Commercial role is often a backseat role, and not one that people are aware of. The money we do generate, we’re hoping to use to make events more sustainable for ourselves. So those are the two big changes; we’ve also added more detail to all sabbatical officers’ roles, which I hope will allow for much greater accountability. I think accountability is something people always worry about with the Students’ Union— are they doing their job? What are they supposed to be doing? The current constitution we’re operating under has maybe three for four lines for each position, including the president, which is a huge job. Our new constitution sets out for a larger job spec, which will be able to supply accountability much better, as students will know exactly what officers are supposed to be doing. We’ve also added the environmental officer to the exec, which we didn’t have before. We’ve added what we call campaign representatives, which we didn’t have before, of three members— The Equality and Diversity Representative, the Irish Language and Culture Representative, and the Environmental and Sustainability Representative.

And I understand that you were involved in that process quite heavily.

It was something myself and Ben wanted to get the ball moving on in the first semester. We reached out to lawyers about it, and as for myself, I was responsible for guiding the process along on our end, which involved putting together a Constitutional Review Group and gathering up constitutions that we would be reviewing. There are several constitutions from across Ireland, from the UK, and even from the USA. A few of them were chosen in terms of how they excel in different areas; some of excel them in terms of fundraising, some of them in terms of welfare

5 services they’ve had, some of them excel commercially… We broke that down. My job was to gather those, supply them to the chair of the Constitutional Review Group, who then give them to other members. After that, I would gather the ideas that people had gotten from reading the constitutions, which I collated into a document. After that, I had a part in the brainstorming process over the first draft, after which I coordinated with the lawyers to make sure we had our version reviewed by professionals and by the SU’s legal team. So, I was the contact point with regard to small changes. It’s a brilliant constitution, and we’re really thrilled to have gotten it through. We would’ve loved to have a little more time to talk to students about it— we never wanted it to feel rushed, that’s why we did set up a review group. We wanted it to feel democratic, but we were also aware of the time pressures to get this done. Taking all that into consideration, it’s a really great document. It’s four or five times the size of the current constitution, which is over ten years old and incredibly outdated. As Ben put it, we need a change in communication at UCC. And I find that if you have the same sabbatical positions for fifteen-plus years, things can stagnate. What we’ve done with the communications and campaigns officer roles in combining them together and the addition of commercial and fundraising elements, I think it’s going to have a really positive effect.

I’m actually disappointed I won’t be on the exec next year!

It’s going to be an exciting one to be a part of! The next union gets to put it all into practise.

Do have anything to add?

I’d like to make a statement on behalf of the Students’ Union 2019/2020, my exec. I know my exec would like to thank all the students, clubs, and societies we’ve worked with for a fabulous year, it’s been a wonderful experience. From the entire exec, we’d like to thank the student body and wish them luck!

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News

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

Constitution Referendum: What You Need To Know Writes David Condon, UCCSU Communications Officer UCC Students’ Union 2019/20 are thrilled to announce that the UCC Student Body will be presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity this Students’ Union election cycle to improve the quality of student representation in University College Cork as, for the first time in over a decade, students will be voting to accept or reject a brand-new Students’ Union Constitution.

Earlier this year, UCC Students’ Union formed a Constitutional Review Group, in collaboration with the Student Council and with the Union’s Legal Representatives. The Constitutional Review Group was tasked with reviewing the Union’s current Constitution and the constitutions of several other national and international Students’ Union each of whom have excelled in particular areas. After a number of sessions, the Constitutional Review Group proposed a new Students’ Union Constitution to the Students’ Union Executive. After a review of the Constitutional Review Groups proposed Constitution, the Students’ Union Executive have decided to run a Constitutional Referendum.

With the Communications role taken from the current Commercial & Communications Officer position, the new Constitution evolves and expands the Commercial Officer position to focus on developing, managing and promoting a diverse range of commercial and fundraising activities to support the Union’s income generation and maximise the Union’s annual charitable contributions.

tive and an International Student Representative on the Executive.

of current and past sabbatical officers, the Review Group proposed that the 12-Month 5.

Greater Accountability Term for the Executive should This proposed Constitution would be changed from July 1st- June see far greater information and 31st to June 1st-May 31st to endetails provided on the nature, sure greater preparation time remit and roles of all the Execu- for new Students’ Union Exective positions and Class Repre- utives over the summer period. sentative positions. With greater The Changes constitutionalised job specifications, the Review Group hoped to President Ben Dunlea on 1. The Communications & ensure greater accountability of the Proposed Constitution; Engagement Officer 3.

Environmental & all elected representatives, as ‘Over the last number of years, The new Constitution would Sustainability Representative students will clearly be capable many motions have been see the amalgamation of the current Campaign Officer role A new addition to the Students’ of identify when the purpose of brought to Student Council with the Communications Of- Union Executive proposed in a role is or is not being fulfilled. to mandate the Union to prepare a new constitution for ficer role into the Communi- this Constitution is the creation cations & Engagement Officer of a new Part-time Environmen- 6.Guarantee Regular USI Affilia- referendum. This has proved tion Referenda to be a difficult task but it is position. This Sabbatical Of- tal & Sustainability Representative who will work closely with The Review Group determined something we made a top prificer will generally be responsible for the management of the rest of the Executive on all that offering students a regular ority of ours when beginning the Union’s communication campaigns related to environ- opportunity to vote on their mem- our term in office. In creating and facilitating student civ- mental and sustainability issues. bership to the Union of Students in a new Constitution the review Ireland was crucial and under the group set out to create a docic engagement in social, local, national and international is- 4. Mature Student & Internation- proposed Constitution, UCCSU ument that better reflected al Student Representative are obligated to run a USI affilia- the way in which the Students’ sues by organising demonstraIn order to guarantee better reption referendum every 24 months. Union, and the priorities of tions, events, and campaigns. resentations for a wider variety of students, have evolved since students in UCC, the Review Group 7.

Change in the Sabbatithe enactment of our current 2.

The Commercial & proposed the addition of an electcal Officers 12-Month Term constitution over a decade ago.’

Fundraising Officer ed Mature Student Representa- After submissions from a number

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

News

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The Covid-19 Update Writes Luke Watson Worry has been setting in across the globe as the coronavirus Covid-19 spreads, with emerging outbreaks in Italy making a pan-European outbreak increasingly likely.

With the number of cases in the UK coming in at least 20, and with one confirmed case in Northern Ireland, fear of an Irish outbreak is also rising.

Hand sanitiser, face masks, and antibacterial soap are all dwindling in supply across Ireland as concerned citizens prepare for an Irish outbreak, which is predicted to be likely.

urally, have taken the hardest hit, as holidays and events have been cancelled en masse across Europe.

Covid-19 has a mortality rate of about 2%, usually affecting older people and those with respiratory issues or compromised immune systems. It is often mild or asymptomatic in healthy adults. Evidence so far demonstrates that for 80% of people with the virus, symptoms are mild. Nobody under 20 has died from the virus so far and deaths have generally occurred in the elderly or those with underlying health conditions.

Less than 0.5% of people under 50 have died from the virus.

relevant authorities as required.” Health Simon Harris has said that disinformation is one of Northern Ireland’s Public Health the greatest challenges in beatAuthority (PHA) have confirmed ing Coronavirus. Speaking at a that members of the public trav- media event at Dublin airport The Department of Health have elling on the route from Dublin to provide an update for travannounced that they do not to Belfast do not need to be con- ellers and the public after the suspect that there are any un- The case of Covid-19 in Belfast cerned. Dr Jillian Johnston, con- first case of the virus on the identified cases in Ireland. Un- further increased fears of an out- sultant in health protection at island was identified in Belsubstantiated rumours of hos- break on the island, especially af- the PHA, said: “All stages of the fast on Thursday, Harris said pitals on lockdown and media ter it was reported that the indi- individual’s journey were iden- that “Accurate information is a blackouts have been circulating, vidual travelled through Dublin. tified and those who came into major challenge when our pubAer Lingus confirmed that the closest contact have been traced lic health experts are trying to While the WHO have not de- person travelled on the airline, and contacted with public health convey facts and information to clared Covid-19 a pandemic, travelling from Italy to Belfast via advice and guidance...I would em- keep us safe and to keep us well.” there is a growing certainty that Dublin Airport. In a statement, it phasise that members of the pubit will be. The stock markets was made clear that “Aer Lingus is lic who have travelled between Any persons who have been to have plunged, with the FTSE co-operating fully with the HSE in Dublin and Belfast using public affected areas, or have been in 100 leading index of companies relation to the Covid-19 develop- transport need not be concerned.” contact with an affected person, losing £152 billion last week ments and is liaising with the Deare advised to contact their GP if as shareholders sell off shares. partment of Foreign Affairs, other Regarding the growing fear sur- they begin showing symptoms.

Airlines and travel agents, nat- government departments and the rounding the virus, Minster for

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Features

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

Being a Female Student in Tech Writes Roisin O’Donnell, Features Editor

Several months ago, I wrote a Feature titled ‘Is the Standard for Women in Tech Dropping?’

In the article, I highlighted my experiences with women in tech talks and only touched on what can make or break a ‘woman in tech’: the college experience.

This article will be based solely on my experiences as a Digital Humanities and Information Technology student and the stories of the people I know.

But first things first, I am not a ‘woman in tech.’ I am a person just like thousands of others passionate about her course and entering this ever-evolving field. I am a person who loves and is fascinated by data, visualisation, machine learning and is ready to follow my interests wherever they lead me.

The phrase ‘women in tech’ has followed me before college. In

transition year, I was introduced to the phrase, always mentioned in a positive way and with a smile, at the 2016 iWish conference.

was the base of everything. Secondary school’s take on technology was not much different.

My login for the computers did not work for much of secondary school and when it did the focus Do I appreciate other females in was on what the perfect CV bullet tech? Yes. Power to them. I am point Microsoft Office Specialist. proud to be a woman in my industry. But the phrase is confusing.

There are so many types of wom- I ended up as a person in techen in tech. At that same iWish nology by one correct choice and conference, I thought women in some luck. I chose my tech course tech were unreachable, some- because I liked the look of my thing beyond me: they were sci- computer screen, I liked helping entists. I hadn’t really found my people with their computer probniche in secondary school. Sci- lems and I liked English but did ence, maths and business weren’t not want to study it completely. for me. In the mid-2010s, tech- The tech courses of CIT and UCC nology was not something that entrance requirements seemed crossed my mind. It made sense to speak to my purely arts Leavwith my typical Irish background. ing Cert. So Digital humanities I had grown up going to a Catho- clicked. Surprisingly, its tech side lic primary school where comput- more so than Arts. It served as my ers were used for Microsoft Word gentle introduction to technology. and Paint. God, carrying the one Digital Humanities is not just in maths and the Irish language

about solving problems, it is also about discussing out loud what tech’s implications are on the world and what is out there to play our problem-solving sidekick. Slowly my college education built from WordPress to using programming languages to create my own website and databases. From ‘hello world’ to spending hours on programs that help me gather new knowledge. Right now I have a program that calculates how many words need to be written for this edition of Features based on submissions and what Molly intends on writing.

But it isn’t all roses. I am unbelievably lucky to have a group of female friends in my course but that does not stop the feeling of being an outlier sometimes creeping in. There are two ends of the spectrum of being female

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

and in tech. On one there are people telling you that you are special, and some uncontrollable factor makes you better.

And on the other end people say and encourage you to just stick to Arts or teaching. This is very apparent especially on the computer science side of my course.

in 2020 gender does matter.

Features

along with me. Or when another lecturer claimed that girls can see more colours than men because Without the constant companion- we are fussier. Or when one asked ship of my four female friends in jokingly, ‘Am I a pervert?’ Or that my course dealing with this would great time when a lecturer asked be a lot harder in daily college life. my friend if her boyfriend got Some of the older male profes- her her work placement. Shocksors sometimes make comments. ing written down, I know. But said out loud it feels like just another day in these individuals’ When I go to women in tech This of course does not apply to class. We glare, feel uncomforttalks everything is soft, nur- all of them, some of them are able and get on with things. We turing almost cuddly. Whereas absolute inspirations to me and want to be good at what we do, right now, for example, I am were key in encouraging my in- therefore we continue to absorb planning on going to a program- terest in technology, (i.e. a certain all the course knowledge these ming workshop, but I keep get- bearded character, every tech stu- men have to give us and don’t ting an anxious feeling. It stems dent probably knows who I am address discomfort because we from the thought that I might referring to.) But that does not don’t want to even chance a points be the only woman in a room make up completely for the dis- reduction in our assignments. of 200 guys, that someone will comfort I sometimes feel. At the make a comment and attention start of semester two, a lecturer, for the wrong reason will be jokingly said to the class, ‘I will The lack of female lecturers is drawn on me. I have nothing check the girls’ projects first so apparent but when one comes against men in tech. Keep the they can get home before it gets along, especially in the programmen there just add in some fe- dark’. I can’t imagine how much ming aspect of our course, there male faces into the bunch to let worse my discomfort would have is nothing more encouraging than me know that I am not alone. been if I did not have my group seeing someone who has made it.

As probably archaic as it sounds of friends glaring back at him Someone who knows her stuff, is

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good at it and takes no shit. As small as it may seem to other students it is great to see someone on a daily basis and talk to her. It is living proof that we can be ourselves and not just our gender in tech.

I do not believe in the current climate this cycle in my college life is going to end. Just slapping ‘women in tech’ onto outliers is not going to promote change. We need to focus on considering men and women as not being in two different camps when it comes to tech but just tech people. Courses can be joined, women are interested and the encouragement is there. The only thing that is truly bridging the integration of women into tech is the dividing line of genders.

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Features

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

How Are We Doing Guys?

Writes Molly O’Rourke, Deputy Features Editor Those of you who are in your final year of college, (be it year three or year four), how are you getting on? I am (un)fortunate enough to be included in this group, as I slog through the last six weeks of my degree.

I’ve come a long way since starting university back in 2016, and even more so since starting secondary school as a terrified first year in 2010.

I was curious to see how other ‘98 babies were getting on, so I turned to the Growing Up in Ireland survey to find out.

Growing Up in Ireland is the national longitudinal study of children and youth in Ireland.

It started in 2006 and follows two cohorts of children aged 9 years, (Child Cohort/Cohort ’98), and 9 months, (Infant Cohort/Cohort ’08). Currently, the members of the Child Cohort are around 21 years old. Participants of the Child Cohort were surveyed on an ongoing basis, aged 13, aged 17/18 and most recently at age 20/21. These results have highlighted some interesting phenomena among this age group, some of which make a lot of sense (to me at least).

While it isn’t uncommon to hear complaints being made against Generation Z, overall the report is very positive.

Dorothy Watson, one of the report authors, said that the key findings “paint a generally positive picture of the lives of 20-year-olds and their engagement with the wider world”. Those of us aged between 20 and 21 this year are “transitioning to adulthood in a period of strong economic recovery”, and even though we were born in the middle of a boom, we spent a large portion of our childhood in the depths of economic recession.

and depending on their parents for financial support. Around 8% were experiencing financial strain and having difficulty making ends meet, with a higher figure of 14% among those participants whose families experienced financial strain when they were 17/18 years old. When it comes to what we do, 62% of the group were in further or higher education, 21% in full-time employment and 6% were in training.

Young women were more likely to be in education or training (by 3%) and less likely to be at work.

having a full licence. There were higher rates in rural areas (74%).

When it comes to our physical health, things were less positive.

The majority of respondents reported their general health as being very good or excellent, however overweight and obesity levels increased significantly from the survey at age 17/18 (from 27% to 36%). Obesity rates were higher for female participants (16% for females and 9% for males), which could be linked to lower levels of physical activity in young women. Around 15% Unsurprisingly, access to housing of 20/21-year olds smoked daily, in the future and climate change with a further 23% smoking ocwere the two biggest causes for casionally, while almost all reconcern among 20/21-year olds. spondents (93%) drank alcohol.

Financial and employment security were strong aspirations for In terms of emotional wellbeing, most of the group, 73% rated be- there were some alarming figures. ing financially secure as highly Around one-quarter of particiimportant for the next ten years, pants experienced relatively high and 72% regarding having a good levels of stress and depressive The first section of the re- job as important. Only a small mi- symptoms, which was more comport examines where 20-21- nority (29%) reported being in a mon among females than males year olds live and their role long-term relationship as import- (32% versus 23% with depressive as adults. The majority, (over ant. About 55% of 20/21-year olds symptoms). While most respontwo thirds), of the 5,191 partic- had a driving licence, with 31% dents were positive about their ipants were still living at home

secondary school education, 39% felt that school gave them little or no help in preparing for ‘adult life’, while 45% felt ill-prepared for ‘the world of work’.

The Growing Up in Ireland survey aims to inform Government policy concerning children, young people and families. As someone who is the same age as the ’98 Cohort, I feel slightly relieved and strangely proud of the results from the survey.

For all the complaining older generations do about us, I feel like we’re not doing too badly at all. Studies show that we, as a generation, are less optimistic and naïve about the future (thanks, Boomers), we’re also partaking in less drug taking in our teens, we are more tolerant of others and more likely to think for ourselves and not blindly follow authority figures. So, give yourselves a pat on the back guys, and make sure to check in on each other from time to time, because this can be a stressful time in life, and we need to stick together.

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

Features

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The Rise of Mass Tourism Writes Molly O’Rourke, Deputy Features Editor

“Take only memories, leave Unfortunately, this boom in mass only footprints.” tourism has led to some of the These famous words spoken world’s most iconic attractions

by Chief Seattle, (a Duwamish coming under severe pressure. chief who was an advocate for Governments around the world being responsible towards the have had to take measures to proenvironment and to have re- tect these destinations from furspect of the land rights of his ther harm at the hands of tourists. people), still ring true more While many countries are implethan one hundred years lat- menting protective measures, er. With increased mobility others are still milking their atand salaries, tourism has been tractions for all they’re worth. booming in recent decades and Take Cambodia for example, a has become one of the world’s country famed for its magnificent largest industries. Most of us temples, sandy beaches and imhave a love for travel; a yearn- pressive rural landscapes. Instead ing to discover faraway worlds of fighting to protect and conserve and cultures. While travelling their heritage, the government can open our minds and trans- has allowed voracious tourism form the world, it is not always to endanger the very attractions for the better. In recent times, that bring tourists in. A staggercountries around the world, ing 3.3 million tourists visited the (both large and small), have country in the first half of 2019. been feeling the ill effects of Tourism is seen as a cash cow in mass tourism. Defined as trav- Cambodia, and now the counel by groups on pre-scheduled try’s rich culture is coming under tours, mass tourism also encap- threat. Historic temples are being sulates the huge waves of peo- bulldozed to create space for new ple visiting the same destina- hotels, while development in Antions at the same time. Tourism gkor is putting so much pressure is essentially an economic force on the local infrastructure and yet isn’t treated as one. Little is draining the water table so badly done to combat the impacts of that the temples are sinking. Adtourism on communities, econ- ditionally, the profits from touromies and the environment. ism do not reach ordinary people in Cambodia, who struggle with poverty and fall victim to sexu-

al exploitation and sex tourism. move along, as well as impose While Cambodia can be seen as fines of up to €400 to those the country that’s doing it all who don’t obey the rules. Othwrong, there are numerous exam- er cities are putting strict caps ples of countries implementing and controls on the availabilstrict controls over tourism in a ity of hotel rooms, AirBnB bid to protect their infrastructure. rentals and limiting the numFor many, these controls are put ber of tour buses and cruise in place to prevent further dam- ships allowed at one time. age, while other countries have been forced to shut attractions down completely due to the damage caused by tourism. Famous destinations such as Maya Bay, Amsterdam’s Bloemenmarkt and Komodo Island in Indonesia have all been permanently closed due to irreversible damage. After Leonardo Di Caprio’s 2000 movie ‘The Beach’, visits to the picturesque Maya Bay increased tenfold. Up to 5,000 tourists came by boat each day, up until 2018 when authorities closed the bay indefinitely, in an attempt to conserve what was left of the ecosystem.

Thankfully, all is not lost. Authorities are stepping in before cultural gems are lost completely, and people are again recognising that travel is a privilege. A rise in sustainable tourism in recent years has helped slow down the ill-effects of mass tourism while telling tourists to respect the culture they encounter and the places they visit. Finally, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has created a global sustainable tourism council with a certification program to highlight which places are Other examples in Europe in- genuinely making the effort. clude the Spanish Steps in Rome. Now, if we can all stop chasA popular spot for taking a rest ing that perfect travel selfie, of a group photo, the steps often popular travel destinations can became so crowded you couldn’t remain protected and not be walk up and down. City authori- overrun by swarms of tourists ties have now imposed a ban on all arriving at the same time. sitting on the steps, with police on site to encourage tourists to

Opinion

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Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

The Art of Appreciating Art Writes Elisha Carey, Opinion Editor “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

-Thomas Merton Recently I’ve found myself standing in front of some of the world’s most famous paintings. I’m currently on Erasmus in the Netherlands, which is home to some of the greatest paintings ever painted. Here you’ve got your Vermeers, your Rembrandts and of course your van Gogh’s. It’s an incredibly fortunate position to be in if you’re an art lover like myself. When it comes to the Mona-Lisa-level famous paintings, the ones that have transcended both time and culture, I find my reaction is always one of starstruck awe, like that exact moment in a concert when you realise the artist is actually a real person, or for me, like the time I went to a Jedward album signing in Wilton Shopping Centre when I was in 6th class and nearly fainted with excitement.

Art is exciting. Personally, nothing beats getting to see, in person and for the first time, a painting you’ve studied and admired for a long time. In a way it’s familiar, you’ve seen it so many times before, but this time is just undeniably different. You are stood in front of what the artist once was, and in that moment, you’re somewhat connected to them. During that first moment, I like to imagine the artist arched over their painting, their hands carefully hovering above it, painstakingly applying each brushstroke to the canvas.

For me, and many others, art is just another way for us as humans to connect with each other.

I couldn’t imagine life without it, but I know not everyone feels that way. I believe learning to appreciate art is a worthwhile endeavour, especially when travelling. Observing a country’s art can unlock a lot of its history and culture. In this article, I’m attempting to encourage everyone no matter how disinterested or unknowledgeable, to try art appreciation, even just once. Consuming art doesn’t

have to be hard and boring. It’s not always being in a stuffy old gallery scrutinising portraits of historical figures you’ve never even heard of. Art can be fun and interactive and here’s the cool thing: you don’t even have to know anything about art to begin with to enjoy it!

You just have to give it a chance.

er meaning from that. It’s just...a black square against a white background. In this way, I think it’s a lot easier to start with the older stuff when you’re going about trying to forge an appreciation for art. At least if an artist paints an incredibly life-like pear you can say: “wow that actually does

than you actually are. So, I’m essentially clueless, unable to tell a Giotto from a Caravaggio, but again, that’s the beauty of it. You don’t actually have to know anything to appreciate art-of course you don’t! You have eyes, don’t you? Like with anything, it’s just about figuring out what you’re into. This is likely to be a process of trial and error. When travelling it’s safest to go visit the gallery or art thing that the place is “known” for. For example, if you’re in Paris and head to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, keep an open mind (and open eyes!) Allow things to catch your attention! Once you’ve found something that catches your eye, spend a few minutes with it. Congratulations! You have now consumed art! It’s really that easy. If you’re drawn to a particular type of art, research its artists and put a visit to a gallery housing them on the itinerary for your next trip. You’re now a fully-fledged art enthusiast! Go you!

And don’t confine yourself to galleries and paintings. Art is everywhere. If you’re budget conscious you can soak up street art for free just about anywhere these days.

Right here in Cork, you’ve probably spotted Mad About Cork’s painted ESB electricity boxes, these quirky and colourful pieces are quite hard to miss and many offer the viewer a laugh, like Kevin O’Brien’s piece of Jack Gleeson who plays King Joffrey in Game of Thrones, that reads ‘Cork Born, King’s Landing Bred’.

I can appreciate that art isn’t always the easiest thing to consume. A couple of weekends ago, I went to a modern art festival in Rotterdam with some friends.

It was really cool, and I greatly enjoyed the day, but I reckon the words “I don’t get it” passed through my lips about 1000 times.

It can be hard when you feel like you’re the only person in the room lacking the intellect to appreciate or understand what’s before you. But if someone paints a black square on a canvas, I find it so difficult to derive any deep-

look a lot like a pear, fair play.”

And who am I to be trying to teach art appreciation? A massive fraud that’s who! Apart from taking art history in Leaving Cert, I haven’t so much as touched the topic in any sort of academic setting.

Some of my friends are self-professed art snobs so I’ve had to get to grips with the jargon in order to survive arty conversations.

My go to words are “conceptual”, “abstract” and “thought-provoking” because nobody really knows what they mean, and they make you sound more intelligent

Art tells stories. Some in more obvious ways than others. But all art is intrinsically human and never taking time to appreciate it is doing yourself an injustice. Anything can be art, from paintings and sculpture to poetry and even dance. With street art and performance and many galleries offering free or lower admission prices to students, consuming art has never been more accessible. You have no excuse! So, allow yourself to get lost in the art around you, you never know what you might find...

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

Opinion

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The Perks of Perth Writes Aoife Gleeson Ah Australia, the ‘Land Down Under’. Home of The Great Barrier Reef, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Blue Mountains, Hamilton Island…the list goes on. However, who first thought of the West Coast when I mentioned ‘Australia’? Aha, caught you there didn’t I! The humble region that is Western Australia is often overlooked and even outshone by its more glamourous other half. So, wait until I tell you that the west is just as spectacular.

Dare I say that it might even be better? Anyone who strongly disagrees with this I shall hope to turn you to the other side… the west side. At the pinnacle of the west, besides the actual pinnacles themselves (I shall get to them later for those utterly confused), is the glorious city of Perth.

My first encounter with Perth was a rather cold one. Cold in Australia you say? Well yes! Cold if you had just spent five weeks in the sweltering 33°C heat of Singapore. I can tell you now, arriving at Perth Airport in about 17°C at night was a chilly one.

Thankfully my uncle was at hand with my aunt’s fluffy ski jacket and a warm car. Never before did I imagine that I’d be wearing a woolly jacket in 17°C and still shivering. If I had disembarked straight from Ireland I’d probably be swanning about in a t-shirt and flip-flops, with my aunt and uncle exchanging strange glances!

Ok maybe not the flip-flops I admit, but sure you get my gist.

While dawning the trusty jacket, a well-needed coffee, a belly full of toast and marmalade, and a great deal of sun-cream, (one can still burn in the Australian Winter), it was time that I set off exploring the magnificent city of Perth. And what a treat that was!

Strolling along the promenade of Scarborough beach in the delightful sunshine with alluring azure skies, I thought that this must be the life! The beach itself at Scarborough was an expansive stretch of powdery sands overlooking the pristine Indian

Ocean dotted with adventurous surfers. If the sea didn’t take your fancy, there was a state-ofthe-art outdoor swimming pool directly overlooking the beach.

I had the pleasure of swimming there one day and all I can say is simply wow! Not only was Scarborough an ideal place for surfing and swimming, (as long as you didn’t go too far out to play with the sharks…yikes), but also for long walks along the dazzling beach. One day my aunt and I even ventured as far as Trigg beach, which adjoins to Scarborough beach, in a very wholesome walk. The only thing was, was that we also had to endure a very “wholesome” walk all the way back to their house, and for some reason decided to jog up a small hill too?! Needless to say, we were absolutely poofed afterwards, and that a strong cup of tea was thoroughly needed.

With all of that exertion endured, we had to balance that with some wonderful food of course. From gorgeous little Italian cafés, to wonderful lunches at Fremantle and in “Hamptons” at City Beach, to BBQ breakfasts and delicious home-cooked meals, one could say that I was certainly spoilt on this trip to Perth. One rather strange addition to my palate however was chillies. Now, my uncle grows his own chillies and preserves them in jars for future chilli purposes. This may sound like a relatively normal hobby; however, he then proceeds to eat them straight from the jar as if they were sweets! I attempted to do this since he made it look so easy but without success. In fact, I failed so bad at eating a miniscule bit of chilli, I thought that my mouth would never be the same again! From that moment on I learned to leave the ludicrous chilli business to the ‘Chilli Master’ himself, my uncle. To recover from the chilli trauma, I would definitely recommend a drink at ‘The Sand Bar’ overlooking the sunset at Scarborough beach, or a delicious, refreshing glass of Penfold’s Tempranillo wine.

When I wasn’t relaxing, walking, indulging, or being given a guided tour of all the supermarkets, (shoutout to my relatives), I was exploring Perth and its spectacular surroundings. The Central Business District (CBD) of Perth itself was a sharp contrast to its low-rise coastal suburbs.

Here stood an impressive array of modern, futuristic skyscrapers and beautifully designed bridges, all resting along the banks of the idyllic Swan River. There was even a defunct, historic runway smack bang in the middle of the CBD, now used as a recreational area (as you do). Leaving the CBD behind me, my next venture involved a four-wheeled drive around designated sand dunes north of Perth. All of this exhilaration was of course topped off by a pit stop along a secluded beach, where we tucked into a freshly baked muffin and a nice cup of tea.

Once we were refreshed, we ventured even further North into part of the arid region of Western Australia. Here I was utterly amazed at the colour of the sand. What stood before me was sand that was as white as snow. So white that if you took a photo of it and said that you were skiing in the Alps people would unquestionably believe you. After a wholesome picnic on a splendid beach at the town of Lancelin, we headed off to see The Pinnacles.

See, I told you that I would eventually explain this! Located in the Pinnacles Desert, which is part of Nambung National Park, proudly stood the mighty pinnacles themselves. These are weathered limestone pillars

formed millions of years ago by the compressed and lithified remains of marine shells and bones. There were thousands of them located here on this almost otherworldly landscape, with many lookout points to take in the extent of them all. Amazing!

To end this most exquisite week in Perth, we topped it off by exploring King’s Park and the Botanical Gardens located on the hillside. This magical place offered breath-taking views over the city of Perth and the Swan River. The park and gardens themselves were naturally wonderful, too. It was a mindopening experience to see such an array of flora and fauna unique to Australia. My personal favourites included a beautiful, little plant known as Kangaroo’s Paw and a rather bizarre looking Boab Tree. I’d strongly recommend a quick google of these two unique plants, you will 100% not be disappointed! I can safely say that Perth was one of the best places that I have ever visited.

It offered a unique Australian experience while not straying too far from our own culture in Ireland. With so much to do and see and such an array of fantastic natural facilities located not too far from the doorstep, I would undoubtedly recommend Perth to anyone who may be interested in travelling to Australia. I know that I will definitely go back there sometime. And who knows? Maybe next time I will get to walk around in my t-shirt and flip-flops in the middle of Winter? That will certainly be another perk of Perth for me!

BYLINE Photo Credit: Caoimhe Leahy, University Express Photographer

Editorial

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Issue 10 down, and now it’s only 2 more to go! As my final year of college comes to a close, it’s a very scary time in all honesty. Not sure what is coming next, but touch wood something comes from one of my master’s applications so I can continue my journey as the eternal student.

What to say, oh what to say...? Well from a personal perspective, a huge shout out needs to go out to the Byline Team for cranking out another excellent issue. Food & Health is as informative as always and Gaming and Film & TV are excellent as per. I think Byline is really striking a fantastic balance between a nice tone and while staying informative. Thanks again to everyone for taking an interest in our section! We really appreciate all the support. Feel free to fire me an email if you’d like to help us out, or even if you’re interested in taking one of the editorial positions next year!

This week, we also have the Netsoc AGM, which will see my successor as Chairperson elected. As I write this, I am so glad that as Chair, I don’t have to vote. Each and every candidate for every role is hugely accomplished and deserves to take their place on committee. Overall, I’m sure that no matter what, next year’s Netsoc will continue to go from strength to strength as it has throughout my 3 years in college. Massive shout-out to everyone who attended Netsoc this year, you all made this period of my life absolutely amazing and I’ll forever be grateful for each and every one involved from committee, to the guys who came and stole the pizza at our last event.

This Friday saw my beloved Cork City take their first points of the season, with a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from UCC Student Alec Byrne. City have had a tough start to the season, but it’s great to be back behind the team and this year in front of a camera, reporting for Irish Football Fan TV. I really enjoyed my first entry into YouTube videos and personally think it came out pretty good!

A TD in my home constituency this week was also in the headlines because of tweets she made 8 years ago, making light of the Pope! This is a note to future Cian to make sure he doesn’t end up the same way, delete your tweets or Old dudes will start creeping through them! The conservative mouthpiece that published these was pretty happy with his work, saying that he was glad to utilise a “weapon of the left” at last! Funny how that whole freedom of speech argument only fits in when it suits!

Another edition down and another spiel of my inane ramblings. Cheers again for checking us out!

Contributions and complaints can make their way to John Cian McGrath byline@uccexpress.ie

Gaeilge

Hugh Ó Raghallaigh Mac Gearailt

Mór leis An Mol Scríobhann Hugh Ó Raghallaigh Mac Gearailt,Eagarthóir Gaeilge

Tá An Mol oscailte anois le mí anuas agus is amhlaidh go raibh sé go síor ann! Tagann na sluaite chun am bog mín a chaitheamh i dteannta a chéile i mBrú An Domhain, agus mar a thug ár n-eagarthóir Cian McGrath fé ndeara, is féidir brú an domhain a éalú agus tú ann. Tá Tá ionad nua na gClubanna agus na gCumann ar oscailt ann leis, áis a thugann deis dos na haon mac léinn nasc a chruthú leis na Clubanna agus leis na Cumainn go léir agus ionad dos na heagraíochtaí mac léinn seirbhísí tabhachtacha a sholáthar ó thaobh na foláinne de. Tá neart ghaisce tar éis a bheith buaite ag clubanna spórt an choláiste i mbliana, idir na haon saghas spórt atá againn, agus 55 club ag fáilt tacaíochta ón bhfeidhmeannacht.

Mara bhfuil sibh tar éis ciaradh tríd an Mol, molfainn go mór é a dhéanamh. Tá roinnt mhaith cistin-íní agus áiseanna tae agus caifé comh maith le spásanna compórdacha ina bhféadfadh sibh idir bhúr suaimhneas a cheapadh agus bhúr n-obair cruaidh a dhéanamh in áiteanna idirgníomhacha.

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Árdú cíosa in aghaidh na míosa Scríobhann Hugh Ó Raghallaigh Mac Gearailt,Eagarthóir Gaeilge

Is mór an conspóid atá bainteach leis an margadh cíosa anseo in Éirinn fé láthair, agus ní haon ionadh é. Nochtaíodh le linn na míosa seo chaite go raibh árdú cíosa 3% i ndán dos na daoine atá ina gcónaí i lóistín Ollscoile anseo i gCorcaigh don bhlian seo chugainn. Leannan an fógra sin roinnt Ollscoileanna eile, i nGallaimh agus i mBaile Átha Cliath ag árdú cíosa na mac léinn comh hard agus ba féidir a dhéanamh sna Criosanna Brú Cíosa, 4%. Ó dhearcadh na mac léinn sa tír, tá an cás ag dul in olcas gach aon bliain. I Luimneach agus i Má Nuad, tá árdú 3-3.5% le teacht ar na cíosanna. Cáintear ag Aontas Na Mac Léinn na hOllscoile seo an fógra, de réir ráiteas priosa an Aontais; “Leis an gcinneadh sin, tá borradh 19% tagtha ar chíosanna mac léinn atá ina gcónaí sna chúig bloc atá i seilbh UCC le trí bliain anuas. Claonadh nach féidir leis leanúint ar aghaidh.”

Tá dearcadh ag cuid-mhaith mac léinn go bhfuil caighdeán na n-árasán fíor-íseal ar an margadh fé láthair, agus is fuirist é sin a thuiscint.

Maíonn lucht UCD go gcuirfidh an beart daoine as, agus go mbeidh taisteal níos faide á dhéanamh ag scoláirí díreach chun oilliúnt agus oideachas a fháilt.

An Chóras Soláthar Dhírigh; Cad í agus Conas a mBaineann Sí Liom?

Scríobhann Hugh Ó Raghallaigh Mac Gearailt,Eagarthóir Gaeilge

Cuireadh an chóras i bhfeidhm sa bhliain 2000 chun lucht iarrtha tearmainn a lámhseáil sa tír seo, fénar gcosaint, ar feadh seala sealadach.

Anois, fiche bliain níos déanaí, níl an chóras fé bhláth in aon chor, ach faraor tá sí fé lán tseoil fós fhéin. Tá níos mó ná 5,000 daoine ina gconaí ins na hionaid éagsúla timpeall na tíre, agus tá 2,441 den slua sin tar éis a bheith laistigh ann le dhá bhliain nó níos mó anuas. De réir cosúlachta, níl na coiníallacha ró-oiriúnach ach an oiread. Deirtear go forleathan nach bhfuil príobháideachas, áiseanna cóicearachta nó áiseanna spraoí dos na leanaí le fáilt i bhformhór na n-ionad sholáthar dhírigh. Mar bharr ar an donas, is leanbh fé 18 níos mó ná duine i ngach cúigear atá cónaí orthu ann. Is daoine neamhchiontacha iad, roinnt acu a rugadh in Éirinn, nach bhfuil cearta shaoránaigh acu, nó cearta teifeach. Is beag an mionlach iad, na daoine atá ag maireachtaint ann, agus is mór an náire dhom é nach minic a chloisfeá trácht orthu. Is glaise iad na cnoic i bhfad, ach ní i gconaí féarmhar.

Food and Health

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Mystifying Menus and Perplexing Plates Writes Laura A. Edgerton, Ballymaloe Graduate Menus seem to be getting more and more complex. Each time you venture into a restaurant, you’ll see new ingredients and your options are as follows: google it under the table, ask the waitstaff or order blindly and hope for the best. Whether these new ingredients are the results of plotting hipsters or the globalization of food, this guide should help to demystify your next exotic dining experience.

Artisanal means that what you are consuming isn’t made in factories, instead it’s made in small batches, by small companies and generally made in a process that adheres to traditional methods.

Artisan foods take longer to produce, and cost more, but that added cost supports small producers.

Bubble Tea is a sweet drink (that can vary from slightly to mouth achingly sweet) made with tea, milk, and tapioca pearl bubbles (also called boba) that are made out of cassava.

Charcuterie boards are all over restaurant and wine bar menus and are great for sharing since they offer variety. The word has French origins: “flesh” (chair) and “cooked” (cuit), and the orig-

popularity as Middle Eastern dishes have become more common in Ireland. It’s made from the dried berries from a wild sumac flower and is a little sour and acidic like lemon juice.

Tahini is an oily paste made up of roasted, ground and hulled sesame seeds and is a mandatory ingredient in traditional hummus.

inal meaning remains, as charcuterie refers to prepared and preserved meats like salami, ham, prosciutto and dried sausage.

Harissa is a spicy red chili paste used in both North African and Middle Eastern cuisines and can be used as a dip or spread.

Crudo is an Italian term for raw and could apply to a dish composed of raw beef, fish or vegetables. Crudo dishes are often served lightly dressed or oiled and with a vegetable or seasoning garnish.

Halloumi is popping up on more menus, as Ireland’s cheese producers are cashing in on demand from vegetarians for this high protein, great tasting meat alternative. This cheese is brined, somewhat salty, and is semi-hard and usually cooked (fried or grilled) before eating.

Dauphinois potatoes are a side dish, where spuds are thinly sliced and layered, then topped with cream or milk and baked until fork tender.

Dukkha is an Egyptian mixture of herbs, nuts and spices that is typically used as a dip but can also be sprinkled on top of a dish to finish the plate with extra flavor.

EVOO is the abbreviation for extra virgin olive oil. EVOO is simply made by crushing olives and extracting the juice. This oil offers extra flavor, extra health benefits and is extra useful to have around the kitchen as it can be used as salad dressing or as a cooking oil.

Farm-to-Table means that consumers are getting meat, dairy and produce from the farm directly to their table either at their home or in a restaurant. In essence, the farmer sells directly, with no distributors or supermarket involvement, helping improve speed to market and profit margins for farmers and reducing the (added) carbon footprint from shipping.

Kimchi is a salted and fermented vegetable dish, often used as a condiment that is a staple in the Korean diet. It is made from cabbage, Korean radish, onion, garlic and spices.

Kombucha is a fermented, sweet black or green tea drink.

The fermentation causes this drink to be lightly effervescent.

It is consumed for both taste and health benefits, carrying “good” bacteria to promote gut health.

Labneh is a mild, thick, spreadable fresh cheese made from salted strained yogurt, traditional in Middle Eastern countries.

Gremolata is a bright green condiment that could easy be mistaken for its Italian brother from another mother, pesto.

It is made from parsley, lemon and garlic, which is whizzed up with olive oil and drizzled on steaks, fish, vegetables or pasta.

Sumac is a spice growing in

Tempeh or Tempe is often rectangular and used in lieu of meat (and cooked like meat) by vegetarians due to its high protein content. It originated in Indonesia and is made from fermented soybeans.

Yuzu is a unique Asian citrus fruit that you’ll often see in cocktails and desserts. It has slight leanings towards grapefruit and lime flavors, so if you like citrus flavors there’s a good chance, you’ll be a yuzu fan.

Zaatar is an herbal spice blend used frequently in the Middle East. Despite its exotic sounding name, it consists of herbs that you’re most likely already familiar with, dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, sumac or some combination thereof, mixed with toasted sesame seeds and salt.

Editor: Katie Kelly

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Packing a Protein Punch?

Writes Katie Kelly, Food Editor

We’ve seen protein in all forms at this stage; protein powders, protein shakes, protein bars and protein milks. For many gym-goers, such products have become an addition to their gym bag that are deemed as essential as their towel or runners. But are these all really necessary? And what about the protein we are already getting from our food? Trying to separate what is really needed from clever marketing techniques can be a difficult task at the best of times.

To bring things back to basics, protein is one of three macronutrients that our bodies need, along with carbohydrates and fats. Protein is needed to synthesise muscle in our bodies (hence the association with its consumption after gym sessions), but is also required for the many other functions, such as the synthesis of hair, skin, enzymes, antibodies and neurotransmitters in our bodies. The average protein requirement for Irish adults is 0.75 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight

per day, which is met or exceeded by the majority of people quite easily from a balanced diet.

To put this into context, an adult weighing 60 kilograms would require approximately 45 grams of protein per day. Protein is present in a wide variety of foods at varying concentrations. These amounts add up pretty quickly throughout the day in a balanced diet to meet the requirements of the majority of people.

For example, one small chicken breast contains approximately 30 grams of protein, while an average egg contains approximately 7 grams. Other examples of good sources of protein include meat, dairy, fish, beans, pulses, whole grains, nuts, tofu and lentils.

So, why is there such a demand for protein supplements nowadays? Many consumers are aware that exercise increases energy and protein requirements and that protein is needed for muscle synthesis in response to exercise.

While consuming lots of protein does not automatically build

your muscles for you, having an adequate supply from your diet may help with muscle synthesis, provided that the right exercise is being carried out. In recent times, manufacturers of protein supplements and related products have used this awareness to their advantage in marketing such products towards the general public to take after exercise.

However, what consumers are probably less aware of is that these requirements are only increased to about 1.2-2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for athletes who are regularly participating in extensive strength or endurance training. The increase in requirements caused by exercise for the average Joe Bloggs who is going to the gym every so often would be far smaller than this. So, in most cases, it is unlikely that protein supplements would actually be required.

In addition to this, muscle protein synthesis continues to happen for 24 hours in response to a single session of exercise, and sensitiv-

ity to protein intake is increased during this time. So, the idea that a protein shake needs to be consumed within a few minutes of finishing a training session is not a very accurate one. Something as simple as having a glass of milk, scrambled eggs on toast or some yogurt with granola or fruit when you get home from the gym may be just as effective at meeting your requirements and may save you a lot of money in the long run.

In general, a food-first approach is often the best approach to take when it comes to nutrition. For the vast majority of people, protein requirements can be met through a balanced diet and supplemental protein is only required when this cannot be achieved.

So, before reaching for a protein shake the next time you’re exiting the Mardyke, it might be worth stopping to consider whether it’s really necessary.

Film & T.V.

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Hidden Gems of the RTÉ Player Writes Eoghan Creedon, Film & TV Editor

Despite popular belief, RTÉ is not just a network for people over the age of 65. Sure, RTÉ One’s success is highly reliant on shows like The Late Late Show, Fair City, Nationwide, both the Six One and Nine O’ Clock News and perhaps the most culchie sounding TV show of all time, Ear to the Ground.

In order to move away from their geriatric image, RTÉ Two was significantly pushed as the channel for the youths across the 2010s, with a strong emphasis on comedy. This time period saw the emergence and dominance of some truly hilarious shows such as The Republic of Telly, Hardy Bucks, The Savage Eye and The Fear to name a few. Sadly, just like all good things, these shows have come to an end. But RTÉ’s endeavours into comedy have not come to a complete halt, and no I’m not talking about Mrs. Brown’s Boy’s or The Young Offenders, which are perhaps two of the least funny “comedies” to ever be shown on the network.

The RTÉ Player (yes it still exists) is a hidden goldmine of quality shows just waiting to be unearthed. Two comedy gems worth highlighting are Talking it Out and The Doireann Project.

Talking it Out is a brand-new

show for 2020. It is an improvised and animated panel show discussing the world’s events on the given week. The show has already covered such topics as the Trump Impeachment issues, the Corona Virus, as well as the nation’s recent general elections. It is very similar to The Ricky Gervais show from a few years back, only more topical and more Irish.

The turnover on an episode is even quicker than that of South Park’s 6 days which is quite astounding, and the animation is even cruder which is truly commendable. The show is working on a shoestring budget, so it is easily forgiven.

The show stars the creator Dave Coffey, playing himself, act as the host to a panel show boasting an incredibly diverse cast of characters including a social media influencer, a former pop star turned activist, a tremendously politically incorrect politician and a failed, temperamental, controversial journalist. The characters are played by Sophie Shanley, Peter McGann, Pearl O’Rourke and most notably Kevin McGahern, previously of The Republic of Telly and Hardy Bucks.

The show is completely improvised which is highly commendable, especially when you re-

member that almost everyone is playing a character. It can be very difficult to improvise as yourself, improvising whilst playing a character adds another level of difficulty to the process, but the cast pulls it off with ease.

I cannot recommend Talking it Out enough. Each episode is roughly 9 minutes long. You could easily binge the whole series in a little over an hour. Give it a go, you have nothing to lose.

Let’s make a 180° turn to a completely different style of comedy, The Doireann Project. The show stars RTÉ 2FM presenter and Irish personality Doireann Garrihy (obviously), and that’s pretty much it. This is 99% a one woman show. The Doireann Project is a sketch show, which sees Garrihy perform countless impressions of Irish celebrities, and no one is safe. Think of an Irish celebrity/personality and I guarantee you they’re in the show.

I personally only knew Garrihy as a radio presenter before watching the show. Her ability to impersonate countless of celebrities is genuinely astonishing. Honestly, give this woman an Oscar, her range is phenomenal. Fuck Renée Zellweger in Judy, the award for Best Actress should have gone to

Doireann Garrihy as literally everyone in The Doireann Project.

While sketch comedy isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and some sketches are hit or miss, that’s largely down to your own personal knowledge of the celebrity that’s having the piss taken out of them. If you’re not too familiar with some of the celebrities Garrihy is impersonating, it won’t be long until someone you know pops back up again.

Similar to Talking it Out, an episode of The Doireann Project is only roughly 12 minutes long. So sit down and give it a try. If you don’t find the comedy funny, you at least have to commend Garrihy on her impressions. The fact that she does almost everything herself has gone criminally under the radar and simply deserves more attention and admiration.

So there we have it, 2 hidden gems of the RTÉ Player. If you weren’t aware that the Player is still a thing, head onto it. Its free to use and there’s so many more great shows on it that frankly deserve more viewers. Yes, I realise I sound like a member of the RTÉ Marketing Team. No, I am not working for them. Yes, I will accept a job from you RTÉ, please get in touch. I graduate soon and need a job.

Editor: Eoghan Creedon

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I’ll Be There For You… As Long As You Pay Me: The Friends Reunion Writes Eoghan Creedon, Film & TV Editor

Friends is back!!!!!!!!

Not really.

Series star Matthew Perry who played Chandler Bing on the show for 10 seasons single handily broke the internet on the 21st of February by posting an image of the cast to his Instagram account with a simple twoword caption “It’s Happening”.

Fans across the globe went into melt down, filled to the brim with glee and excitement at the thought of a Friends reunion episode after the show aired its final episode in 2004. However, this won’t be a typical episode of the biggest sitcom of all time.

Sadly, we won’t see Monica and Chandler return to Manhattan with their now grown up twins, we won’t see what Ross and Rachel have gotten up to in the last 16 years. Maybe they took another break? We’ll never know.

What this reunion actually entails is the main cast reuniting with series creators Martha Kauffman and David Crane to essentially reminisce about the show. Again.

These reunion shows happen constantly. They might not always contain every cast member, but

they’re pretty regular. Just watch any interview with any one of the 6 friends since the show has ended and I guarantee you that no matter what show or movie they are trying to plug, the interviewer will always, without fail, bring up Friends in some shape or form.

The cast must be utterly sick of talking about the show by now you would think. However, they are allegedly each to earn $2.5 million for the reunion, so I think they’ll suck it up for one more night.

Friends ended in 2004. That’s 16 years ago, which is a very strange time to have a reunion don’t you think? Why now? Why 16 years later? Why not 10 years after it ended? Why not 25 years after the show began? All very valid questions, but there is one simple answer. HBO. HBO recently purchased the streaming rights of Friends for a reported $425 million, which is nearly $300 million more than what Netflix had been paying to have the exclusive rights to stream the show.

HBO are using Friends as an enticement for viewers to their new streaming service HBO Max, which is set to launch around the same time as the Friends reunion.

The reunion episode is the perfect

launch for Friends on HBO Max and the perfect launch for the streaming service itself. Friends is still one of the most profitable shows each year despite not airing a new episode since 2004. The show still earns a reported $1 billion a year, with each of the 6 lead actors making around $20 million a year each.

This is of course on top of their $1 million an episode they were earning in the show’s later seasons. It is truly staggering just how successful this show was, is and will continue to be for the near future. We have never seen a show so successful and probably never will again.

While I personally don’t particularly care about the upcoming reunion episode because its been done to death already, I am quite glad that it is not a full-on scripted episode. For years it has been speculated ‘would a Friends reunion work?’, I personally don’t think it would. There’s a certain magic involved in a successful franchise, one which can’t be pinpointed.

So, to test faith and risk the magic by reuniting the cast for a once off episode is pointless. Its not like they any of them need the money.

A great example of needless re-

unions is the recent Netflix movie El Camino, which is a follow-on movie to Breaking Bad. El Camino follows the struggles of Jesse Pinkman after the show’s conclusion. Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest shows of all time. In the years after the show’s conclusion, fans had been speculating what had happened to Jesse. They wondered would we ever get a definitive answer. We did, and it was fine. Not spectacular, not dogshit, just fine. Instead of fans losing their minds at the reality of more Breaking Bad, they simply watched El Camino and forgot about it. That’s not a knock on the quality of the movie as it is a great movie which sees a lot of the original cast return. It’s just that sometimes things are best left untouched. The magic lied in the show and the viewers’ minds. Just like with Friends.

Don’t take that magic away from us by giving us more. We say we want it, but really, we don’t. A full-on Friends reunion would ruin the magic of the original show. Its best to leave people wanting more than overstaying your welcome have them wishing you would just go away.

Music

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Music as Sanctuary; The Creation of a Safe Haven in the form of Charity Gigs Writes Fiona O’ Connell , Music Editor

A charity or benefit concert is not a new nor revolutionary idea.

Gigs of this sort have been happening for decades with the aim of fundraising for a charitable cause, often at the height of a humanitarian crisis. Musicians have been getting involved and offering their services to these causes unreservedly, often performing for free for a greater cause. The scale of these types of events differs greatly from venue to venue, cause to cause, and of course, to the organisers of the gig and the type of budget at their disposal for the event. As a nation we have never shied away from offering services or funds to those less fortunate, with countless charitable musical events taking

place all over the country every year. At a more local level, Cork city as the cultural, artistic hub that it is, continually lends its support to those in need in the form of generous and talented musicians offering their services to create a shared musical experience, a form of sanctuary if you will, in the hopes of raising profits and awareness for those in need.

The coupling of music and charity and/or philanthropy, has been occurring for centuries. Continually cited as a shining example (and for good reason) is the infamous 1985 Live Aid concert, organised and curated by Ireland’s own Bob Geldof. Taking place in Wembley stadium with a stellar, jam-

packed lineup, the concert raised a whopping £30 million for the starving in Africa through global phone-in donations as well as ticket sales. It is worth noting that Live Aid was broadcast globally on television and radio allowing for those unable to be physically present, to still feel part of something special, heightened by the fact viewers and listeners could call in to pledge their donations to the cause. This type of benefit concert has one clear purpose mass communication. Musicians alongside organisers of this type of concert can communicate their message efficiently to a wide audience through the use of quality entertainment, showcasing the power of music in speaking

to and inspiring the masses. Unknowingly to Bob, with this concert he stylized the format for traditional modern-day charity gigs with the running of this largescale, landmark musical event.

Modern day examples of similar benefit concerts include Geldof’s 2005 Live 8 in an attempt to urge governments to tackle poverty in third world countries, 12-12-12; The Concert for Sandy Relief with proceeds going to Hurricane Sandy victims and Ariana Grande’s 2017 One Love Manchester in aid of terrorist attack victims.

The scale of the events in question can differ drastically in terms of location and the amenities in question; acts, venue, promotion-

Editor: Fiona O’ Connell al resources, and most importantly, audience. One of the biggest annual charity gigs in this country is the RTE 2FM Christmas Charity Ball in aid of the ISPCC. Taking place in the 3Arena, the ball pulls in some of the biggest names in the Irish industry every year including the likes of Picture This, Hozier, and Kodaline. To date the ball has raised a whopping €3 million for the ISPCC since 2015.

This annual event is of course, one of the most efficiently organised and heavily promoted charity gigs in the country; its name precedes the actual event, creating a hype many other gigs of this type could only dream of generating.

In comparison to smaller charity gigs, with just as much heart and desire to do good, it is near impossible to reach a similar level of profits, secure acts of similar calibre and status, or gain as much media attention as the likes of the Christmas Ball. Matters of scale are inevitable and unavoidable when budgets and available resources come into play. However it is important to remind ourselves that any attempt to use music and its communicative abilities for a greater good is worthwhile and something to be commended, regardless of attendance and proceed figures.

It is worth noting that efficient marketing and publicity can make or break this sort of event. When the success directly depends on proceeds and the amount of money made as well as awareness created around a certain cause or topic, effective promotion of the event at hand is nothing short of essential. While the issue of money arises in attempting to secure good advertisements in print media, on TV, and on the radio, it is vital that we do not underestimate the power of social media as a marketing tool. And not just in the promotion in the lead up to the event. Social media has given the individual this strange and wonderful tool to publicize our daily lives to the masses, to emphasise the importance of our own voices and our own lived experiences by broadcasting them to our literal followers. I won’t mansplain the concept of social media to you any further but I do think it is vital to highlight the significance of it as a tool, particularly in this type of

instance where its power to do good may be overlooked. One of the biggest draws and reasons to go to live music events in the first place is this idea of a shared experience which a gig is; this magical, otherworldly space where a performer can connect and communicate with an audience, delivering a performance which can transcend anything they can attempt to articulate in words alone. This is often the draw in actually purchasing a ticket in the hopes of witnessing something spectacular, while the publication and broadcasting of the event on social media allows for those not present to feel a twinge of jealousy. Social media can also allow for the significance of scale to be overridden. When publicised on the stories of certain social circles it can feel like absolutely everyone and their dog is at an event as their personalised broadcasts on Instagram and Snapchat fill their followers with envy and perhaps even the dreaded FOMO. One of the most recent examples of local charity gigs took place a few weeks ago in The Roundy, headlined by Cork-based, ambient trap-pop band Happyalone. The boys curated a lineup jam-packed of emerging Irish talent for the evening - Dublin-based rap duo ROGAN + OMEGA opened the show, shortly followed by Corkbased indie singer-songwriter Etain, and the eccentric trio The Love Buzz before headliners Happyalone took to the stage of the cosy Plugd. In aid of Pieta House, a charity that aims to help those in mental distress with suicidal thoughts and/or those engaging in self-harm, the gig attracted a passionate reaction both from those playing as well as from the audience. With the ever-increasing focus on mental health and issues surrounding the topic, the organising of a fundraising gig for the charity on behalf of three young men in their twenties; the category of people in Ireland with the highest suicide rate, is massively commendable. The publicizing of the gig in the run up was relatively minimal as it appeared to be organised on a whim, with acts not being announced until a few days before the event. However, with the loyal following of the Cork band, an abundance of

talent between all of the featured acts, and a cause dear to many people’s hearts; the gig was still a huge success. The Roundy provided a perfect venue for the gig, as the performances felt equally intimate; with the soft, harrowing sounds of Etain’s deeply personal and poetic songs, whilst also providing the perfect space in which to completely let go and dance like nobody’s watching to the sounds of The Love Buzz. Something I found entirely captivating and an element of charity gigs I had never picked up on was the artists’ on stage reaction to, as well as their engagement with, the charitable cause of the evening. Rogan and Omega expressed their gratitude for being able to play at such an event on multiple occasions as well as both taking turns to share their own struggles and issues with mental health in the past, performing two songs evidently inspired by such troubles. Etain and Happyalone expressed similar sentiments of gratitude towards both Plugd for providing a venue for the event and the audience for showing their support for such a worthy cause. The Love Buzz took an entirely different but equally commendable approach to the sensitive topic at hand by encouraging the audience to lose themselves in dance by truly letting go when things get difficult. A highlight of the evening, the band provided an charged, cathartic musical experience which fully captures the power of music to express that which with words we sometimes cannot. The presence of social media and those opting to broadcast their experience of the night on their stories also struck me more so than usual. I felt the impact of the ‘you had to be there’ idea during the performance and I think that is why gigs of all kinds but particularly charitable gigs in aid of these entirely worthy causes that often struggle to reach those in need due to lack of funding, are so important but also why they work. To feel the full effect of these performances, you need to be there, live, standing in front of these astonishing musicians, witnessing their talent and passion, losing yourself in the moment, and feeling a part of something. Because if music can’t do that then what can?

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Gig of the Month Charitable Edition ‘Music for Sanctuary’ Writes Fiona O’ Connell , Music Editor Feeling inspired to give back to the greater good? Look no further than this charity gig in aid of those living in Direct Provision in Cork City. A group of nine BMus students from UCC’s Music Department have organised a gig featuring Citadel, a world music band from Kinsale Road taking place on 22nd March in the Kino. Each of the members of the eight-piece band are currently living in direct provision in the city centre. All funds will go directly to those participating who are currently attempting to fundraise for a new project that will connect refugees and asylum seekers like themselves with jobs.

Tickets will be available through the Facebook event ‘Music for Sanctuary’ at €10 with a discounted rate for students of €5. Bring your friends and family down to the Kino from 8pm on 22nd March for what is set to be an unmissable and collaborative night of energy-fuelled music, all in aid of a terrific cause.

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Photos

#OCCUPYTHEQUAD

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

UCC Students Union protesting the rise of UCC accomodation rents

by Caoimhe Leahy, University Express Photographer

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

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Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

College of Medicine and Health, UCC celebrate Spring Conferrings

By Gerard McCarthy Photography (germac@germac.ie)

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SEXPRESS

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A Review of Miz Cracker’s ‘American Woman’ and a Conversation with Victoria Secret Writes Caoimhe Battault, Sexpress Editor On Tuesday the 18th of February, Miz Cracker brought her show American Woman to Cyprus Avenue, Cork. With host, Irelands own Victoria Secret, the show aimed to emphasise the importance of gay men and drag queens supporting women in a world where feminism is more important than ever. As Miz Cracker pointed out, much of the support for Drag Artists around the world comes from young women, and it’s important that the male community recognise and respect that.

Through hilarious performance of pop song medleys, and beautiful video interviews of important women in Miz Cracker’s life, she created a heart-warming and insightful show without losing any of her brilliant comedic energy!

The show began with a series of photos of women, which had been given to Cracker by her fans from around the world and her own friends and family. This montage of female heroes was a shockingly emotional beginning to the show, not something I has expected from my conversation with Victoria Secret beforehand: “It’s about being a better ally to females,” she commented while doing her make up in the dressing room of Cyprus, “We take for granted that the gays and the girls support each other but then what is their language and how to we talk to each other… yeah you’ll see its really, really interesting to see what she comes out with.” The show continued to be emotional throughout, with Cracker really laying importance on what women have given her all through her life.

Some people may ask “Why should a man be able to produce this show about women?” which, I must admit, I questioned as well. But I believe the Ru Paul’s Drag Race star explained it well.

She constantly reassured the audience that she would not mansplain feminism and at best she is “a man in a dress,” to direct-

the vagina” Miz Cracker then went on to say she wanted to step away from the issue of genitalia: “If you tell me you’re a woman than I believe you.” Highlighting that anyone who wakes up and says “I am a woman” is a woman.

Victoria Secret was a pleasure to talk to, making me feel comfortable and at ease when I was really terribly nervous. We started our chat about queer spaces in Ireland at the moment and the issue with them disappearing.

Victoria believes that this could be the product of a good thing! “I think we are in an era where people feel comfortable not having to find their tribe as much. When I came out I needed to find other gay people… and over time people are just more comfortable in their own skin and don’t necessarily need to find a queer space!”

ly quote. However, she felt that seeing as women raised her, support her and have given her everything she has it was only right to use her platform to create an alliance and community which respects and lifts up women to the same standard as her.

The issue of misogyny within the gay community has been discussed openly in recent years and Miz Cracker highlights the issues

with this in a light-hearted yet insightful way. By using the mistakes Cracker believed she committed in the past, she created a PSA od sorts about what not to do as a drag artist. Discussing common complaints such as make fun of vagina and masking “sassy” as mean, the New York Queen also highlighted the importance of listening to women in the MeToo era and believing them. After preforming a “love song for

She also pointed out the difficulty to running a business in modern day Ireland: “Real estate is so expensive in Ireland right now… so its hard to create a viable business if the people it’s for aren’t supporting it. Not that they aren’t supporting it o purpose… sometimes you just don’t want to go out and that’s fine!...you can see that its becoming more student focused on Tuesday nights and the crowd there I wouldn’t describe it as a queer crowd- but I think its great! Like you can really see that it’s just becoming a bar!”

Many people don’t agree with this, and feel its an invasion of queer space, but Victoria made it clear that she supports this, once its respectful: “I think it’s great!

As long as it’s not an “experience” like we are going on a day out the same way as like going to a zoo” she spoke about how that can be disrespectful “Don’t think hen nights should be the destination of a gay bar unless those hens are regulars of that bar. It kinda feels like you’re just too cheap to hire a stripper, just hire the stripper!”

We then spoke about Ru Paul’s

Editor: Caoimhe battault Drag Race, and how the show can sometimes be given a lot of credit for drag, when drag has been its own form of artistry for years and has been very prominent, in American and Ireland “If your granny is integrated with Shirley Temple Bar on telly bingo every day than I think that says a lot about Ireland and we are… more progressive than we think just because we are old catholic Ireland.” We also chatted about the issue many people have with Drag Race, believing that its trans exclusionary. Victoria spoke about how trans representation is becoming much more prominent, with popular TV shows like POSE but that it still needs to improve: “While Ireland doesn’t have a lot of trans performers, America has loads, and it’s a huge part of their drag history so I would love to seem more on it, I can think of 5 or 6 off the top of my head that would be great. Hopefully they will come around to that… even female identifying performers… sometimes girls might not see it as on option because it’s not on tv but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done in real life! There is a huge amount of UK female performers so yeah id love to see more Irish girls doing it!”

Finishing the interview, we spoke about the critique of Drag which questions its respect for women and femininity, with some people regarding it as an attack on both. “More power to anybody who looks at me and sees a woman,” laughed Victoria, “I’m celebrating femininity and I’m a really feminine boy underneath this too! At the end of the day drag is just clothing and make up, its just a uniform of the job.”

Victoria Secret then went on stage to perform a hilariously energetic array of songs and a strip tease for the history books, before welcoming Miz Cracker to the stage. Victoria’s sentiment of celebrating femininity was clear through out both performances. Chatting with others outside the show, it was clear other audience members felt the same way I did, that it was a refreshing, funny that not only was entertaining but used the platform to spread an important message.

You can see Victoria Secret hosting more Queens at DXP 2020, in Vicar Street Dublin. Tickets on sale here: https://www.ticketmaster.ie/dxp-2020-drag-explosion-tickets/artist/5303008

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Gaming

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Environmentalism in Video Games & Esports Writes Jack Coleman, Gaming Editor

University College Cork is currently celebrating its Earth Week, and there is a multitude of fantastic events being held to celebrate the Earth and the environment. In the spirit of the occasion, this article will be about the topic of environmentalism in video games.

The breaking down of the natural world and rapidly-changing environments is more common than you may realise across the mainstream gaming world. An environmentalist message is rarely core in a game’s plot, but is often present in the background and expressed in a more subtle manner.

Take “Firewatch”, the hugely popular story-driven indie game realised by Campo Santo in 2016.

The game is told from the perspective of Henry, a young husband who takes a lookout job at a Wyoming national park to escape from his domestic problems.

Though the primary plot point of the game is Henry’s growing relationship with Delilah, another lookout, the game also explores

the themes of human interference in nature and the preservation of the natural world. An example of this is when Henry and Delilah have a conversation about the negative effect of humanity on nature after our protagonist finds a campsite covered in litter.

These messages span across all genres, “Dishonored” is an action-adventure stealth game, a complete change from Firewatch. Yet both games weave a form of environmentalism into their worlds, though do so in completely different ways. Dishonored takes place in the industrialised city of Dunwall, a bleak location which is currently suffering from a debilitating rat plague. A player must look between the lines for the environmentalist message in Dishonored, as it isn’t directly discussed throughout the game’s main plot.

The world of Dishonored contains a supernatural element, fueled by a dark parallel world

called the Void. The main energy source utilised in Dunwall is whale oil. Local whalers hunt whales in large numbers to provide fuel to the city. However, in Dishonored, whales exist simultaneously in the physical realm and also in the Void. By hunting large numbers of whales, the fabric of reality is untangling and causing much of the supernatural horror that protagonist Corvo Attano encounters throughout the game. The underlying message is clearly anti-industrialist and in favour of the preservation of nature. It’s a subtle message, but quite powerful when unravelled.

There are several other wellknown titles where a changing environment and climate change play a limited role. In the “Fallout” series, a global nuclear war between the United States and China has caused human society to collapse. This war was sparked by fossil fuel dependency, a global oil shortage forced the two nations to engage in a resource

war which eventually led to both their demises. Or even if we look at a classic like “Super Mario Sunshine” where Isle Delfino becomes polluted and it falls to our iconic moustachioed protagonist to clean up the island with his Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device. It’s not always obvious, but the themes are there.

Of course, not all environmentalism is quite so subtle. Soon after the release of their puzzle-platformer “Never Alone”, the BBC contacted E-Line Media about creating a video game inspired by their popular documentary Blue Planet II. Set for release in April 2020, “Beyond Blue” boasts a strong environmentalist message. In an interview with Verge’s Cian Maher, E-Line founder Michael Angst described the world of Beyond Blue: “When our game begins, some areas of the ocean are under significant pressure and disruption, while others are showing revitalization following increased global action

Editor: Jack coleman to mitigate human impact.” It’s clear that this game will have a more positive outlook on climate change than is often seen: “This cohesive experience is altogether designed to engage players, to challenge them to consider the significance of scientists in a rapidly changing, globally connected world, question what underlies the human drive to explore and discover, and find hope and feel agency amidst a natural environment under real pressure.”

The strategy and city-building genre often puts the powers of preservation and pollution directly in the hands of the player.

The popular city-builder “Cities: Skylines” features several pollution mechanics which threaten to derail the player’s grand plans.

Industrial buildings like incinerators cause ground pollution in their immediate vicinity, if a novice city builder were to place a residential area too close then their inhabitants will become sick from exposure to the pollution.

Sewage produced by buildings will pollute water and will need to

be drained into a body of water, if a pumping station is misplaced then this polluted water may be pumped back into the city’s water supply, wreaking havoc. Features like this make the game a more realistic experience and showcase the perils of urban pollution.

A city builder which deals more directly with the concept of climate change is “Anno: 2070”.

Anno is set in a future where the Arctic ice cap has melted as a result of global warming, raising the global sea level and submerging the majority of the old world beneath the water. The game features two opposing factions, the Eden Initiative which builds environmentally-friendly and sustainable cities (albeit slowly) and the Global Trust which build industrious and rapidly-expanding cities but struggles with pollution and a lack of resources. Anno 2070 takes a very direct look at the effects of climate change on our world and weaves an environmentalist message directly into its faction system.

Judging from the title of the article, you may be wondering how it’s possible to work environmentalism into the esports industry.

Under the guidance of new CEO Tricia Sugita, esports organisation FlyQuest is doing exactly this with their new initiative “TreeQuest”. The concept is simple and it relates to the organisation’s two “League of Legends” teams, their League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) team and their Academy LCS team. During their professional matches, every time a FlyQuest player gets a kill on an opposing player, the organisation will plant a tree. Likewise, each time the team kills an Ocean Drake (in-game neutral monster) ten trees will be planted. Finally, a victory will cause 100 trees to be planted. In just five weeks since the initiative was launched, FlyQuest has planted 2,963 trees.

This initiative has been met with incredible positivity by the League of Legends community, Sugita took a team with unmemorable branding and gave viewers something positive to associate

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the organisation with. FlyQuest is now officially the eco-team, and are finally establishing a proper fandom years after their debut, thanks in no small part to TreeQuest. This initiative also gives players a fun mini-game as they compete to be responsible for the most trees planted, the mid laner of the organisation’s LCS team Tristan “PowerOfEvil” Schrage is personally responsible for bringing 45 more trees into the world.

Seeing the success of FlyQuest’s initiative, it’s likely that more esports teams will look to capitalise on the growing positivity towards environmentalism among fans.

Environmentalism is nothing new in video gaming, it’s message is felt in both obvious and subtle aways right across the gaming industry. However, with climate action growing in popularity and climate change placed so centrally across the media and politics today, it’s likely that we will see more games attempt to explore and educate players on these topics.

Fashion

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Best Fashion Instagram Accounts Writes Katie Burke, Fashion Editor As Grace Coddington, former model and iconic stylist, said in ‘The September Issue’; “Always keep your eyes open. Keep watching. Because whatever you see can inspire you”. As social media has grown it has also become a hive for fashion inspiration from the digitisation of many magazines to your favourite bloggers uploading their #OOTDs. Here are some of the best fashion-based Instagram accounts that can provide inspiration for a variety of styles.

Trinny Woodall @trinnywoodall If you grew up in the early 2000s, then you should be aware of the iconic duo, Trinny and Susannah.

Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine were important features of this era with their iconic makeover shows, books and newspaper columns. Although looking back now, we wouldn’t dare wear some of the looks they recommended (there are some 2000s trends that should never be resurrected), Trinny has managed to follow the times and build a successful following for herself on Instagram. With her own beauty line and daily outfit videos, Trinny is a force to be reckoned with. Armed with a peppy attitude and high street clothing, there is something for everyone on Trinny’s page where she uploads daily outfit videos.

Luke Meagher @hautelemode On his YouTube channel he posts red carpet reviews and critiques of all the major fashion shows, and Luke Meagher’s Instagram, under the above name, isn’t that different. Meagher tends to portray the fashion world as a place of celebrity tittle tattle, not too dissimilar from a celebrity magazine cover, with all of fashions biggest names assuming their own characters. Breaking down the industry with his fashion knowledge and making it understandable for the average person, Haute Le Mode is a page where anyone can indulge with fashion. With memes, style roasts and dancing videos, Luke’s Instagram is ideal for those who love to discuss fashion in the most “fun, sassy, bitchy, analytical” way, as Meagher describes himself.

Eileen Smith @eileenstylequeen This lady should need no introduction to many of you, hopefully. Having only started her Instagram account in recent years, Eileen Smith’s social media following has exploded as a result of her outfit selfies, and she has been featured on television programmes such as The Late Late Show, while fronting Style Councillors alongside fellow influencer Suzanne Jackson. Proving that age is no barrier to looking and feeling fabulous, Eileen is the perfect influencer to follow if you want to see that trends aren’t everything.

Ari Seth Cohen @advancedstyle Another account that proves that age is no barrier to living your best fashionable life. This account started with a blog by photographer and author, Ari Seth Cohen who wanted to capture “the sartorial savvy of the senior set”. Showcasing the best and most exuberant style of those past the middle age bracket, this project has now resulted in books and documentaries.

Susie Lau @susiebubble Susie is one of the Internet’s most veteran bloggers. Starting her site as far back as 2006, Susie has become one of the most renowned bloggers and influential figures in fashion. Through her blog, Style Bubble, and her Instagram account she showcases her own personal style which is really a treat for the eyes. Pairing the most eccentric pieces together, and somehow making them work to look ridiculously cool, Susie is the ideal person to follow if you want some inspiration to just go for it and embrace the crazy side of fashion.

Editor: Katie Burke

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Tulle Little, Tulle Late Writes Katie Burke, Fashion Editor

What Alexis Wore @whatalexiswore This account is dedicated to all the outfits Joan Collins’ character, Alexis, wore on the television show, Dynasty. If 80s glamour is your thing, given that its still a huge trend today, then this is the account for you. From glowing makeup, cinched in waists, amazing colour matching, and the biggest of shoulder pads; this account is a treasure trove for style inspiration.

Before this article goes any further, it should be pointed out that there is nothing wrong with the material of tulle itself, however, now that we’re at the end of awards season yet again it’s safe to say we have tulle fatigue.

Every Outfit on Sex and the City @everyoutfitonsatc Even if you have never watched the iconic late 90s/early 2000s TV show, or the follow up films, you should know that fashion is basically another character in the story. With all four lead characters having distinctly different personalities, and styles to match, this show was a holy grail for fashion lovers as the designs of many high-end designers featured in the show and created iconic looks that endure to this day. Every Outfit on SATC was created by designer Chelsea Fairless and writer Lauren Garroni who aim to document every outfit from the show, regardless of how questionable some might have been. Whether you were a fan of the show or not, this Instagram account is archival gold when it comes to the style of this era.

The multi-talented star has worn the fabric on more than one occasion since, with one look going viral as she teamed a blue Molly Goddard dress with trainers.

All of this is well and good, and it’s fantastic to see the fabric being worn in fresh and exciting ways. The problem lies in the fact that it has become a trend and celebrity stylists have realised that people are constantly looking for that viral moment.

Unfortunately, in simply subscribing to the ‘bigger is better’ trope, the personal style of many red-carpet stars gets lost.

Freddie Smithson @freddiemade Art director and creative, Freddie Smithson, created this account and has used photoshop to give us images such as Queen Elizabeth II (a favourite muse of his) superimposed onto a look worn

by Rihanna, or Meryl Streep in streetwear. With all images adorned with puns relating to who’s in the photo, this account is genius for mixing high end fashion with pop culture and providing a few laughs along the way.

Fashion, and to an extent Instagram’s, love affair with tulle can potentially be traced back to one of the industry’s favourites, Rihanna. Arriving at the Grammy’s in 2015 in an empire waist, pink Giambattista Valli ballgown, a new fashion obsession was born.

Instead, we are now faced red carpet after red carpet with celebrities turning up in ginormous tulle gowns, all vying to go viral on Instagram. Apparently just by wearing the biggest dress you can now earn yourself the title of ‘style icon’, regardless of whether the look is actually bringing anything new or interesting to discussion.

After awhile they all seem to blur into one. Dua Lipa at the 2018 Brit Awards, Ariana Grande in a grey Giambattista Valli at the 2020 Grammy’s; the list goes on. Sure, you’re guaranteed to be heralded as best dressed on everyone’s Instagram story the next morning, but somewhere along the way it can’t help but be felt that originality is being lost in the name of social media virality.

Perhaps tulle needs a break from the red carpet, in the hope that original style can shine through again and stars begin to experiment with other styles more for the fun of it, as opposed to solely wearing a look in the hopes of going viral for supposed ‘originality’ but failing miserably.

Arts & Literature

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Writes Fiona Keeley, Arts & Literature Editor

Many of the topics previously covered in this section require skills in the art of speaking and for many, it is not a skill that comes naturally. Practise is required at every stage of the journey to make it to the bright lights of a theatre or behind a microphone to broadcast your own podcast.

The real question where can you go to practise how to speak and develop your skills and confidence? That is where Toastmasters comes into play. The art of speaking is often one that can be overlooked but even to the most extroverted person out there, Toastmasters has amazing benefits to offer to those who join.

Although Toastmasters at its core is a club that teaches public speaking and leadership skills, each person has their own reasons for joining a club. It provides education as well as personal awareness about your own speech patterns and phrases in a peer to peer review setting. It is not a space for judgement but rather encouragement and fulfilment in your own personal jour-

ney to master speaking to people, be that to one person or a room full of people. In hindsight, joining my own local Toastmasters club was one of the best decisions I have made in a while. For the most part I knew I could talk to people, but I wanted to learn how to speak and not long after joining I learned that there is a big difference between the two concepts. I watched in awe as people stood up to perform both planned and impromptu speeches and listened as their words melded together in an almost lyrical fashion.

Any Toastmasters meeting is structured around different types of speaking to encourage engagement in all forms of the art. From on the spot two-minute speeches in the Topics Master section to the planned and rehearsed speeches of members who are on the various speech pathways in the Toastmasters program. Since Toastmasters is a global brand there are plenty of resources online to guide members in their journey of mastering speech. Cork has its own Toastmasters club and they

are based in The Kingsley Hotel on the Carrigrohane Road. Established in 1967, the Cork club holds the title of the first Toastmasters club founded in Ireland outside of Dublin. The long history of Toastmasters in Cork is testament to the innate love of the arts and artistic expression that is palpable within the city. The freedom of artistic expression that Toastmasters offers to members is one of the most rewarding values of becoming involved with your local club. Speech topics range from introducing yourself to the group to an in-depth research question of your choice. It allows you to put your own interests at the very centre of your speeches, turning them into something that you enjoy writing and speaking about but more importantly something that you can put your own flair and passion into so the speech is unique to you.

Toastmasters allows you to bring your own views of your subject to a waiting audience, and when sitting in the audience speeches serve as an education in topics you might

not have considered beforehand.

Despite the educational value in an initiative like Toastmasters there is also a wonderful social aspect to it as well. Being part of a Toastmasters community allows you to learn from others but also to meet people from all walks of life and the potential to find lifelong friends. Since joining Toastmasters four months ago, I can see how the skills that I have learned in the club have had positive effects in my day to day life. Creativity, quick thinking and a stronger bank of vocabulary are just a few of the benefits that I have seen myself develop so far on the back of Toastmasters.

The art of speaking is a valuable skill to practice and master, and regardless of what stage you are at on your journey there is a space for you at Toastmasters. The social ethos of the group makes it an enjoyable learning environment where you can stretch your imagination across multiple concepts and learn to engage an audience with a compelling speech.

Editor: Fiona Keeley

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The Paper Bracelet – A Sharp Sting with a Shimmer of Hope Writes Fiona Keeley, Arts & Literature Editor The Paper Bracelet by Rachael English was a novel that I had always planned to read this year. I had read the brief of this book online many times, a box filled with identity bracelets from a mother and baby home kept safe for fifty years by a former nurse. I was intrigued by the plot but very aware that it was likely some of the events in this story would ring true with many people across the country.

As a woman who spent most of her childhood growing up in the 21st century, I first learned about mother and baby homes through history books and the media.

These were piercing and terrifying years in Irish history and the story of The Paper Bracelet acknowledges the brutality, comradery and hidden acts of kindness that shape the stories of mother and baby homes across the country.

At the beginning of The Paper Bracelet we are introduced to Patricia, an expectant single mother unwillingly on her way to Carrigbrack, a mother and baby home.

The first chapter gives a sense of the chilling circumstances that many women found themselves facing during that time in Irish history. The Paper Bracelet follows Patricia’s story to illustrate a microcosm of the poisonous circumstances about why expectant mothers were sent to institutions.

We are then introduced to Katie, a former nurse of Carrigbrack who worked there during the 1970s.

While memories of Carrigbrack bring back raw and haunting truths, for fifty years Katie has kept a box filled with the paper identity bracelets of children that were born in Carrigbrack while she was employed there. The information in this box could answer many people’s questions about their genesis in life and aided by her niece Beth, Katie posts a message about the identity bracelets on an internet forum with the hope of helping people to find answers.

tions to untold territory of looking for their birth mothers. As I read this heart wrenching tale, I was very aware of the historical significance of the stories that were captured at the core of this story. University Express spoke to author Rachael English to ask her about her experience of writing The Paper Bracelet and broaching such an unsettling topic in our history.

“I suppose everyone who writes a novel has to start by asking themselves, ‘Why this story?’ The legacy of forced adoption is a story I’ve encountered many times as a journalist, and I’ve always been struck by the way what happened in those years continues to reverberate around us.

Also, we tend to think of mother-and-baby homes as places from history but Bessborough in Cork didn’t close until 1996. These stories are part of our time. I wanted to try and make the characters in the fictional home of Carrigbrack as relatable as possible, and to me they did start to feel real.”

When the messages started rolling in, as a reader I was taken on a whirlwind of different stories of people who reached out to the ‘Carrigbrack Nurse’, each tale more saddening than the last.

The idea of undertaking a journey really stood out to me throughout this entire read, and there were many journeys happening at the one time. While there were the journeys of each character, some joyful other one’s failures, these journeys ran in parallel with the journey of the reader themselves.

Rachael English has succeeded in reaching into our not so distant past and has told a story that will resonate with many people across Ireland and beyond.

As the novel progressed each character’s strand of the story wove together into the plaited tale of Carrigbrack that Katie and Beth pieced together. While many of the characters shared a connection with Carrigbrack, their journeys to pursue their past led them from their own personal situa-

The historical significance of this novel cannot be underestimated. Not only does The Paper Bracelet tell an enthralling story but this novel has given a voice to those who could not speak freely about their suffering while they were in mother and baby homes. The story has taken facts from real events in history and shaped them around beautifully created characters to tell a story that has a sharp sting of sadness, and yet that in many ways is filled with hope. The fact literature is bringing stories from such an important, tentative and traumatic time back into modern perception is a testament to the true value of this novel.

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Sports

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

European Football Recap Writes Jack Maguire , Sports Editor

Last Thursday saw the conclusion of the Last 32 round of the Europa League, and next Tuesday and Wednesday will see the culmination of the round of 16 in the Champions League.

With many thrilling encounters having been played out already, there are some crackers lined up for the coming weeks and I feel it is an appropriate time to assess some of what has happened to date and take a look at what is to come.

First things first, Thursday night confirmed the last 16 line up for the Europa League.

Manchester United saw off Club Brugge in comfortable fashion with a 6-1 win on aggregate. The tie was evenly poised after the Belgian side held United to a 1-1 draw in the first leg, but Fernandes, Ighalo, McTominay and Fred brace meant the red side of Manchester progressed without ever really moving out of 3rd gear.

Simon Deli’s dismissal after 22 minutes for what appeared to be a deliberate handball paved the way for United to play free flowing attacking football. They have been drawn to face LASK in the last 16. The Austrian side have already caused upsets in the competition, leaving teams such as Rosenborg, PSV Eindhoven and Sporting CP

in their wake in the group stages and defeating AZ Alkmaar in the last 32. United travel to Linz for the first leg with the return leg in Old Trafford on the 19th of March.

One of the surprise packages in this seasons Europa League so to speak is Wolves. Their form and team performances have been no surprise, but their rise to the challenge of European football has been incredible. They were handed a tough group with Slovan Bratislava, Besiktas and SC Braga, which they emerged from undefeated. They were emphatic victors in their home leg tie with Espanyol meaning they took a 4-0 lead to Barcelona. A 3-2 victory for the Spanish side on home turf was not enough to overturn the deficit and the Wolves progressed to the last 16 where they have been presented with a trip to the Greek Capital to face Olympiacos. Olympiacos were the giant killers of the previous round where they broke Arsenal hearts.

A 120th minute goal from Youssef El-Arabi was enough to seal the deal for Pedro Martins Men who progressed on away goals having drawn 2-2 on aggregate.

After coming off an incredible Champions League Campaign last season, there is no doubt that Ajax had their eyes set on another venture deep into Europe with the continents elite. Handed a

Champions League Group that should have been manageable for the Amsterdam side, they fell to Chelsea and Valencia and found themselves in the Europa League, where they would certainly have fancied their chances. Unfortunately for them, they met an in form Getafe side who put all those hopes to bed. Defeated 2-0 away and winning 2-1 at home was not enough to see them through. Getafe will now face Inter Milan who overcame Ludogorets 4-1 on aggregate.

Moving on to the Champions League, there is huge anticipation building for the second leg ties. From a neutral point of view, the Liverpool v Atletico Madrid tie is incredibly exciting. Atletico earned a hard fought 1-0 on home soil and will take that one goal lead to Anfield. I’m sure most people remember what happened the last time a Spanish team brought a lead to Anfield. Watching the way Atletico played after scoring against The Reds in the Wanda Metropolitano sets the second contest to be a good one. Atletico sat back and got men behind the ball for the remainder of the game making it very difficult for Liverpool to break them down.

Knowing the Liverpool fans, they will have a massive greeting for the teams and create an unbelievable atmosphere, and anything is

possible for this Liverpool side in what will be a tough game.

The story of world football in the last few months has been Erling Haaland. Fantastic form with Molde and RB Salzburg earned him the big move to Borussia Dortmund where he has hit the ground running.

Faced with the huge challenge of welcoming Paris Saint Germain to the Signal Iduna Park did not dazzle Haaland who scored twice in the last 20 minutes to earn the win. Neymar equalised in the 75th minute only for the 19 year old to score again 2 minutes later.

It will be interesting to see how Dortmund defend their lead, and if the young frontmen, Jadon Sancho and Haaland can net a few goals away to one of Europes top teams.

In European football, as you come to the end of February and the beginning of May, it gets serious, and the elites really show their might. Judging by the first leg fixtures, we could be seeing Atalanta and RB Leipzig in the Champions League Quarter Final which would be a massive achievement. Will Klopp work his magic once again, and will Lyon hold out the mighty Juventus, all to be revealed.

Sports

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

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UCC’s Alec Byrne Seals Win for Cork City Writes Jack Maguire, Sports Editor

Friday night last saw Cork City FC earn their first three points of the season with a 1-0 win at home to Finn Harps.

A crowd of 2367 witnessed a fighting performance from Neale Fenn’s men who came away with a well-deserved victory. Conditions were terrible with strong wind and torrential rain affecting play and limiting the teams free flowing play. Fenn named an unchanged squad from the team that played Shamrock Rovers the previous Friday with Finn Harps boasting their new signing, striker Alexander Kogler.

There were no real chances in the opening stages of the game as both sides tested the opposition and experimented with the forces of nature.

Around the half an hour mark, a low cross into the box towards Alex Kogler looked like a certain goal but the Austrian striker lost his footing and the

sides remained level. The sides were relatively even throughout the first half with both teams having half chances cleared away. It was just on the brink of half time when the drama kicked off at The Cross. A shot at Liam Bossin was spilled by the Cork City goalkeeper, and as he dived to reclaim the ball, Alex Kogler slid into Bossin knocking him out, while also knocking the ball past him and netting to give the visitors the lead.

There were furious protests from both the City Players and fans while the medics came to Bossin’s aid. The young goalkeeper had to be stretchered from the field, and after deliberating with his linesmen, referee Neil Doyle overturned the decision and disallowed the goal which was met with delight from City supporters.

As soon as the second half began, City found their motion and went straight on the attack, with Deshane Dalling finding space

on the edge of the box and unleashing a powerful shot which just fizzed wide of the post. On 54 minutes, Cork Native Alec Byrne put the Rebel Army in front with a fantastic header from a corner, beating Harps keeper McGinley to the ball. City thought they had doubled their lead 5 minutes later when a Dalling shot rebounded off the post and into the path of Daire O’Connor who found the net, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. 10 minutes later, it looked like Harps had equalised only for Joe Redmond to come to the rescue and clear the ball off the line.

Joseph Olowu, Deshane Dalling and Ollie Horgan all received bookings in the second half. Finn Harps put the pressure on Cork in the late stages of the game with several dangerous crosses but the Leesiders held on for what was a fantastic victory. A win that the Cork City fans had been waiting for, and it did not disappoint.

Neale Fenn was happy with his

sides showing “A bit of a relief, it’s got the monkey off our back of obviously not scoring or not winning. It was a good performance in the second half, on balance we probably deserved it on the second half performance”. Alec Byrne who scored his third goal for the senior squad was delighted to get the result and looking forward to the next challenge. “Good to get the first three points under the belt, go again next week, big performance. We knew ourselves the first half wasn’t good enough, we could probably blame the conditions, but plenty to improve on”.

Cork City travel to Richmond Park on Friday night to take on St Patricks Athletic where they will hope to keep their good form going.

Sports

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Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

Aikido: Body and Mind Writes Kyriaki Mantzakou

Aikido is one of the modern Japanese Martial Arts. It was founded by Morihei Ueshiba (we call him O-Sensei) in the early 20th century. He had extensive training in various traditional Martial Arts before he elaborated in this form. It may contradict our image of Martial Arts, but Aikido is not about fighting with each other.

Therefore, there’s no competition. Aikido techniques are used to protect ourselves, but also not to harm the attacker. We aim to train our minds and bodies in this peaceful and respectful environment. Today, Aikido attracts many people worldwide, both men and women, regardless of their age.

Chisato Oda, Captain of Aikido Club The

road

of

harmony

In general, we all have in mind the meaning of the term “Aikido”, which defines the art which we exercise. This art has two aspects, the one related to the body and the spiritual one.

Beyond the spiritual dimension that a martial art may contain, through which it turns into a means of developing healthy people who will be able to control their violent instincts

in the society they live in, in its practice, there is also harmony in a physical level, the battle itself.

As a beginner in Aikido, I have been feeling very lucky to have a teacher who can let his students embrace the main principles of this martial art and therefore virtually place themselves in the handling of difficult situations.

During our classes in the Mardyke Arena, my thoughts very often go to other activities I have already engaged with, but which did not combine both harmony and visual beauty in their techniques, while at the same time being a tool for actually dangerous situations. The last few months that I have been practicing, I noticed that my body has been exercising its muscle memory when learning the techniques, and simultaneously learning how to avoid injuries.

Kyriaki Mantzakou The core of Aikido “My journey in Aikido started a long time ago, about 6 years from now, in Ukraine. In my opinion, this was the most plentiful and useful time I could ever imagine.

Aikido itself is a very spiritual martial art. Practicing Aikido had not only built my skills, but also developed the inner part of myself.

Discipline and spirit are integral parts of this fabulous martial art.

also led the club by whom he invited to come and teach us.

Another advantage of Aikido would be that it suits any person, no matter their physique. As far as I know, Aikido is the only martial art, that fully relies on usage of a momentum of an attacker against himself. So literally you don’t have to use any force from your side!

To sum up, this martial art will certainly attract those who practice spiritual development and prefer not to be the first to start the fight, but the first to end it’’

He invited Alan Ruddock regularly. Alan was the only Irish person to have trained directly with O-Sensei. Alan then brought us Henry Kono, who also trained with him at Hombu Dojo in Japan in the 1960’s.

Henry was probably the only person to have ever added to what O-Sensei created. He was a joy and a pleasure to be with.

Andrew Laktionov, current member of Aikido Club Aikido is principles in practice The current cohort of Aikido students have very accurately described the way of Aikido above. It is a pleasure to work with them each week and to try to share some of the insights that my teachers shared with me.

It’s very much a chain of learning and love! There’s no way that I invented this work or this art, I just try to make it my own.

UCC Aikido Club has existed with various instructors across 20-30 years. It’s main instructor John Meldrum (who still drops in from time to time) was also its greatest leader. He led the club in the sense of “leading by example”, but he

But I thank John mostly, because he showed me that we cannot just stand there (literally as well as metaphorically!) and be in awe of these people who went before us. We must make this way of moving our own to make it effective.

In a moment of frustration with me once, John said in his thick Cork accent “Victory is in de feeeettt Dermot!”.

He was pointing at my feet, but I thought he said “defeat”, and instantly understood something about Aikido.

Come and practice with us and you might get it too?

Issue 10 | Tuesday 3rd 2020 | University Express

Sports

39

Saracens difficulty is Ireland’s Opportunity?

Writes Sam Curtin, Deputy Sports Editor As a journalist, it is important to be unbiased, fair and objective in your writing.

However rules are meant to be broken as the saying goes.

It’s been a similar season so far for both Ireland and Saracens.

Both were at the peak of their powers 12 months ago. Yet, almost simultaneously, it has all come crashing down. Ireland crashed and burned at the Rugby World Cup and recently in another humbling defeat at Twickenham. Saracens on the other hand, have crashed and burned financially where they have been consigned to Championship rugby for next season due salary cap breaches.

It’s important to cut new head coach Andy Farrell (a former Saracens player himself) some slack, he is only a few weeks into his new post and it is his first head coach position. It’s extraordinary to think this could be possible but we were living in extraordinary times.

As of February 2019, Ireland had just beaten the All Blacks, becoming the second ranked side in the world, favourites for the World Cup and were Grand Slam winners when Farrell was appointed to the top job with Joe Schmidt essentially choosing him as his successor due to his excellent job as defence coach under the Kiwi.

There are certainly arguments for continuity and that Farrell by all accounts, is a different coach to Joe Schmidt but having a rookie head coach has rarely worked at club level, nevermind in Test Rugby. He is by all accounts an excellent defence coach who transformed Ireland’s defence since being brought in 2016.

However, one cannot help wondering what another Saracens man could do at present.

Saracens head coach Mark McCall is undoubtedly one of the most renowned figures in the club game at present. An Ulster man born and bred, a

Heineken Cup winner with Ulster in 1999 and the last man to lead Ulster to silverware in 2006 with a Celtic Cup (now Pro14) win. The 13 cap Irish international had a falling out with the club and left his post soon afterwards where after a brief spell at Castres, Saracens came calling in Autumn 2009 as an assistant coach to Brendan Ventner.

Ventner left midway through the 2010/11 season and McCall became Director of Rugby. He has since overseen an era of unprecedented success at the club which has seen them win 5 Premierships, 3 European Cups. Yet he is unknown to many in his native homeland.

So who is Mark McCall? He is known for being a quiet and modest figure who generally turns down interviews with the media and rarely gives too much away in his press conferences. Behind the mask lies a cold, callous figure who is ruthless in his decision making and his tactical nous has made him a coach to be revered with.

McCall could be the man to turn Ireland’s fortunes around where some of his greatest strengths lie in Ireland’s key areas of the pitch.

In recent years Ireland have relied heavily on their halfbacks dictating play and being the main playmakers where one off runners from rucks has been a common theme. Thus Ireland have been criticised as being too narrow and conservative but McCall has implemented a similar system at Saracens to huge success. Add this with a little bit more freedom given to players such as Jordan Lamour and Garry Ringrose then suddenly you have an evolved and potent attacking threat while also maintaining the continuity that has been stressed since Farrell was appointed. A similar gameplan but an updated version.

Former Ulster teammate and Castres head coach Jeremy Davidson agrees that his former colleague would be a very suitable candidate. “I would like to

think so because he is the most successful coach in Europe. He has created such an incredible legacy at Saracens.” Heineken Cup and Grand Slam winner Peter Stringer concurs with this and spoke of his admiration for what McCall was doing during his brief loan spell with the club.

“The first thing I noticed was how happy an environment it is and that’s credit to him. He has an ability to keep a big squad really happy in the way he rotates players. You know four or five weeks in advance the games in which you are going to be playing.”

Both men also spoke of his ruthlessness and has no fear of making big decisions with regards to selection which was a criticism thrown at Joe Schmidt in his latter days as Irish coach. The consensus was that he was too afraid to move away from the tried and trusted servants who had done it for him in the past but perhaps were on the decline. The World Cup was an example of this where long time fullback Rob Kearney was chosen over the in form Jordan Lamour. This has not changed so far under Farrell. 11 players who started at Twickenham would have been considered front line players at the World Cup while the other four were on the bench against New Zealand in the Quarter Final. This Six Nations should be about building a squad for the next World Cup in France in 2023 by integrating new players into the squad. However with the exception of Caelan Doris and Max Deegan who have had limited minutes so far, it is very much as you were, at present.

Of course, the elephant in the room has to be addressed. Saracens recent financial dealings have been found out and punished in a justly manner but McCall and the players deserve little criticism for this.

The clubs directors have been the ones doing dodgy business off the pitch while the management and playing staff having been doing the business on it.

McCall has brought a struggling midtable side to the pinnacle of English and European rugby within a decade and that is something to be applauded.

Another important factor to be considered is whether or not McCall is actually interested in the a international job as he spoke about his reluctance at present to move. Speaking in the lead up to the Munster game back in December, McCall said “ It’s a thought which is very far from my mind I’ve got to say. I really enjoy the day to day. I enjoy what I do and I haven’t really thought about it.”

This message needs to be very clear. This is not a call for Farrell to be relieved of his duties any time soon or that he does not have what it takes to be a successful head coach. This simply a reminder of what we could be missing out on, a world class coach, native to our island who is ready to step up to the pinnacle of this sport.

With an Irish squad in transition and Saracens left to rebuild next year, there may no better time than now.