University Express Volume 25; Issue 6

University Volume 25 | Issue 6 | Tuesday 23rd November 2021

Express

UCCExpress.ie

COP26: Progress but not enough?

ORLA LEAHY News Editor COP26, the 26th ‘Conference of Parties’ since 1995, took place in Glasgow from the 1st to the 12th of November, at which 196 nations were represented. At COP26, the Glasgow Climate Pact was agreed upon. The official United Nations’ COP26 public relations page describes the pact as “countries [accelerating] progress towards closing the emissions gap.”

A short video posted to the page highlights the most significant developments, with 90% of all emissions now being covered by “net zero commitments”, “nationally determined contributions now [covering] 80% of global emissions”, a united agreement to cut methane emissions by 20% by 2030, and faster, more conclusive efforts to implement electric vehicles, and to phase out the use of coal.

The United Nations’ page states that the goal envisioned under the 2015 Paris Agreement, to keep green-house gas emissions to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, continues to be within reach, following the Glasgow Climate Pact. The Minister for Environment in Ireland, Eamon Ryan, acknowledges that whilst the agreement is not completely perfect, it is in line with the objective of COP, to “keep 1.5 alive” and does recommit to “keep the global temperature increase at a level that is liveable for humanity.”

Whilst overall the milestones set out in the agreement are a positive development, most remain critical of COP’s achievements. Former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, stated that the resulting agreement was “nowhere near enough to avoid climate disaster”,

more needs to be done to prevent climate disaster. Guterres marks the conference as “an important step, but it is not enough.”

Significant milestone agreements, such as the package on phasing out coal, were reduced in effect, as language was watered down at a last minute change. While such packages require protection by the people, with COP26 Chairman, Alok Sharma, stating, “it is vital that we protect this package”, further action is required to allow us to withdraw from what Guterres described as “knocking on the door of climate catastrophe.”

It is notable that the action which has garnered most media attention in the field of climate justice in the last three years has been the climate strikes led by youth activists across the globe. Speaking to a number of Youth Delegates at COP26, the US Special Envoy on Climate, Secretary John Kerry, stated that “your movement and the things that you’re saying are on the lips of everybody and National Union of Students’ UK here in discussions, people all talk about President Larissa Kennedy noted that, responsibility to your generation, the future.”

“COP26 should have been the moment While many are unhappy with the outcome that our world leaders stepped up to the of COP26, it is clear that the true effects challenge, uprooted the system, and saved of the conference are yet to be seen, our planet. Instead, we’ve seen them asleep particularly the actions of people that COP on the job, tinkering about at the edges will incentivise. Posting to her social media and failing to address divestment and accounts on November 15th, two days decarbonisation in any meaningful way.” after COP26 talks concluded in Glasgow, UN Secretary-General António Guterres climate activist Greta Thunberg claimed that, acknowledged that, “The outcome of “When enough people come together, then COP26 is a compromise. It reflects the change will come and we can achieve interests, the contradictions and the state almost anything. So instead of looking for of political will in the world today.” hope - start creating it. Now the real work Whilst the finalised agreement is indeed a begins, and we will never give up, ever.” compromise, the general consensus is that

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EDITORIAL Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief – Imasha Costa (Editor@UCCExpress.ie) News Editor – Orla Leahy (News@UCCExpress.ie) Designer – Aoife E Osborne (Design@UCCExpress.ie) Features Editor – Maeve O’Keeffe (Features@UCCExpress.ie) Sports Editor – Sam Curtin (Sport@UCCExpress.ie)

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD IS ON MY SHOULDERS. This week, the build-up towards our last issue for the semester has not been a great week. Many times I have wondered why am I still even doing what I am doing. My mind draws in my thoughts, unable to unpick the thoughts that are bad, and the thoughts that are good. I sometimes feel like the weight of the whole world is sitting on my shoulders, and that I am unable to breathe. My mind is slowly forming a shape that I cannot understand, and once again, I feel broken and empty.

But that is how you portray life in a way I guess, things never really come your way, and at times, you are meant to not always be happy.

I try to put on a smile all the time, I try to be the energy at the party, the one with

Opinion Editor – Claudia Zedda (Opinion@UCCExpress.ie)

the ridiculous stories, but right now, I am unable to. I have no idea where I am, where I am going, what I am meant to do next.

Eagarthóir Gaeilge – Caitríona O’Connell (Gaeilge@UCCExpress.ie)

Working with the University Express this semester has allowed me to reach a place that I never thought I would before. It has allowed me to challenge myself, and be able to write stories of those that need a voice. I am delighted with what is yet to come and the number of lives that we can change with the work that we are doing this year.

Online Editor – Edel Lonergan (Online@UCCExpress.ie)

This is me signing off for the semester, wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I hope that all of ye have a splendid holiday.

Marketing Executive – Imasha Costa (Marketing@UCCExpress.ie) Photographers – Méabh Lonergan; Jack Murphy (Photographers@uccexpress.ie)

Till next semester,

Imasha Costa Editor-In-Chief

editor@uccexpress.ie

Byline Editor – Jack Coleman (Byline@UCCExpress.ie) (Deputy Editor) Food & Health – Nathan Carey (Food@UCCExpress.ie) Arts & Literature Editor – Cian Pierce (Arts@UCCExpress.ie) Gaming Editor – Chloe Barrett (Gaming @UCCExpress.ie) Music Editor – Florrie McCarthy (Music@UCCExpress) Fashion Editor – Claire Watson (fashion@uccexpress.ie) Film & Television Editor – Cormac McCarthy (Screen@UCCExpress.ie) Sexpress Editor – Emily Osborn (Sexpress@uccexpress.ie) Deputy Features – Roisin Noonan (Deputyfeatures@uccexpress.ie) Deputy News – Ciara Browne (Deputynews@uccexpress.ie) Deputy Sports - Atakan Uzun (deputysports@uccexpressie.

Staff Writer: Billy O’Connor

FINDING OUR NICHE What really struck a chord with me from this issue’s news section, is the concept of finding one’s niche. Throughout my time in secondary school, whenever my peers or I encountered a particularly challenging period, such as the State Examinations, my friends and I always reverted back to the same motto to encourage ourselves to get over the exam line, “once you’re past these exams, you will find your niche”, or “in college, you will find your niche” etc. I always felt that this motto could not be more true. In school, we have a limited number of subjects to choose from, and have very little scope under the curriculum to adapt the coursework to one’s niche, strong point, or passion.

However, once we reach third-level, or wherever our destination might be after secondary school, I find that there is always greater opportunity to find our niche. This week’s articles highlight that whether it be part of the UCC delegation, fighting for climate justice in Glasgow, pursuing one’s dream career in STEM, or empowering students to break barriers with the first ever Law Summit, the opportunities to develop one’s niche are really everywhere in UCC. We may have reached our last issue of 2021, but our 2022 issues will continue to showcase inspiring studentdriven endeavours across the university. If you have a “niche”, or a story you’d like to share, be sure to get in touch!

Orla Leahy News Editor

news@uccexpress.ie

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

NEWS

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Women in STEM: Cork Engineer makes History CIARA BROWNE Deputy News Editor

A Cork woman, Dr. Ann Kelleher, a University College Cork graduate of UCC’s electrical engineering programme, has made history. Dr. Kelleher is the first ever Irish person to be promoted to the role of Executive Vice President at Technology Giant Intel. The native Macroom woman joined the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer in 1996, three years after becoming the first woman to receive a doctorate from the National Microelectronics Research Centre at the Tyndall National Institute at UCC. Intel Chief executive Pat Gelsinger tweeted on November 15th (@ PGelsinger) saying “Thrilled to share that Dr. Ann Kelleher is now @intel Executive Vice President. So well reserved with her many contributions including the turnaround of our Tech Dev (Technology Development) organisation this past year.” The promotion brings a change for Dr. Kelleher as it is understood she will lead the team from the US multinational’s technology development site in Oregon, United States. The STEM Policy of Ireland functions as Ireland’s national plan Dr. Kelleher’s job will leave her responsible for the research, for the 2021-2026 time period. This plan aims to encourage the development and deployment of next generation silicon logic, packaging development of a better engaged and digitally fluent society and a and test technologies that power the future of Intel’s innovation. Dr. highly skilled workforce throughout Ireland. The plan also aims to Kelleher is focused on developing 5 nm and 7 nm process technology. enhance Ireland’s image as a top education and training environment for all Europeans. As the plan title suggests, another objective is to Women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) facilitate entry to career fields related to STEM for every student, and comprise 29% of the overall STEM workforce and 52% of the college to further the development of computational thinking and digital skills. educated workforce (NSF). The number of women in board positions in STEM-related industries and fields in 2020 was 19.2%, an 18.3% Any UCC STEM degree can lead to some of the most exciting, increase over the 2019 year. Dr. Kelleher is advancing women in STEM exhilarating and rewarding careers on the planet. At UCC, the with her promotion to Executive Vice President at Technology Giant understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is of Intel, an American multinational cooperation and technology company fundamental importance to the way in which humankind and earth will advancing semiconductor chip manufacturing by revenue. The develop during the 21st century and beyond. Female graduates of UCC’s company is also the developer of the X86 series of microprocessors, college of science, Engineering and Food science can avail of exciting the processors found in most personal computers (PCs). careers in STEM. Professor Sarah Culloty of UCC, Head of the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, told female students to, Many people agree that STEM is the key to innovation and job creation within the United States. Back in 2015-2017, former “Consider what you are passionate about. A career in STEM is incredibly President of the United States, Barack Obama, continually made adaptable - you have a myriad of directions to go in post-graduation. reference to the importance of STEM education in making From cyber security to climate change, from photonics to astrophysics, the United States more competitive in the global economy. sustainable to water minimisation -STEM is the place to be right now.”

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NEWS

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

Inside COP26

CLARA FELBERBAUER Student Contributor and Member of the UCC COP26 Delegation From October 31st to November 13th, delegates from almost every country in the world gather in Glasgow for the 2021 annual United Nations Climate Change conference. It is the 26th Conference of the Parties involved in this climate summit - COP26. UCC is the only Irish university with ‘observer’ status – which means it sends four representatives each week of COP26. We arrive for the first week of COP26 by ferry and train. We arrive at the venue, and after about 2.5 hours of queuing and security checks – the police contingent is enormous – we dive into the busy world that is the inner “Blue Zone” at COP. A great number of young people are attending – not only as observers, but as part of delegations and activists.

The first two days of COP26 are dedicated to the World Leader’s Summit, where heads of government meet and give their speeches. After the world leaders leave, some of the hustle and bustle dies away and the actual negotiations begin. Usually, these meetings should be observed by members of the public NGOs like our delegation from UCC – this year they happen behind, mostly, closed doors due to Covid rules. The parts of the conference we have unlimited access to included presentations, speeches and discussions, as well as an area with country pavilions where different countries and organizations present their programs on a wide variety of climate change issues and solutions. A couple of feet away from the Brazilian pavilion, a young indigenous woman talks about her people’s fight for land, the constant threats she faces and their mistrust in the current government, under which deforestation has increased.

change including permafrost thawing, large-scale coral reef dieoffs and ice sheet losses. The world is currently experiencing 1.2 degrees of global warming, with every increment of additional warming resulting in an increase in more extreme weather and climate events and connected loss of lives and livelihoods.

The goal of COP26 is to ‘keep 1.5C alive’ by reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030. Countries pledge to contribute to this reduction by bringing forth Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs). Ireland pledges to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030, the EU overall by 55%. Significant pledges are taken during COP26 – pledges to cut methane emissions, phase out coal and end deforestation in many countries. All these pledges combined – providing that they are all timely and successfully implemented – would lead to a warming between 1.8 and 2.4 Degrees. In the conclusion delivered in the evening of November 13th, countries agreed to meet every year – instead of, as planned, in 5 years’ time – to revisit their commitments to reach the 1.5 degree goal.

To achieve this goal, developed countries - which are historically responsible for the vast majority of CO2 emissions - are incentivised to raise a sum of $100bn annually for developing countries to deal with mitigation and adaptation related to climate change. Although many countries double their contributions, the necessary funds are not reached, which is heavily criticized by developing countries. Another part of the discussion is the question of ‘loss and damage’, i.e. direct compensation At COP21 in Paris 2015, countries agreed for the first time to work of unavoidable harm induced by climate related events. together to limit global warming ‘well below’ 2 degrees. This year Outside the venue, protests are constantly ongoing. The Fridays the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released for Future march on Friday was attended by 25,000 people, the another report stating the importance of limiting global warming one on Saturday by 100,000. Those of us who are still around for below 1.5 degrees to avoid the risk of cascading ‘tipping points’ the weekend attend the march. Much has been achieved at COP26, - sudden and often irreversible changes that accelerate climate but there is much more to do to achieve the 1.5 degree goal.

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

Image Credit: Clara Felberbauer

NEWS

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NEWS First Ever Intervarsity Law Summit Launched

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

ORLA LEAHY News Editor

The first ever Intervarsity Law Summit, driven by the University College Cork Law Society, was officially launched on November 5th. The Summit will function as the first collaboration between the seven Law Schools, and Law Societies, in Ireland, and will be the biggest student-driven legal event in the country. UCC will be the first institution to host the Summit. The current auditor of the UCC Law Society, Bailey Lane, first envisioned the idea for the Summit in 2020, and has since been striving to put the cogs in motion. He states that:

Award’ at the Summit for breaking barriers throughout her career and for “being an inspirational figure to students in law.”

He adds that the previous lack of contact between auditors of the law societies came to the fore when “it shocked all the auditors to think [the Summit preparations] was the first time all 7 auditors have had a group chat together to talk but what was great is we could all empathise and relate to the workload of each other.”

Anna is assisted in her role of organising and delivering the entirety of the Summit by a subcommittee composed of students. She describes her subcommittee as being,

The theme for the first ever Summit is “Breaking Barriers: Let the Law Unite.” The theme was chosen on the basis of pre-existing barriers between students across the country being broken, but also the “pioneering [of] intervarsity cooperation between University law students for the first time in Irish history.” Bailey notes that, “this will be a unique opportunity for those across the Law Societies, Law “The idea for the intervarsity first came when looking at what Schools and wider legal sector in Ireland in general to come other universities were doing and finding it strange that while we together, network, share ideas and build connections in one are all essentially doing the same things, we are never in contact.” space over the course of a fantastic weekend of events.”

The theme for the first ever Summit is “Breaking Barriers: Let the Law Unite.”

Anna O’Doherty, a final year Law International student, was selected to be the Intervarsity Summit Convenor for the UCC Law Society during the summer of this year.

Speaking on why she ran for the position, Anna says, “When I first heard about the role of Summit Convenor, I knew it was the perfect role for me. To be a part of the biggest student-run law event is a great privilege. The role offered me so much freedom. I could choose a theme, find speakers, and organise the whole three-day event!”

The Summit is set to take place in the Rochestown Park Hotel from Friday, the 25th to Sunday, the 27th of February. The three-day event will feature the National Moot and Mock Trial Finals, the Intervarsity Gala, which will consist of a dinner and ball on the evening of the 26th, a number of insightful and engaging presentations, as well as a panel discussion by an “esteemed number of invitees”. One of the most anticipated aspects of the event, however, will be the keynote presentation by former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese. Mary McAleese will also be presented with the ‘Orientem Solem

“made up of seven fantastic students, Caoimhe Gannon our Design Coordinator, Jayne Doyle our PRO, Niamh McDermott our First Year Rep, Abigail Daly our Secretary, Roisin Dunlea our Finance Officer, Grace Browne our General Coordinator, and Mark Finbarr O’Connor our Sponsorship Officer. The competition to be on this subcommittee was extremely tough and each of these students bring their own talent to the table. I couldn’t imagine a better “dream team” to assist me in the preparation for the Summit.”

NEWS

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

The Summit will also function as a fundraiser for a chosen charity yet to be revealed, and an opportunity for students to reunite with their peers across the island of Ireland, but also to “reunite their education and to reunite their interest in law with the future of the legal profession.”

Twelve of Ireland’s leading law firms are sponsoring the event.

Included are A&L Goodbody, Arthur Cox, Matheson, McCann Fitzgerald, William Fry, Maples Group, Eversheds Sutherland, Mason Hayes & Curran, Ronan Daly Jermyn, Pinsent Masons, and DLA Piper. There will be a number of networking opportunities for students with each of these firms, as well as the law firm, Comyn Kellher Tobin, and the Law Library of Ireland.

Tickets for the Summit will go on sale in the coming weeks, and a tiered ticketing system will be in place, meaning that students have the opportunity to purchase tickets for either the whole weekend, or for the events of most interest to them.

Summarising Anna, the

her perception of this “historic” Intervarsity Summit Convenor,

event, said:

‘This event is the very first of its kind and it is a fantastic opportunity for UCC to secure its spot on the map as one of Ireland’s best Law Schools. The UCC Law Society is the oldest in the country, so it is extremely fitting that the first Law Society is hosting the first uniting Intervarsity event. The event will host over 600 students – up to 900 at the Gala Ball. Some of these students will be visiting Cork for the first time thanks to the Intervarsity Summit. We get the opportunity to show off our beautiful Cork city and the talents of so many UCC students.

“As well as the hard work of the Law Society and the Subcommittee, we will be displaying the talent of UCC students through our musicians at the event, our event photographer and videographer. It’s time to give Cork some welldeserved attention and bring UCC the recognition it merits.”

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BYSTANDER FEATURES

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

A Bystander Intervention Perspective on Image-Based Sexual Abuse MAEVE O’KEEFFE Features Editor

This article contains mentions of ImageBased Sexual Abuse. If you feel that at any point you may be triggered please refrain from reading this article. We have also listed supports at the end of this article.

Image based sexual abuse (IBSA) is defined as the non-consensual creation and/or distribution of private sexual images. This can include images taken without consent, such as photos or videos taken through upskirting, voyeurism, recording, or sextortion (when webcam footage of sexual acts is recorded without the individual’s consent). As well as this, however, IBSA includes the distribution of images that were initially shared voluntarily.

Formerly referred to as “revenge porn” this can mean consensually sharing nudes with a partner, only for them to abuse that consent by sharing the photos or screenshots with others. According to recent statistics, one in eight social media users are victims of IBSA. 90% of these victims are women.

Last year, the discovery of a Discord server being used to share thousands of intimate images, led to vocal activism campaigns to see IBSA recognised as a crime. Thankfully, February saw the commencement of Coco’s Law, the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act. This act criminalises the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, with penalties extending to a potential of seven years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.

Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee described the legislation as “ an effective tool to bring to justice those who use technology to harm others, but it will also send a clear message that as a society the sharing, or threat to share, an intimate image of another person without their consent is not acceptable in any circumstance.”

Though Coco’s Law is vital in holding perpetrators of IBSA and online harassment accountable for their actions, its backstory is tragic. In 2018, 21-year-old Nicole “Coco” Fox committed suicide after years of harassment and bullying, both in person and online. Her mother campaigned to see an update in legislation around online harms, which finally came about in February.

Coco’s Law marks significant progress in the way in which IBSA is viewed in our society.

Even the name change, from “revenge porn” to IBSA is important. The notion of revenge implies some level of wrongdoing from the victim, for which the perpetrator must retaliate, or seek revenge, and the idea of these images being understood as porn is equally inaccurate and misguided. IBSA has nothing to do with revenge or porn. It is a violation of trust and consent, and can result in humiliation, shaming, and immense personal suffering for the victim.

While taking images of another person and

sharing them without their consent is hugely problematic, the disgustingly unjust nature of upskirting, voyeurism, and hidden recording is largely acknowledged as such. However, when an individual voluntarily shares intimate images, which are later leaked or distributed to others, there can be an element of victim blaming.

People ask, “Why did they send the picture in the first place?” This type of question, while not always necessarily intended to shame or blame the victim, detracts blame from the perpetrator of IBSA. When it comes to intimate images, consent and context are everything. If someone consents to sharing an intimate image with their partner, for instance, then they are sharing that image in a trusting context, with the expectation that the only person who will view the image is their partner. If the receiver of the image decides to send it on into a group-chat without the permission of the sender, then they are violating consent by changing the image’s intended context.

To explain how important the context of consent is, just imagine consenting to sex with a person.

That doesn’t mean you are consenting to sex with all of their friends, or Snapchat contacts, right? We need to view IBSA the same way.

Consenting to sharing an image with one person never implies consent for that image to be shared with anyone else, unless explicitly said so. It’s

not harmless fun to pass around nudes in the pub, locker room, or group-chat. It is deceitful and exploitative, and it is important that blame resides with the perpetrators. IBSA can ruin lives, and therefore, Coco’s Law is so important in holding perpetrators accountable for abusing consent and infringing on the victim’s sexual autonomy.

Coco’s Law not only seeks to punish the individual who takes or first shares intimate images without consent, it also reprimands the individuals who receive these images and choose to distribute them further. The issue is not the receipt of the images, but everyone who subsequently shares intimate images without consent is also guilty of a criminal offense. Even if you didn’t take the image, or screenshot the original photograph, if you distribute the image further, then you share responsibility for the hurt inflicted on the victim.

Being an active bystander is vital if we are to combat IBSA. A recent study of Australian youth indicated that 50% of participants had been a bystander to IBSA. Though its difficult to find figures in an Irish context, this number is staggering, if not unsurprising. If you don’t take images or record people without their consent, then you may not think you are part of the problem.

But as always with bystander intervention, we can all be part of the solution. If a leaked nude is shared with you, then it is crucial that you do not distribute the image further. More than this though, turning a blind eye to instances of IBSA does nothing to truly tackle the perpetrators of this particularly hurtful crime. We need to speak out against it, and make it clear to the perpetrator that their actions are unacceptable.

If you encounter an intimate image that is shared without the individual’s knowledge or consent, then you have the ability to stop it from spreading further. Though it may be intimidating, if more of us step up and express that IBSA is wrong, and criminal, then the perpetrators will be forced to reevaluate their behaviours, or risk being ostracised.

You could simply say that you’re not interested, or that you think it’s weird and wrong to share images without the individual’s consent. Even asking the question, “Why are you showing me this?” can help prompt the perpetrator to realise that you do not agree with this kind of content being shared, and make them reconsider sharing images in future.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact: Sexual Violence Centre Cork - the freephone number is 1800 496 496 for those calling from the Cork area, but the centre can also be contacted by texting 087 1533 393 or emailing info@sexualviolence.ie

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

FEATURES

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Moonstruck – Humankind’s Fascination with the Moon RÓISÍN NOONAN Deputy Features Editor

Manifestation and the moon

For millennia now humans have had a close relationship and fascination with the moon.

According to Nasa, the moon was created over 4.5 billion years ago, when a mars-sized body collided with earth created debris that accumulated together to form the moon. The Ancient Greeks were the first to observe the moon to make initial discoveries about it, gazing at it from earth without telescopes. As modern technology progressed to give us the landmark moon landing in 1969 our fascination with the moon has spanned many disciplines from science to the supernatural to a more spiritual or magical level.

To move away from the scientific to the more holistic side of things, in recent years people have been turning more and more towards the moon for guidance, information and intention setting. There are countless books and articles out there claiming to know the secrets about using the moon to manifest your goals. Living your life by the lunar cycles or synching your projects and activities to the phases of the moon each month is said to bring more balance, inner harmony and intuition to our lives.

It is said that during each of the different phases of the moon we have different mental and physical energies. The key to mastering these energies and using them to the fullest of their potential lies in understanding the phases of the moon.

Ancient cultures, societies and the moon In Greek mythology the full moon was seen as a time of potential and possibility. Shining in times of darkness it was a time to begin new tasks or to set new goals. In Ancient Rome, Luna was the goddess of the moon and was said to be influential on agriculture. Native American tradition viewed the moon as protector and guardian of the earth, whereas Chinese culture views the moon as symbolising unity and continuity especially with regards to the family.

The Bible also contains several mentions of the moon and its creation and influence. The Easter period changes each year to fall on the first Sunday following the first full moon of the Spring equinox.

Traditionally, the moon was attributed with both male and female characteristics depending on the culture or society. It was also used as a type of early calendar to differentiate between passages of time as early as 30,000 years ago. The moon has very obvious connections with astrology also and star signs and moon signs are interconnected with horoscopes. The ancient tradition of yoga also has very close connections with the moon and some yoga disciplines plan their practices around the cycles of the moon. Ashtanga yoga for example is never practiced on the day of a full moon.

Does the moon influence human behaviour?

Claims that on the night of a full moon emergency rooms, police stations and fire brigades are inundated with emergencies and call outs are nothing new. These places are notoriously renowned for being crazy busy on full moons.

Even though there is no scientific evidence to prove a correlation between these events and a full moon, policemen and doctors will probably argue differently given their experiences.

Studies have shown however, that the moon can have certain physical effects on the human body.

For example, research has shown that people tend to get less sleep on a full moon. We don’t sleep very deeply or have much REM sleep around a full moon. In ancient times there was a belief that because the moon cycle is 29 days, it controlled the female reproductive system and was therefore thought to have an influence on fertility levels, although this is not thought to be true today. There are also some suggestions to say that a full moon can lead to increases in the amount of heart attacks, strokes and suicides. This is supposedly due to the magnetic effect that the moon has on the electrical cells in our bodies. However, this has never been concretely or scientifically proven either.

Image Credit: Mairead Brown, Instagram @ @maireadbrownart

There are eight stages to the moons monthly journey and each stage is said to represent a different type of energy and provide potential for different things. The dark moon or the new moon occurs at the start of a new lunar cycle when the moon is not visible in the sky. It is said to be a time to start afresh, to set new goals and intentions for the coming month. The full moon on the other hand is said to be a time of peak energies and illumination to show us where we may be going wrong in our lives or what we may need to change.

It is said to help us see the wood for the trees. The stage after the full moon – the waning moon, when the moon is decreasing in appearance can be a draining or tiring time energetically and we may feel drawn to go inward, to rest, relax and recover.

The moon has been linked with mental health for centuries and was said to be a cause for some mental illnesses. The word “lunatic”, widely used in the past in reference to mental illnesses but now recognised as a derogatory term, derived originally from the Latin “lunaticus” which means moonstruck. Ancient philosophers believed the full moon to be a cause of epilepsy and seizures.

Characters in Shakespearean plays blamed their actions and madness on the cycles of the moon.

The famous British Jurist Blackstone stated that he believed that people’s ability to reason shifted and changed depending on the moon. You may have guessed by now that I personally find all of this moon “stuff” fascinating and I love Today however, the only somewhat consistent to read into it and to believe in it. Since I was a evidence we have to suggest that the moon child, I’ve always enjoyed watching the moon at may affect mental illness, is in relation to night and following its changes and phases. It was bipolar disorder. In a study conducted by T. something my mom and I used to love to do together.

Wehr in 2017, rhythmic changes in mood were observed in patients with bipolar disorder and I recently came across a book called “Lunar Living” these seemed to correlate to the moon and tidal by a UK author Kirsty Gallagher. It gives a great cycles. This small piece of evidence is in itself insight into the moon, its cycles and how to use them to your benefit for goal setting and reflection. somewhat narrow and vague, however in a Now a Sunday Times Bestseller, it is indicative separate study, 81% of mental health workers of the amount of people now turning to the moon claim that they have seen a correlation between and to nature for guidance in our modern world. mental disorders worsening and full moon cycles. I must admit that at certain times I find myself When you take the fact that our bodies are made up hugely surprised at how accurately the book seems of 75% water and couple this with the effect that the to describe how I have been feeling that month/ moon has on oceans and tides, one has to wonder week, be it anxiousness, tiredness etc. It seems to if the moon has a similar effect on our bodies? describe what feelings or thoughts or energy levels Research in this area is ongoing and of huge interest I am having extremely specifically. Of course, to scientists and academics alike so it remains to you can put this down to coincidence or a placebo be seen if any further links will be established effect, but who is to say for sure? Be it moon magic between the moon and mental health in the future. or not, setting goals and intentions and checking back in with these and with ourselves on a monthly The Moon and the Natural World basis, can hardly be a harmful thing, both from a Despite the moons effect on humans being personal growth and mental health point of view. somewhat doubted or dubious, science has proven Regardless of whether you believe in the power that the moon has very real and significant effects of the moon, be it magically, scientifically or on animals and nature. And I’m not talking about holistically, the moon continues to fascinate and the werewolf kind! The most obvious effect enthral humankind from the scientific to the perhaps being tidal flows as mentioned above. superstitious. Maybe something could be learned However, animal reproductive cycles in certain from looking at how the moon was interpreted species are said to mimic the moon cycles. Corals and used by our ancestors throughout history. also reproduce at significantly rapid rates under Maybe there is something to be said for how a full moon. Oysters close up their shells on the they used the moon cycles and how they paid night of a full moon and lions, normally nocturnal closer attention to the natural world. I’ll leave hunters, hunt during the day following a full moon. you to make up your own mind on that one.

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FEATURES Tis The Season to be…Jolly?

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

AOIFE E OSBORNE Newspaper Designer

Here’s the thing. I’m a winter person.

Give me a woolly jumper and a pumpkin-spice-latte by a roaring fire over a bikini with a cocktail on the beach any day of the week. I love my chunky cardigans, my fluffy socks, and come every October I cannot wait to bid farewell to my iced coffees in favour of whatever seasonal special Costa is pushing this year. I fall asleep at night listening to rain, under three different blankets wearing fleece-lined pyjamas (Marks and Spencer’s finest, life changing!) and I am here for it. This is the kind of weather that makes it easier for me to be nicer to myself, because I equate cosy clothes and warming food with the kind of decadent indulgence that I associate with self-care. As a result, generally speaking, I find the winter months easier on my mental health.

That’s not to say that the shorter days and wet evenings are good for everyone’s mental health, I’m sure they’re not, but for me it’s not that my mental health is better, it’s that I am able to apply coping strategies which I find more soothing. Hot tea and blankets just don’t quite have the same appeal if I have a panic attack in July or August. But from mid-September to February? Bring on the cocoa, the self-spa days, the scalding showers and candle meditations. I’ve often considered that maybe there really is something in Scandinavian countries having the highest rate of happiness, because I’m sure if I could manage my mental health this way all year around, I would see a significant improvement in my wellbeing. Such musings have often left me wondering whether or not an arts career in Iceland or Sweden is feasible.

What I really struggle with, at this time of year, is the (deep breath) increased social gatherings. Cue the dramatic music and thunder flashes.

Let me preface this by saying, I generally like hanging out with other people. I like my friends. I love my family. I enjoy spending time with my classmates and colleagues. However, I am undeniably an introvert at heart and every social gathering leaves me feeling drained, tired and overwhelmed, no matter how much I enjoy it when I am currently experiencing it. And usually, this doesn’t become too much of an issue for me because at most times of the year, I can stagger and schedule my social encounters. I can take a day to myself after a night out, I can head home to sleep after that lunchtime catch up, or I can excuse myself from a meeting on account of too much college work.

But, the Christmas season, the most wonderful time of the year, rarely

leaves time for rest or takes mercy on those of us who would quite frankly, sooner curl up under a duvet than attend yet another gathering.

Christmas never means ‘just one more night out’. There’s the staff night. The college friends’ night. The school friends night. The family friend’s night. There’s the family night for one side, then the other, and then perhaps another family night with the Elite Inner Circle.

Then there’s at least one neighbour party, and always a minimum of two more nights out with friends. And each evening entails makeup for those of who wear it, a different outfit every evening (because heaven forbid you should be seen wearing the same thing twice).

There are a multitude of reasons why someone may not want to socialise at an event this year – for introverts, socialising is not just hard, it’s pretty freaking exhausting. The concept of a ‘social battery’ is not just an internet meme to be taken lightly, it’s a legitimate characteristic which is increasingly being accepted by psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Introverts find interacting with others to be tiring, similar to a long day at work or that post-workout crash. To top it off, the past year has presented new challenges leaving many uncomfortable and anxious about meeting others – perhaps from a medical perspective, or from decreased social stamina, not to mention the financial impact of a night out. Furthermore, the festive season can also be a reminder of those who are no longer with us. The feelings of loss and sadness are all too high and raw at this time of year, leaving little space for joy and happiness.With an extra empty space at the table this year, or a gap in the room where someone once stood, or one less Christmas card to send, it can take a toll on how you interact with others.

Aside from family, food and gifts, one of our culturally-enforced values at Christmas is compassion. So why is it so difficult to be understanding and accommodating to those who just aren’t up to an in-person interaction? Christmas is a high pressure situation as it is, without adding unnecessary stress or guilt to those who are struggling for whatever reason at this time of year. As a plea from an introvert who is sure to hide a lot over the next few weeks, try to be accepting and understanding if someone cancels on you this December – who knows what internal battle they may be grappling with?

And of course, if you feel the need to change plans this winter, continue to practise this compassion with yourself – sometimes you just need a day to switch off.

FEATURES Addressing Toxic Attitudes towards Successful Young Women

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

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MAEVE O’KEEFFE Features Editor

On Friday the 15th of November, Britney Spears fans and advocates of the #FreeBritney movement rejoiced, as her 13-year long conservatorship was terminated. Spears was placed under conservatorship after what can only be described as an incessant paparazzi pursuit that contributed to her mental health difficulties and erratic behaviour. The New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears details the intricacies of conservatorship cases, and the role of Spears’s fans in campaigning to “Free Britney.” However, one of the documentary’s most captivating aspects was the initial depiction of how Spears – one of pop’s most promising and popular stars – was driven to breaking point by relentless negative media reports. Given how Spears’s release from her conservatorship coincided with the release of Taylor Swift’s re-recording of her Red album, I began to reflect upon the ways in which our media and society continues to fail successful young women, and how female artists can be empowered to reclaim the caricature-like portrayals of them in the tabloid press.

Spears was catapulted into the public eye at age 16 when her immensely successful …Baby One More Time came out. The song’s enduring appeal is testimony to the talent and hard work that Spears possessed from a young age. And yet, as Spears’s stardom grew, so too did the scrutiny with which private aspects of her life were examined under. Her public breakup with *NSYNC singer Justin Timberlake drew a vulturous circling of tabloid stories slut-shaming Spears, alluding to alleged cheating, as well as discourses into Spears’s virginity and sex life. The once loved girl-next-door became a subject of scorn and public mocking as she struggled with personal issues in the following years, exacerbated by the same media outlets that would benefit from unflattering paparazzi shots and headlines of the singer.

One can only feel angered by how hounded Spears was, and how the public devoured stories of Spears’s struggles and so-called incompetence, as a mother, a performer, a sex symbol for general consumption. Although society has progressed in how we now have an improved understanding of mental health, it would be naïve to think that today’s stars are immune from the level of bashing that Spears was subjected to. If there is one thing that is becoming increasingly clear, it is that our patriarchal society does not like successful women, particularly not young successful women, and inevitably, will find some lens with which to scrutinize and dissect her publicly.

sneering in the media, as she was branded a “man-eater.” The album, though commercially successful, was dismissed with the rest of Swift’s discography for being too focussed on her break-ups, as though writing from personal experience diminished, rather than amplified the quality of her songwriting.

In 2021, the narrative has changed. Swift is still singing about the same heartbreak, but this time she is unapologetic about showcasing the urgency that women feel when experiencing heartbreak but are condemned for outwardly showing, at risk of being labelled hysterical, over-emotional, or needy. In the fan-favourite extended version of the song All Too Well, Swift highlights the significant age difference between herself, and the alleged subject of the song, Jake Gyllenhaal, who was 29 years old to Swift’s 20 years when their relationship began. With lines like, “I get older, but your lovers stay my age,” Swift draws attention to the fact that the criticism she suffered due to her famous relationships and break-ups was largely unwarranted and unfair. In all of the relationships and break-ups that Swift was ridiculed for throughout her career, which, like Spears, began when she was only 16, the men remain unscathed by the shaming that plagued Swift.

Let’s look at Taylor Swift, the only woman ever to win the Grammy for Album of the Year three times, and how, even today, she is a source of ridicule for her dating history and ‘feud’ with the Kardashian-Wests.

Swift, like Spears, was still a young woman when tabloids latched onto her relationships and dismissed her song-writing abilities simply because she, like so many other artists, wrote from personal experience.

Look at the media’s fixation on Adele’s weight. Or Billie Eilish, who just so happens to be the musician who broke Swift’s record for the youngest artist to win Album of the Year at the Grammys, and how on her 18th birthday, her name was the most searched term on PornHub. Ultimately, it is the pattern of behaviour behind the attempts to undermine and unravel female celebrities that should be subject to scrutiny. When you Megan Markle, Janet Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen… I could go on. examine the cases of the aforementioned women, it can feel like women It is as though society is deeply uncomfortable with the idea of a talented and girls just can’t win. The paradox of scorning and dismissing women woman, and the more successful and attractive she is, the more vulnerable for singing about their personal lives, while obsessively monitoring their she is to media outlets making it their mission to tear her down, knock personal lives for profit on gossip websites and in tabloids is so wrong. Yet down her self-made pedestal of success, and laugh when she falls. Every if the women complain about their unfair treatment by the media, they are facet of a prominent woman’s appearance and character is criticised at accused of “playing the victim.” Inevitably, some flaw will be unearthed or best, and at worst, condemned and ridiculed. We will invent a reason to invented, and magnified, until we forget the reasons why the woman became justify our collective contempt for such a talented, yet fundamentally famous in the first place – talent and hard work. Disregarding the media’s “unlikeable” woman, in a way that somehow, men appear to be exempt from. expectations will result in widespread lambasting, but any attempts to When Swift released Red (Taylor’s Version), she broke Spotify’s record comply with the unattainable standards of behaviour set for female celebrities for the most-streamed album in a day by a female artist. Not only does will be met with complaints that she is insincere and fake. Hollow cookiethis mark Swift reclaiming the rights to her music after her masters were cutter apologies from publicists on social media are not enough to undo the sold by her record label to Scooter Braun, who Swift claims actively tried wrongs perpetrated against women who suffered in the public eye. In the to dismantle her career as a manager to Kanye West, but it also signifies end, what we need is to ensure that the incessant and unnecessary hounding Swift reclaiming the narrative around her personal life. When Red was of female celebrities by paparazzi and media outlets dies out, like the legacy initially released in 2012, Swift was subject to relentless slut-shaming and of superstars whose tabloid coverage overshadowed their initial success.

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OPINION

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

Growing Up and Looking Back KIM NEILAND Student Contributor

revert back, comb back through the memories and find what sticks.

Naturally what you like or dislike will shift over time. Yet there are always a few things that take precedence. One’s love of sports and a particular soccer team. Clinging to a particular tv series, it functions almost as a metaphorical comfort blanket. Who you were will level with who you are and who will become. When I was younger I couldn’t wait to be older. I felt, and still do feel, like an old woman trapped inside a young person’s body. Yet I never lost sight of time – how fickle and lucrative it is, and how we all want just a little bit more. I’ve documented every minor detail from as far back as I can remember, living in fear that one day, inevitably, I’ll forget.

Growing up is tough. Losing some semblance of self is unnerving.

You can feel traces of who you were yet it will fade. Posed with a plethora of new information, faces, and surroundings, It’s an uncomfortable and awkward time in anyone’s life. When you’re young, moments are magic. I remember reading ‘The Secret Garden’

by Frances Hodgson Burnett when I was younger, completely spellbound by the concept of a secret garden. Where are such places I’d implore! Put that down on the Christmas list! There’s nothing quite like finding something you love. The best kind of love transcends time. It’s that distinct naivete that we see so often in kids which can vanish as they get older. When you must ‘grow up’, so to speak.

I’ve never liked that term. Yes, absolutely, there is a time for stepping up and taking responsibility. Yet there is also a time for letting loose and being spontaneous, for retaining childlike whims. When you’re young you should be allowed to be young. Nowadays kids invariably feel enormous pressure to be influencers by 15. You must be a child prodigy. Or else you’re nothing. Or else all you’ll ever be is, fearfully, like everyone else - ordinary. You’re never ordinary if someone loves you. It’s only when you get older that you realize what a privilege that is, and how it feels to give some of it back.

There is an age-old notion that what you do in your spare time is what you should dedicate your life to, largely stemming from what you pursued as a child. Do I believe that? Absolutely. Is it realistic? Absolutely not. You must consider social structures, income, education – the classic stereotypes. We live and die by labels. They make us feel safe. It’s that sense of safety that draws harsh lines. Children are malleable and hatred is learned. You may hear of career guidance counsellors steering teenagers down traditional career paths. Can you blame them? I would never want to be 18 years old again and faced with existential questions of who I am and what I want to do. Yet here I am, on the brink of 23, still desperately unsure of what it all means, or who I am within it.

I’m merely litmus testing my options and hoping for the best. That restlessness – the tension between who you are and who you’ll become can be harrowing at times. So in times of despair, you

So, what is my point in all this? Why the great urge for pandering about growing up? I think there is something to be said for looking back and seeing how far you’ve come. I think if you don’t tackle something that haunted you as a child it festers far too long, inevitably affecting your friendships, your relationships, and, well, everything. If you lost a loved one at a young age you may try to fill the hole they left behind. If you were wronged that sense of rage and annoyance may never leave you. It hurts because it matters. It sticks because it’s shaped you as a person. When you were young what did you really want? To be happy. Amidst the constant pressures of surviving and thriving in society, it’s easy to lose sight of that. Personally, I live in a perpetual state of amazement at the level of satisfaction I get from playing my guitar. I marvel at how listening to Fleetwood Mac puts me at ease. I relish time spent devouring new books and interesting articles. It tethers me to the world and to those around me. It gives me hope. It all stems from what I loved growing up. Sometimes I’m happy. Sometimes I’m miserable. When I am sad, I try to think of that little girl somewhere inside of me whose sole purpose was having her own secret garden.

I’ve always looked back. I still do. I hope I’m better because of it.

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

OPINION

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Failure – the Pathway to Success KIM NEILAND Student Contributor

Your life can be thought of in stages. You enter the education system at four or five years old, gradually progressing through towards secondary school. You’re impressionable and bright eyed. You’ve two hands in and one foot out. In essence, you’re young. It’s that very word that causes so much anxiety. Endless regurgitations of phrases like ‘You only live once’ and ‘School is the best time of your life.’ Yes, of course, that may be true for some. Yet therein lies the all too familiar one size fits all approach. Misrepresentation causes unnecessary frustration among teenagers and young adults who may feel like failures if they don’t fit the mould. You excelled academically yet never conquered the social ladder. You focused on sports to the detriment of your grades. Or perhaps, quite frankly, you simply didn’t want to be there at all. Those years can take a tight, firm grip on one’s psyche.

Soon you’re faced with the dreaded Leaving Certificate and the prospect of University. Instead of focusing on who you want to be, you’re expected to know what you want to do, disregarding the core notion of people – that we will inevitably change. That can drive fear, manifest self-loathing, and cause endless boats of frustration.

We are bombarded with success stories every day, yet very rarely do we see the other side of it – the tears shed from not receiving a mark, as if that result should ever define your character. If you’re anything like me, the all too pertinent fear of never being good enough is a loud, domineering voice. It weaves and haggles, it ruptures the core and leaves you hanging dry. Yet I firmly believe the strength of one’s character lives and dies in one’s response to adversity. How your attitude shifts in proportion to disappointment. I believe that in the process of falling short, you’re much further along had you not started.

The reality is that you will spend your whole life searching for who you are and what you want to do. To change, to be open to the prospect of it, that is no failure. Many lie to themselves, choosing to ignore the signs and simply let it be, ultimately becoming stuck in a systemic cycle of ‘what if’. It all comes down to risk. What

are you prepared to sacrifice? Are you scared of being laughed at, or cajoled out of your ideas? What are you afraid of? Being ridiculed? I myself am afraid of absolutely everything. You name it, I worry about it. This I consider being one of my biggest failures – my inability to be objective when it comes to my emotions and simply relinquish control of what was, is, or could be. The problem is you think you have time. You think the world will wait for you.

Time waits for no one, and fortune has always favoured the bold.

So, yes, maybe you didn’t get the result you hoped for, maybe you didn’t get the job you sought after, maybe you didn’t take that chance.

Good. You know better now. You can move ahead. Your life lives and dies in moments of opportunity. Your past becomes your present, your present your future. At some point, you will have to let it go.

Your mistakes? They are as much a part of you as anything else. Your failures? I hope they’ve made you bolder, kinder, a more empathetic and understanding individual. When you’re young, you’re impatient.

You’ve your eyes on the prize, and when the goalposts shift, you must allow yourself to move along. You must never apologize for that.

People will remember you for who you were, not what you are. You will spend your whole life climbing in and out of boxes you create for yourself. Falling short in essence means learning, which, above all else, is the whole point of your life. I’m not saying it isn’t tough, nor am I implying that you should strive for failure. Yet it is as inevitable as the rain falling tomorrow evening. It’s as ordinary as the freshly sliced pan arriving at your local supermarket to be stacked on shelves.

It’s not glamorous or aspirational, yet you’ve got to start somewhere.

Maybe when all is said and done you can look back and think ‘God, that shortcoming was the start of it all.’ I believe your world shrinks or expands in proportion to how big or small your dreams are. Keep your mind sharp, your wits about you and your heart open. I truly believe that anybody can get there, but you’ve got to take that first step. You’ve got to keep going despite hardship. When you get there, remember to give a hand back. You never know who might need it.

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BYLINE VOLUME 7 ISSUE 6

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EDITORIAL

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Issue six Hellothere!WelcometothefinaleditionofBylinethissemester.I’dliketotake this moment to congratulate my amazing team who have settled into their roles superbly, I dare say this is the most talented team of writers I’ve ever worked with. My features this week are on Pokémon (because I can scarce think about anything else) and a timing-appropriate Christmas gaming article!

Our cover this week is a photograph by the ever-talented Express photographer Méabh Lonergan! A fitting picture for the season. You can check out the rest of Méabh regularlyinthispaperbutalsobesuretofollowherat@meabhlonerganphotograp (shelovesaheadshot).

Byline has a touch of Christmas cheer this time around! If you want some distract impending doom of your exams then flick the page to read about beautiful inexpensive C dinner recipes in Food/Health or explore the horror of your average daytime telev movieinFilm/TVandsomuchmore.

Jack Coleman Byline Editor

byline@uccexpress.ie

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photography

Through My Lens photos by Jack Murphy

Gaeilge

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Traidisiún na Nollag CAITRÍONA O’CONNELL Eagarthóir Gaeilge

Tá a fhios agam go mbeidh roinnt agaibh ag féachaint suas chun na bhflaitheas agus an Nollaig á lua agam chomh lu i mí na Samhna, ach is í an Nollaig an t-am is fearr liom sa bhliain agus tá sceitimíní an domhain orm faoi cheana féi liom an t-atmaisféar, na carúil, na sceitimíní a bhíonn ar gach éinne, na maisiúcháin, an bia agus an t-am a chaite agus leis an muintir i rith na tréimhse. Tá an-chuid nósanna agus traidisiún ag baint leis an Nollaig in Éir roinntatáfósándéanamhagusroinntacuatánuagoleor.

COinnle san fhuinneog

uaireanta do mhuintir na dtithe a rabhadar ag tabhairt

Maisiúchán Cuilinn

Is minic a fheictear coinnle i bhfuinneoga tithe timpeall na hÉireann.

Anpríomhfháthachuirtearcoinnlesanfhuinneogisea,darletuairim choitianta an phobail, le baint fáilte a chur roimh stráinséirí agus Is in Éirinn a thosnaigh an nós chun fleasc cuilinn a chur a roimh thaistealaithe teacht isteach sa bhaile sin i rith na hoíche. phríomhdhoras.

Nuair a bhí na Sasanaigh i gceannas ar Éiri Deirtear níos faide siar sa stair, gur ag cur fáilte roimhní anraibh Spiorad mórán airgid ag na hÉireannaigh chun maisiúcháin Naomh a bhí sé agus muna raibh coinnle ann, gur chosúil leis an cheannach don Nollaig agus mar sin d’úsáideadar an méid a b tábhairneoir nár lig Muire agus Iósaf isteach sa teach ósta a bhí sa mórthimpeall orthu go nádúrtha. Creidtear dá mbeadh a lán c duine. Úsáidtear trí coinnle chun Muire, Iósaf, agus an Leanbhduine Íosa, go ndéanfadh a leithéid ana-mhaitheas dóibh is go mb a thaispeáint agus ní chuirtear an doras fé ghlas chun ligint dóibh níosmóáidh indándóibhsanAthbhliain. teacht isteach nuair a bhí an teaghlach ina gcodladh. Míniú eile is ea gur thaispeáin na coinnle gur theaghlach Chaitliceach a bhí sa teaghlach sa tigh agus chun fáilte a chur roimh an sagart áitiúil aifreann a rá sa tigh nuair a bhí na Péindlíthe i bhfeidhm in Éirinn.

Tarlaíonn an ceiliúradh seo ar an 6ú Eanair, agus go traidisi bheadh lá saor ag na mná go léir ón obair tí agus déanfadh na fir an obair go léir, ag déanamh na mbéiltí agus ag ligint dos na mná a scíth a ligint tar éis an obair go léir a thagann le tréimhse Sean-traidisiún atá ann chun go mbeadh an dreoilín ar siúl ar Lá an anláseodeireadhletréimhsenaNollag,chomhmait Cuireann Dreoilín.Téannsétharn-aisgodtíanuairinamaraítearfíor-dhreoilín agus iompraítear timpeall é i sceach chuilinn. I dtús báire, measadh gurbh é an dreoilín “Rí na nÉan” dar leis naPágánaigh ach ansin ghlaoighnaCaitlicigh“ÉananDiabhailair.Deirteargurthréighséan mairtíreachSanStiofánagusdebharrsinlebaintmaraítear dreoilín ar De réir traidisiúin le 50 bliain nó mar sin, seo é an lá go dtaga LáleStiofán.Tarlaíonnroinntmórshiúltafóssaláatáinniugach ann,éinne ach lasmuigh de Bhaile Átha Cliath chun na cathra ganandreoilínabheithiláthair.Gléasanndaoinesuasuaireanta chun an tsiopadóireacht a dhéanamh don Nollaig. Tá an scéal amhl maidir gobhféachfaidhsiadcosúillehéan(gocoitiantaigculaiththuí) Téann . le Corcaigh, chomh maith. Chomh maith leis sin, deirt mbeadh mí-ádh daoine ó thigh go tigh le slat mhór agus cuileann ceangailte leis anort dá gcuirfeá an crann Nollag suas roimh an 8ú achlebliantachuirtearancrannsuasroimhesin,d mbarr,agcanadhamhránmargheallardhreoilín.ChuireadarNollaig, ceolleis

Nollaig na mBan

Lucht an Dreoilín

8ú Nollaig

gaeilge

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Spraoi Cois Laoi

CAITRÍONA O’CONNELL Eagarthóir Gaeilge

Byline focus

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Why Pokémon is Still So Good JACK COLEMAN Byline Editor

Welcome to an article not at all inspired by the upcoming Diamond release cannot of beunderstated.IactuallystoppedplayingPo once the series moved from the Nintendo DS to the Nintend Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.At the time of writing, asthis, I didn’t the games are not out yet but by the time you are reading my own a 3DS. However, I recently bought a Nintendo Switc so I’ll finally be able to come back to Pokémon after 9 year finalyearhopeswillhavebeenirreparablydamagedbytheand Pokémon grind.IjustwantashinyMunchlaxandIwilldoanythingtoYou make that see, the reason that these remakes do so well commerc happen. My first Pokémon game was Emerald, released in 204. It that they each appeal to a di-erent age bracket. I’m 2-years-o feels like just yesterday that I slid on that GameboyAdvance switch so I was 7-yearsold when Pokémon Diamond was released. The and was greeted with that amazing repetitive ri- that accompanies nostalgiafactorisatanall-timehighwhenthinkingabout the appearance of Rayquaza on the main menu. And that was that, that part of growing up. We’re all chasing that feeling we ha as they say. I poured countless hours into that game. As it was my kid playing Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl.Anecdotal proo firstPokémongameandIwasyoung,IhadnoideathatIhadtoface of this e-ect is that I have never witnessed such exciteme a Champion Pokemon trainer after the Elite Four. What should have a Pokémon game from my social circles, and we’re all around t been a triumphant moment after defeating Drake withsame a struggling age.Fast-forwardtwoyearswhentheylikelyremakePokem MarillquicklyturnedtotearsasWallacegreetedmeinBlack thenext room. and White (201) and the generation who played these

games as a young kid will be wired with nostalgia-fueled excit While I played a lot of Emerald, my true love was Pokemon Diamond (206). By the time I received a Nintendo DS, I was old Why do we still get excited about Pokémon in our adult live enough to fully appreciate the depth and scale of thebecause game I wasthe concept of Pokemon is still so compelling. An playing. The soothing tones of the soundtrack, thewho’s engaging played a Pokémon game knows they follow a formula, creationist plot and not to mention the Pokemon! I loved everything you have to beat all eight gym leaders followed by the Elit about those games. The weather gradually turned towhile snow as I stopping a nefarious plot by some kind of evil organi climbed Mt. Coronet, the awe-inspiring confrontation with Dialga follow the same formula that made Pokémon They generally and the nerve-wracking battle with Cynthia. I’m getting giddyback in the ‘90s, but new features and of course n successful just thinking about it. I maxed out my save file and moved onto Pokémon are added each instalment to keep that fresh Pokémon Platinum (208) upon its release (also a fantastic game) Now. you wouldn’t think a formulaic game series would main Now 15 years later, Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearlits monstrous success for over 20 years but Pokémon has do that. And I personally have no complaints about are being remade on the Nintendo Switch as Pokemon exactly Brilliant

Diamond and Shining Pearl. This has been Pokémon’s usual WhyisPokémonstillsogood?Itplaysexactlyhowyouexpectitto.Yo and lucrative model of business since FireRed and catch LeafGreen Pokémon,formanemotionalbondwiththem,yougrowstron (204), which were remakes of the original Pokémon Red and together, you follow an oftentimes emotional story as you ba Green (196). Pokémon BD/SP are the fourth generation of your Pokémon through trials and tribulations. You have encounters remakes after the aforementioned original remakes, HeartGold/with legendary Pokémon, you trade version excl withyourfriends,youbattlethem.Ithonestlydoesn’teverge SoulSilver (201) and Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire (2014). My personally excitement upon hearing that they would be remaking Pokémon amexcitedtodoitallagainstartingFriday,Novem

byline focus

21

The Holliest Jolliest Games Going JACK COLEMAN Byline Editor

‘Tistheseason,astheysay.Whatdoestheseasonentailforyou?Christmasformeisabouthangingoutwithf comehomefromabroad,eatingacopiousamountoffood,playingrelaxingvideogames(LeagueofLegendsisino-seaso watching the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy.As a special article for the season that’s in it, I thought I w gamesthatheavilyfeaturetheChristmasseasonsoyoumaybeabletogetsomefestiveenjoymentwhereyou

Saints Row 4: How the Saints Saved Christmas

Dead Rising 4

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

The popular Capcom zombie actionadventure series is famous for the innovative timer which counts Thedown popular Spiderman: Miles Morale during the game’s main plot, forcing took the gaming world by storm when As a large fan of the original Saint’s Row,player to make decisions in a timely the it was released. Interestingly, much I haven’t liked the direction themanner seriesor has risk negative consequences.

Arkham Origins, the game takes plac been going ever since. Over-the-topInterestingly, and Dead Rising 4: Frank’sduring Big the holiday season. Web-slingi slapstick isn’t my style, I prefer the semi- (2016) is the first game in the Package around a snow-covered Manhattan realistic direction the original game had. series without the timer. But itone does of have the coolest characters in Ma But I guess they have to di-erentiate the something better! Christmas! Fans of Now that sounds like a good time! I don series from Grand Theft Auto in fairness. the series will remember the Willamette own a Playstation 4 or a Playstation 5 s Anyways, Saints Row 4: How the Saints Mall which acted as the setting for the I’ve never been able to avail of this b Saved Christmas (2013) is an expansion original game. Well, Dead Rising 4 takes accounts fantastic game but if you wa packforSaintsRowAs 4. thetitlesuggests, place in a mall that was built in memorial a time-appropriate game to pick up t the plot revolves around the protagonist of the first mall at the same site.

And, Christmas and you own a Playstati and his gang, the Saints, rediscovering it’s Christmas time! Christmas light clad thenwhynotfinallytryoutMilesMoral the true meaning of Christmasbarbed and wire baseball bats, candy-cane bringing cheer to Stillwater. If you crossbows already and a snappy Santa suit ownSaintsRow4,whynotgiveitawhirl? for Frank are all parts of the Christmas cheer one can have in Dead Rising 4 while culling a deadly zombie infection.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (20) predictably has Christmas cont Much like Dead Rising 4, while Batman “Toy Day” celebrations begin in-game doesn’t explicitly have anything to do with on December 24th! There are plenty of Christmas, Arkham Origins (2013) takes activitiestotakeadvantageof,tra place on Christmas Eve.The cityscape of Jingle the Reindeer, decorate your Isl Gotham City is blanketed in snow, there in festive goodness, hang up your Toy are holiday decorations aplenty and some Day stockings and gift your neighbour of the goons you clobber are dressed in with presents from Jingle’s magic ba festive outfits. If you want a solid snowy Honestly, curling up in front of the Batman experience this Christmas, with the Switch on my lap and decorati come play Origins and take-down Black my snowy Animal Crossing house this Mash during the best time of the year.

Christmas sounds like an amazing vi

Batman: Arkham Origins

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

So, there you have it! Five games involving the Christmas season to try out in the coming months. Thank you all for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful holidays!

FILM & TV

22 Why You Should be Watching Succession CORMAC MCCARTHY Film & TV Editor

Picture the scene. You’re at a party and everyone’s e-ort chatting made to succeed only puts them further be about the hot new television shows that they’re all addicted to. A that is ever present in the show tha It’s the tension woman, let’s call her Lisa, turns around and asks if you have seen coming back. Each episode and season build delicately to a t the new show Succession. You politely say that you have not. climax. It is the relationship between Logan and Kendal tha

this shuts tension It’s at that moment where everyone stops talking, the music o- to shine. Each has their own shortcoming callousness and impatience, Kendal’s insecurity, and andalleyesarefixedonyou.Sherepeatsthequestion,this timeabit frostier.You quietly repeat that you haven’t seen theThe show.

It’s at that writers know exactly how to use this relationship, it moment that they hunt you out of the house and demand you never main moral crux for both. The audience is desperate for s speak to them again. And that’s it. You’re now a social outcast.

And form of acquiescence but know that it will never come to you know what, I wouldn’t disagree. That’s how good this series is.

Thecasuallyextremewealththatthecharactersliveinact Already in it’s third season, Succession concernsto itself with the drama unfolding. The opulence is such that Georgia Pr the Roy family, the family at the centre of a globalwriter media fortheshow,evenmentionedinaninterviewhowtheyr conglomerate as each member vies for power and control. helpofwealthconsultantsinordertogetanaccuratedesc withsuchwealthbehaveinthesituationstheyarew The patriarch, Logan Roy, is about to pass over control ofpeople the firm

to his second oldest son Kendal. However, at the last The minute characters have grown up in such an environment, so he relents and decides to stick around for a few more years. removed fromtheregularsociety,thattheydon’texactlyrea This leads to each member of the family scrambling to get a the way normal people do. It further punctuates the bizar foothold in the company while still trying to maintain civility. of these characters. The wealth acts as a barrier to the

another The series delights in the family’s dysfunction. It is full toclever the method of preventing the viewer from rela brim with backstabbing schemes, shocking insults characters and twistsonscreen, regardless of how empathetic they and turns that keep you on the edge of your With a manageable thirty episodes, no scene seat. It is as funny as it is thrilling, as it is a wasted,eachmomentcomingwithapreciseamoun biting satire of the hellish corporate world. of care given to it. One such example occurs in t openingepisodewhereLoganRoyiscelebratingh Every character is as awful as they seem, self 80thbirthday.Thedinnerthatensuesisaperfect destructive and manipulative. Yet, they are written antipathyandwarmth,kickingo-theseriesper with a certain level of pathos that you can’t but feel sympathy for them. Each sibling tries desperately for the approval of their father Roy, but the harder they try, the more it results in futility. It’s a tragic character arc that they go through, where each

I couldn’t recommend it more. What are you doing still reading this? Put the paper now and go watch it and report back to me

23

FILM & TV

Santa has thirty seconds to cure his Reindeers of Polio to save Christmas – It’s time for Christmas films CORMAC MCCARTHY Film & TV Editor

undertaken the task of daytime television, but this might If you include all theatrically released films, television films, toughest assignment yet. And so, I sat down for a triple bil short films and direct-to-video films, the numbermy of films films last Sunday evening, albeit a bit early for Chr about Christmas that have been made comes tothese a grand as this is the last pre-Christmas issue, I thought total of 540. That’s more than 530 but alas, less than but 50. get it out of the way. Like ripping o- an overly sentimental pl ButwhatconstitutesaChristmasfilm?Thedefinitionbeingusedhere First up wasThis Beaus of Holly, a film whose puntastic title wa isafilmthatprominentlyuseChristmasasetting,theme character. canary in the coalmine that I ignored. It concerns a woman allowsforthecontroversialinclusionofDieHardandJaws: TheRevenge.

Christmastime would you believe. Now this woman has a lover However, a Christmas film for many is one that is merely one that is commit to her, prompting said woman to go o- on a sle just won’t watchedatChristmas.TheseincludetheHarryPotterseries, the ride with aLord charming old man, who teaches her the true mea oftheRingsseries,andTheSimpsonsMovie.Whatevertheymay be, of Christmas.

The characters are as dull as the excel spre these films are a staple of Christmas for their universal messages of the film was written on. Filled to the brim with every rom-com c goodwill,familyandensuringDarkLords,bothnearandfar,areyou defeated. could think of, including the classic will he get o- the wonderland But it is quite shocking how many there are out there. The case is train? / won’t he get o- the winter wonderland

like Christmas songs where unfortunately for every classic “All Thenextlike filmwas AChristmasMelody,thedirectorialdebutofM I want for Christmas is you” by Mariah Carey there about Carey. ten others Movingswiftlyon. in the vein of “All I Need Is Love” by CeeLo Green & The Muppets.

The next film was Golden Winter. The plot is simple. A young boy meets a group of stray golden retrievers and together t These are pumped out by media corporations in the a bank in in time for Christmas. This was, without a hope that at least one of them cements itself in thejust public of the finest films I’ve ever seen and there will be no cri collective consciousness. For every Home Aloneone there’s whatsoever.

It’s only a matter of time before this sits about ten in the style Grumpy Cats Worst Christmas Ever.

Christmas film podium next to Home Alone and The Grinch Yet, there is still such an appeal for these types of bland, by Itreally ishardtocriticizethesefilms.No.That’snottrue.It’ the numbers, seasonal films that it warrants an entire channel. to criticize these films. Laughably easy. Their overtly twee st Great! Movies Christmas (formerly Sony Movies Christmas) is are punctuated by a budget that is stretched beyond it one such channel. Operating 24/7 for the months of October, However, it’s hard to justifiably review these films when it November and December, GMC plays round the clock the film even begins that nothing good can come of this films that are truly the worst of what Christmasbefore has to o-er.

It was only in the final act of Golden Winter that I realised w A catalogue of some of the worst drivel that the holiday true season has to o-er, GMC imports most of its films from thereason for these films’ existence is. They encapsulate w Christmas American owned Hallmark channel and fills the rest of itsseason is really all about. Because Christmas fo justas unapologeticallysaccharineandschmaltzyasthefil programming of old films that have outlived their copyright status. tobe.Atsurfaceleveltheysorelentlesslysappybutdeepdo Why does this channel consistently get just underreally half aare million justlovelylittlethings.AtChristmas,sometim people tuning into it every day? Being the fearless journalist that somethingas lightI andascornyaswhatthesefilmso-er,whichis am, I had to discover what the fuss was all about. I had previously youwillfindmeknee-deepinSanta’sSummerHousethisChristm

FOOD & HEALTH

24 Classy Christmas Dinner on a Budget NATHAN CAREY Food and Health Editor

Christmas time is one of my favourite periods of the year. A crisp chill in the air, warm jumpers, scarves and hot chocolate fill everyone’s minds. A time where family, biological or chosen, come together and appreciate one another’s company. Food has always been a monumental part of Christmas for me. I remember as a young child I would help my parents cook the big dinner, albeit my job was to toss the stu-ng and nothing more, I still adored being a part of the process.As we get older and embark on new adventures in life, it can often be hard to return home on time for Christmas. Sometimes we even want to share the joy with the people we are living with now. While college Christmas is typically synonymous with day long shenanigans, spending time with our friends cooking up a nice meal can truly be something special. A hearty Christmas dinner also doesn’t have to break the bank!

Below I’ve compiled recipes for all the classics including perfectly roasted chicken, creamy garlic mash, crisp roasties and flavourful root vegetables.

You may have noticed there is a glaring lack of turkey, and you’d be right.

Not only is chicken much cheaper than turkey, but it also holds moisture much better. I’d take juicy chicken over dry turkey any day! I’ve included a shopping list with an average price of ingredients so you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything and can focus on creating magical memories. I’ve chosen rosemary as my herb of choice here as it is quite robust and compliments all of these ingredients. Feel free to swap it out for your favourite herb or add a couple together to build even more flavour.

This whole Christmas feast comes together for just less than €15. For a group of 4 friends that comes out at just €3.75 each, the price of a coffee! By making some small changes to the traditional ingredients of a Christmas dinner you can create something just as tasty on a budget. However you choose to spend your holidays this year, I hope you can enjoy some delicious food with the ones you hold closest.

FOOD & HEALTH

25 Perfectly Roasted Chicken Ingredients:

Oneofmybiggesttipsforcookingaroastchickenistospatchcockit.Ifyouhaven’theardofthistec do not fret as it is fairly straightforward. Place your chicken on a chopping board breast side d LargeChicken backboneandusekitchenshearsorscissorscutalongeithersideofthebone.Oncethebackbone OliveOil your bird back over and press down firmly between both breasts. You should hear a small crack and shouldberelativelyflat.

Salt Pepper Rosemary

Transfertoaroastingtrayandcoatinoliveoil,salt,pepperandfinelychoppedrosemary.Cookingach ensureseverypartiscookedevenly.Italsodramaticallyreducescooktime.Placethebirdintoa minutesoruntiltheinternaltemphits74°C.Leavetorestforminutes 10 beforecarving.Byspatchcoc alsobemucheasiertobreakdownthebird.

Potatoes Two ways Ingredients:

1.5kgpotatoes

Peelandchoppotatoesintoroughly2cmpieces.Addtoapotofsaltedcoldwaterandplaceoverhighh ensurethepotatoesarecookedevenly.Bringtoaboilandcookfor5-10minutesoruntilfork-tender.

Drain and set half the potatoes aside for roasting. Arrange them in a single layer on a sheet pa 4clovesGarlic slightly and drizzle over olive oil.You will need more than you think, so don’t be shy! Season with s 10gButter and gently agitate until fully coated. Place into an oven at 20°C for about an hour. You’ll want to re SplashofMilk everysooftenandflipthepotatoes.Iftheylookparticularlydry,addmoreoliveoil.Removeoncethe overandgoldenbrown.

OliveOil For the mashed potatoes, return half the potatoes to the pot.Add 10g butter and mash until cream salt,pepperandfinelymincedgarlic.Ifyoupreferlooserpotatoes,addasplashofmilk.

Stuffing

Ingredients: Finely chop the onion and add to a bowl along with finely chopped herbs breadcrumbs.

BreadCrumbs 1 Onion Melt 10g butter in a small saucepan and add to the breadcrumb mixture. Season saltandpepper.

Rosemary(andanyotherherbsyou’dlike) 10gButter Placethewholemixtureintoafoil-linedbakingdish.Coverwithfoilandbak ovenfor30minutes.Removefoilinthefinal5minutesofcookingtocrispuptheto

Brussels Sprouts w/ Smokey Pancetta

Ingredients: Althoughsimple,thissidedishelevatesthehumbleBrusselssprouttonewheights.Peelo leavesandchopeachsproutinhalf.

BrusselsSprouts SmokedPancetta Place pancetta into a cold frying pan and place on medium heat. Bringing the heat up slowly hel outmorefat,whichiswhatwearegoingtousetofryo-thesprouts.

Once the pancetta has expelled enough fat, add the halved sprouts to the pan. Fry on mediu cookedthroughbutstillcrisp,about15minutes.Seasonwithsaltandpepperifneeded.

Carrots and/or Parsnips Ingredients:

Peel the root veg and chop into batons of roughly the same size.Add to a roasting tray and t oil,salt,pepperandfinelychoppedrosemary.

Carrotsand/orParsnips Oliveoil Roast at 20°C for 45 minutes until tender. Remove from oven and drizzle with honey and more fre rosemary.

Rosemary

Chicken Gravy

Ingredients: Add the juices from the roasted chicken into a saucepan along with 50ml of chicken stock (you stockcubesorpotshere).Bringtoasimmerovermediumheat. Inasmallbowlwhisk,1tbspflourwi Juicefromroastchicken coupleoftbspofboilingwateruntilthemixtureissmoothandnolumpsremain.

50mlChickenStock Addtheflourmixturetothechickenstockandquicklywhisk.Continuetowhiskovermediumh 1tbspflour gravy starts to thicken. If the gravy is still too loose, repeat the second step again. Seas saltandpepper.

As always if you make any of the recipes featured in the Express, we would love to see them!

You can post a picture on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #ExpressCooks.

MUSIC

26

The First Step is Often the Hardest FLORRIE MCCARTHY Music Editor

Do you ever stop to think about your favourite band,members and what of The Who that he knew. They never formed and members of The Yardbirds left after their last Engl their name means? Is there any significance to it?some Where They had ones more commitments in Scandinavia, however, so th did they get it? It’s no secret that there are some weird went about putting another lineup together. The group out there, some iconic, and some great names who never recording session before they left for Scandinavia a got to see a stage. Even some of the biggest bands, in one the first wonders think, probably have names behind them that haverecording to feature the iconic Jones, Page, Bonh Plant no significance to how they came together or got famous. lineup.TheScandinaviantourwasahugesuccessan recorded their own album after but previous members Maybe you, like myself, think the Beatles is a stupidYardbirds name – demandedtheirnamebechanged.JimmyPagethough some combination of the beetle the insect and keeping backtothe TheWho’sreactiontohissupergroupidea,sayingit beat, perhaps? Or the cars, Volkswagen Beetles?! Di-go erent down like a “lead balloon”. He removed the ‘A’ in case peop stories have been touted in interviews over the years, saying pronounced it“leed”,andthoughtaZeppelinwasamorepow sometimes that it was inspired by Buddy Holly’s band of the graceful version of a balloon, and so Led Zeppelin were for time, the Crickets, and at other times saying it came to them in Ionlyposethisquestion,reader,becausemyselfandmybandma a dream. Alas, it is theirs and has been, some might argue, weretorturedforagestryingtocomeupwithabandname.Id the most iconic band in the history of pop and rock music. it would come organically, and we would all love it insta wentthroughsomedodgyiterations,mostlyfromme,eventh Guns N’ Roses – a joining of two bands, the L.A. Guns and the Ipersonally Hollywood Roses – has all the adventure and bravado needed lovedallmyowncontributions.Whenaskedthe at by a band like them. The rock band KISS was named because one point I replied “God Knows”, and fell in love with th butitwasblownoutofthewaterbytheothersforimplyingr the drummerhadpreviouslybeeninabandnamedLips.Nirvana intentions.

Someone else suggested “Sweet Temptati is known as being the highest level of inner peace achievable by classic, saucy name, but this, we thought, was too close t Buddhist monks, which we might suppose the band members actual Temptations.

The rhythm guitarist gave us “The Ki found in their intense, distorted, overdriven musical violence.AC/ and-So’s”.

Catchy, DCreferstothetwotypesofelectrical current,perfectly fitting forbut a bit too cheeky. While I kept throwing o options related toCorkcity,asIthoughtitwouldbecool the “high-voltage rock and roll” the group are known for.ABBAis roots closest to ourheart–anythingaboutCollegeRoado quiteafamousone,nothavinganamewhentheyfirstwenttothe or Mount Pleasant recordingstudiosothemembers’initialswerewrittenonthelabels. or St. Finians where we practised – no theseweretakenseriouslyandafterhoursoflaughingde In 196, guitarist Jimmy Page replaced the bassist of the London at ridiculous suggestions from a Band Name Generator w band The Yardbirds. The other lead guitarist, Je- Beck, we left soon found inspiration for Violet Club.After saying it a few after, and Page wanted to form a supergroup with him and some there was no going back and we all wanted to go to b stuck;

Do you want a ticket to the Violet Club? Follow us on Instagram, @violetclubcork.

MUSIC

27

Astroworld Tragedies FLORRIE MCCARTHY Music Editor

You may have seen some content in the news recently ofthedeceasedwere14to27yearsold.Thetenthpersonto die about large stampedes at the rapper Travis wasScott’s a 9-year-old boy, Ezra Blount, who su-ered head and organ famous music festival AstroWorld a few weeks ago trauma which attheconcertandwasonlifesupportforfivedaysth have been the cause of 10 deaths at the time of writing.

There are reports of potential incidents of people bei The festival was intended to be held over the Friday the 5th A security guard was being medically examin with Narcan. and Saturday the 6th of November in Houston, Texas, where when he passed out. Upon being revived a mark was notic on his neck consistent with those of a needle in the rapper hails from. However, the Saturday performances were cancelled after the tragedies of Friday. ThereThere are many hasalsobeentalkofthesecuritymeasuresputin reports of all the events leading up to Scott’s performance also theconcert andwhethertheyweresu-cient.Therewasacr being rough and dangerous, with 30 people in total having people 50, atthefestival,broughtdownfromaninitalplanned been treated for cuts and bruises throughout theof day. though 70, When the apparentlydistrictfirecodesallowedfor20,. gates initially opened many people rushed through and jumped have over metal detectors and the rest of the setup putConcerts in place at thea reputation for being confined, extremel and unstable entrance for security and some were apparently injured this way. environments but when people as young as 14 lose their lives, leaving parents without their child AhalfanhourbeforeScotthimselfcameon,atimerstarted onthe there’s something wrong. There has to be a question aske bigscreenonthestage,causinggreatexcitementandanticipation, about the responsibilities of the performer and the co which,asonecanimagine,madeanantsy,tensecrowdevenmore of how their actions might play in the crowd ment aggressive and intense. The rapper came on stage at 9:06, to Discourse about the concert online and in the media huge roars. It was then that the audience started to crush in most suggestionsthathesawthemassdisasteranddidnoth intensely, pressing everyone at the front up against the railings. he heard the people screaming, and did nothing. Footage These people would then have had di-culty breathing.the Towards concert shows people climbing the ladders to the s the start of the show, there were people at the front who passed shouting at cameramen filming the concert to do somethi out, or were in distress asTravis Scott himself stopped the show showtheentireaudiencescreamingtosto other videos multipletimesovertheminutes 75 forwhichheperformedtobring It is hard to know how much of this is true. One wonders at thistotheattentionofmedicsandsecurityo-cialsnearby.

Footage much Scott of this can be found on YouTube and elsewhere on the Internet. wouldbeabletointerpretfromthecrowdwhile However, itcan’tbepossiblethathedetectednothingw It is supposedly closer to the middle of his concert when deaths the flashing lights of emergency vehicles cut through the occurred.Somanypeoplecrushedinthatspaceendeduptrampling escorting injured people out. One thing we know for sure on bodies, emergency vehicles made their way into the crowd. he had a responsibility as the performer to understand Peopleweretakenawayonstretchersthroughouttheperformance. of his actions on the mentality of the crowd, and perhaps i 8 people died in the evening, and 25 were still hospitalized on hype was created around the event than neces much more Saturday.AnotherofthesediedonSaturdayalso.Theage ranges these aforementioned tragedies would not have o

GAMING

28 What happened to these moneymakers?

CHLOE BARRETT Gaming Editor figures.

They were Back in 1, 20 fan favourite character Spyro embarked consistently being on a new, costly video game adventure, one marked that down for blasted the fresh genre of Toys-to-life to another cheap level. prices with special The developers of Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure, Toys for Bob, o-ers if you brought yourself to buy Vicarious Visions and XPEC Entertainment respectively, had multiples. a big vision in mind when kick-starting the popular franchise.Apart from few rare figures, With Activision owning the rights to the Spyroa character there was not much and being on board, the Skylanders characters were born. resale value to them Theplotofthegameswassimpleenough.TheSkylands,seteither, inthe so you essentially l o s centreoftheuniverse,frequentlyfacesthreatsinthe form of freaky a lot of money in the long run if you or your child was a antagonistKaos.However,whenKaosisclosetosucceeding, the avid collector. This did not just happen to the Sk fateoftheSkylandsconvenientlyfallstotheplayer.They are tasked franchise though, another game also got the same trea with using Skylander figures to transport the characters into the Developers Avalanche Software, Heavy Iron Studios and Al game,wheretheymustsavetheuniversefromthebald-headedfoe. came together after the obvious success of Skylande But,beforeyouembarkonanyofthis,youmustinvestinthe game theideaofDisneyInfinitytotheworld.Itwasnotasu brought first.Bypurchasingthestarterpackwhichretailedto forsee sixty euros, Disney cashinonanopportunitylikethis,andcash you obtained three little figurines and a portalcertainly with it. Players did. With a 2013 release, many fans of Skylanders and then went forth with their detailed figures and placed on the thethem extremely large Disney fan base came together to mak portal, which then made them appear on your screen asgame playable asuccess.ThestarterpackwassimilartowhatSkyla characters.Someofyoumaybethinkingthatsoundsgreat, which o-ered, threefigures,aportal,butalsoanadditionalplays it indeed was! However, there were over one hundred and fiftytochangetheworldtoaDisneyMoviethemedunive was used figurines released over the years. If there was a new addition to andapower discthatenabledyoutounlockanitemorpowe the series, there was a new collection of figures toDisney be bought.

Infinity did not exactly feature a typical story

two di-erent ways to play, Play Set and Toy Box, the Now,thegamecouldbeplayedwithjustthethreebaseWith figurines. options But, when the audience of the game was mainly children and thewere quite limited unless you went out and pu additional playsets. These playsets usually came w figureswerebeingmarketedasgreatadditionstothe basegame, playable figurines and a new, unlockable world/advent theywerehardlygoingtoresist.OfthemanySkylandersout there, explore, costingquiteaheftyamountifyouweretobuyafew.O eachwasassignedtoanelement.Thecategorieswerewater, fire, course, you undead,magic,light,tech,life,air,darkandearth.Throughoutthecould buy figurines on their own, which cost roug the same as Skylanders, but apart from someone new to p game by advancing in the storyline, you would unlock dierent as, they power-ups for these elements. A cutscene would be shown of did not add much else to the game itself. Also, po discs came in random blind packs, so if you bought a few you a certain Skylander performing a specific move set, depending very easily end up with duplicates that you alre on what was unlocked. As expected, when children sawcould these charactersthattheydidnothaveinmotion,manywanted them.As Obviously, the game was a success, and two other instalm thenumerousotherinstalmentsintheseriescameout, the number came out throughout the years. Playsets were not comp of figurines soon began to build up, as did the recurring cost. instalments, so you had to buy more if you wan in other They were not cheap either, depending on the character itsnew games. There was a choice in starter pack one and of the demand,anaveragepriceofteneuroswasdecidedpercharacter. if you preferred Marvel-themed characters or your t Disney favourites you could lean towards either opt However,asthehypearound a Star Wars-themed pack being the focus for the third ga thegame

dieddown Ultimately both of these games faced the same fate, with D andfuture Infinity being discontinued after the third version and releases taking a ‘break’ for an unannounced period of time. Alth wereyetto Skylandersdidrunlonger,withsixmaingames,alongwithse makean spin-o-sreleasedoversevenyears.Theyweretoocostlyofgam appearance, inthelongterm,especiallywhenchildrenwerethemainau shopswere If you have any interest in playing either game though, the leftwithan released for the majority of major consoles and can be abundance quite cheaply now, along with figures from numerous sell ofthese

GAMING

29

Discovering Benefits Within Gaming CHLOE BARRETT Gaming Editor

Life Is Strange

They feel real and happen to go through emotionally heavy situations, where you, the gamer, often have to make the choices that you feel are right at that moment.

SEXPRESS

30

GOOD VIBES ONLY

AOIFE E OSBORNE Newspaper Designer

Here’s the thing. Most people I know own some form of sex toy – when you need it most, plug it in the morning before you down a vibrator, a dildo, even just some cheeky handcu-s that theyand come back to find it full charged and ready to u head out received as a joke which they say they never use. And honestly, if you don’t use sex toys, that’s obviously cool too. My general attitude to all things sex is as long as it’s fun and consensual, you do you boo. No judgement here, this is a safe space!

Okay,soI’mnotgoingtopretendtobeanexperthereandgointoea Thatbeingsaid,startingtheconversationaroundsextoys (even with specific style ofvibrator.Suction?Clitoralstimulation? friends)canbetoughbecausethey’resostigmatised–heaven forbid one is really down to personal preference however if you are that self-pleasure should be discussed or indulged. With that in mind anew style Ihighlyrecommendtryingabudgetversionfirst!Jus letmebreaktheicehere–whetherthey’reusedwithapartner or on case, I don’t know, it ends up sitting in a drawer doing nothin yourown,sextoyscanbereallyfun.Sure,weallhavethatoneone friend nightyoudecideitmightworkasamassagerforthattight whoclaimstomagicallyorgasmeverytimeandhasanawesome sex your back? Hypothetically speaking, of course. Definitely not a r life (we get it Sue, and we’re not jealous at all) but let’s be real. Sex scenario.

Butifitwas,Ibetitworkedwondersforthatmuscl is rarely as seamless or fluid as we see in movies or pornography – it’s awkward, it’s clumsy and if you have little to no experience in the bedroom (again, no judgement) it’s next to impossible to know what you want, or what you like. Enter solo play, a safe and consensual Vibrators literally cost anything from a fiver to five hund waytoexploreyourbody,whatmakesithappyandwhatfeelsPlease, good. ohpleasedonotspendthatmuchonyourfirstvibrato And while they can also be used with a partner, sex toys can be a mayend updislikingthestyle,hatingthecolourorevenjustn welcome addition in helping you figure out your turn-ons,(pun andintended) o-s. withthepressure.Startsmall,andworkyourwa

Let’s be honest though, picking sex toys is hard, and picking a vibrator was quite frankly, terrifying for me. Truthfully I don’t think I even thought about my first one, I just picked up whichever looked the least scary at the counter of Ann Summers. Teeny Much little like your teeth, your vibrator needs to be cleaned silver bullet, almost impossible to hold and only one Not got to be done. Bacteria can build up, STDs ca nosetting. fun, but it’s be transmitted and it can get nasty quickly. Somethin something I regret buying because it was a great introduction to the medicalgrade silicone is easy to wash and disinfect wonderful world of vibes but by the time the batteries ran out, I’d maintaining its cool and funky colour (my beloved Bende boughtareplacementandI’mprettysureI’venotusedthatpoorlittle a friendly mintgreen) but that trendy rose gold coatin thing since. It’s actually taken me four tries to find a vibrator that I come o- after a deep clean – again, a totally hypothetic trulyloved.Theonethatmadethepiecesclickandhelped merealise scenario ‘ohhhh, that’s what the deal is!’ happened to be an impulse Blackthat totally does not draw on my own experie Fridaypurchase,theBenderfromacompanycalledUnbound.On Ifthat you’re looking to jump into the deep end, I highly recommen journey,herearesomethingsI’velearnedtoprioritisein picking athe vibe.couragetotalktoanexpertintoys(hottip,th working up peopleoveratAnnSummersarealwayshappytochatthroughth variousproducts,andtheyalsoo-erstudentdiscounts!and ) supernervous,considerbringingafriendwithyou–whoknows,t may end up picking Typically,vibratorsareeitherrechargeableorbattery operated.

Theresomething fun for themselves. But, if even th feels like too bigaleap,we’vestartedsomeofthehardworkfo are some, ahem, interesting vintage contraptions that plug into the wall which are pretty hilarious if you look them up. From an ecoI took to Instagram and asked what you would like to know ab perspective, rechargeable ones are usually recommended and to chatted to my pals (shout out to the lovely Saoi vibrators, my own surprise, I find them more convenient. There’s nothing googledsomepopularquestions(theautomatedadsI’mgetti worsethancontinuingtoforgettobuybatteries,orbringare them somethingelse.Ihavesu-eredformyart)andonceIcompiled upstairs, or replace them and then discover you’ve the ultimate list, I got in touch with one of my sexultimat brought the wrong ones. Rechargeable vibrators positive idols, the wonderful Dr Caroline West. usually have a pretty long battery life but to prevent it from running

SEXPRESS

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DrCarolineWestsexeducatorandhostoftheGlowWestpodcast, stressed will generally mean that orgasm can be di-cult which by the way is well worth a listen – if you do nothing sole else focus on orgasm can also mean too much pressure to com this week, check it out! I first saw Dr West speak at an event which has the e-ect of banishing any chance of an orgasm here in UCC a few years ago and I’ve been fangirling ever Additionally, some medication can impact a person’s ab since, so I really hope you enjoy this interview as much as orgasm I did! or dampen their libido. Relax, try di-erent angles, di-e toys, di-erent ways to explore your body. Nobody is ever broke With so many vibrators out there, how do I pick one?

Ifyouhaveaclitoris,anairsuctionvibratorcanfeelreall recommendtheWomaniserorSatisfyerbrands.Ihighlyrecommen the Hitachi Magic Wand for something more intense, altho canbenoisy.Forthosewithapenis,TengaorSatisfyerhavesom incredible toys, and for trans people, the Calexotics rang good. Some people prefer dildos that don’t vibrate, or wan stimulation between a clitoris and vagina- it’s all ver it can be fun to try out di-erent options. Stay away from jel as this material is really bad for your body, and stick to si hardplasticsuchasthetypeofplasticfoundinairsuctio Can STDs be transmitted through my vibe? f so, how can I prevent this?

Dr Caroline West, sex educator and host of the Glow West podcast You can find more info at www.iamcarolinewest.com, or over on Instagram (@drcarolinewest and @glowwestpodcast) and on Twitter (@CarolineWest_IE and @glowwestpodcast).

Photo Credit: Elisha Clarke

Yes, as bodily fluid is being shared. To prevent this, use a cond on the sex toy and thoroughly clean it between using it on d people.

Can I use a vibrator with my partner, or is it just for solo play?

You can use a vibrator any way you like! Masturbation is not for single people, and sex toys can really enhance partn No, it is a myth that a vibrator causes harm or thatsex, you for canall parties involved. It’s just another way to get addicted to it. It’s just a fun item to enhance pleasure.

Will using a vibrator decrease my sensitivity down there?

Are vibrators just for people with a clit?

How can I start a conversation with my partner about using a vibrator during intercourse?

Tellthem. them you have some great toys and would like to Not at all! People with di-erent types of genitals can use them when you are together, to increase the sexual pl They can feel really on the head of a penis, or on the frenulum that you, both will get. Try yours out on them or get t (the part where the foreskin joins the head of the penis) their own toy. If they judge you for this, this is a red flag and some people prefer internal vaginal stimulation rather they should not feel threatened or judge you for usin than direct clitoral stimulation, so there are lots of di-erent ways to use toys. There are also toys for trans people and people with disabilities who may struggle with grip di-culties.

How can I assure my partner that my vibrator is not replacing them?

I can’t climax with my vibrator - is it broken? Am I broken?

Sex toys are great, but they don’t o-er the full range of emot and support that real-life humans give us. It’s nothing to It might not be the vibrator for you. Some people like more with, just a fun addition. A vibrator is great but won’t pick you intensity, others find it too much and use a vibrator over their pants up after work and give you a hug or listen to you. or a pillow. Perhaps internal or external stimulation might work better, or changing your vibrator.

Sometimes it can be the angle, or using it when we are tired or stressed

FASHION

32 The Big and the Bold: Statement Earrings CLAIRE WATSON Fashion Editor

Youopenyourwardrobe.Youflickthrough outfit? Cartoons like Steven Universe the extent and of what we’re told in ju thefabric.YouturntoPinterest.The Adventure clockis Time illustrate how shapes cert art. can There is more to this whe ticking,butyou’venotgotthefaintest impactidea how we understand a character. than meets the eye! We always focus ofwhattowear.Theunknownisdaunting, on these opposites, the complement Squaresarestable,theyarebalanced, and and we all fall into a routine ofthey wearing colours, areuniform.Circlesaresoft,but when and how they pop and clash, but the same outfit combinations onelongated, repeat, how about harmonious colours? Thes canbeincrediblyelegant.Look til it feels as though our wardrobes have colours, alsoknownasanalogouscolou out for ‘swoops’ when you want to add a nothinglefttoo-er.Yet,amazingoutfits lay are neighbours on the wheel. Take, for touch of fancy to your outfit. Triangles hidden,sometimesitjusttakesaare little example, a bitbit of aof wild card. Planted on their red, orange, and yellow. An aestheticknow-howtoknowwhatto wear. outfit built of harmonious colours wi bases they are grounded, and dynamic. visually soothing, but we can take t Let’s start with a disclaimer, wear Balancing what on a point they are energetic up a notch by using “triadic” colour you want. What I’m about to outline and are exciting, but those three spots of

not rules, merely things to keep in unity mind.make them very visually pleasing.

This keeps the palette harmonious w A good knowledge of these things allows adding a subtle pop. Do this by forming us to play with conventions. This is not a an equilateral triangle on the “not what to wear,” article. In the fashion wheel. These can include variations s world, there are a plethora of myths as pink, cyan, and yellowish-orange. tellinguswhatwecanandcan’twear,but Or a light green, orange, and blue. the final decider should always be you.

Shade is another one to watch ou Withclothing,thegoalistoconvey,forlack of a better word, a vibe. Whether we’re showing o- our personalities, showing owhat’s on the outside, dressing as part of a community, or dressing to tell a story, the clothes we pick convey a feeling.

for. Dark tones are edgy, reserved, and moody. Light tones are bubbly, energetic, and delicate. Stick to o or mix tones to suit your desired vib

As I mentioned earlier, there’s a lo myths swirling around who can and First things first, silhouette. Let’s forget can’t wear what. There are hundred about patterns, materials, and, for the of articles decreeing tall people most part, accessories. What could wear heels or vertical stripes, v someone glean from your shadow? claiming that plus-sized people sho only wear big ru-es and steer clear Di-erent shapes give o- di-erent from and horizontals, and blogs explaini Shapescanunderlineourpersonality, vibes. Take a quick look at character they can tell a story. Cartoon characters design. Cartoons and comics illustrate tend to this idea well. I always like to think of have a dominant shape, but are made up of many. How we use them, and what I’d be wearing if I were a cartoon ones we choose to highlight in our character. In other words, what my which is outfits, can add to the presence we give o-. They also create a visual flow in our outfits, and we can use them to draw attention to di-erent areas. A triangle on its base will bring our gaze up to the point, parallel lines will bring us along whichever way they travel, and curves tend to highlight, well, curves. A balance ofshapescancreateadynamicoutfit,but we can also decide to zero in on one. A silhouette full of sharp, triangular edges and points can be incredibly fun and powerful.The choice is, as always, yours. people of certain skin tones sho Now it’s time for theories- colourhow theories. stay away from certain colours. The As it stands, the colour wheel is boring. thing is, these are all lies. Feel goo Red is opposite green, orange is opposite look good, that’s the trick. Wear wh blue, yellow is opposite purple, and that’s makes you feel confident, whether tha

33

FASHION

is showing something o-, or hiding Personally, I’m not of a particular fashion something, it doesn’t matter. I’mcommunity. pretty Instead, I love to experiment short, and apparently, I should and be dip my toes in a variety of groups. I wearing flared skirts, spaghettilove straps, to lean into dark academia, donning and heels, all things I hate. I shouldn’t dark and moody cable knits and blazers. be wearing bulky shoes, layers, and SometimesIliketogoclassicalt,wearing flares, all things I love. I want to big wear eyeliner and a mix of black and one, them, and so I look good! There is poppingcolour.AndI’mstillbuildingupthe no strict code to dressing, so go confidence wild. togetintoclowncore,wearing a multitude of frills and rainbows and blushing cheeks. One day I’ll commit to it.

One day. The fact that college was online during my cottage core era is a tragedy.

Enough about me, what I mean to say is, there are no limits to what subculture you can experiment with.All these groups are so welcoming, both to those who are instead of against them. Here’s whe justpassingbyandthosewhoarestaying materials can come in useful. Leathe for the long ride. Make a Pinterest board pleather can give a distinct edgi of di-erent styles you like! Try them on, to any outfit, and I’d highly recommend whether that’s in the safety of your room adding leather gloves to your win or taking it for a ride. Film a little TikTok, wardrobe if you’re the punk-rocker typ do a little dance, these styles are like hats we can try on, and take o- if or we if you’re experimenting with that s don’t think them fitting. Life is too short Finally, accessories can give any out to not experiment, if even just aalittle bit. dazzling twist. Spice up earrings by

It’s Winter, which means it’s thewearing season them odd, try one small and one Something else I wanted to touch on big!

Abelt with a funky buckle can spruce of hats. Berets, beanies, brims, including is fashion subcultures. As I’ve hats stated upanother any pair of trousers. Layer necklaces in your outfit, can take it to many times in my articles, I’m a TikTok wear crazy socks, go wild. Paying close level. Matching these with gloves and addict. Tumblr still has a choke hold on attention tothesekindsofthingsi scarves can bring a smart uniformity to me, and Pinterest is an amazing time to turn heads.

Jazz up a pair of boots by any fit. And we can’t let jackets ruin our waster. These are all amazing apps/ threading the laces with beads. The o outfits! Using the above knowledge of websites to begin exploring subcultures. limit is your imaginationandyourwardr shapes and colours, work with your coats

arts & literature Rembrandt in Print Cian Pierce Arts & Literature Editor Christmas is fast approaching and costs for everything are high, especially in the city, so if you’re looking for a more relaxing and freebreakfromstudiesandlifeingeneralitisalwaysagoodideato stopbytheCrawfordArtGalleryandcheckoutthenewinstallations.

I currently had the pleasure of visiting the installation ‘Rembrandt in Print’ after months of seeing it advertised throughout the city.

34 Femsoc Poetry Slam Submissions

Velvet by Laura McCarthy

TheinstallationwillremainintheCrawforduntilthe9thofJanuary20, Lonely is the egg cracked moon thereisnorequiredbooking,anditisfreeentry.Thetouringexhibition Spilling yoke on velvet. presents Rembrandt as an unparalleled storyteller through a gallery Not even burned men can find you. of fifty incredible prints from 1630 to the late 1650s that showcase You are safe because you are Rembrandt’s inventive techniques and extraordinary artistic skills.

Dripping battery acid all over the old Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (160 —169) was a Dutch Carpet where patterns of fire and starlight Baroque painter and printmaker, hailed as one of the greatest Hum in the ability crevices of your mind storytellers in the history of art, possessing an exceptional Deafening those in velvet suits. to render people in their various moods and dramatic guises.

In his earlier career, he painted mostly portraits. IThe core am terriblyofsorry for the state Rembrandt’s work is composed of mostly biblical, historical Of your mangled spirit; for the pain and mythological pieces painted, etched or sketched.

In yourThe chest and the crouch it accompanies. evolution of his style across his career is truly remarkable as There is no point in tasting avoidance his approach to composition and rendering of light and space When youofare called to entertain – like his use of form and colour, brushwork and his treatment pair of clean brown shoes line – are subject to transformation even within a A singular work.

Or torn up tracksuits because you

Rembrandt famously never left the Dutch Republic, and his life Make dreams of the undesirable. was full of love, tragedy and creativity. According to the myth that I will you I am sorry for the evolved after his death, he died poor and misunderstood.

Histell home we wail and screech and in Jodenbreestraat is one of Amsterdam’s most popularWay museums.

Cry out for the craters of our

Unlike most other contemporary printmakers, Rembrandt Tender galaxy or the star-crusted lie delighted in presenting everyday scenes. The ‘Rembrandt We tell ourselves in Print’ exhibition includes images such as intimate family to keep us from the reckoning.

I find acceptance begins with a studies, a selection of confronting life-drawn nudes and beautifully detailed characters observed on the streets of Tumultuous somersault into the pit Leiden, including peasants, athletes and the Rat Catcher . ) 2 3 6 1 ( Of your power where velvet men

Burn.prints, If the exhibit sparks curiosity as to the process of making Burn.provide an Cork Printmakers in collaboration with Print Studio overview of the key printmaking techniques that existed Burn. in and have developed since the time of Rembrandt.Associated materials, printing presses, and examples of etching, relief print, lithography, and screenprint are displayed alongside specially made video profiles to enrich your sense of what is involved in the modern In the washed absence you sat there printmaking process. To complement the exhibit ‘Rembrandt in Print’, the gallery space has been transformed into a Print WhereStudio. the morning song had hid

Armchair by Lauren Jane Mc Court Incandescently beaming amongst the plaid Your arms unfolded and coat intimately wrapped around the beating of buried souvenirs Stained from the touch of tea leaves; Painted with the tenderness of lasting conversation You encompass the feelings of parting threads.

Where winter embraces and ancient drowses go to lie with open eyes, You reassure them their love will never fade.

And while the wallpaper peels and The humming of distant clocks cease You sit there clasping onto your box of lore A beautiful presence that could never be replaced.

arts & literature

35

Current Popular Books that are a Must-Read!

BÉLINE CHAN Student Contributer

Fromfantasytoromance,andfromcomedytohorror,therearesomespecialgemsthatarecurrentlyamust-re towriteaboutafewbooksthathaveriseninpopularity ,andwhythey’re recently recommended!

Caraval

by Stephanie Garber (High Fantasy)

‘Caraval’ is the first book from the high fantasy trilogy written by Stephanie Garber, which has al incredibleamountofpopularityrecently.CaravalisabouttwosistersTellaandScarlett,whotry abusive father. When they finally receive their long-awaited invitations to the magical week-lon Tella gets kidnapped by Legend, the show’s mastermind. The book is magical, captivating and myster greatreadifyou’reafanoffantasyandmystery!

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover (Romance)

‘ItEndsWithUs’is a romance novel written byColleen Hoover.Thisbook has recently become viral, andhas been described as “The most heartbreaking novel you’ll ever read”.The story revolves around Lily, a woman who moved toBostonaftergraduatingfromcollege,soshecouldstartherownbusiness.Herlifeseemstoturnforthebestwh shestartstofallforRyle,aneurosurgeonwho’sclosedo-fromdating.Ryle’sattitudetowardsdatinghassomewha changedforLily,butthingsgetcomplicatedwhenherfirstlove,Atlascomesbackintoherlife.Thisbookiseverything you’d want in a romance. It’s deep, emotional and there are interesting characters. If you’re a fan of romance, you shouldtryreadingthisbook!

The Thursday Murder Club

by Richard Osman (Crime, Thriller)

‘The Thursday Murder Club’ is a crime-thriller novel written by Richard Osman. The story is about friends, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, who meet up weekly to investigate unsolved murders in th retirement village. When a local developer is found murdered, The Thursday Murder Club find them middle of a live murder case, but can they solve it? This book is perfect for crime-loving readers wh comedyalongsidesomemurder!characters.Ifyou’reafanofromance,youshouldtryreadingthisbook!

Heartstopper vol.1 by Alice Oseman (LGBTQ+)

There are currently four (soon to be five) graphic novels in the ‘Heartstopper’series byAlice Oseman.This series haswarmedandconnectedtotheheartsofmany.Thefirstvolumeisabouttwoguys,NickandCharlie,whostudy atthesameall-boysgrammarschool.Theyendupsittingtogetherinclassoneday,wheretheirfriendshipstartst bloom.Theircharactersarecompleteopposites,butloveworksinmysteriousways,socouldtherebemoretotheir friendship?Thenovelgoesthroughimportanttopicssuchasmentalillness,friendshipandlove.It’sagraphicno IdefinitelyrecommendifyouwanttoreadanLGBTQ+storythat’sheart-warming!

The Midnight Library

by Matt Haig (Fantasy)

‘The Midnight Library’ by Matt Haig is a charming fantasy novel which has recently become a worldwid ThestoryiscentredonNora.who’stransportedtoalibraryatmidnight,onherlastdayonearth.H try out living other lives she could have lived, and undo her mistakes and regrets.The questio bestwaytoliveifthereisone?Thisbookisthought-provokingandacosyread,adefiniterecommenda

36

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

SPORTS

37

Interview: Jack Casey of UCC Rugby SAM CURTIN Sports Editor

With UCC Rugby in the middle of a hectic season and celebrating a special 150th anniversary next year, I caught up with Jack Casey who is the Development Officer for the club.

UCC rugby is the biggest club in the university with over 180 active members. With five teams competing across various competitions. “We have a senior men’s, Under the 20s, senior men’s seconds, senior men’s thirds and a women’s squad.” The club is also celebrating its 150th anniversary next year, something which Jack is very proud of. “The season 2022-23 marks the 150th anniversary of UCC rugby, making it one of the oldest clubs in the country if not the world, Trinity College being slightly older than us.”

The size of the club also provides challenges however with more facilities needed to cope with the demand. “That is fantastic for us but unfortunately the negative side of it is that we don’t have the facilities to cater for everybody.

We’re working closely with the department of sport and university to try and provide facilities for more students to be more physically active.”

Indeed, the facility is a subject that comes up often in our conversation.

“Unfortunately, we are under pressure with the pitches in the Farm to try and cope with the number of students who want to play and so we have to find a way around catering for them. Unfortunately, space is at a premium.

Volunteers also play a huge part in the club and the rugby club is keen to ensure that they have a positive and educational experience during their time here. “Most sports in UCC have also experienced a volunteer fall off because of covid. We’re trying to address that by ensuring that our volunteers come in and we support them by upskilling, education, there are workshops available to them and we’re looking at lots of different initiatives to try and encourage volunteers to come back to the club.”

A number of these volunteers are students, but rugby is unique in UCC in that there is a mix of students and older members who help to run the club. “We are primarily a student club, we do have an alumni committee which is vital for the survival of UCC Rugby because to compete in a semiprofessional environment you do need finance and experience. We are lucky to have a proactive alumni committee but we do need to get more students involved in administration, coaching and refereeing to ensure that we provide a flow of players into the game post their university career.

‘Providing’ is a keyword during our conversation with UCC being a third level institution, it takes great pride in producing rugby players who are capable to being involved with the sport long after their time in UCC is over. “ Usually players come into us and play for four or five years and then would go on to join a local club. That is crucial for the longevity of the game. We are a very important component of Irish rugby because we take players from schools, we give opportunities to those who want to play at the highest level, earlier than they would at mainstream clubs and that can only be good for the game locally.”

This is reflected in the number of players involved with both the Munster senior team and academy with the likes of Jack O’Sullivan, John Hodnett and Alex Kendellan who have all played for Ireland at the Under 20 level are now beginning to make strides at their province.

“Year in year out, we have players on Irish under 20 teams, Irish student teams. We want to develop players who want to play at the highest level possible rather than holding them back just to play with college.”

Despite being a great development club, UCC isn’t short on success either with the under 20 sides winning silverware for the last three years with the main ambition according to Jack, is to win the national competition over the next couple of years. It is a grade that has been particularly influential for the senior side which plays in Division 1A of the AIL. In fact, against Garryowen recently, the entire front row was under the age of 20 which is a testament to the development structures in place from the moment players arrive at UCC. While the men’s teams have always been brimming with numbers, the women’s game has been a topic of conversation nationally in recent times. In UCC, women’s participation is certainly on the up with over 40 players involved with the team which is the highest its ever been. “Our women’s team compete in division one of the Student Sport Ireland leagues where they play the likes of UL, UCD and DCU so they’re really up with the really strong third level colleges that areplaying women’s rugby and it’s a great profile for it. UCC really want to promote women’s rugby and that’s an integral part of our strategic plan.”

As with any club, the pandemic has had a significant effect on rugby in UCC both positively and negatively according to Jack. “On the positive side of things we’ve got a huge influx of students who want to play rugby following pretty much, 18 months of lockdown. It has been challenging for us however particularly with the early restrictions where we trained in pods of 6, pods of 15, gyms weren’t open which play a huge part in our preparation. Strength and conditioning are one of the aspects of rugby that’s getting more important. However, through the support from the Mardyke Arena, the department of sport, we have relocated to a retrofitted gym in Dennehy’s Cross which gives us the opportunity to be able to train. In the long term, there are plans to extend the Mardyke Arena in time for next season with a purpose-built, world-class squad gym.”

Facilities and playing personnel are always at the forefront but what about the profile of the sport within UCC and how could it be raised? “I think the University population of staff and students has to play a bigger part, to be honest, and that’s not having a go at the university as an institution. We have an opportunity as we have a historic ground, we’ve nine home games in the top tier of domestic rugby AIL Division 1A and we’re working towards bringing more students down to watch fellow students play. Students can come to our games free of charge and we’re also reaching out to schools. Our last home game of the season is against Trinity and we’re hoping to make a big day of it with maybe music and some fancy dress and stuff like that. Ultimately, the greatest ambassadors for UCC rugby is the student players themselves. In my time here I can honestly say that there hasn’t been a player who has had a bad experience.”

As for Jack’s role as Development Officer for rugby in UCC, a post he has held since 2015, it is a position which at times can be stressful but is ultimately a very rewarding experience. “I see myself as more of a facilitator, I don’t come from a coaching background, more from an operational side of things. My main role is selling an experience to every single player that pulls on the skull and crossbones. The number of people who come back each year and the friendships they have made. It’s so undervalued. They play together, they holiday together, they do business together, that’s what university sport should be.”

What counts for success in his eyes? “The measure of success for me is to see people graduating from UCC with a degree and having had an experience with UCC rugby that they will remember for the rest of their lives. The connections that they made, the fun that they had. It’s hard to explain to young people the value of that but certainly, as they grow older when they travel, the value of having played sport at university is invaluable. Success is a bonus but for me, the experience is more valuable than winning trophies.”

As we finish up, Christmas is around the corner and with that in mind, is there anything on the wishlist? Collectively we are very fortunate to have the support of the University, I wish our senior team would have a little bit more joy on the rugby pitch, fewer injuries, to continue to enjoy themselves and do the best they can do. When I first arrived, I asked someone who had been around the club awhile what does it take for a student to enjoy their time in UCC rugby. He said quite simply, you study hard, you train hard, you play hard, and you party hard, but you do none of those in excess.”

Not a bad way to be and it seems to be working.

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SPORTS

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

Valentino Rossi Hangs Up His Helmet After His Final MotoGP Race ATAKAN UZUN Deputy Sports Editor Nine-time world champion, and motorbiking legend, Valentino Rossi (also known as ‘The Doctor’ or VR46) has completed the last MotoGP race of his career, at the Valencia GP. This comes after finishing in 10th place, in his final race of his career, as he ploughed a struggling final swansong with the customer Petronas Yamaha team, finishing in a lowly 21st place in the championship. However, this was only part of the story of Rossi’s legendary MotoGP career. In total, in grand prix racing, he won 115 races, while he took 235 rostrums, and 65 pole positions, across all classes of racing.

Rossi’s debut in grand prix racing came in 1996 in Malaysia in the 250cc championship, which is the modern equivalent of the Moto3 world championship. He took his first grand prix title in 1997, winning 12 races, taking 15 podiums, and 5 pole positions, in total throughout his 125cc career. The following season, he moved on to the 250cc championship, which is the modern equivalent of the Moto2 world championship.

He took the title in 1999 with 14 wins, 21 podiums, and 5 pole positions, across his 250cc career. Then, came the move to the 500cc championship, which became known, as MotoGP. In his maiden season in the championship, VR46 finished in 2nd place in the championship. In the subsequent year, he took his first title in the MotoGP class with Honda.

In the first season of the modern MotoGP class, in 2002, Rossi took the title with four races to go, once again with Honda.

In his final season with Honda, in 2003, he took another championship, before making the move to Yamaha. After a great battle with rival, Sete Gibernau, the Doctor won out once again, and took his maiden title with Yamaha in 2004. This was his six championship in total. Rossi continued his dominance with another championship in 2005 with Yamaha. However, in 2006, he was unable to make it, a sixth consecutive championship.

In the final race of the season, in Valencia, he lost out to the late American rider, Nicky Hayden. Rossi had a disappointing season in 2007, as Yamaha struggled for pace, compared to the Ducati and Honda of Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa. The doctor came back in 2008, with anothertitle, which was his eighth grand prix title. Then came his final grand prix championship, and MotoGP championship. In 2009, Rossi dominated the championship ahead of his Yamaha team-mate, Jorge Lorenzo, as Honda and Ducati struggled to compete with Yamaha.

2010 was arguably one of the toughest seasons that Rossi had with his Yamaha team. In his home race, in Mugello, he broke his leg, and missed several races. In the race, he finished in 3rd place, behind the eventual champion, Jorge Lorenzo, and Dani Pedrosa.

It also proved to be his final season in his first spell with Yamaha.

The Italian made the move to the Bologna-based, Ducati factory. This move to the Italian team, proved to be one of the biggest mistakes of Rossi’s MotoGP career. In the two seasons that he spent with the factory, he finished sixth and seventh, respectively, behind champions, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo, in both seasons. He made his return to Yamaha in 2013. In his first season in his second spell with Yamaha, he won a single race, and finished fourth in the championship, behind the champion, and rookie Marc Marquez.

In 2014, Rossi finished in second place in the championship, with two victories, behind champion, Marc Marquez. But 2015 was to contain, Rossi’s most controversial moment. After battling with the championship with team-mate, Jorge Lorenzo, for most of the season, it boiled down to the wire in the final two races. After accusing Lorenzo’s compatriot, Marquez, of riding to ‘protect Lorenzo’, in the penultimate race of the season, Rossi reacted angrily to a battling Marquez in the Malaysian grand prix at the Sepang circuit. In the final sector of the track, when battling for position, footage showed Rossi nudging Marquez, off his Honda bike, with his knee. After this unsportsmanlike behaviour, Rossi was sent to the back of the grid for the final race of the season in Valencia. In the end, Lorenzo took the title in the final race, as he won the race, and Rossi finished fourth from the back of the grid. As the years went by, a tenth grand prix title continued to elude him. In his final six grand prix seasons, in the MotoGP championship, he finished second, fifth, third, seventh, fifteen, and twenty-first.

Looking back on his career, Rossi can be proud of himself, that he has achieved so much, in a twenty-six year career.

Issue 6 | TUESDAY 23rd November 2021 | University Express

SPORTS

39

Another Premier League Manager Bites The Dust ATAKAN UZUN Deputy Sports Editor

This Premier League season has witnessed several sackings.

At the start of October, Watford manager, Xisco Munoz was the first to be sacked. He was replaced by the former titlewinning Leicester City FC manager, Claudio Ranieri. After the controversial takeover by a Saudi-based consortium, Newcastle FC manager, Steve Bruce was sacked after around 18 months in the role. He was replaced by former Bournemouth manager, Eddie Howe, who led his former club to promotion, and kept the club in the Premier League for four consecutive seasons, before being relegated at the end of the 2019/2020 season.

The beginning of November witnessed three sackings of English Premier League managers in the space of one week. At the beginning of November, Tottenham manager, Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked after four months in the role, despite winning his first three Premier League games as manager. However, a sticky spell followed, as the club was defeated in five out of the last six games of his rein. Ultimately, the final blow for his spell as manager, was the 3-0 defeat to Manchester United, and an underwhelming performance. He was replaced by Italian manager, Antonio Conte, who was linked with the role, in the summer.

Santo’s sacking was followed by the sacking of Norwich FC manager, Daniel Farke, who lasted over four years in the role.

This sacking came after he clinched the club’s first win of the season against Brentford, and clinched two separate Premier League promotions. Next day, his sacking was further followed by the sacking of Aston Villa manager, Dean Smith, who spent three years as manager of the club, he supported, growing up. Smith has since joined Canaries just days after his tenure came to an end.

He led the club to promotion in his first season as manager, and kept the club up from relegation in the 2019/2020 season, with a 17th place finish. In the following season, he led the team to an 11th place finish, with notable highlights such as a thumping 7-2 win against the then reigning champions, Liverpool FC. While Villa started the season solidly, in recent games, they have had five successive defeats on the trot. He was replaced by Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard, who will have future ambition managing his boyhood club, and the club that he spent most of his career with, which is Liverpool FC. These past few weeks have shown, the brutal reality of being a Premier League manager. While a manager had the possibility of a longer timeframe to turn around a dismal run for their respective teams, in the modern Premier League era, managers could face the sack if they suffer from a sticky spell in results.

The tenure-ship of Dean Smith is a fine example of the latter.

As a manager, he helped to bring the club back into the Premier League, and kept it up in the past two seasons, in part, due to the significant transfer budget spending by the club owners.

However, having faced a winless period, in almost half-a-dozen games, he suffered the inevitable sacking of such dismal form.

The club will hope that the appointment of Steven Gerrard, will reinvigorate the form of the majority of last season. At the time of writing, his first game as manager will be against the in-form Crystal Palace team, under Patrick Viera. His first home game will be in opposition to Brighton on the 20th of November.

Turning to the appointment of Claudio Ranieri as Watford manager, his tenure-ship to date has been mixed. While he led the club to a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool, in his first game in charge, he led the team to a 5-2 victory against Everton, and a Josh King hattrick against his former club. At the time of writing, in its recent game against Arsenal, it lost 1-0 to the latter. Judging upon the past record of the manager’s time periods at Watford, it is unlikely that Ranieri will be given a long managerial period as manager and will be expected to keep the club in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo was inevitable.

Despite having a solid start to his managerial period with Tottenham, as the games went by, it became clearer that his brand and style of football would not suit the club. Consequently, star players such as Son Heung-Min were unable to rediscover the regular goal-scoring and assisting form, while Harry Kane, whose mind is most likely focused on a bigger move, has struggled for form. It will be intriguing to see whether Antonio Conte, with his defensive brand of football, will be able to get the best out of Tottenham’s attacking players. His first game in charge was in the Europa Conference League against Vitesse. In his first game in charge, Tottenham took an eventful victory, against Vitesse by three goals to two, as both players went down to ten men. In his first Premier League game in charge, his team entertained Everton, and the result was a nil-nil draw. His first home game in charge, in the Premier League, is against Leeds United on the 21st of November.

Going forward, it will be intriguing to see who the next managerial sacking in the Premier League will be. If I had to predict the next sacking, one should closely follow the rein of Ranieri at Watford, as past history has shown that the owners at the club are impatient for results. Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer is also treading on thin ice, as Manchester United have lost four out of their last six games, including a 5-0 thrashing by Liverpool FC, and a 2-0 defeat against Manchester City, in the Manchester derby. Meanwhile, Brentford manager, Thomas Frank, will be looking to improve his team’s results, after a sticky spell. Inevitably, the Christmas period will be a crucial juncture for all managers, as they seek to guide their respective clubs, to the best ending to the 2021 period, possible.

University

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UCCExpress.ie

Volume 25 | Issue 5| Tuesday 9th November 2021

Cork City Season Review: Green Shoots Appear After Mixed Season SAM CURTIN Sports Editor

Cork City’s First Division campaign came to an end on the 29th of October with an impressive 3-0 win over Galway United managed by former City legend John Caulfield. It ensured a mid-table, 6th place finish for the Rebel Army in what has been a season of what-ifs and green shoots for Colin Healy’s team.

Going into the season, City were seen as potential promotion contenders if they could find a goalscorer and a consistent run of form. Unfortunately, neither of these came to pass. Couple this with a slow start and a number of matches where City conceded late goals to drop points and a mid-table finish is a fair reflection of the season as a whole. Any team which draws nine and loses ten is always going to be up against it. Couple with the more experienced players such as Mark McNulty, Steven Beattie and captain Gearóid Morrissey, all were double winners in 2017 and it paints a slightly more disappointing picture as a whole.

Despite this, the younger generation began to step up to the plate as the season progressed. Without a doubt, one of the real positives is the blooding of young players albeit by necessity due to the lack of funds available to purchase talent. With the club’s financial situation still hanging in the balance, the academy was always going to provide the backbone of the team which proved to be the case. Academy graduates such as Alec Byrne, Ronan Hurley and Cian Bargery became key players this season even for their young. Seeing 17-year-old Cathal Heffernan, a player scouted by a number of English and European clubs make his debut against Galway is another ringing endorsement of youth on Healy’s part.

Dave Harrington kept a couple of impressive clean sheets towards the latter end of the season as he came in place of stalwart Mark McNulty. Big shoes to fill, to say the least but he looks more than capable of stepping up to the plate. To

see local boys who grew up in Cork representing the club is something which is rarely seen in professional football nowadays.

As for next season? One of the key tasks is to retain the young players for another season, away from the prying eyes of the Premier Division clubs. This appears to be going well with players such as Ronan Hurley and Cian Bargary already signed up for next season. Continuity is crucial when trying to build a team and this is arguably one of the more impressive feats achieved by Healy in that the team is clearly building an identity in how they want to play. As with any team, signings are crucial to freshen up the squad and provide competition for places.

Former Shelbourne defender Allie Gilchrist certainly fits the mould and will provide plenty of experience to the younger players in the squad and the defensive unit which continued to improve as the season went on. Four clean sheets in their last five games is a testament to that.

As for the field issue, the financial situation is still in purgatory. The death of Trever Hemmings, who wanted to buy the club is a big blow as he was someone who helped the club in their most desperate time in need in 2020 where he gave the club €200,000 in order to pay for a Premier Division licence at the team. While his son has taken over the family operations, it is unclear as to whether Grovemoor, the business interested in taking over the club will want to try again, especially after the deal broke down due to the issues with the Munster FA over the leasing of Turners Cross. One could argue that there is a ceiling to what the club can achieve without proper financial backing especially with Rovers’ dominance and Dundalk returning to local ownership.

Overall, a season that started terribly, slowly turned into something tangible for the club to build on next season where the promotion has to be the goal for the club to get back to where it belongs at the pinnacle of Irish football. Player retention, finance and a board with expertise and professionalism will be key to that.