VOL. XXIV, Issue 6, UO

THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER HEAD TO HEAD SHOULD WE BOYCOTT ARAMARK? GAVIN TRACEY AND RORY CLARKE PAGE 5

FROM SUFFRAGE TO REPEAL RITIKA SUREKA PAGE 6

POSTCARD FROM ABROAD VANCOUVER HAZEL O’FLAHERTY PAGE 14

INTERNAL REPORT UPHOLDS COMPLAINT ABOUT THE HANDLING OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY UCD SOCIETIES’ COUNCIL

RUTH MURPHY & AOIFE HARDESTY DEPUTY EDITOR EDITOR A confidential report obtained by the University Observer has revealed that sexual harassment allegations made in 2014 should not have been handled by UCD Societies’ Council.

The internal report, completed in October 2016, was requested from the office of UCD Students Complaint Policy, and related to a meeting that took place in July 2014 in which two students came forward to make a formal complaint regarding the conduct of a particular society member.

As well as addressing how the complaint should have been handled, the report offers recommendations to help ensure that a good process is in place for handling complaints. Several of these recommendations have been not been followed through.

The complaints the two students wished to make related to bullying and sexual harassment. The complainants had both claimed to have experienced “inappropriate behaviour” from the alleged harasser.

UCD Societies’ Council organised a meeting to better understand the nature of the complaint. The report says the students should have instead been directed through the appropriate channels under the Dignity and Respect Policy. The report states: “There should have been no involvement of the ACCRSS (Academic Council Committee for the Recognition of Student Societies)… and, in particular, the meeting… should not have taken place.”

At the time of the meeting, UCD Societies’ Council operated under the ACCRSS. According to the ACCRSS’s operating procedures of the time, the ACCRSS were to deal with complaints relating to

societies, but not complaints relating to harassment.

UCD Societies’ Council now function as part of the Student Activities Committee, along with the Athletic Union and the Students’ Union.

The report found that students involved did not know how to proceed with their complaint, and states that the student body needs to be made aware of how to submit a formal complaint on sexual harassment through the Dignity and Respect Policy. The report adds: “The University must share in the responsibility for [the] lack of clarity on how to submit a formal complaint of sexual harassment.”

The report highlights the students’ “determination that what happened to them should not be allowed to happen to others.” Multiple recommendations were made in the report for the university to implement going forward.

One of the first recommendations was that the university should provide a written apology to the two complainants. Both complainants have confirmed to the University Observer that they have not yet received an apology, despite the matter having arisen in 2014.

Additionally, the report recommended that the training for auditors and committee members of clubs and societies should include presentations about university policy on sexual harassment. In these presentations, the report says it should be emphasised that “Clubs, Societies, the UCD Societies’ Council and the UCD Athletic Union have no authority to investigate Dignity and Respect… or to control the manner in which such investigations take place.” Several auditors have confirmed to the University Observer that such guidance was not given at auditor training and that they are unaware of how to handle complaints of this nature.

The report raised several questions about the number of similar complaints that have been raised in UCD, and suggests that UCD “compile the total number of student written complaints of sexual harassment during the 2015/2016 academic year” that were submitted under the Dignity and Respect Policy, and via UCD Societies’ Council and UCD Athletic Union, as well

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 VOLUME XXIV ISSUE 6 UNIVERSITYOBSERVER.IE

as the number of complaints through UCD Residences.

By examining the number of complaints made, “the University can come to an informed view on the efficacy of policy to receive complaints of sexual harassment by students in the correct manner – and for the University to make any changes and enhancements required.”

Information received by the University Observer under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 revealed that five complaints were made in the 2015/2016 academic year under the sections of bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment in the Dignity and Respect Policy.

UCD Residences received three complaints of sexual harassment during this period. There were two complaints of bullying, harassment, or sexual harassment the following year, and as of December 2017 there had been no complaints this academic year. As the UCD Societies Council and Athletics’ Union is a separate entity to UCD, UCD could not provide information on complaints made to them, if any.

The report also recommends that UCD “should continue to look to international best practice in the reporting of harassment,” and recommends examining utilising modern technologies. “At a minimum a technical solution such as a mobile-app would allow students to bypass a potentially complex set of policies and give them direct access to the correct contact for sexual harassment complaints.” No plans have yet been announced by UCD to implement technology-based methods of making complaints, but it has been confirmed to the University Observer that such methods are being investigated.

Students who have experienced sexual harassment can contact the Students’ Union Welfare Officer, Eoghan Mac Domhnaill, or UCD Student Advisors who can refer students to the appropriate channels.

The University Observer reached out to UCD Societies Council for comment and at the time of going to print they have not responded.

OTWO LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE INSIDE

FILM &TV A LOOK BACK AT THE BEST FILMS OF THE NOUGHTIES EMMA KIELY P11

JAMES KAVANAGH A CHAT WITH SNAPCHAT STAR CLAUDIA DALBY P14-16

RISING STARS SITTING DOWN WITH WICKLOW’S WYVERN LINGO CLIODHNA MCGIRR P17

Additional reporting by Nathan Young.

PLANT BASED FOOD A REVIEW OF DUBLIN’S FINEST VEGAN RESTAURANT SAMBHAVI SUDHAKAR P21 20TH FEBRUARY 2018 1

NEWS CAMPUS NEWS IN BRIEF Chloe Maguire Sedgwick NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR UCDSU SABBATICAL POSITIONS Nominations for UCD Students’ Union sabbatical elections opened on February 16th and will be open for 10 days until February 26th. Nominations are open for the positions of President, Welfare Officer, Education Officer, Graduate Officer, and Campaigns and Communications Officer as well as for College Officers. The new Students’ Union Executive will take office from June.

Unlike recent years, the elections will be held after the two week mid-semester break. Polling will take place on March 27th and 28th. This will mean that there will be less time to campaign compared to last year.

Speaking to the University Observer, UCDSU President Barry Murphy has commented that “there is already a huge interest in positions” and that their focus for the next few weeks is on “letting people know that elections are open, and [on] recruiting candidates, particularly candidates outside of the Union circle.”

UCD STUDENTS HAVE PAID €43 MILLION THROUGH THE STUDENT CENTRE LEVY SINCE 2006 AUTHOR: AOIFE HARDESTY Information received by the University Observer under the Freedom of Information Act 2004 reveals that UCD students have paid an estimated €43 million via the Student Centre Levy since 2006.

The capitalised value of all costs associated with the New Student is €52.9 million. In the 2016/2017 academic year alone, UCD students paid an estimated €6.5 million through the student centre levy.

The figures for 2017/2018 were not yet available to the University Observer.

The current cost of the student centre levy for the 2017/2018 academic year is €254.

The student centre levy was first introduced in 1998, following approval of the construction of the Old Student Centre, and was initially set at IR£30, rising

to IR£50, the equivalent of €63.50, within two years.

A student referendum held in April 2006 saw thenUCD students vote in favour of increasing the student centre levy to fund the building of the New Student Centre. Prior to 2006, the student centre levy was used to cover the cost of the Old Student Centre. In the referendum, students were asked did they support the increase of the student centre levy from €63.50 (as it was at the time) to €78.50 for the following year, with the expectation that it would rise to €150 by 2008.

At the time, the New Student Centre was expected to cost €35million, and the final plans for the project were not completed when students voted in favour of increasing the Student Centre Levy.

According to a report in the College Tribune from

NEW LEVY TO FUND STUDENT CENTRE EXPANSION A vote is to be held on the continuation of the current student centre levy. It was originally intended to be voted on during the SU elections this March, but the vote is now planned for September 2018.

Currently, the student levy is set at €254 per annum. It is not known by how much the levy would be increased.

The increased levy would be used to pay for an expansion of the student centre. The expansion will include a multi-purpose hall which would be used for exams instead of the RDS. Space will also be allocated for retail outlets in the new development.

The student centre levy was increased in 2006 to fund the construction of the new student centre, gym, and swimming pool. It has steadily risen since 2006.

April 2006, Student Centre manager Dominic O’Keefe explained that: “The increase on the Student Centre Levy at the time was proposed to pay off the cost of the mortgage on the student centre.”

The Student Centre Levy has risen steadily since 2006 when it was €63.50. Listed below are the cost of the levy in the years in which it saw an increase: 2006/2007: €78.50 2007/2008: €150 2012/2013: €183 2013/2014: €208 2015/2016: €247 2018/2019: €254 Since 2006 there has never been a decrease.

The Student Centre Levy is index-linked, and increases should be in line with inflation levels.

The New Student Centre was expected to be open

by December 2008, according to reports from the University Observer in 2009, when UCD students were overcharged for the Student Centre Levy. Each student was overcharged by €7.50, and the money was refunded to the student body through distribution to Clubs, Societies, the Welfare Fund, and the Newman Fund.

Currently, students who do not pay the student centre levy are unable to access exam results or graduate from their course. The Student Centre Levy is not covered by the SUSI grant. In the past, students who did not pay the student centre levy were unable to access UCD libraries.

In the New Student Centre, UCD students are able to avail of the gym for free, though payment is required to use the pool. Many of the rooms are used by societies, for offices, including the office of the University Observer. On the top floor of the student centre there is a large space for Student Support Services and a storage space which holds props for plays and musicals.

With the proposal of another extension to the student centre, UCD students will be asked via referendum in September 2018 to decide if they wish to continue paying the Student Centre Levy to fund the proposed extension.

ACTION PLAN FOR

On February 7th, the Action Plan for Education 2018 was launched by an Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Minister for Education Richard Bruton, and Ministers of State Mary Mitchell O’Connor and John Halligan in St. Audoen’s National School, Dublin.

The plan includes over 370 different actions to improve Ireland’s Education and Training Service by 2026.

Key actions include updating the DEIS plan (a plan which aims to tackle educational disadvantage) and addressing barriers to higher education. When it comes to student wellbeing, ten more NEPS (National Educational Psychological Service) psychologists are being recruited and the government will be providing more guidance to schools on the use of external providers.

In terms of higher education, a review of the quality of higher education will be undertaken, which will specifically include the quality of teaching.

Enacting the Technological Universities Bill 2015 is also a priority, with the first TUs opening in September 2018. Plans are also in motion to develop a consistent digital experience across the board for students in higher education. A new model for allocating funding to third level institutions will be implemented to move the sector more in line with national priorities and to encourage lifelong learning and research.

Minister Bruton has stated that “the ambition [is] to make Ireland’s education and training service the best in Europe by 2026. Thanks to the leadership and dedication of our education and training providers, this is a realistic goal.”

“The expectations from our education and training service are changing. The challenge in the years ahead will be to invest and transform our education system so that it broadens career paths, builds momentum around key curricular reforms, continues to break down cycles of disadvantage and embeds regional development.”

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UCD TO OPEN MUSEUM OF LITERATURE IN NEWMAN HOUSE AUTHOR: RORY CLARKE UCD has announced a partnership with the National Museum of Ireland to create a literary hub in Dublin’s city centre.

Newman House is the historic home of UCD in which, amongst other things, poet Gerard Manley Hopkins died and the ghost of Cardinal Newman, illustrious founder of UCD, is rumoured to roam. Few current UCD students will be familiar with Newman House. Plans for a Museum of Literature, however, are set to change that.

The house, just off St.Stephen’s Green, is to be given new life, with the opening of the ‘Ulysses Centre,’ the name given to the latest cultural hotspot in Dublin, the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI).

The museum was officially launched on 2nd February, the birthday of UCD’s most celebrated alumnus, James Joyce, in an event at Iveagh House in Dublin City Centre. It is the result of a unique partnership between UCD and the National Library of Ireland.

It is hoped that the new museum will join the Book of Kells and the Dublin Writers Museum as one of the cultural ‘must-sees’ in the capital. Although enthusiasm for the project abounded in literary and academic circles, the undertaking was made possible due to contributions by many philanthropists, among them Martin & Carol Naughton, Desmond Green, and Catherine Cotter.

UCD President Andrew Deeks spoke at the launch event, saying that the vision of the museum is “to create the world’s most significant literary museum, bringing visitors on an inspiring journey through Irish writing.” The house, which already offers tours of recreated versions of James Joyce’s classroom and Gerard

Manley Hopkins’ bedroom and study, shall be further upgraded in the months to come, with the museum hoping to be open in Spring 2019.

The MoLI shall exhibit some of Ireland’s most precious literary artefacts, among them “Copy No.1 of Ulysses,” which had been previously stored in the National Library. While honouring the past, the MoLI will also look to represent the present and future of Irish literature, with exhibits demonstrating modern Irish fiction and historical Irish poetry alongside each other.

Director of MoLI, Simon O’Connor, stated that it

was his wish to create a “site of vastly different experiences, inspired by the past and imagining the future.”

This incorporates one of the primary aims of the MoLI, to renew and secure international and domestic visitors’ love of literature.

For now, Newman House sits, relatively anonymously, in a corner of Dublin city centre. It shall, however, soon be restored to a centre of Irish cultural heritage as the Museum of Literature, Ireland, thanks to the magnetising prowess of Irish writers.

PICTURE: UCD.IE

EDUCATION LAUNCHED

NEWS UK UNIVERSITY FINANCES TEETERING ON THE EDGE Strategy Group for higher education reported that “data for 2015-16 show a £3.1 billion shortfall in funding the full economic costs of research across the sector.”

The 2010 coalition government of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats oversaw hikes in third-level tuition fees which had been fixed at £9,000, which was then raised to £9,250. Yet, for less research-focused institutions who have less access to alternative income sources, these fees barely cover teaching costs. At present, there are discussions within the Conservative Party to alter this by allowing universities to introduce variable fees. This would involve basing tuition fees off students’ prospective income after graduating, though speculation remains regarding implementation. Those in the academic community are less than optimistic, however, with one university vice-chancellor commenting that “if it [tuition fees] was reduced by even £1,000 with no infill from the [government], then you would see universities really struggling almost immediately.”

Katie O’Dea HIGH COURT RULING ON MOORE STREET OVERTURNED Following an appeal by the state, the Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court order on the status of the Moore Street buildings in Dublin 1. On February 14th, the three-judge panel ruled that the High Court had no jurisdiction to declare the buildings and site a national monument. Mr Justice Gerard Hogan said that such choices cannot be determined by an unelected judiciary and that the decision must lie with either executive or legislative powers.

In 2015, the Government had bought numbers 14-17 Moore Street, the building where 1916 Rising leaders decided to surrender, and declared it a national monument. However, the 1916 Relatives Association argued that numbers 13, 18, and 19 Moore Street should also be included. This view was shared by the High Court, which ruled in March 2016 that they were also part of the ‘battlefield site’ and prevented the demolition of numbers 13, 18 and 19, as well as 14-17.

Reacting to Wednesday’s decision, Minister for Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan said that: “the preservation of the State-owned national monument building at 14-17 Moore Street… and opening them to the public, remains the top priority and will obviously be the major influence over our thinking.”

PICTURE: WIKIMEDIA

AUTHOR: OWEN CUSKELLY A number of UK sector include the potential negative effects it harbours universities find themselves on the brink of finan- for staff faculties. Despite the possibility of a depletion cial collapse at present, according to a recent report in the rate of student applicants from the EU following sponsored by the Guardian. This comes in the face of Brexit, there is a stark possibility that EU nationals potential tuition fee reductions, rising staff, and pen- working in UK college faculties may decide to pack sion expenses, and the uncertainty caused by Brexit. their bags and leave. According to Jenny Brown, Chief The report noted that many respondents criticised Operating Officer at consultancy firm Grant Thornton, recent government policy changes such as a lifting “it is not just a [student] demand issue facing universiof caps on undergraduate university entrants and ties at the moment: it is a supply issue too.” discussions surrounding a shift in third-level tuition This loss of prestigious international academic staff fees. Respondents, primarily senior figures in UK could thus hamper a university’s ability to acquire university administrations, describe the lifting of caps much-needed research funding thereafter, further worsas advantageous for elite universities who experience ening the financial situation. There is also a fear that a heightened demand from applicants but that it leads universities will miss out on EU-wide research grants to many lesser-known institutions facing a deficiency with colleges like London School of Economics and King’s College London, which are research-intensive in student numbers.

This measure, which originally intended to encour- and have high proportions of EU students, being age further progression to third-level education for particularly hard hit. This is noteworthy, given the those from disadvantaged backgrounds, may instead already significant debts accrued across the sector in hinder smaller universities’ ability to function. performing research. The UK Financial Sustainability Vice-chancellor of the University of Northampton Nick Petford stated that it is “[ironic] then that a move aimed at giving students more choice is now penalising financially those most closely engaged with social mobility.”

Moreover, a ‘demographic dip’ in the potential pool of domestic UK students seeking to pursue third-level education further threatens university finances. This drought in student supply, expected to last until 2022, further strains the coffers of universities already struggling to compete against world-renowned, researchintensive institutions like Oxford and Cambridge.

It is becoming increasingly important for universities to tap into the international student market in order to replenish their revenue funds, given the higher tuition fees they expend. However, Brexit stands as a potential obstacle to international students who are considering studying in the UK. During last year’s general election, Theresa May’s Conservative Party openly campaigned for a policy of restricting student visa access to UK universities.

Other consequences of Brexit on the university

NATIONAL NEWS IN BRIEF

PADDY JACKSON AND STUART OLDING RAPE TRIAL CONTINUES IN BELFAST denied Mr Kelly’s, Mr Jackson’s barrister’s, claims that Harrison’s statement described the complainant as she was “petrified that either the rumour or the proof of “fixated” with Jackson. He said that Jackson went to bed this sexual activity would find its way to [her] friends” first, and the young woman left the room five minutes and that that was what “drove [her] on as far as running later, but he did not know where she was going. He got with this lie,” saying “this is not a lie.” She has also in a taxi with her and noted then that “She kept crying rejected defence claims that she consented to sex with into herself and appeared unsettled.”

The trial is expected to continue for another two Jackson and invited Olding to join.

The court was told that Jackson denied ever having weeks. intercourse with the young woman.

Two entrepreneurial students from NUI Galway have launched an app that aims to help visiting Erasmus students settle into their new surroundings. ‘StudentGo’ combines information a visiting student needs to acclimatise. It includes information about the university, accommodation, social events, and transport around Galway city. It is available from the iPhone app store and Google play. The founders, Conor Flynn and Fiachra Coyne received the award for Best Final Year Project in the NUIG BA in Information Technology programme 2016/17.

StudentGo was conceived as a result of Flynn and Coyne’s own experiences as Erasmus students in Spain and the difficulties they faced there. “With our move to Spain, we were thrown into the deep end, we found it really difficult to find even the most basic information about our new home,” says Flynn. It was originally developed as part of a final year IT project before the two sought funding to bring the service to market, following a suggestion by their project coordinator, Dr. Attracta Brennan. They received funding from the International Affairs Office and Blackstone Launchpad and they now have plans to expand the venture to other cities in Ireland and throughout Europe.

IRISH STUDENTS MAY BENEFIT FROM ERASMUS SCHEME EXPANSION

PICTURE: FLICKR

AUTHOR: KATIA GILLEN - ONLINE NEWS EDITOR Ulster rugby players Stuart Olding and Paddy Jackson have been accused of raping a young woman in the early hours of June 28th, 2016. The alleged crime took place in Mr Jackson’s home in Belfast at an after-party following a night out. Mr Jackson is also charged with a count of sexual assault. Both players deny all charges.

Two other men are facing charges with regards to the same case. Rory Harrison is charged with perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

Blane McIlroy is charged with one count of exposure.

Judge Patricia Smyth was sworn into the rape trial at Belfast Crown Court on January 29th earlier this year.

She reportedly urged the jurors to keep an open mind until all evidence had been presented.

The beginning of the trial saw the young woman be questioned in regard to her knowledge of and interest in rugby. She insisted to the jurors that she was not a follower of rugby and did not know any players. The young woman was asked if she knew Ulster rugby players were in the VIP area of the club and if she was “attracted to celebrities.” She responded saying she “did not go to the VIP area to meet the rugby players” nor did she “know who these people were.”

Text messages reveal the young woman feared her own position would not stand up against the players, as she stated she “didn’t want to go to police because of who was involved” in a text message to a friend, who advised the alleged victim to pretend she did not know the rugby players. A defence lawyer then asked if the woman had “watered down” her knowledge of rugby, which she denied doing. The texts also reveal her saying “It will be a case of my word against theirs… and they’ll have the same fabricated story.”

Mr Harvey, McIlroy’s lawyer, has claimed the woman’s memory of the night was “frayed,” to which she replied saying “That’s your opinion, Mr Harvey.” She admits her recollection being partly “hazy.” She has denied claims she consented to the activity because she was in “an excited and intoxicated state.” She has also

GALWAY STUDENTS LAUNCH APP FOR EXCHANGE STUDENTS

Under the Government’s new education action plan, it has been estimated that a record 4,000 third-level students will avail of the Erasmus exchange programme in the coming academic year.

As Brexit casts doubt over Britain’s continuing participation in the Erasmus programme, a reduction in British students participating through restrictions or due to an outright withdrawal from the programme could see increased opportunities for Irish students in continental Europe and an increase in demand for English-speaking places in Ireland.

In December 2017, British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed a draft deal with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, which allows the UK to continue its participation in various EU projects until the end of this EU budget period in 2020. Negotiations surrounding the Britain’s participation are likely to be among the issues discussed during the next stage of negotiations.

Spanning 4,000 third-level institutions in 33 countries including all 28 EU Member States, the Erasmus+ programme has a budget of €14.7 billion from 20142020 and is set to provide opportunities for over 4 million people to study, train, gain work experience, and volunteer abroad.

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 3

NEWS INTERNATIONAL NEWS IN BRIEF INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS Claudia Dalby, Ruairí Long

REPORTING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

WALES EXPERIENCES ITS LARGEST EARTHQUAKE IN A CENTURY An earthquake hit Wales at around 2:30pm on Saturday afternoon. The earthquake was at a magnitude of 4.4, the biggest of its kind in Wales in 112 years, and the biggest in Britain in over a decade.

Its epicentre was 20km north-north-east of Swansea and at a depth of 7.4km. As quoted in the guardian, people in the area reported to have heard and felt a “weird, deep rumbling sound” under their feet, and many called Emergency Services to report their findings.

South Wales Police tweeted: “no need for you to contact the Emergency Services unless you have something to report i.e. injuries or damage. Hope this sets your minds at rest.” Many shocked Welsh twitter users echoed their disbelief at an earthquake hitting their Welsh coastal towns, and social media videos show people being evacuated from Swansea University.

The fire department in Avon received six calls relating to property damage.

MSc student at Cardiff University, Fiachra Swan, was in Cardiff University when the earthquake hit. He told the University Observer “there was a rumble which you could feel and hear, like a big lorry passing, and the building shook for literally a second.”

Tremors were also felt in England, but there were no reports from the east coast of Ireland.

PYONGCHEANG WINTER OLYMPICS HIT WITH CYBERATTACK The Pyongcheang Winter Olympics were affected by cyberattacks during the week leading up to the Opening Ceremony. The official website went down hours before the ceremony, and some experts estimated that over 300 computers were hit.

Customers were unable to print tickets or look up the event schedule, and it took 12 hours for the site to get back online. The organising committee stated that the targeted servers were shut down, leading to the website going offline. They also reassured attendees and participants that the attack only affected “non-critical systems” and that their safety would not be compromised.

The statement went on to say that they “know the cause of the problem, but that kind of issues occurs frequently during the Games. We decided with the IOC we are not going to reveal the source (of the attack).”

Some experts speculated that the attackers may have stolen the network’s credentials and would be able to spread the malware to other computers on the same network. Suspects include Russia and North Korea. No information has been released.

During the Opening Ceremony, the teams from North and South Korea marched together beneath a “unified Korea” flag. The Winter Olympics continue until February 25th.

WWII BOMB CAUSES CLOSURE OF LONDON CITY AIRPORT For the bankers and financial workers of London’s Canary Wharf and the City of London, German bombs are not the issue they once proved to be in the 1940s.

However, on Monday February 12th, London City Airport, the preferred gateway and commute route for many of those bankers, was closed due to the discovery of a 500kg German bomb.

According to the BBC, the device was found underwater, deep within nearby King George V dock. The closure of the airport could have affected up to 16,000 passengers. The discovery of the device in such a dangerous location may have caused panic at the nearby airport, forcing a ground stop due to the creation of an exclusion zone, but the BBC reports it as not an unusual finding.

The Royal Navy exploded the bomb in the Thames estuary in a controlled explosion two days after its discovery on Wednesday February 14th.

In an interview with the Ministry of Defence, the regularity of findings like this becomes clear. In terms of numbers of WWII ordinance, “about 60 per year” are found. The bomb at London City Airport is the fourth that has been dealt with in 15 months.

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DYLAN O’NEILL OTWO EDITOR The Association for Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) released a report on February 7th, which showed a 46% increase from the previous year in the number of third level students reporting having mental health issues. The survey was carried out over the 2016/2017 academic year. The report refers to students who are registered with disability services in higher education institutions in Ireland, in the report, mental illness was listed as a disability.

The report was conducted by AHEAD to document the number of students with disabilities making the transition into higher education, according to the executive director, Ann Heelan. UCD was one of the 27 institutions that took part in the survey. Heelan later went on to describe the increase as “significant but not surprising,” in an interview with the Irish Times. The increase in the number of students coming forward about their mental health is a positive step for removing the stigma surrounding this issue, but unfortunately it will most likely put a strain on the services provided to students by the universities.

Last December, the University Observer learned that there were 194 UCD students waiting to see a counselor in the UCD Health Centre. Welfare officer, Eoghan Mac Domhnaill told the University Observer “some people will be waiting until next semester [to see a counsellor].” The positivity of student openness is met with questions of how will services provide for the increase in the number of people trying to avail of them.

A possible avenue that could be explored is the recent re-joining of Niteline by UCDSU. Niteline provides a phone service for people needing to talk to someone

outside of office hours. While the phone service can provide immediate assistance for people, the long-term effectiveness is sometimes called into question due to the irregularity of calls and the distance between provider and recipient, as opposed to the scheduled sessions between private counsellors and patients.

Other services that will no doubt feel the strain of an increase of cases, are the likes of Pieta House and Samaritans. Both services rely heavily on volunteers and money raised from fundraisers to function effectively. Last March, Samaritans released “Dying from Inequality,” a report that found suicide rates to be twice as high in deprived areas, specifically amongst those working in “manual, low-skilled employment.”

Although Heelan has stated that “supports are improving,” students who report mental health problems, and are living in low income households seem to be at risk of going without treatment due to the strains on free services and the high prices of private counsellors and

therapists.

The most recent report from AHEAD found that students with disabilities now represent 5.7% of the total student population and one out of four new registrations to disability services were not in their first year of third level education. These figures imply that not only are students with mental health issues underrepresented in higher education, but also that there are students who enter higher education, and go through their first year without support from their college or university.

Despite the statistics showing a movement toward openness about mental health, there is still much that can be done to treat and accommodate those who suffer from mental health problems.

If you are struggling with your mental health you can contact Pieta House at 1800 247 247 or pieta.ie, Niteline at 1800 793 793 (between 9pm and 2:30am) or niteline.ie, and Samaritans at 116 123 or samaritans.org.

RAG WEEK TOOK PLACE OVER THREE DAYS AUTHOR: KATIA GILLEN AND RUTH MURPHY Last week saw UCDSU host its annual Raise and Give (RAG) week. This year’s week spanned three days, and events included a three-day carnival, and appearances and performances by Mickey Joe Harte, the Waxies, Bluemoose, S Club, and the Hardy Bucks. To attend events, students were to purchase wristbands. The week also featured a Battle of the Bands that was held at the Clubhouse on Tuesday and was free to attend, and a designated UCD night at Coppers on Wednesday.

Student reps did bucket collections around campus throughout the week and donation buckets were also in SU shops.

The video used to advertise the event was criticised by some students, though the embarrassing nature of UCD SU President Barry Murphy’s attempt at slam poetry may have helped to spread the video.

The carnival featured two dizzying rides. Free red bull, popcorn, and peperami were given out. It was not widely advertised that wristbands for any day could allow you into all three days of the carnival. The carnival was often opened without wristband checks and without buckets available for giving donations.

The proceeds raised by this year’s RAG week will be divided between Pieta House and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC), the charities were chosen by students. Both organisations tackle pressing issues, which often affect student experiences. Pieta House is a non-profit organisation that provides free of charge therapeutic services to people suffering from suicidal tendencies, people engaging in self-harm, and people suffering from suicide bereavement without a doctor’s referral. There are currently twelve centres around the country with almost 270 fully qualified staff members.

The services offered by the DRCC include a confidential 24-hour helpline; counselling and therapy; accompaniment services to victims attending Garda

stations, Sexual Assault Treatment Units and courts; mid 1960s. Nevertheless, the week continued to bring and training and education. The DRCC website states such feats as the kidnappings of several female UCD that in 2016 they worked with 495 counselling cli- students by students of Queen’s University Belfast and ents and 12,388 helpline contacts, accompanied 262 reciprocal kidnappings by UCD students of Queen’s clients, and trained 1,937 people on a range of topics students. The kidnappings were conducted in a friendly surrounding the issue of sexual abuse. The DRCC cur- manner and no one was harmed in the process. RAG rently provides all UCDSU sabbats with sexual assault week history also includes such monumental tales as disclosure training. “the Moon” of 1969, when students broke into the RTÉ UCD RAG week has a complex and interesting past. studios in Montrose, reportedly disguising themselves RAG week was banned in the 1950s for disciplinary as building workmen, and stole a 9foot tall replica reasons, and was renamed “College Week” in the Moon.

A still from RAG week promotional video.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

COMMENT

PICTURE: BMARKS13 VIA WIKIMEDIA

SHOULD WE BOYCOTT ARAMARK OVER DIRECT PROVISION TIES?

IN FAVOUR

AGAINST

Gavin Tracey

Rory Clarke

People who come to Ireland to seek asylum do not have it easy. We keep them in a legal and social limbo known as Direct Provision, where they are kept in shoddy accommodation while their application is considered. This is a long and arduous process that can take years, with many who have entered the system conceiving and rearing children in the time it takes for their application to be accepted. Only this year has the working ban been overturned, and the standard of living remains deplorable. Direct Provision is a complex system, with many different locations around the country holding asylum seekers, and some aspects of their care are tendered to private companies.

One such company, which supplies the food to some direct provision centres, is Aramark. Aramark is an American food mega-company, with over 270,000 employees, worth somewhere in the region of $10 billion. In 2014, the Irish Refugee Council reported that residents of the Lissywollen Direct Provision Centre in Athlone went on a hunger strike, due to the poor quality of the food. No provisions were made for any of the residents’ dietary needs that they may have due to their religion, resulting in them being unable to eat some meals. In a site where over 60% of the residents are children, this is completely unacceptable. In an open letter to the management, it is highlighted that some of the residents were told: “You have come to Ireland, you have to eat Irish food and if you don’t like it, go back where you came from.”

So, where does UCD come into all of this? Aramark supply food to much of UCD, including Chopped, Subway, the main canteen, and the Sutherland Café. By purchasing food from these places, you are directly supporting the very same company that saves a few quid by cutting corners and allowing children to go hungry. We, as a student body, should not accept this.

Trinity College have launched a similar campaign to remove Aramark from their campus. By working together, protesting and boycotting shops and cafés that are supplied by Aramark, we can stand in solidarity with those who are trapped in direct provision. Is it going to solve all of their problems? No, but it is a step in the right direction.

It is a signal that these enormous multinationals cannot act with impunity. What does it mean for us? Walk an extra minute to your nearest Student Union shop perhaps. Just ask yourself if you can happily line the pockets of a company that has and continues to underfeed children just because you want a Subway or a Chopped. You do not have to join the picket, but by acting together, we can make a difference. To posit any sort of argument to the tune of “it will not make any difference” is to directly ignore the suffering of the most vulnerable in society.

What it all boils down to is a question of complicity and solidarity. We know, beyond all reasonable doubt that the same company we UCD students buy our food from, is complicit in profiting from those who have nowhere else to get their food. We do, however, have other options, and we are the lucky ones. It’s very easy to say that it’s not Aramark’s fault, that they would be replaced by someone just as bad, but that would be ignoring the issue at hand. This is not the only problem with the direct provision centres by any means and shouldn’t stop protesting here, but rather use it a stepping stone for further action. And surely no one could object to that?

First of all, we must realise that the argument here is not whether Aramark or any company should support direct provision; it is whether, by virtue of a boycott, UCD students can influence Aramark into abandoning a reported €5.2 million in revenue that comes from these centres.

Direct provision is a government policy, not an Aramark one. Yes, they implement it, and yes they profit from it, but if students’ grievances lie, as they appear to, with the policy itself, a boycott of Aramark in UCD will have little effect. Rather than campaigning against Aramark to end such policies, aggrieved students should focus their efforts on the government itself. In 2016 Aramark received approximately €5 million for their operation of three direct provision centres in Ireland (in Cork, Limerick, and Athlone). While not insignificant this only accounts for around 10% of the government’s outlay on direct provision. If Aramark were to withdraw from their centres it would have little effect on the operation of the scheme. It is likely that one of the other companies that operate some 32 other centres throughout the country would simply take their place. These students would, by a successful boycott (which is by no means guaranteed), achieve only a token victory. A strike against a single operator of the policy is not a strike against the policy itself.

With regards to the complaints about the quality of Aramark’s food, the company’s response is unashamed and direct. While they do provide both Halal and Kosher food, along with certain ethnic cuisines, their priority is to provide facilities for asylum-seekers to live in. They take a quantity over quality approach, a decision which I believe is correct. At this stage in their lives asylum seekers should be more concerned with nourishment, rather than gourmet food. It is an impossible situation. Operating on a tight government budget, what should Aramark do? Should they improve the conditions in centres and be forced to reduce capacity or serve potentially life-saving, if unappetising, food to the masses, in one of the most difficult times of their lives?

From a practical point of view, students need food; the SU shops cannot offer the same standard of food as some of the favourite brands operated by Aramark. As admitted by Aramark off Our Campus campaign member Roisín O’Donnell, UCD “will probably have to see [its contract with Aramark] out.” This reality undercuts the possibility of a quick success. At the very best it would be the start of the next college year before a replacement tender had been processed and successfully filled. If students follow the wishes of this group we would be left without a main restaurant and without the majority of our other food outlets. The extent to which this will affect campus life cannot be underestimated. For a prolonged length of time students would be without access to a diverse range of foods, restricted to the fare offered in SU shops (which will struggle to cope with the exponential increase in demand). This would leave students forced to subject themselves to any price gouging the SU may desire, their monopoly on the market allowing them to dictate prices as they please.

To boycott Aramark would also be to punish their frontline employees, who rely on their campus jobs to survive. It will be these valued members of our schools and colleges that will be the first to suffer. To Aramark the loss of these jobs means nothing; to those on the other side of these spectral P45s however, they can precipitate life crises. To suggest that the myriad of Aramark employees are somehow complicit in the activities of direct provision centres, and somehow deserving of punishment, is frankly absurd. They are completely innocent, just like the vulnerable refugees that these prospective boycotters purport to protect.

REBUTTAL

REBUTTAL

Rory Clarke

Gavin Tracey

It is true that one person, or even a hundred could “walk an extra minute” to their nearest SU shop without any effect. The same cannot be claimed, however, if a campus-wide boycott took place. The queues in our SU shops are already long and off-putting. To expect them to deal with the inordinate demand a boycott would precipitate is simply impossible.

Students should not simply “stand in solidarity” with these people, to symbolically “signal” that we disagree with their treatment. We can do better. If one wanted to truly help those suffering one should campaign against the government, who oversee 100% of direct provision centres, rather than Aramark, who control less than 10% of them.

The example of religiously mandated dietary needs not being catered to is contrary to Aramark’s commitments and policies. This is an isolated event and is not condoned by Aramark who, amongst other considerations, shift meal patterns for Ramadan and serve Halal meat.

As Tracey puts it Aramark are saving “a few quid by cutting corners and allowing children to go hungry.” While this is an exaggeration (Aramark provide three meals plus snacks a day) it also highlights that the market for direct provision contracts is competitive. If Aramark asked for more money to provide better quality food they would simply be undercut by rivals.

Unfortunately I only have a limited amount of space in which to try and refute all of the nonsense above. Let’s begin with the claim that we shouldn’t boycott Aramark because Direct Provision is a government policy, not theirs. Firstly, no one is arguing that we should only boycott Aramark and do nothing else, however because DP is so nebulous and multifaceted, one cannot simply protest it in its entirety. Take for example the 1984 case of Dunnes Stores workers refusing to handle South African oranges in protest of apartheid. Did this bring an end to apartheid? No, but what it did do was show some sense of international solidarity, a small but clear message that we will not financially support a racist regime.

I do wish to address your more callous comments also. Your stance that you agree with the “quantity over quality” approach, while it may be applicable to livestock cannot, nor should it ever apply to human beings.

Providing basic, appropriate and edible food (which is not as nourishing as you claim) is not a massive task for a company who specialises in, you know, food.

Lastly, I have to marvel at the lack of irony in this passage; “For a prolonged length of time students will be without access to a diverse range of foods.” Imagine, having to go without decent food for a prolonged period of time. Shocking.

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 5

COMMENT RIGHT TO VOTE, WRONG TO CHOOSE? On the centenary of Irish women achieving the right to vote, Ritika Sureka compares the suffrage of one hundred years ago to Irish women’s current struggle for bodily autonomy.

Criticisms have been numerous and vociferous, with campaigners deemed too loud, too forceful, or even downright godless by the opposing side.

This time, the elephant in the legislative room is the 8th amendment of the Irish constitution. Signed into law in 1983 with an overwhelming majority of two thirds voting to recognise the right of the unborn child as equal to that of the mother’s, the amendment made abortion a criminal offence. Campaigns to repeal the amendment began in 1992 after the X Case which involved a fourteen-year-old girl who had been raped and was experiencing suicidal thoughts. However, the campaign had little effect and remained inactive until 2012 with the death of Savita Halappanavar, whose chances of miscarriage were detected early on, but was

still denied the right to abortion. The Abortion Rights Campaign was established soon after in 2012, and since then the movement to repeal the 8th amendment has been gathering momentum, and opinions on it are evidently polarised. On January 29th, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar finally agreed to hold a referendum to repeal the amendment in late May or June. With both sides of the debate gearing up to campaign for and against it, we can expect a similar struggle to the one that reverberated throughout the country during the battle for marriage equality.

Looking back at the suffragette movement of the 1900s, the general consensus now is incontestable; women rightfully fought for their civil right to vote.

However, it has been argued that the same does not apply to the movement to repeal the 8th amendment.

Criticisms have been numerous and vociferous, with campaigners deemed too loud, too forceful, or even downright godless by the opposing side. Suffragettes early last century fought for human rights and therefore must be lauded, whereas pro-choice campaigners are fighting for something that is considered relatively secondary. There are complex dynamics to this debate that involve the interplay of religion, morality, and political stance, and it is easy to see why repealing the amendment is not that simple for some.

The prevailing argument that ‘Save the 8th’ campaigners propound is a perceived moral one, where campaigners who intend to fight to keep the amendment shamelessly attempt to strike an emotional chord via shock tactics. The Iona Institute, for example, has recently unveiled a billboard with the image of an unborn child at 11 weeks, captioned “one of us.”

Another pro-life billboard showcases a boy with Down syndrome with a caption that states “In Britain 90% of babies with Down syndrome are aborted.” With prolife campaigners most recently choosing to display graphic and inaccurate images at the N11 entrance of

UCD, it is clear that their concerns do not factor Irish women and their rights in this campaign.

The moral argument has created further division of opinion amongst the pro-choice advocates. Although there has been great momentum gained on the repeal side in the last few months, especially with the move towards referendum, the proposal to allow abortion up to 12 weeks into pregnancy has created a rift amongst some repealers. Fine Gael’s Simon Coveney expressed his opposition against this proposal despite being prochoice. Even though one cannot rely on one politician’s view on a debate that is going to be settled in a referendum, one can see this as a representative opinion of

moral confusion regarding the issue.

Opinions on repealing the 8th amendment are more divisive than the ones on universal suffrage. However, we fail to realise that the principles of both movements are in fact one and the same. The problem with the repeal movement is that it is too entangled with moral arguments to be seen as a campaign for a civil right. It is a movement against the State possessing the right to intervene on the private and personal choices of a woman in regards to her body. Choice and bodily autonomy is a human right, and should therefore be regarded as just as fundamental and inarguable as the right to vote.

PICTURE: RUTH MURPHY

On the February 6th 100 years ago, the Representation of People Act 1918 allowed Irish women to vote in general elections for the first time. It was a goal achieved with great effort by impassioned suffragettes who shattered the windows of Dublin Castle to protest the fact that women did not possess such a basic human right. Cut to February 6th 2018 as Dr Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, granddaughter of suffragette Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, who had been imprisoned for the stunt, re-enacted the same scene. The original stunt and re-enactment are separated by a century, yet the deed is as relevant today as it was then.

THE REALITY OF UNPAID INTERNSHIPS Many students seek internships in the hopes of furthering their employment opportunities. Dean Swift examines the actual value of an unpaid internship.

There is also the undeniable disparity between the opportunities for people of different backgrounds.

In 2014 the Irish Times interviewed a number of interns about their positions. The report notes the experience of one intern, who advises students to avoid internships that detail the type of work as “administrative tasks” such tasks indicating a job that is more reflective of copying and pasting for several hours a day, and gaining no valuable experience. The reality of this situation is that some companies simply abuse the unpaid internship process for free labour. As such, it circumvents the idea of upward mobility, and ensures that some never get a foot in the door of the career they wish to pursue.

Forbes published an article in 2016 highlighting how hiring rates after an “unpaid internship (37%) were almost the same for those who had not completed any internship at all (35%),” while the employment rate for a paid internship resulted in 63% employment afterwards. It is reasonable to ask, does an unpaid internship

6 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 6

provide any real benefit? One could say it provides the experience one needs, but as mentioned before many exist in the “administrative tasks” category. This should be taken into account when assessing whether unpaid internships should be undertaken, and in a broader sense, if they should be removed altogether.

There is also the undeniable disparity between the opportunities for people of different backgrounds.

Unpaid internships have been described as classist because certain individuals need to work to live and provide for themselves, or to help out with their family.

These types of internships exclude those who need a source of income, while others that come from a welloff background have a greater advantage due to not having this concern. Taking an internship that does not guarantee future employment is a gamble for any person struggling financially, and therefore they have more to lose in that situation.

The report by the Irish Times also noted a respondent who claimed “she will have to emigrate or do paid work in an area unrelated to her expertise rather than do another internship. She, and her parents, simply can’t afford to have her working unpaid any more.” Examples such as these highlight how an unpaid internship can force someone to end the pursuit of their career path, which is especially damaging when considering Irish graduates often need to emigrate to find employment.

There is an increasingly negative case against the existence of unpaid internships, and their existence should either be carefully monitored, so that they are simply not a labour abuse mechanism, or removed altogether.

The Forbes article also noted the difference in salaries of those who had done paid and unpaid internships, and those who had no internship experience at all. “Those with unpaid internships tended to take lower-paying jobs than those with no internship experience whatsoever ($35,721 and $37,087, respectively).

Students with paid internships far outpaced their peers with an average $51,930 salary.” These figures reflect poorly on unpaid internships, with the employment

rate being virtually the same for those who received an unpaid internship and those who had no experience.

It is an easy argument to make that they actually cost more money to pursue them than they are worth.

It highlights how an unpaid internship can force someone to end the pursuit of their career path.

We need to carefully examine the existence of these unpaid internships. While they have the potential to be of great benefit to a student in pursuit of their desired

career path, the current reality suggests that they are actually detrimental to the pursuit of any given career.

That is not to suggest that all unpaid internships operate this way, but it suggests that most do. The situation shows the current reality that most unpaid internships are elitist in nature and prevent upward mobility or completely restricts one’s ability to gain employment in the desired career. They provide no relevant experience in said career, and result in a reduced salary that in a roundabout way exists as a charge for engaging in an unpaid internship. It is crucial for students both young and old to understand the nature of these internships as they seek experience.

PICTURE: PIXA

Most jobs in Ireland require experience nowadays, and perhaps the most valuable tool for students to gain this experience is through internships. While some internships offer great access to a company in which one is employed, and offer a salary, most do not. In certain fields internships are the only bridge between education and full-time employment in the field. While the opportunities with companies that take the internship programme seriously and provide a chance at future full-time employment are undoubtedly beneficial, other informal and unpaid internships have a noted history of negatively affecting one’s employment opportunities.

COMMENT THE REPRESENTATION PROBLEM IN POLITICAL SATIRE Nathan Young questions the legitimacy of political satire that illustrates powerful figures of the same sex performing sexual acts, demeaning LGBTQ+ people in the process. closeted men who are ‘discreet,’ and of those who are out of the closet, a great many are straight-acting, or present as more masculine.

It might seem odd, believing it is less gay if one party in a pairing is the top, or if there is no romance involved, or whatever other excuse is used. Clearly these are not well thought-out arguments against queer identity, but the mental gymnastics required to avoid

offending anyone at all, they would probably also fail to ever make anyone laugh ever again. What is probably needed, therefore, is a more tasteful awareness in how to be less tasteful. Satire must offend and hurt its thin-skinned and powerful targets, but it would be

more effective and inclusive if it could do so without implying that the sex and love of gay men is demeaning and funny.

An interesting point about these cartoons is that they are mostly from the liberal side of the culture war. being the butt of a joke, or be identified as an emasculated and feminised man. It would be ridiculous to believe that these cartoons are the sauce of all this internalised homophobia. The soft and often unintentional message of much of media, especially media aimed at children, is heteronormative. Gay films receive age ratings that are often much higher than equally explicit heterosexual scenes, and there are practically no openly queer figures in children’s media. That having gay sex is portrayed as inherently funny in supposedly liberal media is worrying. For many people, it can be easy to dismiss the blatant homophobia of people whose mean-spirited message is easy to mock. When it is less blatant, from supposed allies for example, it is harder to dismiss.

Perhaps this should not be taken too seriously. Jokes need to be able to push boundaries. Piers Morgan being annoyed that a joke made fun of him seems to be a joke hitting its target directly, and it was actually quite a funny cartoon. The brown-nosing metaphor used in relation to oral sex is not a new invention by any means. On top of this, this strain of cartoon could be more effective than most, as it has been made clear that people like Putin and Trump find jokes targeting their sexual orientation far more distasteful than jokes about their cruelty or policies. If cartoonists sought to avoid

PICTURE: FOLSOMNATURAL VIA FLICKR

Recently, the BBC satirical show The Mash Report showed a cartoon of Piers Morgan literally brownnosing the President of the United States, Donald Trump. Piers Morgan, who was rather pleased with himself for what he thought was quite a challenging interview, took offence and vented on Twitter about what he saw as a “double standard.” He was so annoyed that he retweeted the image three separate times.

Perhaps accurately, he pointed out that if it had been a female journalist interviewing Theresa May, there would have been outrage. Even some liberal commentators came to his side, all of whom clarified that this was a once off, and that they would normally never defend Piers Morgan.

Perhaps he has a point, or at least the makings of a point. While it would seem outrageous to most liberals to illustrate women performing sexual acts as a way of humiliating them, it is still a common trope to show a man performing a sexual act on another man as a way of humiliating him. If one searches “Trump Putin cartoon” on Google they will get a slew of images featuring both Russian hacking and homoeroticism.

While it can be assumed that the artists for most of these cartoons did not set out to attack gay men, the punchline is often a less-than subtle inference that to be gay is inherently funny.

Another interesting point about these cartoons is that they are mostly from the liberal side of the culture wars. Socially conservative cartoonists mocking gay and other queer people are open and aware that that is what they are doing; they are honest about the kind of reaction they intend to provoke. The artists of these cartoons believe that as those depicted are heterosexual in real life, heterosexual conservatives are the victims.

This does not victimise Piers Morgan. He is rude and crude enough in his own time to have sacrificed his right to bitch about such insults, and more importantly is a prominent heterosexual. The unfair victims of these jokes, if there are any, are clearly men who have sex with men. Many men think that they are less gay, and that that is an inherently good quality, if they are ‘the top.’ Others deplore the fact that their fellow homosexuals can be so ‘flamboyant.’ Grindr is full of

THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO A PRIVILEGED FEW Adam Lawler wonders why tech conglomerates look beyond the afflictions of the present in their visions of the future.

Rich white men have not always been known to have the best intentions.

The exercise of launching a car into space was amusing on a surface level, an entertainment factor compounded by Musk’s pure glee surrounding the launch. One cannot help but marvel, however, at how superfluous the stunt was. It was a shameless and blasé, not to mention expensive, attempt to gain publicity and stoke conversation. To some it provided a perfect representation of so-called “tech bros” such as Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg et al, and their fascination with spectacle and the unknowable future to the detriment of pressing present issues such as poverty and injustice. They claim to wish to advance humankind but harbour a competitive capitalist focus that does not factor charity or aid into its worldview, and cars float in space while cities are without clean water.

What if Musk had indeed decided to donate to Flint and mend their water supply? Would this be called a vanity project as the rest of his projects are? Would op-eds decrying his self-serving meddling spring up in

abundance? Most likely. The truth is, public trust for these billionaire “Tech Bros” is minimal, and even their supporters are shot through with an undercurrent of suspicion. This is partly earned from the situations and specific Musks and Zuckerbergs we are faced with, but it runs deeper than that. We do not like to think about the fact that our future, as well as our lives at present, is in the hands of the rich and privileged. We never have. Knowledge of the tech hierarchy coupled with uncertainty of motive make a powerful combination, and if they did try to help where needed, we would righteously demand that Silicon Valley keep its hands off places like Flint and water in general, because we are afraid of what they are capable of doing with natural resources. Let them tinker in the future; we seem to say. At least it cannot affect us right now.

This is understandable. Rich white men have not always been known to have the best intentions, nor are rich white men in tech known to be the most socially aware. They may have suffered in a relative sense in their rise, but their privilege more often than not earns them their place in the end, and this privilege is inevitably passed on. Look at any picture from the SpaceX launch and witness a sea of white, male faces, to say nothing of reports of misogyny and sexual assault rampant in the tech industry.

Their entitlement runs deep, and breeds a fascination with monopoly that borders on megalomania that goes unchecked. Recently Richard Branson declared his envy of Falcon Heavy and his desire to “upstage” Musk.

Their primary goal is to make technological advancements that move the human race further into the future, but this goal is thread through with a competitive thirst that can prove damaging and beside the point.

It might be down to Steve Jobs’ original portrayal of himself as a futurist messiah, in tandem with the dominance of west coast tech capital, which gave a

whole new generation of young innovators the freedom to strike gold with gambles and pet projects. This led to a technological hegemony fostered by the undeniable genius of their work, however unnecessary on a practical level, but also by their egos which push them to think progressively bigger in a way that is not rooted in any form of realism but a childish desire to impress.

Practicality and morality never factor into a culture of grand gestures designed to strike awe in the public.

It is their broad vision that ultimately impedes their view. The devastating results of global warming are known by them to be inevitable, and so what choice do they have but to give up on the Earth and look

beyond? Their innovations often stem from an overreaching, reactionary fatalism that partially explains the panic surrounding the exaggerated threat of automated labour. Are robots taking our jobs? Not in an immediately urgent way, but this does not seem to stop tech conglomerates from emphasising the danger of this impending future as a method to distract from thinking critically about how labour functions now.

Diverting the world’s eyes to future apocalypse is a handy method of distracting from present societal ills, and so morality continues to function as a basic but necessary cornerstone in debates surrounding the tech industry.

PICTURE: HEISENBERG MEDIA VIA FLICKR

On February 6th, Elon Musk’s SpaceX christened their new heavy-lift launch vehicle, Falcon Heavy, by launching a Tesla Roadster into space. It was a dummy payload used solely for the purpose of this important maiden voyage, testing what is the most powerful rocket in operation as of this year. The event was huge, drawing massive audiences and intense discussion as to the “reusable” nature of this new craft, the most powerful since Apollo. Falcon Heavy is an invaluable step forward for space travel, but many have rightfully asked: “what is the point?”

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 7

FEATURES PROFILING THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT IN UCD After the Repeal Launch in UCD, Aoife Hardesty spoke to the pro-life protesters who are calling for a debate with UCD for Choice.

The typical pro-life profile is non-existent, as becomes apparent while talking to Life Society UCD members Alexandra Brazil, a Business and Law student, and Robert Lee, a Law with Economics student.

Lee explains “it’s a human rights issue for us.” For Lee it does not come from a place of religion, and he finds it “very annoying when the debate is framed so that…if you’re not religious you must be in favour of repeal.” Lee wants pro-life groups recognised as “human rights advocacy groups,” with religion left out of the equation.

We tried to organise a debate and that was shut down. [In UCD] there isn’t really another side to the discussion.

Brazil sees pro-life groups as a way “to have a voice for the voiceless.” For Lee “the right to life is the most fundamental right in the hierarchy of rights.

It is the most important because without it, no other has meaning.”

The University Observer spoke to the Life Society at the recent Launch for Repeal by UCDSU and UCD for Choice. The group of 12 had arrived in bright pink “Love Both” hoodies and silently walked to the back of the room where they held up signs that said; “Hope, not Abortion,” “We Deserve Better than Abortion,” and “Real Debate, Not Groupthink.”

Debate is one of the reasons why the group came to the launch. According to a press release from the group, and their Facebook posts, they approached the SU and UCD for Choice requesting a debate. The Life Society say that that request was denied, and instead a panel discussion was offered and they currently have

a petition available for students to sign in favour of a debate. Sources within the SU however, have told the University Observer that following the meeting the SU were under the impression that the Life Society were content with the option of a panel discussion. At the time of writing, the petition had gained 250 signatures.

Lee says they believe the “SU’s stance [means that] the debate is quite stifled. They’re for the repeal side, so there’s no real debate. It’s more like they have a monopoly on the discussion… They may disagree with us in the end, but at least have the debate.”

Brazil finds the SU’s pro-choice stance off-putting: “It would be a factor that would put me off in general, even getting involved in the SU…It’s important to know that there are others with differing opinions, and that’s just part of life, and it’s important that it’s represented.”

The Life Society UCD is currently not a recognised society, and Brazil explains that this means they’re unable to book rooms to host events on campus. At the moment the group is about “people getting together…

We haven’t heard back [about getting society status] and I suppose we would like to get that so we can have events on campus which is impossible without it.”

In this regard, Lee believes the pro-choice side has a major advantage on campus. “We self-fund, so we think it’s unfair that… a lot of money is being given of students’ funds on such a divisive issue. We think it’s inappropriate to be giving huge union funding to an issue that people have varying opinions on.” On the matter of holding events on campus, Lee notes that “UCD for Choice [also] doesn’t have society status, but the fact they can work through the SU means [that they can function].”

Lee thinks pro-life students are let down, and that they are not respected by the SU for their opinions on campus. “We tried to organise a debate and that was shut down. [In UCD] there isn’t really another

side to the discussion.” Nevertheless, when talking to people one-on-one, both Brazil and Lee have positive experiences of sharing their beliefs.

Brazil says: “I think… talking to people one-on-one, people are open to hearing other sides.” Lee echoes this sentiment. “I think when you talk to people they’re willing to hear the other side. People can see it’s a valid thing we’re fighting for. If you say there’s a heartbeat at three weeks, brain activity at nine weeks, these are how we categorise people as being alive, so to say this

is not a life is just contradictory.”

For Brazil, “It’s important…that Ireland is a really inclusive society. Saying that a certain group of people don’t matter simply because of their size or age is really bothering to me.”

For people who wish to get involved with the pro-life movement in UCD, they can join the Life Society group on Facebook, and can also contact the Life Society through their Facebook page.

DIARY OF A TAOISHMUCK An exclusive look into the personal diary of Leo Varadkar.

Dear Diary, Met with Sinn Fein, the DUP, and Theresa May. Wasn’t as boring as those awful brexit talks, but I can still think of fifty things I’d rather be doing. Like, I know it’s controversial, but if May wants to be like Maggie couldn’t she just, like, use brute force to get them to behave? If Maggie couldn’t fix it, I don’t know who can. It’s been more than a year of “Talks” and I’m getting bored.

Dear Diary, Today I announced a million billion euro masterplan to rebuild Ireland by 2040!

There will be houses, trains, a monument to Cher, and pina colada sold in all pubs by then. Paschal Donohoe told me not to, but I put some aside to build a new gay bay for the young ones, but that’s just to keep them outta the George. Honestly!

All I want is to find a nice husb partner but since the Dragon closed it’s just full of young ones with blue hair who make me feel old and think I’m bad just because I didn’t do anything about the Gender Recognition Bill when I was Minister for Social Protection. Like, I’m in a gay bar for the shift, why do they think I care?

Anyway, at least now I can point to this when people whinge about the housing crisis or transport in Dublin. It’s not my fault it’ll take twenty years. I’ve been giving advice on how to be as middle class as me for ages and they just make fun of me.

Obviously I know what I’m talking about, otherwise I wouldn’t be where I am! If they don’t like my advice they can lump it and wait 20 years for a house. It’s not my problem anymore.

Dear Diary, OMG, they’re here. After months of waiting they arrived in the post today. The bedsheets from heaven. King size, Egyptian cotton, and Maggie Thatcher’s face adorning every square inch of it. I’m in love, diary. Every night I can sleep underneath the face that I have dreamed of every night since 1989. She was elected the same year I was born you know? It was meant to be…

Dear Diary, I had the day off today, so I decided to treat myself. I lay in my Thatcher adorned bed until about half 10. My god she’s as comfy as I imagined her. I got up and went for a run. I used to get annoyed the way all the homeless urchins would stick up signs or sprawl their legs out, but now I pretend that they’re hurdles and bound over them. God you think they’d have the decency to keep the paths clear. Anyway, got home and ate my usual 4½ avocados, and got in to my usual comfies of a repeal jumper and lycra bike shorts. Watched reruns of Takeshi’s Castle - I love watching all the poor people run into things. Idiots. Bet they don’t get up early in the morning...

xoxo Leo

PICTURE: MEADHBH SHARIDAN

Dear Diary, Poor Justin Trudeau, that (very) hot mess! When he interrupted that lady to tell her Mankind was “Peoplekind” I could have died! I thought he knew you aren’t supposed to have a liberal opinion until it’s super popular and everyone will think you’re great for it, like what I do! Now he’s being laughed at by everyone. Imagine if I’d said I support abortion back before the Citizens’ Assembly or the Oireachtas Committee! I’d be one of them weirdo fundamentalists like in Labour who will never be Taoiseach. I only hope for God’s sake that he doesn’t say anything unpopularly liberal about selling arms to the Saudis. Then he’d be in a right state!

PICTURE: MEADHBH SHERIDAN

8 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 6

FEATURES LESSER SPOTTED UCD: THE GIANT IRISH DEER Danielle Crowley investigates one of UCD’s largest and most mysterious zoological treasures, the skeleton of an Irish elk.

On the second floor of Science West, opposite two glass cases of many species of stuffed birds, stands a primeval giant.

This is our Megaloceros skeleton, alternatively known as the Giant Irish Deer or the Irish elk. Around the size of a modern moose, but with antlers stretching around 3.5m from tip to tip and weighing up to 40kg, these animals were extremely large. After becoming extinct in Ireland around 10,500 years ago, this species’ closest living relation is the relatively diminutive fallow deer, which should be familiar to anyone who has visited the Phoenix Park.

The story of the specimen itself remains somewhat shrouded in mystery. The plaque at its feet states that it was presented to UCD by the “Right Honourable Earl of Mayo,” however there is no name after this title and no date listed.

the exhibit on extinct Irish mammals. It spent twenty years there, until finally, in the summer of 2003 it was returned to UCD. As one may imagine, moving such a large skeleton is not an easy task. This move involved hoisting the deer on to an open-top truck and driving it to campus with an entourage of two other cars. This must have been quite the spectacle, made even more dramatic by close encounters with trees and an ESB van. On its arrival to UCD, it then had to be moved on to its podium, and one final challenge remained: getting the skull with its 4 metre antler span up the narrow stairs. Fortunately, this was achieved without incident. Antoinette Fennell described the move as “nerve-wrecking” in the first issue of the newsletter Zoology Gnus, which was launched on the day the skeleton was officially unveiled.

“The backdrop painting is of Ballybetagh Bog,” says Professor Tom Bolger, Professor of Zoology in UCD, “and was painted by Billy Clarke. It features other animals that lived in Ireland at the time.” The Ballybetagh Bog near Glencullen in Wicklow is a significant location as over 100 fossils have been found there. Animals the painting depicts include a golden eagle, a wolf, and the Megaloceros as it would have appeared in when living.

For a time, the elk had been kept in a room which is now a science lab in Science West. “It was formerly a The skeleton has moved around quite considerably museum,” says Bolger of the labs’ former use, “but to during its life on exhibition. When first presented to allocate adequate lab space the specimens were moved.”

UCD, it resided in the College of Science, which was These specimens are those that feature in the corridors then situated on Merrion Street. It only moved to the of Science West, and a large skeleton of an aquatic mammal still hangs from the Lab 106’s ceiling.

Belfield Campus in the 1960s.

It then moved to Newman House, an exquisite Bolger praises the elk skeleton. “It’s a complete Georgian building on St. Stephen’s Green which was skeleton, and an impressive specimen, so it matters originally part of the UCD campus, for an exhibition scientifically.” showcasing the college’s history. The story does not Despite this, much of this specimen’s history remains stop there, as it went on to the Natural History Museum unknown, and people know little about it. This is a and was a member of the cast of creatures forming common phenomenon, particularly with old fossils and

animal specimens that may have been privately owned and which have changed hands many times. Animals such as the Irish elk, whose skeletons are relatively common, were regularly distributed to different institutions (the zoological museum in Trinity College also has one) but often without any form of documentation.

Meticulous documentation of paleontological and zoological finds is a relatively new protocol, and as time passes the history of the people who owned and cared for specimens is often lost.

Despite the mystery, or maybe because of it, the Science West elk is well worth a visit. When standing before it, take a moment to marvel at the scale of this magnificent creature, and wonder at the ancient world it called home. As a species that was one of many giant animals that are believed to have gone extinct due to human hunting pressures, it serves as a poignant reminder that the natural world is delicate. If we are not careful we may consign many other spectacular animals to a similar fate.

This move involved hoisting the deer on to an open-top truck and driving it to campus with an entourage of two other cars.

SWIPING RIGHT TO ONLINE DATING With more people than ever finding partners and spouses online, Mary Sheehan asks UCD students what they think about the online dating world.

Facing someone and conversing face to face forces a person to be more confident.

Hiding behind a screen divides you.

real you from a carefully selected photo? Technology has ruined us, and it will only get worse.”

In a world where you can see when a person has read or ignored your message, we become “selfish and extremely needy.” Suresh says, “Everyone is on their phones. You can look around on Dublin Bus, and there’s no way to communicate with our heads down.

The phone has become the human companion.”

Dating apps may be another thing stopping us from talking to the people around us, or it could be a reason to meet more people. Either way the flaws and risks are obvious and should not be ignored.

PICTURE: FLICKR

According to a recent poll by Pew Research, 19% of Many associate certain apps like Tinder exclusively there are ways to minimise the risks associated with 2017 brides met their spouse online. While the stigma with a problematic hookup culture. This aspect of the meeting someone in person that you’ve met online. around using online dating apps such as Tinder and app has gained criticism, as people claim that being “You should always meet in a public place, and inform Bumble has decreased among young people, there still subjected to image after image of another person is someone as to where you are going,” says Byrne. seems to be some concerns surrounding information ultimately desensitising. Suresh compares Tinder’s Curran concurs: “You should absolutely tell friends sharing and meeting with complete strangers. reliance on physical attraction to window shopping. where you’re going, but this is the kind of risk that Entire TV series such as Catfish are based around She says, “It’s desensitising, like a wishlist for people. comes from any first date. You never know who you’re the dangers of talking personally with a virtual stranger. There are too many options. How are we supposed to dealing with.”

The introduction to the show asserts that there are hun- know what we are looking for?”

Suresh’s concern regarding online dating also considers its potential self-esteem impact. “People are dreds of thousands of fake Facebook profiles, begging the question, is there any way to keep ourselves safe getting depressed if no one matches them on Tinder or meeting strangers online? likes their picture. How are they supposed to know the Darcy Curran, an MSc student in Environmental Resource Management, said that she thought that the use of dating apps is superficial as a concept. Curran asserts that swiping left or right on tinder based on aesthetics is not enough to determine attraction. She agrees that many people often share information online before meeting, but keep it to a minimum in order to Fiona Byrne, an MA student studying Modern ensure safety.

“I keep things on a superficial level. I ask about their and Contemporary Literature thinks this association day, their job or degree, and leave it at that. There’s is flawed, as different people have different reasons a certain hesitancy that comes with not knowing a for turning to apps or dating websites. Byrne states, person face to face.” However, in Curran’s prior expe- “Obviously, some people go on Tinder looking for sex, rience, she says there’s no danger in keeping this at a but there are others that look for friendship or a relasuperficial level. “Keeping conversation light doesn’t tionship. It all depends what you are searching for, and necessarily harm anyone because of the disconnect. why you are on the app.”

You don’t actually know the person behind the screen.”

Even though many couples meet online, they are In the boom of the social media and dating apps, often very reluctant to admit to this. “If I dated somethere is a trend of people becoming more comfortable one I met online, seriously, I would likely lie about speaking to strangers as opposed to conversing face where we came in contact to family and people I don’t to face with someone they know. Deepthi Suresh, an know too well. I’d rather lie and say we met organiMA student studying International Relations, says that cally through mutual friends. There’s absolutely still a this disconnect can be attributed to confidence, or a stigma attached to online dating.” lack thereof. She says, “Facing someone and conversThere is still a certain judgment passed on those couing face to face forces a person to be more confident. ples who meet online. There’s also the timeless question as to whether or not exchanging personal details Hiding behind a screen divides you.”

Curran agrees with this sentiment, arguing that with someone you met is safe, nevermind meeting them there’s a layer of anonymity that comes with meeting in real life. According to Suresh, this is impossible to someone online before in person. Curran says, “People know. “Everyone wants to be accepted and hear good feel more comfortable talking to strangers. There’s less things. People are extremely desperate and lazy to work of a fear of judgment, as this person you are talking to hard to find a partner.” on a screen isn’t actually in your social circle.”

However, all three students unanimously agree that

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 9

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SCIENCE THE NEXT GENERATION OF RADIO ASTRONOMY Last year, Irish astronomy took a leap forward with the construction of the LOFAR radio telescope in Birr, Co. Offaly. Sean Mooney, who was involved in the telescope’s construction, reports on its significance for the future of astronomy.

Synchronising all LOFAR stations equates to having a telescope effectively the size of Europe.

Parsons was a brilliant man. The unprecedented size of The Leviathan meant that he had to invent many of the techniques required for its construction. His efforts were not in vain as, using The Leviathan, he discovered the spiral structure of galaxies, a key landmark in the history of astronomy, and suggested to be the inspiration behind the stars in Van Gogh’s Starry Night.

Perhaps most impressively, the construction and operation of the instrument went unhindered even while the Great Famine decimated the population. First light for the telescope came as the country was on the brink of starvation.

In 2017, Birr once more shot to the leading edge of astronomy with the construction of a LOFAR (low frequency array) station. Unlike The Leviathan, which

is an optical telescope, LOFAR is a telescope used to detect radio waves. LOFAR is a Europe-wide project commanded from The Netherlands. The telescope is made up of stations which are scattered across the continent.

Using cutting-edge supercomputers and clever mathematics, all of the stations can be used in conjunction to function as a single large telescope. The combined stations are equivalent to a telescope as large as the separation between individual LOFAR stations, and a large telescope is important as the resolving power of a telescope depends on its size. The Irish station marks a major addition to the project: As Ireland is situated on the western fringe of the continent, it improves the overall resolution of LOFAR. Synchronising all LOFAR stations equates to having a telescope effectively the size of Europe.

The LOFAR station in Birr detects radio waves using antennae, and so bears little resemblance to traditional single-dish telescopes. There are two sets of antennae, each tuned to a different portion of the radio spectrum.

The FM radio band lies right in the middle of what LOFAR can detect, which contaminates the signal from space, but this and other sources of interference are filtered out prior to analysis.

The build took just months to complete, but initial plans for the €2 million project were formulated over a decade ago. The funding for the telescope came from a diverse range of sources, including UCD. Getting this project off the ground was a major achievement for all involved, especially given the challenge fundamental physics research faces in the current funding climate. LOFAR promises more than just science though. It generates over 10 TB of raw data per second (equivalent to approximately 6,000 hours of HD video), so manipulating, transporting, and storing this level of information presents the information and communications technology industry with fresh

challenges. The timing also could not be better, as big data is a pertinent issue at present among technology companies, from start-ups to Google and Amazon.

People from UCD were involved in the build along with a group of astrophysicists from around Ireland, which included everybody from students to professors.

The first few weeks involved burying many kilometres of delicate coaxial cable. Beneath the surface, the cables are offered some protection against environmental factors such as temperature and wildlife. Building the actual telescope was relatively straightforward. The quasi-modular IKEA-esque design of the tiles, and the fact that the majority of the components are polystyrene, made assembling the 96 tiles a simple process.

Despite this, the margin for error was still razor-thin.

Researchers at UCD can now observe the sky using LOFAR. The High Energy Astrophysics group use it

to study jets of material being propelled from distant galaxies. Such jets are launched at near light-speed from a super-massive black hole residing at the centre of a galaxy. The jet matter cools as it collides with the matter which permeates intergalactic space, emitting radio waves. The radio waves then travel unimpeded for billions of years before being detected at LOFAR stations such as that in Birr.

The construction of the Irish LOFAR station is a captivating venture as it stands at an unexplored intersection between physics, astronomy, and engineering. The LOFAR telescope is itself just a pathfinder for a more ambitious project, the Square Kilometre Array, which is being built in the southern hemisphere and will cost several billion euro. As for Birr, LOFAR has been built so now it is time for it to start producing science. A new chapter is about to be written in astronomy.

PICTURE: TCD.IE

Last year, Birr was thrust to the forefront of astronomy.

What may seem a quaint and unassuming town, Birr, Co. Offaly, is steeped in astronomical history and it has regained its scientific prominence with the construction of a new telescope.

In 1842, William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, began construction of a telescope on his estate, Birr Castle demesne, which would colloquially come to be known as The Leviathan. Not only was it the largest telescope in the world, it held this title for a staggering 72 years.

This fact can be appreciated most in the current era of rapid technological improvements where the best of anything in the world holds the title for weeks rather than years before a better model comes along.

REACHING FOR NEW HEIGHTS IN GIRAFFE CONSERVATION Aoife Hardesty interviews Emma Hart, a PhD student about the highs and lows of working with giraffes in Namibia.

There is no doubt that the biggest threat facing giraffe is human population growth. research programme in northwest Namibia… In partnership with UCD and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF).” The programme aims to learn more about giraffes, to get a deeper understanding of giraffe behaviour in the wild. “The results of the study will inform conservation management of the giraffe population both here in Namibia and across the other 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa that are working to ensure a future for this iconic species.”

Giraffe research is still in its infancy, Hart says: “we still know very little about the behaviour and genetics of this species. As such perhaps the most exciting thing about giraffe is not what we know, but what we don’t yet know.”

With a BA and MA in psychology, Hart had begun a PhD in Edinburgh but “forewent this opportunity in favour of a job offer to work in community-basedconservation in Uganda.” After “making the general decision to work in wildife research in southern Africa I must have contacted one hundred organisations looking for a position. Every email I sent I received the same answer- conservation research in Africa is extremely competitive and you are unlikely to get a foot in the

door.”

Hart would not be dissuaded however, “I decided to pack a rucksack and go and see if I might have more luck in person.” Hart travelled to Namibia where she met “Dr. Julian Fennessy (GCF) who was looking for someone to take on a giraffe conservation project in the Namib Desert.” She started work on the project in 2016, and later that year “made contact with UCD who were extremely supportive of the project from the outset and I am now studying for a PhD in Zoology through the Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour in the School of Biology and Environmental Science.”

Working on this project, there is no typical schedule.

Days could be spent drafting papers, sitting “at the computer wrestling with statictical analyses. Other days are spent provisioning and planning for research expeditions, writing funding proposals or talking to mechanics about never ending repairs on the research vehicle!”

Hart’s descriptions of days out in the field sound like a wild adventure. The “days start with a sunrise and a cup of hot coffee by an open fire,” and with the study area spanning “an area of arid desert stretching 4500km2,” there is a huge amount of ground to cover each day. “Each day I tackle a section of this in the 4x4, tracking and observing giraffe and collecting behavioural and genetic data.”

The study region “is extremely remote” and one of the biggest challenges is “if something goes wrong, there is no one to call.” Hart describes the landscape as “wild and open…where, in the constant shadow of drought, all of life survives on a knife edge.” The world Hart works in is filled with animal life, not just giraffes: “Elephant stand on tip-toe stretching their trunks to reach the branches of century old acacias, mountain zebra scale impossible rocky outcrops and desert lion stalk the dry riverbeds in search of oryx, kudu and springbok.”

This “theatre of nature all around every day is extraordinary and every day serves to remind us of the intrinsic value of such ecosystems and the pressing need to protect and conserve them.”

In 2016, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) announced that giraffes had

been moved from “least concern” to “vulnerable” in the listings of endangered animals. “In the last thirty years… Giraffe numbers have declined by 35-40% in the wild,” says Hart. “There is no doubt that the biggest threat facing giraffe is human population growth. As our numbers continue to rise there is increasing competition for space. For giraffe, who need vast areas to roam, that is a disaster.” However, Hart remains optimistic, she believes “there is hope… if we as individuals can start to live more sustainably, and encourage others to do the same, we can create a future where there is space for giraffe.”

Hart believes it is necessary for people in Ireland to care about conservation projects elsewhere in the world. “If we want to live in a world that includes giraffe, elephant, gorilla or rhino, amongst many others, we in Ireland have to act now to support less developed countries as they fight to protect the habitats of these species.”

DID YOU KNOW? Necking occurs in two forms; low-intensity and high-intensity. In low-intensity necking the males lean against each other’s necks to try and push the other off balance. High-intensity necking is where they get to use their hornlike bumps (which are called ossicones). The giraffes swing their necks at each other and attempt to land blows on their opponent with their ossicones. Ossicones are not true horns because they are made of bone-like cartilage and not actual bone.

PICTURE: EMMA HART

Giraffes may be one of the strangest looking mammals on the planet. Everything about them is long and tall, they tend to reach a total height of between 14 and 18 feet with their neck being roughly 6 foot in length.

Their long necks enable them to feed without competition by grazing at heights which shorter grazers cannot reach, but their necks are also useful for combat. Males establish dominance by ‘necking,’ which is fighting using their long necks as weapons. Like cows, giraffes are ruminants which means that they partially digest their food in a specialised stomach, before regurgitating it to chew it up some more.

For Emma Hart, these bizarre creatures are a big part of everyday life. Hart manages “a conservation

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 11

SCIENCE THE SCIENCE OF A LIE Christine Coffey examines our misconceptions about what constitutes a ‘tell,’ and shows us what we need to look out for instead.

Research from the University of Granada in Spain suggests that the area around your nose increases in temperature when lying, a feature which has been suitably dubbed the ‘Pinocchio Effect.’

Fidgeting is often wrongly cited as an involuntary give-away, but in fact it is more likely for the upper body of a liar to become rigid during their transgression. People think avoidance of direct eye contact is symptomatic of a sloppy lie, but most reliable facial scanners operate on the premise that people

consciously increase the level of eye contact in order to the incident. Another red flag is the use of language stranger, according to psychologist Robert Feldman. avoid suspicion. Some liars drop their pitch, rather such as “Honestly,” “I swear,” or “It’s all lies.” These As children grow up, they become more accustomed to than raise it. Excessive movement, eye contact, and statements are often unprompted denials of wrongdo- ‘mind-reading,’ a term used to describe the awareness changes in pitch are actions that we can be aware of ing that discredit the perpetrator. Furthermore, body of the difference between what you know and what and can be controlled. Therefore, ‘leaks’ from the language that contrasts with words can be used to catch those around you do not (which has nothing to do with autonomic nervous system that we are oblivious to are the guilty party. The answer “yes” can be accompanied telepathy). a more accurate way of detecting deception. Increasing by an unconscious shake of the head “no.” We might The best liars know when they can get away with the stakes of the lie increases the chance of being shrug our shoulders while claiming emotional involve- telling a lie. Our lies range from white lies to more caught, with pupil dilation being one of the involuntary ment in the subject at hand. Knowledge of involuntary serious offences, and despite our best efforts, we are reactions that the liar is unaware of. ‘leaks’ and obvious indicators can be used to spot a bad just as likely to spot a lie as we are to miss one. One Research from the University of Granada in Spain lie in everyday language. gesture might not be proof of a lie and we may have to suggests that the area around your nose increases in Lying is intrinsically linked to our development wait for a combination of multiple indicators to be certemperature when lying, a feature which has been suit- and that makes it of particular interest to social sci- tain, and most of our preconceptions around the topic ably dubbed the ‘Pinocchio Effect.’ This change is of- entists. The larger the neo-cortex, the more complex are misplaced. Some scientists swear by transdermal ten easily detectable as it is usually accompanied with the deception, according to Meyer. People will lie imaging and eye-motion sensors, but who knows? a increase of facial blood flow on the cheeks, creating a on average three times in their first encounter with a They might be lying too. distinguishable contrast. Liars will unconsciously shift their blink rate and point their feet towards an exit.

However, some of these actions are not unique to liars, and we are dependent on multiple tells to be certain that deception is taking place. An eyebrow twitch or flared nostrils may not automatically mean the person is lying.

Psychologist Pamela Meyer cites language and speech as far more useful mechanisms for the detection of lies. This is becoming increasingly important in an age when face-to-face encounters are not the only method of deceiving someone. Success is not about being able to spot everything from the bat of an eyelid to an uncomfortable shuffle in a chair. Nor is it reliant on blatantly fabricated sentences, such as “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” Liars subconsciously distance themselves from the subject (“That woman”) and their speech will contain excessive use of the first-person pronouns “I” and “me” and formal language (“I did not” as opposed to “I didn’t”).

Liars also tend to embellish their stories with excessive detail, repeat questions verbatim, and recount details in chronological order. Meyer claims that in the legal world, one trick of the trade is to ask the suspect questions in reverse order, starting with the most recent events and gradually carrying the conversation back

PICTURE: JACKMAC34 VIA PIXABAY

To the relief of pathological liars and casual fibbers alike, the general population are surprisingly bad at recognising a lie. Visual cues are unreliable, they vary from person to person and across different situations, and they are often too subtle to be considered distinctive. With research showing that we tell dozens of lies daily, we live in a veritable minefield of misdirection.

It appears that Shakespeare grossly underestimated the extent of things when he claimed, “To be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand.”

Unless you’re willing to tote around a transdermal optical imaging scanner or an electroencephalogram as you go about your daily life, you will have a hard time distinguishing a lie from the truth based on physical cues alone. The consensus among social scientists is that our guess is little better than 50-55% accurate.

This is largely down to misconceptions about common body language.

WHAT DO BRAIN INJURIES TELL US ABOUT FREE WILL? Ísla O’Connor explores the relationship between free will, brain injuries, and moral culpability.

Maybe we should all be worried about how tenuous our free will is, how open it is to being meddled with by forces beyond our control.

These changes in behavior are caused by damage to areas such as the frontal and temporal lobes, the amygdala and the hippocampus which can lead to volatile emotions, impaired decision making and problem-solving skills, memory impairment, physical aggression, and impulsivity. Brain injuries introduce a whole host of issues into a person’s life, each of which can contribute to depression, OCD, or PTSD. These changes give rise to an unpredictability that has led to childhood brain injuries being cited as a risk factor for criminal activity later in life.

With a disproportionate number of the incarcerated population living with a brain injury relative to the general population, it is difficult to deny that a relationship exists between brain injury and criminality. Since

12 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 6

1966, the association between brain injury and criminal behaviour has been in the public consciousness, with the discovery of a brain tumour in the amygdala of Charles Whitman, the man who committed one of America’s worst mass school shootings. Questions were asked whether it was Whitman’s personality or his tumour that caused him to commit the crime.

Studies have since been carried out in an effort to more definitively ascertain whether the link between criminal behaviour and brain malformations is strong enough to lay the blame for such crimes beyond the control of their perpetrator.

Free will is, by definition, the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; it is the ability to act at one’s own discretion. A person with a brain injury struggles with weighing up all options and then making an informed decision, having a diminished capacity to problem-solve as a result of their injuries, causing them to act on impulse. To some extent, we all know what it is like to experience diminished free will. Oftentimes our decisions are affected by the thoughts of societal expectations that govern our daily life. Concern about how we are perceived and how the things we say or do implicate us in different situations are all factors that heavily influence the decision-making processes of many individuals.

Those with brain injuries however, do not have the capacity to weigh up these options and so react as a direct result of their impulsive emotions. While in the case of Charles Whitman this had catastrophic consequences resulting in massive loss of life, perhaps Whitman’s actual personality is responsible for some of the actions he has taken. From this we could deduce that along with his brain tumor, Whitman was, in short, a bad person.

After all, there are millions of people with brain injuries who do not commit mass murders or other major crimes. Maybe it is more reasonable to conclude that

certain people are already on the brink of carrying out such behaviours, and that for them, a TBI is just the straw that may break the camel’s back. Perhaps we should all be worried about how tenuous our free will is, how open it is to being meddled with by forces beyond our control.

Take a type of influence that is familiar to all of us: social pressure. The pressure to conform, to orient ourselves using a compass directed primarily by fear of what our neighbours would say, could easily be said to chip away somewhat at our freedom of will. Even a short moment of reflection upon our own life experiences should bring to mind some instances where our own core values took second place behind the norms

of society. Were we free to choose how to act in those instances? Was our freedom prevented, or merely weakened? These questions become all the more salient when we consider the actions of Charles Whitman and those like him.

Are brain injuries a different case, though? Given what we know about the brain-behaviour relationship, it seems reasonable to conclude that they are just another form of pressure. Whatever degree of freedom we attribute to individuals who have been compromised by social forces, something like that should also be attributed to those who have been compromised by their neuroanatomy. It appears that brain injury may just be a special, albeit vivid, case of influence on our free will.

PICTURE: MEDIA.DEFENSE.GOV

When a family member sustains a traumatic brain injury (TBI), panic sets in as they fight for their life.

These injuries can be sustained as a result of a vehicle accident, a fall, a stroke, an assault, carbon monoxide poisoning, or meningitis. For some families, their child, their sibling, their spouse, will never quite be the same in behavior or temperament. This however manifests itself in varying degrees of intensity ranging from a shorter temper and frequent impulsive purchases, to daily aggressive outbursts, and extreme antisocial behavior.

SCIENCE OCTOPUSES: THE UNLIKELY SUSPECT Octopuses are one of the few invertebrate animals whose intelligence rivals our own, yet they evolved their brains in an environment which is completely alien to us. Lisa O’Dowd explores.

They change colour and shape to camouflage into the surrounding environment or to morph into the shapes of other species such as sea snakes, flatfish, or lionfish.

In the fifth episode of Blue Planet, ‘Green Seas,’ viewers witnessed an octopus performing an act that would be sure to be guaranteed an Oscar. A pyjama shark is seen hunting down a common octopus. The two got into a tussle, and when death seemed almost inevitable, the octopus plugged her tentacles into the

problems posed by their ever-changing underwater environment. They change colour and shape to camouflage into the surrounding environment or to morph into the shapes of other species such as sea snakes, flatfish, or lionfish. It is not yet understood how these defence mechanisms arose in their evolution.

In the words of David Attenborough, “Octopuses are extraordinary animals.” Unlike vertebrates, their neurons are found throughout their body, especially in their arms. The density of neurons found here is greater than that found in their brain. There is an evolutionary niche for intelligence in the oceans, and octopuses fill a lot of it. It is thought that the origins of the intelligence exhibited by the octopus evolved in the tropical coral reef, an ecosystem of outstanding beauty, diversity, and complexity. To survive here you must either be armoured by thick skin or a quick wit. As large jelly-like,

soft-bodied creatures they are immediately flagged as an easy target. Predators exert strong selection pressure on these creatures. The result is the survival of the intelligent, the greatest hider, the best at leading a solitary life, and the most efficient at adopting tools.

In the face of their apparent intelligence, beauty, and uniqueness we must be careful not to anthropomorphize. Evolutionary chance separates us from them.

They were around to see the creation of glaciers, to view the first flight of the birds, to observe the dawn of the dinosaurs, and ultimately to witness the evolution of man. Human intelligence, like most vertebrate intelligence, evolved due to our nature as long-lived social animals. Octopuses developed differently over a longer period, and so we must open-mindedly seek to understand how their unique intelligence arose.

OUT OF AFRICA

MYTH UNIVERSE: SHARK TALES

A new fossil find could rewrite our understanding of human history.

Danielle Crowley investigates.

We are up to our gills in shark myths. Aoife Muckian takes a dive into the legends surrounding these fascinating creatures, and puts some of the more fantastical ones to (sea)bed.

The new find has certain traits that may indicate the species were mingling earlier than previously thought.

Another interesting aspect to this study is the insight it could give us as to how homosapiens interacted with the other human species around at that time.

Genetic analysis of early modern humans has shown that they interbred with other human species, such as Neanderthals and Denisovans (if you’re of Eurasian descent 1-4% of your DNA is Neanderthal in origin).

However, there was some debate as to when this occurred, with estimates ranging from 50,000 to over 200,000 years ago (based on genetic analysis of a German fossil find).

The new find has certain traits that may indicate the species were mingling earlier than previously thought, backing up the German study. This opens many possibilities, from suggesting that the area of the Mediterranean and the Middle East were a sort of crossroads and meeting point for various human species, to the idea that different humans were exchanging cultural and biological information for longer than we imagined.

The bone’s owner and its relatives did not contribute any genetic material to humans alive today, and while we don’t know why this branch didn’t survive, we can marvel at the wealth of information one little bone can tell us.

Throughout the world of popular culture, sharks have been depicted as an aquatic beast on the hunt for blood.

This reputation has been aided and abetted by the Jaws films, which George Burgess, a shark biologist in the University of Florida notes that the films “perpetuated the myths about sharks as man-eaters and bloodthirsty killers … even though the odds of an individual entering the sea and being attacked by a shark are almost infinitesimal.”

As impressive as its sense of smell is, it does not extend as far as to allow sharks to detect a drop of blood from a mile away.

One prevalent notion inspired by such films is that sharks can smell a drop of blood from a mile away.

While it is true that sharks have a more sensitive olfactory system than humans, the sensitivity does not extend so far as to allow sharks to detect a drop of blood from a mile away. The highly sensitive olfactory system provides assistance to sharks in reproduction, as it allows them to locate a mate by detecting pheromones even in low conctentrations.

The highly senstive sense of smell is enabled by sharks having separate openings for breathing and smelling; gills to the side of their heads allow them to breathe, whereas they use the nostrils at the front of their snouts to bring scents into a nasal chamber. This chamber is lined with tissue, which picks the scent and carries the information to the brain, which interprets them as scent.

Research on five species of sharks published in the Journal of Experimental Biology in 2010 has shown that at most, sharks can detect a drop of a dissolved chemical in a volume of water about the size of a back garden swimming pool, but not as large as an Olympicsized swimming pool. Furthermore, the obvious bears pointing out: a drop of blood first has to diffuse across the pool to be detectable by our hypothetical shark. A

singular drop of blood cannot be smelled from even a metre away unless it spreads.

The myth that sharks can smell blood a mile away is often used to further perpetuate the myth that sharks will deliberately hunt, attack, and kill humans. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administartion (NOAA), humans are not part of a shark’s diet, with sharks having evolved millions of years before humans, and so their diets evolved to consist mainly of smaller fish and marine invertebrates. Scientists have suggested that the reason for shark attacks on humans (between five and 10 fatalities reported each year) is due to more humans being in sharks’ feeding grounds: the ocean, rather than being due to sharks actively seeking out tasty humans to munch on.

Sharks attacked 88 people in 2017 according to the International Shark Attack file, they kill fewer than 10 humans every year, humans kill between 20 and 30 million sharks on a yearly basis. Whatever the reasons for the myths about sharks’ ferocity, humans are far more of a threat to sharks, than they are to us.

Fin.

PICTURE: WIKIMEDIA

Researchers have discovered a fossil jawbone that suggests humans started to leave Africa far earlier than previously believed.

The fossil, found in Misliya Cave, Israel, is estimated to be between 177,000 and 194,000 years old. Its age indicates that early Homo sapiens had made it to the Middle East 60,000 years earlier than thought.

Misliya Cave shows signs of habitation such as flakes of stone, some bearing burn marks, which are the remnants of a toolmaking session. Other stone tools were discovered nearby, which may have once belonged to the cave’s inhabitants.

The previous train of thought we had regarding our African departure was that modern humans, Homo sapiens, first began to move into Eurasia around 60,000 years ago. This was all well and good, until a set of teeth were discovered in China were identified to be 100,000 years old. The Israeli find is more evidence that humans left Africa much earlier than expected, and that they did so in waves.

Prof. Israel Hershkovitz, of Tel Aviv University, who was involved in the study, told the Guardian that this discovery is a “revolution in the way we understand the evolution of our own species.”

PICTURE: ROCKRIVERTIMES.COM

shark’s gills, forcing the shark to release its hold to breathe. The octopus then created a cunning camouflage by attaching empty shells to the suckers on her arms, forming a dome and protecting herself inside.

The structure made of shells fooled the shark for just long enough for the octopus to escape. It came as no surprise when the cameraman exclaimed that the octopus was a “Rockstar!”

Anecdotes such as these have circled the oceans for centuries, but photographic evidence of the octopus’ incredible behaviours is now accessible to the world of science.

Octopuses belong to a class of animal called Cephalopods, which also includes squid and cuttlefish.

These animals are unique amidst invertebrates as they have an extremely large nervous system that contains a similar amount of neurons as the brain of a dog or a human infant. Peter Godfrey-Smith, in his book Other Minds: Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligence describes cephalopods as “an island of mental complexity in the sea of invertebrates.” Cephalopods developed independently of vertebrates which makes their development of large brains and complex behaviours extraordinary, as vertebrates have a veritable monopoly on intelligence.

Invertebrate as they are, octopuses are extremely flexible morphologically. They are a delicate mixture of utter simplicity and sophisticated intricacy. Despite our limited knowledge and understanding of these creatures it is agreed that they are a tremendous evolutionary success. The oldest known octopus fossil is Pohlsepia and lived around 296 million years ago. However, as octopuses are mostly made of soft tissue, with their only hard body part being their beak, fossils are so rare that they may have existed further back than this.

Octopuses have a remarkable ability to solve the

PICTURE: WIKIMEDIA

In the 1980s, several rare fish disappeared from their tank at an aquarium in Boston. Workers were scratching their heads wondering what had happened. A researcher arrived early one morning and caught an octopus mid-dinner. The octopus had been escaping its tank and entering the fish tank for an extra feed before returning to his own tank in time for the morning. This octopus was the culprit for the missing fish.

In late February 2009, an aquarium in Santa Monica, California was flooded with saltwater. CCTV footage filmed the unravelling scene. It showed an octopus disassembling a water recycling valve and directing a tube to spew out of the tank. When workers arrived, the octopus in question was in its tank looking on at the chaos around him, innocent as could be.

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 13

STUDENT VOICES POSTCARD FROM ABROAD: VANCOUVER A million miles from home, Hazel O’Flaherty experiences life with plastic naggins, continuous assessment, and longing for pints with friends in Doyle’s.

I am on exchange in University of British Columbia in Vancouver for one semester. To start with, here’s a bit of background: I took a very awkward route to get here. I chose Vancouver impulsively on skyscanner without much research because the price offered was pretty tempting. I ended up having to do two layovers which was, I suppose, character building. I arrived in Vancouver around 11pm local time after approximately 18 hours travelling only to stare at a baggage carousel for over an hour before accepting that my bag hadn’t made it as far as I did. So I left the airport exhausted with only the shirt on my back, which sounds like the start of one of those stories your grandparents tell you about ‘the good old days, when no one had shoes.’ I was deliriously tired and attempted to get into the taxi via the driver’s side forgetting that the positioning of the seating is reversed here. It is also crucial to remember when crossing roads to look the opposite way than your instinct, as I found out very quickly.

The people here are kind. The population of Vancouver is ethnically diverse which lends itself to the concept of inclusivity. Tipping is expected in all restaurants, take-aways, and for some strange reason self-service places too. People get very excited about sports but not the ones you expect, we are talking multiple screens set up in a pub so everyone can keep up to date with the fascinating ‘sport’ of curling. If you don’t know curling is that ‘sport’ where someone slides a large magnet-looking-thing and two people rapidly sweep in front of it to get it to the middle of a target area, it is basically not that exciting. They are fascinated with ice hockey, saying sorry for no apparent reason (which I feel Irish people in general can relate to), and telling me completely unprompted about their Irish heritage which always involves tales of distant relatives and a hankering for the old sod.

Naggin bottles are made of plastic which I thought was impressively innovative. Weed is everywhere, it is the tobacco of Vancouver. Individuals from every demographic smoke it here, it’s not taboo, and is often instead considered a good alternative to alcohol as it

does not have the same devastating effects the next morning. I suppose that was a culture shock for me, but it is so normalised here and legalised (or at least if

It is also crucial to remember when crossing roads to look the opposite way than your instinct, as I found out very quickly.

In terms of loneliness, there is no denying that it is really hard sometimes. You leave family, romantic relationships, and friendships behind. You make friends that will make the hard nights a little bit easier, you will find places that remind you of home, and activities that fill your day and make the ache for the familiar a little bit less apparent. No doubt however even with those supports and distractions there will still be times where you will just want to sit down to a roast dinner

with your family or have a few drinks in the best pub in Dublin (a.k.a Doyle’s) with your friends or go for a long drive with someone you really care about.

I think that the most important part is that social media is your friend, but don’t rely on it. Don’t get hung up on who is texting back and who isn’t. Instead just appreciate modern technology, make sure your mammy knows you are safe, and try live in the moment with the people who are here rather than constantly trying to be

there is a law against it, it is no longer being enforced) that it is now just part of West Coast life in Canada.

Classes in UBC are much more interactive. There are limited opportunities for burying your head in your laptop and praying no one picks on you. Here it’s expected that everyone speak aloud, and not only that, but most of the class want to speak up. I found here that there is much more emphasis on continuous assessment which has been something of a challenge. The desk in my room is not a decoration like it was back home, I actually sit at it sometimes which is quite interesting.

Student accommodation on campus is pretty similar to at home. I live with six people in a pretty small space, we have one toilet and two showers and a kitchen area with standing room for two. The living space is our happy place and the only thing that prevents world war three from breaking out. Our dynamic in the house is pretty great but it is similar to that card game UNO: if two people need to go to the toilet at the same time, there are no friends, all allegiances are lost, it is survival of the fittest.

Other cultural differences include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (they taste like soggy disappointment), frat parties and sororities (which I still don’t understand fully but people love talking about it), and lastly, while we technically speak the same language, there are times when that will be questioned.

€40 TICKETS ON SALE IN ALL UCDSU SHOPS from 9am Wednesday 21st February When they’re gone.... they’re gone!!!

Don’t be disappointed.

14 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 6

GAEILGE AN BHFUILIMID AG CRUTHÚ TEANGA A FHREASTALAÍONN AR A CAINTEOIRÍ NÓ AG DUL THAR FÓIR LE CEARTAISEACHT PHOLAITIÚIL? Leis an bhfuadar teanga ar líne le déanaí, casann Dean Farrell súil ar conas mar a chaitear leis an nGaeilge.

B’fhéidir gur seannuacht é an dioscúrsa a tharraing Ciara Ní É i mbéal an phobail le déanaí leis an haischlib ‘NílSéCGL’ a thosú ar líne. Deis a bhí ann do lucht labhartha na Gaeilge a gcosa a chur i bhfeac ó thaobh na teanga de ar an ardán is mó sa lá atá inniu ann mar a déarfadh roinnt daoine: na meáin shóisialta. Agóid a bhí ann i gcoinne na ndaoine a chaitheann anuas ar an teanga agus a gcainteoirí agus na hargóintí céanna i gceist acu an t-am ar fad. Múinteoirí go hainnis, Peig Sayers, teanga mharbh, Peig, teanga Chaitliceach agus Peig (an bhean bhocht) a chloisim féin ó dhaoine nach bhfuil fiú aithne agam orthu an t-am ar fad. I bhfocail Chiara, níl sé ceart go leor do lucht fhreasúra na teanga a dtuairimí gan chiall agus gan choinne a bhrú orm. Níl sé ceart go leor ionsaithe a dhéanamh ar an teanga. Is annamh a thugaim rud ar bith ach amháin an chluais bhodhair do na hargóintí, ach tarlaíonn sé go bhfuil ní amháin a deir siad agus sílim go mb’fhéidir go bhfuil ar a laghad snáth céille ag baint leis. An argóint sin ná gur ‘Teanga Chaitliceach í an Ghaeilge’.

D’eascair an pointe seo idir scata Gaeilgeoirí agus an t-ochtú leasú á phlé acu. Ba mhaith liom a áitiú ar dtús go bhfuilim ar an eolas faoin oiread téarmaíochta graosta atá i láthair agus a bhíonn in úsáid i dteanga na Gaeilge idir nua agus sean. Níor mhór do dhuine ach giota filíochta le Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, le Máire Mhac an tSaoi nó seanthéacsanna ar nós Cúirt an Mhéan Oíche le Merriman agus téacsanna atá níos sine fós a léamh chun bualadh le stórfocal nach mbeifeá sásta úsáid os chomhair thuismitheoirí do chéile!

Fiú amháin, dá gcaithfeá súil ar logainmneacha na hÉireann Magairlí an Deamhain, Magairlí Muice agus An Dá Chích (cíoch atá i gceist, dála an scéil), d’fhéadfá a bheith cinnte nach mbeidís á gcloisteáil ó shagairt an pharóiste agus é i mbun aifrinn ar an Domhnach! D’ainneoin seo, áfach ar an drochuair ní féidir tionchar an Chaitliceachais a sheachaint sa Ghaeilge leis an méid tagairtí a dhéantar don fhear mór agus a chomrádaithe Muire agus Pádraig. Níl Máirtín Tom Sheáinín i gceist agam mura thuigeann sibh mé, faoin am seo (By Deaid) Dia é féin atá i gceist agam!

“Dia Duit” “Dia is Muire Duit” “Dia is muire is Pádraig

duit” agus leanann an liosta ar aghaidh, “buíochas le Dia” agus “le cúnamh Dé” agus fiú amháin “Magairlí Phádraig”! OK b’fhéidir cur chum mé féin an ceann is déanaí a luadh ach tá mo chuid ráite agam agus an argóint áitithe: tá téarmaíocht an Chaitliceachais ann freisin, chomh maith an stuif atá níos gnéasaí.

Maidir leis an díospóireacht ar an Ochtú Leasú,

I bhfocail Chiara, níl sé ceart go leor do lucht fhreasúra na teanga a dtuairimí gan chiall agus gan choinne a bhrú orm.

de. B’fhéidir go bhfuilim beagáinín coimeádach ina dtaobh – níl a fhios agam. Caithfidh mé a rá, áfach, mar chainteoir Gaeilge, is fíor annamh go mbainfinn úsáid as an téarma ‘Dia Duit’ ach déarfainn ‘Haigh’, nó fiú amháin i gcásanna ‘Hey’ (an bhfuil gá le leagan Gaeilge – ‘hé’ a mholfainn). Ní dhearna mé mórán machnaimh air go dtí seo, ach is dócha go mbaineann sé le cúrsaí ama thar agóid i gcoinne na heaglaise nó ag seasamh ar son cearta don dream LADT+ atá mé.

An gcaithfimid mar sin, glacadh le teanga mar theanga agus ceartaiseacht pholaitiúil a mheas lasmuigh di?

Diabhal a fhios agamsa...

áfach, d’áitigh duine amháin, nach réitíonn teanga na Gaeilge leis an nginmhilleadh díreach mar gheall ar an bhfocal féin atá againn don acht. Is éard atá i gceist ag an téarma, ar ndóigh, ná go ndéantar an gin a mhilleadh. Téarma nach bhfuil timpeall chun an teampaill ar chor ar bith. Bhí an bhean úd ar son an reifrinn agus bhí sí díreach ag rá nach réitíonn na foirmeacha agus na focail ársa le nuachainteoirí na teanga uaireanta mar gur teanga reiligiúnda í, dar léi. Mar eolas, an freagra a tugadh di ó dhuine eile ná ‘[gur] féidir a bheith i gcoinne an ghinmhillte gan a bheith i do dhuine cráifeach’ ach ní chuige sin atá an t-alt seo! Ag bogadh ar aghaidh ón reifreann agus an teanga á plé againn, b’fhéidir go raibh an ceart aici, agus mar sin (cé nár mhaith liom é admháil) ag lucht a bhfuil fuath acu do Pheig agus don teanga agus do na múinteoirí bochta a bhí acu ar scoil nach raibh an dara rogha acu ach scéal Pheig a léamh agus mar sin de. Tá téarmaí sa Ghaeilge a bhfuil seanbhunús acu i gcúrsaí Críostaíochta. Éiríonn an cheist mar sin an fheileann an teanga do chainteoirí nach bhfuil creideamh acu? Caithfidh teanga a bheith feiliúnach do lucht a labhartha, sin an fáth ar fhorbair Béarla na Éireann agus go bhfuil sé chomh difriúil ó Béarla atá labhairt i Sasana. An fáth chéanna

PRÁTAÍ AOIFE NÍ MHÓRDHA Prátaí, Trátaí, Oinniún Liosta siopadóireachta a sheol tú dom inniu Is cuimhin liom seal i bhfad ó shin Gur phléascadh mo chroí le sceitimíní Nuair a splancadh d’ainm suas ar an bhfón D’fhanaimis suas go maidin Ag plé ár n-aislinglí, ár mianta Tharla sé chomh mall sin nár bhraith mé an chaint ag sleamhnú i dtreo na cinntí laethúla Cé leis a bpléann tú do rúin anois?

Thiteamar inár gcodladh i lámha a chéile inár leaba aréir Bhí brionglóid agat faoi spéirbhean Spáinneach A thug póg duit i bpub D’imigh tú abhaile léi PICTURE: RHEA CASSIDY

go bhfuil téarmaíocht dhifriúil ag na hEiscimeach le cur síos ar shneachta. An bhfuil gá mar sin, le forbairt agus leasú a dhéanamh ar théarmaíocht nó an bhfuil sé sin thar fóir? Déantar a leithéid de rud le teangacha an Bhéarla agus na Fraincise chomh maith, mar shampla le bunús an fhorainm ‘Xe’ le bheith neodrach ó thaobh inscne de, ‘Herstory’ in ionad ‘History’ chun an taitheantas a thabhairt do mhná, agus foirmeacha atá baininscneach do na gairmeacha sa Fhrainc – nithe a bhí firinscneach i gcónaí go stairiúil seachas na poist a bhí ceapaithe do mhná go traidisiúnta .i. une infirmiere (altra). Leis sin san áireamh, is dócha nach n-aontaím leis na hathruithe, díreach ó thaobh caighdeán teanga

Prátaí, Trátaí, Oinniún Níor inis mé duit go raibh an bhrionglóid chéanna agam, Ach amháin nach raibh tusa i láthair

BLIAIN NA GAEILGE 2018: FRÁSAÍ AN EAGRÁIN CIAN GRIFFIN Bliain na Gaeilge 2018 atá ann, agus tá sé mar aidhm againn ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar an teanga sa tír seo. Cuirfidh an mhír seo den nuachtán béim ar frásaí éagsúla chun bhúr scileanna foclóra a fhorbairt! Bain sult as!

I’m giving up chocolate for Lent - Táim ag éirí as an tseacláid don Charghas Theip mo Charghas orm cheana féin - I broke Lent aleady Braithim uaim go mór é/í - I really miss him/her Tá mo chroí istigh ionat - I’m mad about you Lá Fhéile Phádraig faoi mhaise duit - Happy St. Patrick’s Day

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 15

BUSINESS WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE DISNEY PROBLEM Priscilla Obilana examines the entertainment behemoth that is Disney and how all may not be as cheerful as it seems.

In December of 2017, Disney announced its biggest takeover yet, the acquisition of 21st Century Fox. The deal was overseen by Bob Iger, current CEO of The Walt Disney Company, and cost $52.4 billion, giving Disney ownership of Fox’s film and TV production houses, including FX, National Geographic, and Fox’s regional sports networks, but not FOX News, or Fox’s shares in Sky TV. This follows previous acquisitions of Pixar in 2006, Marvel Entertainment in 2009, and Lucasfilm in 2012 which gave Disney the rights to the Star Wars franchise.

Considering the magnitude of such a deal, the takeover is at the very least a year away from actually happening.

With Disney and Iger’s renown for successful takeovers, ones with profitable outcomes, it seems that not only does Disney have no intention of slowing down, but also plans to keep upping the ante. The news has been mostly well received by fans, as the takeover means that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will have access to Marvel characters formerly owned by Fox such as X-men characters like Wolverine, Deadpool, and many others. All of which can now join the Marvel Cinematic Universe and exist in the same world as the Avengers.

However, considering the magnitude of such a deal, the takeover is at the very least a year away

from actually happening. They now await regulatory approval. According to Iger, “the regulatory process has begun in numerous jurisdictions across the world.”

Due to this regulatory process, however, other companies can bid on Fox assets, which has led to Comcast, reportedly, showing interest in outbidding Disney for Fox properties.

Although the announcement has been met with positive reactions from fans, many have also paused to consider the ramifications that such a takeover would produce, which are not all that encouraging.

Firstly, like in any acquisition, many people in Fox’s film and TV production are liable to lose their jobs.

Furthermore, the projects they are currently working on are in jeopardy, and the resources that have gone into them may have gone to waste. Built up franchises like the current X-Men series could be potentially rebooted.

For properties like Deadpool, it could mean having to change the successful formulaic recipe that made the film so loved. Although Iger has said that Deadpool would be left alone to its creative process, how R-rated can a Disney product be?

Despite Iger also saying that Fox would be to its own division under the Disney umbrella, it is still very much under the Disney name and so future films can only stray so far from Disney standards.

Netflix, to set up its own rival streaming site. Two problems arose from such a decision, and Disney quickly solved those issues by acquiring Hulu, to begin on a developed foundation rather than setting up a brand-new site. Then, of course, comes the point that Disney needs more property than it currently has to offer for streaming to compete with Netflix. Enter the Fox acquisition, allowing Disney to provide all Fox properties, TV shows and films on their streaming site, making them a worthy opponent to Netflix. Ultimately, this means that not only will Disney have a massive monopoly on traditional media, but also on the new and upcoming medium of streaming. Moreover, by including Fox’s regional sports network, Disney’s sports network ESPN, would then be able to broadcast college and high school games, making them more competitive.

More often the film industry is being overtaken by films of giant proportions, and with this takeover, this worrying trend may continue. A blockbuster is a much appreciated addition but it cannot be the only thing that’s on offer when people go to the cinema. Disney is in the business of making big movies, which is on par for them and ultimately incredibly profitable. However, with their acquisition of Fox, it gives films of a smaller

scale less opportunity to get a leg in to the big leagues.

Disney produced five of the biggest global top ten films of 2017. It has been the most profitable film studio for years now, reportedly making almost 1 billion more than its closest competitor already. The future of film decidedly includes Disney, but now not only film, Disney’s domination has spread to sports, television,

With their acquisition of Fox, it gives films of a smaller scale less opportunity to get a leg in to the big leagues. and streaming. All of which are markets that under one deal Disney has secured for themselves. The effects of such having to be examined by jurisdictions worldwide, it is undoubted that, the merger of two of the top five biggest film studios marks a monumental moment in entertainment history.

How R-rated can a Disney product be?

If this deal goes through, as it most likely will, it will mean Disney will hold a sizeable, almost worrisome monopoly on all things entertainment. Disney decided in the summer of 2017 to remove its properties from

EXPLORING GDPR – THE NEW DIGITAL LANDSCAPE Eoin Duffy delves into the forthcoming General Data Protection Regulations, and what it means for both businesses and consumers. new regulations propose to provide the same level of protection for all.

So what impact will these new standards have on the way we, as consumers, view online advertisements in the future? As of now, when we scroll through our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter feeds, we are inundated with ads directly targeted at us as individuals, based on the information the company holds on us.

While generally accurate to our interests or needs, the ethical concerns surrounding these ads are widely debated. Are relevant advertisements really worth a potential invasion of online privacy? With many people seriously wary of handing over personal information to companies online, while others believe it to be a worthy trade-off, the critical factor associated with the GDPR is that it now gives us greater control over that choice. It may appear on our screens as ‘opt-in’ or ‘opt-out’ options of targeted advertising, but one thing is clear; consent must be explicitly given.

In a world where data is ‘the new oil,’ our private As with any new regulations, it is imperative information is of incredible value to those companies that the rules are both understood and followed by who possess it. The wealth of personal information all those affected. Significantly, it is clear that the readily available to the likes of Facebook, Google, European Union are serious about enforcing compliand other organisations allows them to target us as ance with the GDPR. With reported potential fines of consumers in ways we sometimes don’t even realise. up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover, we While it can be argued that access to our annual in- can see that the EU intends to severely punish those comes, browsing histories, and locations enables these companies who fail to meet the standards set by the companies to offer us direct marketing more suited to new regulations. our interests, a fundamental question still exists: where do we draw the line?

Essentially, GDPR will now allow us to draw that line for ourselves. Upon its introduction, the power and control over our data will be fully reinstated into our own hands. In the case of Facebook, the organisation will no longer be allowed to use the personal data they hold on users for advertising purposes without permission. Another critical development will be in the right to be forgotten. While companies will only be entitled to store user information for a period “no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed,” the new regulations will also grant users the power to have all collated data erased at their request.

GDPR identifies a broad spectrum of what conFor any company that stores information about stitutes personal information. From basic data such EU citizens, the GDPR proposes a testing few months as name or address to more discrete personal details ahead. As reported by a recent PwC survey, 68% of such as political preferences or sexual orientation, the U.S.-based companies expect to spend between $1

Upon its introduction, the power and control over our data will be fully reinstated into our own hands.

As of now, when we scroll through our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter feeds, we are inundated with ads directly targeted at us as individuals, based on the information the company holds on us.

16 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 6

million and $10 million to meet the GDPR requirements. The combination of this and the prospect of non-compliance fines on the horizon shows that the regulations bring about serious financial considerations. More importantly for these data-collecting organisations, the need to ensure their ability to actually obtain user information is crucial. Now, more than ever, it will be vital to ensure a transparency and authenticity across all business operations to encourage users to feel comfortable in handing over their information.

Businesses may also start to consider other initiatives to secure the data they so desire. Perhaps new incentive schemes could be explored to provide individuals with a more attractive trade-off, with special offers or benefits received by those who “opt-in” to the service. Similarly, companies may seek to invest more into building the reputations of their brands to be perceived as a place where their user-information is both respected and protected. In any case, the new

regulations have given firms across the EU plenty to consider.

68% of U.S.-based companies expect to spend between $1 million and $10 million to meet the GDPR requirements.

In summary, it is evident that the GDPR is set to shake up the digital marketing landscape dramatically.

While it proposes a new challenge for companies who gather and store consumer data, it grants a new power to the individual, who will now have greater control over their information.

PICTURE: BLOGTREPRENEUR VIA FLICKR

GDPR is an acronym you may not be familiar with just yet, but it is one you really should know about given the role it will play in changing your online experience over the coming months.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a series of laws approved by the European Parliament in 2016, proposes drastic changes to the way our personal data will be held by businesses when it comes into effect on the 25th of May 2018.

PUZZLES THE LITERARY ALPACA Across

Down

3. Dessert consisting of milk thickened with eggs, gelatin, and whipped cream (9) 4. QUB graduate, nominated for a Golden Globe for BBC1 series The White Queen (10) 6. Author of the Last Train to Zona Verde and Dark Star Safari (12) 7. Founder of Swedish furniture giant (14) 8. Irish winner of two Olympic medals in 1906, one of which involved a political protest (13) 9. Dr. Watson’s cigarettes of choice (7) 10. Word game, trademark of Mattel and Hasbro Inc. (9)

1. Indie-rock band whose music has been used in T2: Trainspotting, Ghostbusters, and the Royals (10) 2. Domesticated South American camelid (7) 4. CafĂŠ in a popular European capital, frequented by artists, intellectuals, and writers (14) 5. Poem inspired by English romanticist, inspired by Ramesses II (11) 11. Symbol of the chemical element with the atomic number 47 (3)

For puzzle solutions, go to universityobserver.ie/puzzles/

ILLUSTRATION BY DANIELLE CROWLEY

SUDOKU Easy

Medium

Hard

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 17

EDITORIAL EDITORIAL This issue’s lead story is worrying for multiple reasons.

For a start, that students sought to make a complaint, went to the highest authority they could think of, and still were unable to make their complaint, is an example of the stupidity of the confusion of UCD’s systems at times. That those students were never told or directed to the correct channels for lodging such a complaint as theirs is worse.

We’ve all been young and naïve first years who know nothing of the world, hopefully we grow up to become slightly more knowledgeable and aware of proceedings, but while in university we depend on those in authority to point us in the right direction. Although we are (in most cases) no longer children, in any institution there is an implied duty of care.

THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER TEAM The complainants wished to raise the matter of a person whose behaviour they believed inappropriate to society life, and general society. In their initial complaint, they list lewd and suggestive comments, unwanted and non-consensual touching, as well as angry cruel comments when advances were rejected.

The complainants were never able to lodge that complaint, and so the matter could never be investigated. If the alleged harasser was innocent, he was never given the chance to prove so, and so in the meantime rumours may have spread of their guilt. If the alleged harasser was guilty, then possibly more people were put at risk of being harassed, verbally abused, and maybe even worse.

This is the reality of what happens when people aren’t listened to and when people aren’t told where

to go with their complaint. In a world as big and labyrinthine as UCD, finding your way to the right lecture theatre can be a confusing minefield. So when people come forward with complaints, one would hope staff in positions of authority have the ability to hold up signposts pointing them in the right direction.

That two people came forward to complain about the behaviour of one particular person, and were never able to lodge a formal complaint completely misses the mark of authority figures having a duty of care.

The internal report makes several recommendations to ensure such an occurrence does not happen again. Not all those measures have been followed, or put in place, and here is where once again, certain authorities have failed in their duty of care.

EDITOR Aoife Hardesty DEPUTY EDITOR Ruth Murphy NEWS EDITOR Brían Donnelly DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR Fiachra Johnston COMMENT EDITOR Adam Lawler FEATURES EDITOR Gavin Tracey SCIENCE EDITOR Emmet Feerick BUSINESS & CAREERS EDITOR Ciarán Busby EAGARTHÓIR GAEILGE Cian Griffin

TALLEYRAND Talley Ho fiends of hell, There has been an expectedly disappointing RAG week after a disgusting SHAG week. The sight of both makes Talley want to return to human form so that he can puke individually on each sabbatical officer, and then puke on Flobert Swiney a second time.

Unfortunately, like S Club, the sabbatical team are carrying on, no matter what, without their most attractive member. Again like S Club, people can kind of remember maybe one of their names.

New rap star/slam poet B to the A to the R to the other R to the Y Murphy has marched across campus to tell us about how it could all be different, we could

SPORTS EDITOR Ian Moore once again have RAGs and SHAGs that do not last for the full week. Like most shags featuring the sabbatical officers, despite the brevity, you wish it would end sooner.

Mr MacLovely got his nana in to talk about Irish Country Women, something he needed some education on.

Beardy Mac BeardFace has continued to joke at council about being that postgrad guy while people continue to stroke their beards and search for the joke.

Last, and definitely least, we have Dick-Face.

There’s not much to say about this scrawny fella other than that he should probably write his own newspaper

and maybe the SU would even pay him for it. It could show a wonderful mix of Trinity news articles and something about education that Talley cannot recall because they weren’t listening.

Well done to the SU and UCD students for making Talley care even less than previously thought possible.

TALLEY OUT!

Dear Editor,

I’m writing in relation to the story you ran today about Rosaleen Aljohmani. I was incredibly disappointed having read this. I once had faith and trust in the University Observer to deliver on-the-ground breaking news and scoops from our much loved UCD. However today, you’ve lost my respect.

To me, it’s a nothing story, void of any concrete content aside from a slanderous sensational headline. If there was a scoop to be had, I am all for it, that is your job, and that is your obligation. If there’s a nothing story where the SU president is misrepresented and quoted out of context in a misleading fashion in an attempt to slander a student, you’ve lost my readership.

This is a student who I barely know and that’s aside from the matter. This is a student who in a year where the SU has had major turbulence, and major lows, has stood up and fought. She’s fought for the inclusion of all, she’s fought to save student politics, and most of all she’s fought for transparency. This is a student, who had no obligation to do any of the above. She did it out of her kindness, generosity, and most importantly her own time. The academic demands of college are welldocumented, it is not easy. For volunteers to make time alongside this to improve student life, is nothing short of honourable, and incredible. We should be respecting and rewarding these people who step up.

Not slandering them with a nothing story.

The headline and story you ran today is nothing short of sensationalist. It is something I would expect from extra.ie or a poor quality tabloid. Not even any tabloid, a bad tabloid. It’s literal clickbait, targeting a student who gives their own time to helping others. Why must we discourage others from entering what is now a nasty cauldron of student politics when we should be encouraging it? You’ve contributed to the nastiness.

You’ve contributed to the bullying. Most importantly, you’ve lost my respect, and I advise you change your tactics before you lose the respect of many others.

In relation to the article that was published on February 8th last titled ‘Aramark Off UCD Campus have Launched their Official Campaign’ it was incorrectly stated that Trinity College Dublin would not be renewing its contract with Aramark. Trinity College’s Commercial Revenue Unit (CRU) and Aramark have a long term contract in place which extends until 2023.

This award was made following a tendering process. It is factually untrue that CRU has agreed not to consider extending a contract following any new tender process.

Yours, John

18 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 6

Yours, Caoimhe Ní Lochlann, Head of Media Relations, Trinity College Dublin Dear Editor, I’ve discovered evidence that the theory of evolution is a blatant lie and that the “big bang”, “space”, spinning “globe” theory is a blatant lie.

Firstly here is “flat” earth evidence I’ve discovered.

The equator could not be the warmest part of the earth on a “tilted globe”.

All stars revolve around Polaris, the North/Pole Star. If we were on a ball circling the sun we should see new stars every day for a year as a lighthouse illuminates the sky surrounding it. The cycle should repeat every year. At any one time the majority of space should be invisible due to the sun’s light. Instead we see the same stars from somewhere on earth throughout the year. We can see Mercury and Venus at night which are between the earth and the sun. In reality we have a celestial dome covering the earth through which the sun circulates.

Tides are not uniform and do not affect lakes. Tides and the seasons are central to feeding and reproduction.

We know water reacts physically to movement yet we see no evidence of movement in the water that surrounds us. Ships that disappear over the horizon come back into view with telescopes.

CHIEF OF PHOTOGRAPHY Phoebe Ireland CHIEF OF ILLUSTRATIONS Meadhbh Sheridan ONLINE NEWS EDITOR Katia Gillen ONLINE COMMENT & FEATURES EDITOR Orla Keaveney STAFF WRITERS Priscilla Obilana Rory Clarke Nathan Young

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor,

DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR Christine Coffey

There is no 24hour sunlight in the south pole.

Antarctica is 30degrees colder than the arctic. It is the coldest place on earth with a low of -90 degrees. 70% of the earth’s fresh water is in Antarctica.

In 1946 US Admiral Byrd went with 4700 troops in OPERATION HIGH JUMP. Planes smashed into invisible “barriers” and it got closed off to the public.

There is plenty of evidence on youtube showing the moon landings were fake. Who took the footage from the moon when the astronauts got out and into the space ship. The same background is used repeatedly.

The shadows are inconsistent. Why was there no dust on the “spaceship”? How does a rocket work in a vacuum? How can you effect direction in a vacuum?

Our bodies and that of animals and creatures are designed to detect movement yet we are told we cannot detect the earth moving at 66,600mph. These are lies.

As to who would and could create the lie? One obvious answer is satan to conceal God! “Scientists” need to accept the world is supernatural because God made it and humans have no clue about God’s capacity. The “laws of physics” are effectively nonsense.

God and the heavens are above to everyone all the time.

Satan has buried God and his Word, the Bible.

Yours sincerely, John Peliza Letters, corrections and clarifications pertaining to articles published in this newspaper and online are welcome and encouraged.

Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Unversity Observer, UCD Student Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4 Correspondence may also be sent to editor@universityobserver.ie

BROADSHEET CONTRIBUTORS Chloe Maguire Sedgwick Katie O’Dea Owen Cuskelly Dean Smith Dylan O’Neill Claudia Dalby Dean Swift Ritika Sureka Danielle Crowley Mary Sheehan Sean Mooney Lisa O’Dowd Isla O’Connor Aoife Muckian Hazel O’Flaherty Aoife Ní Mhordha Eoin Duffy COVER PHOTO Joanne Olivia SPECIAL THANKS Nathan Young Those who spoke out to make the front-page possible.

APOLOGIES Andrew Grossen who was incorrectly credited in Issue 5 as Andrew Everett.

Ms. Beatrice Dooley whose view regarding single sex schools was misrepresented in Issue 5.

The relevant article has been amended online to accurately reflect Ms. Dooley’s statements.

SPORT RUGBY INJURIES ON THE RISE How have the demands on rugby players changed in this time, and what kinds of injuries result? Emmet Feerick takes a look.

Head injuries make up somewhere between 5-25% of rugby injuries, giving the game one of the highest concussion rates of all sports. sports nowadays, but rugby comes out near the top when it comes to injury rates. Players are three times more likely to pick up a knock in rugby than soccer, for example. A study published in 2005 found that overall, there were 91 injuries per 1000 player hours in rugby.

Almost one in five of these injuries were recurrences, which are significantly more severe than new injuries.

While new injuries took on average 16 days to heal, recurring injuries took an average of 27 days.

Among the most common injuries in rugby are muscular strains, bruises, and sprains. Much attention has recently been turned to head injuries, almost half of which are concussions. Head injuries make up somewhere between 5-25% of rugby injuries,

giving the game one of the highest concussion rates of all sports. This rate is rising, though it is not known whether this is due to an actual increase, or an increase in incident reporting.

Hamstring injuries have been particularly common among players. Between 2002 and 2004, there were 0.27 hamstring muscle strain injuries per 1000 player training hours, and 5.6 injuries per 1000 player match hours. These figures are especially troublesome for players considering the time it takes for such injuries to heal. One study found that hamstring muscle strain injuries typically resulted in about 17 days of lost training and playing time, which far exceeds the widely accepted average of 7 days it takes sportspeople to lose peek fitness.

A number of factors are likely to be responsible for this uptick in injury rates. Rugby players are covering more ground than before, and are playing more games too. This puts increased strain on their muscles and ligaments, and gives them less time to recover from exertion. Changes in the rules of the game at the breakdown have meant that in some instances, rucks now often go uncontested where they would not have before. As a result, there has been an increased emphasis on fanning out and the ball gets more time in play, leading to more tackles, which leads to more injuries. One study found that contact mechanisms like tackles and scrums accounted for 72% of the injuries sustained in rugby. Foul play cannot be blamed for this increase in injuries, either, as it only accounts for about 6% of total injuries. As might be expected by fans of the game, hookers and flankers sustain most of the injuries in rugby.

Players have grown in physical size in recent decades, too. Once a game for all shapes and sizes, sheer bulk is becoming an ever more important factor in rugby as teams race to maximise their physicality.

THE BADGER

The issue here is not that muscles are getting too big, it is that bones and ligaments have stayed roughly the same. They are simply unable to cope with the increased load of all this extra muscle, especially given the contact-heavy nature of the game.

Interestingly, while the overall injury rate is higher for men than women, the prevalence of particular injuries varies between the sexes. Female players are about five times more likely to experience anterior cruciate ligament injuries than men. Conversely, men are around twice as likely to sustain a fracture as women, and almost seven times as likely to have an open wound. A number of studies have suggested that these differences in injury patterns between the sexes can be attributed to anatomic and biomechanical differences,

as well as to differences in how the game is played.

This has implications for the specific measures that need to be taken to reduce injury rates in both arenas of competition.

All of this has led to a state of affairs where at any one time about a fifth of a club’s players are unavailable for selection due to injuries sustained in matches.

This is not sustainable, and it does not bode well for up-and-coming stars, or for players nearing retirement.

Injury is a natural part of the sport, and to reduce contact-related injury incidence to zero is unrealistic and would require that it more closely resemble tagrugby, a dreadful prospect for all. However, if rugby is to remain a viable sport, something needs to be done about these ever-increasing rates of injury.

PICTURE: AF.MIL

Rugby players today are fitter, faster, and stronger than their ancestors and the game is now played at a higher level of intensity than ever before, at both professional and amateur level. They are supported by entire teams of professionals including medical doctors, physiotherapists, and sports psychologists, all of whose goal is to help maximise their performance. Despite the best efforts of these medical professionals, and as a direct result of this increased intensity, players are now experiencing higher rates of injury than ever before.

This heightened physical strain is a feature of all

SPORTS ROUND-UP UCD sides showed grit and determination after normal time to record wins in both the Collingwood and Sigerson Cups, Christine Coffey recounts.

UCD WIN SIGERSON CUP Double-extra time was required to separate UCD and Ulster University Sigerson Cup teams. UCD left it late to reach their third final in a row and returning Con O’Callaghan was on hand to make his first appearance for John Divilly’s side in this season’s campaign. Ulster University’s Mark Bradley scored a goal deep into extra-time, but from that moment on UCD seemed to take hold of the game and booked their place in the final.

This draining encounter was followed up with a composed performance in the final last Saturday against NUI Galway which saw UCD run out 1-13 to 2-9 winners. Despite two second half goals from the Galway side, UCD secured their second title in three seasons with Conor McCarthy contributing 1-6 in a man of the match performance.

When asked about Ronan O’Gara’s grand-slam winning drop goal, Paul O’Connel said: “He’s the only player I would have wanted to be in that position, to take that kick.” After the events of the first round of this year’s campaign, The Badger thinks that Johnny Sexton wouldn’t be a bad second option.

A hush fell over the sett when Johnny Sexton sent that deft cross-field kick in Kieth Earls’ direction. The clock was in the red and one might have found themselves questioning the intelligence of everyone that had ever coached the Leinster fly-half. Surely someone must have told him that when you’re down by one and the 80 minutes are up, you hold onto the ball. In those tense moments as the ball made its way across the pitch, I used many unflattering names attached to a string of profanities under the guise of adjectives to describe Johnny Sexton.

Then Earls leapt high in enigmatic, ‘Israel Folauesque’ fashion, stepped inside to avoid being isolated and somehow managed to hold onto the ball until the support arrived. Some phases later Conor Murray claims to have seen a flick of the eyebrow from Sexton

and that was all he needed before putting all his faith, and that of our entire island, in the right boot of his teammate. The iconic sequence of the ball’s poetic 45-metre journey over the bar and the unbridled emotions that ensued was then put to the only musical backtrack that internet frequenters felt was appropriate for such an historical moment, Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart will go on.’ The Badger will never be able to watch the Titanic in the same way again.

Keith Earls still hasn’t come back down to earth and Irish hopes are still flying thanks to the miraculous man from Moyross. Italian captain Sergio Parisse lauded the quality of the Irish play, a sentiment echoed by his head coach Conor O’Shea, and even went as far as to say that we play “much better” rugby than our English counterparts. It’s hard to imagine not accumulating more injuries in the next game against the abrasive Welsh side, but with the squad performing excellently and the backs linking up with the pack as they currently are, the Badger can’t help the hope that comes with thoughts of a potential St. Patricks’ Day showdown.

UCD WIN COLLINGWOOD CUP Daire O’Connor’s injury time wonder strike secured a 47th Collingwood Cup win in dramatic fashion for UCD AFC’s Collingwood Cup team in early February. The 90 minutes of normal time had elapsed when O’Connor calmly shifted the ball onto his right foot, dropped the shoulder to round his man and slotted the ball into the helpless Queen’s keeper’s left top corner to put the UCD men in the lead. Tim Molloy had put the boys in blue ahead with a calm finish after a deft pullback, but this was cancelled by a stunning free kick from Queen’s before the half.

This was the UCD men’s second game in as many days, as they had to overcome a stern test from neighbours DCU the day before the final to earn their trip up to Belfast to try and improve on last year’s 2nd place finish after narrow injury-time loss at the hands of their UCC counterparts. UCD Women’s soccer team beat IT Tallaght in the Challenge Cup and will be facing CIT in the semi-final on the 21st of this month.

UCD LOSE SEMI-FINAL FOR ASHBOURNE CUP The UCD camogie side defeated Mary I to qualify for the Ashbourne cup weekend where they came up against a strong UL outfit in the semi-final. They were unlucky in this closely contested, low-scoring game. The final between UL and UCC was postponed due to weather conditions and has been rescheduled for the 21st of this month.

20TH FEBRUARY 2018 19

SPORT POLITICS & PISTES IN PYEONGCHANG With the Winter Olympics underway in South Korea, Rory Clarke wonders what will truly make the headlines in weeks to come: the sport or the politics?

History has shown us that sports and politics are not mutually exclusive. From the 1936 Olympics to the anti-apartheid-charged atmosphere of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, politics have never been left at the stadium door. The political importance of these events may prove to be insignificant in comparison to the potential political ramifications of the 23rd Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang. From questions over Korean reconciliation to further punishment of Russia for its infamous national doping scheme, rarely has the focus of such a momentous sporting event been further from the field of play.

It is the potential for reconciliation which it represented that will be held precious

by Koreans who have suffered for decades from the division of their homeland.

Immediately following the awarding of this year’s games to South Korea, issues regarding its northern neighbour were being raised. Several countries, notably France, threatened to boycott the games over safety issues amid rising nuclear tensions. The real name of the host city, hitherto largely unknown outside South Korea, is ‘Pyongchang’ - not ‘PyeongChang.’ However, to the English-speaking world, ‘Pyongchang’ does not look entirely dissimilar to ‘Pyongyang,’ the capital

of North Korea. To combat this organisers added in some encouraging symbolic moments, particularly the an ‘e’ and capitalized the ‘C.’ This attempt to detract opening ceremony. Korean athletes marched together, attention from North Korea has proved insufficient, as with North Korea’s Hwang Chung Gum and South several reports have emerged of misdirected Olympic Korea’s Won Yun-jong carrying the united Korean flag inspectors ending up in the pariah state’s capital, rather aloft, to screams of adoration from the soldout crowd. than the host city of the Olympics.

President Moon of South Korea shook hands with Kim While the past year has seen numerous escalations Yo Jong, sister and key confidante of North Korea’s in hostility over North Korea’s nuclear missile program, enigmatic leader Kim Jong Un. In doing so she became the arrival of the Olympics in South Korea has finally the first member of Pyongyang’s ruling dynasty to set given the two countries a platform for co-operation. foot in the rival country for over half a century. This January saw the first high-level talks between the two was not overlooked by Thomas Bach, President of the nations for over two years. These talks culminated in the unification of the Korean hockey teams. Further progress was made when the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in conjunction with hosts South Korea gave permission for 10 further North Korean athletes to compete across a range of disciplines.

The two countries do not officially have a positive IOC, who commented that the two countries had sent relationship, so to see them unite on the ice, playing “a powerful message of peace.” under the united flag of Korea, for the first time since Some people contend that North Korea has made 1991, and in such an event as the Winter Olympics, no political concessions in return for its participais a huge political achievement. Although some tion in these games. There have been some signs of naysayers (mainly South Koreans) complain that the progress, most notably an invitation to Pyongyang, hurriedly-unified team has reduced the peninsula’s hand delivered by Kim Yo Jong and a re-opening of overall chances of triumphing in the event (with refer- North-South communication. However, the principal ence to the 8-0 dubbing at the hands of Switzerland demand of the western world; namely for North Korea in their first match). It must be said that sometimes, to desist in its efforts to launch nuclear missiles, has sport comes second. This match was never going to not been satisfied. There is a worry that North Korea be remembered for what transpired on the ice. It is the are treating these games as a propaganda exercise, to potential for reconciliation which it represented that garner international sympathy without compromising will be held precious by Koreans who have suffered for on any of their most controversial practices. decades from the division of their homeland.

On a more European perspective, select Russian While it would be fanciful to think a fortnight of athletes, proven to have avoided the institutional dopoutstanding sporting efforts would be enough to rec- ing rampant in their country, continue to represent oncile nations ostracised since 1953 there have been their country, albeit indirectly, at this month’s games,

The two countries had sent “a powerful message of peace.

competing under the relatively unambiguous pseudonym of OAR (Olympic Athletes from Russia). While the international sporting world continues its persecution of Russia, the question of the value of stripping these athletes of the dignity and pride of walking and competing in their nation’s own colours, also persists.

The IOC’s piecemeal solution undermines those athletes who have proven themselves to be stellar embodiments of the spirit of fairness and competition.

While there is little doubt that these games will see notable records broken, new stars being born amongst snow and ice, and spins and twists beyond count, they may well be remembered more for the political events which they precipitated, than for the medals and glory of the participants.

CLUB FOCUS: UCD VOLLEYBALL Rory Clarke chats to the UCD Volleyball club in a smashing Club Focus.

Volleyball has really picked up speed in UCD since the turn of the year. The University Observer spoke with their Public Relations Officer, Alex Graves to discuss all things Blitz, Student Cup, and sandy smashes.

Graves describes the Volleyball Club as “a great community, from first years through to alumni, beginners to advanced.” Whilst the game is “technical, tactical and physical..there’s a 6-player team dynamic.”

The club is made up of “lots of mature students, as well as [students] on Erasmus. We’ve also got lots of nationalities; Irish, Brazilian, Russian, Italian, German, American, to name a few,” which makes it “a very fun community.”

Off the back of winning the plate last year, UCD’s women more than held their own.

In many sports, the men’s teams seem to dominate the play, for UCD Volleyball, their women’s teams shine. “Our women’s team has won 14 of the last 15 Ireland Varsity tournaments, and took the English Perpetual Trophy back in 2006 after winning the English cup three years in a row.” As well as the current players’ success, the female team’s coach, Patricia Somers, “holds the most medals of any female player in Ireland, and she’s the most capped middle than any other middle in Ireland.”

During the first weekend of February UCD’s Women’s Volleyball team competed in the Student Cup in the University of East Anglia in Norwich, one of the highlights of the club’s year. This is a prestigious showcase for the best up-and-coming talent, with 16 of the best men’s and women’s teams invited to participate.

The international esteem in which Irish Volleyball is held is clear - the Irish varsities champions are always invited and UCD’s women, as reigning Irish champions, represented the country proudly.

Off the back of winning the plate last year, UCD’s women more than held their own, losing only two

20 VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 6

games all weekend (to the teams that eventually finished 1st and 2nd) finishing 5th with a 2:0 victory over Cambridge (winning the final set 27-25 having been 22-16 down). Coach Somers said: “To have the opportunity to play at this level is one thing but to be able to compete with the top teams is something else again. I could not have asked for more either on or off the court.”

Back in January, the club hosted “the 32nd annual Blitz, the longest running volleyball tournament [in Ireland].” This Blitz “had a record number of 170 players come compete from all around Europe.” On their Facebook page, UCD Volleyball Club said that over the course of the Blitz they had “26 teams competing in 122 matches over 3 days. This means we had 38h worth of volleyball matches (not counting warm-up) an entire working week!”

The Blitz final featured, not only smashing volleyball, but interesting names: “Ball Smackers defeated last year’s winner Czech Our Boobs in three tight sets.”

The club’s competition for the best team name has resulted in some creative names (albeit complicating things for tournament referees). All team names were put up for a vote and “How I Set Your Mother” was by far the most popular, followed by “We’re setsy and we know it.” There was even a well-deserved bake sale to round off the weekend, much to the delight of everyone, particularly the onlooking crowds.

Back in January, the club hosted “the 32nd annual Blitz, the longest running volleyball tournament [in Ireland].

Graves explains the club has four teams; “men’s and women’s intermediate student teams,” and “men’s and women’s premier teams… consisting of students and alumni.” The club hosts a “beginners session every Friday, and an open fun session afterward for anyone to come and play!”

Many players split their time between traditional volleyball and the sandier variety, with “many members sitting on the Beach Volleyball Commission board and competing internationally for both indoor and beach.”

Graves says, “this spring will see the first EVER Irish Intervarsities Beach Volleyball Tournament, a 2-day competition.” To expand and develop beach volleyball in UCD, several UCD volleyball players “are working with the college to explore a Beach Program, with Beach Court Facilities at UCD.”For Graves, it was “the people” in the club that made her get involved. “This club has a tonne of heart, and the people are fantastic.

I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else than with this UCD family.” The club was founded 32 years ago “by

a group of students [who were] passionate about the sport.” People in the club have remained passionate about their sport. “Three of the current members have been around for 17 years and now hold positions within the club such as head coach and treasurer (while still playing as alumni).”

Three of the current members have been around for 17 years and now hold positions within the club such as head coach and treasurer (while still playing as alumni).

Graves concludes our interview saying, “This club has a tonne of heart and the people are fantastic,” and from chatting to Alex, one gets the impression that it is the people at the heart of this ‘family-like’ club that make it what it is.