Vol XXII - Broadsheet - Issue 2

The University Observer

OCTOBER 6th 2015 Volume XXIi issue 2 universityobserver.ie

uo RUGBY An insight into Ireland’s progress at the rwc

US AND RUSSIAN RELATIONS TENSIONS ARE HIGH IN THE UN

LGBT TAkE A LOOK INTO IRELAND’S LGBT JOURNEY

above

RUAN McGUINNESS p28

DANIEL SINNOTT P4

MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN P8

photo jAMES HEALY

THE CLINTON SCHOOL OF AMERICAN STUDIES

Delayed Student Advice Centre to open within six weeks THE LONG-AWAITED Student Advice Centre, initially promised to be in place

by September, will be open within six weeks according to UCD Students’ Union Welfare Officer Clare O’Connor.

The Student Advice Centre will be located in ‘The Trap’ in the Old Student Centre, and will have one student advisor in place.

According to O’Connor, “We put forward an idea that we would fund a Students’ Union Advice Centre and the University decided that they’d take it on and actually just provide a student advice centre. We were told during the summer it would be here

by September, by the time students got back… That was Dominic O’Keefe [Director of Student Services], he told

us it would be here by the time students got back… and then he kind of pushed it back to the end of September.” The Student Advice Centre is now due to open before the start of November.

Dominic O’Keefe said that “The plan is to move the pool tables out onto the balcony area. So it’s a win all round.” O’Keefe did not respond to a request from the University Observer to clarify the reasons for the delay.

Neither the Student Counselling Service or the current Student Advisors have had any input into the Student Advice Centre. In a statement to the University Observer, Medical Director of the Student Health Service, Dr Sandra Tighe, said that “The Student Counselling service has not had any

UCDSU Launch Consent Campaign UCDSU are set to launch ‘Not Asking For It’, a campus wide campaign this week to promote the conversation about sexual consent. It will be introduced at a reception this Thursday, 8th October, where celebrated author Louise O’Neill will speak to launch the campaign. Representatives from the Rape Crisis Centre and the National Women’s Council of Ireland will also be in attendance.

The campaign will run over the course of the academic year. It focuses on three main elements: a poster campaign, a selection of focus groups and a survey on sexual assault. In an official statement released by the Students’ Union, they explained the importance of starting this conversation: “We’re looking to promote a definition of consent as elementally clear, active, adult and unmistakable.”

The posters will showcase anonymous stories “where consent was assumed rather than asked.” The idea is that this should prompt people to ask the question of what constitutes consent and what qualifies rape.

The focus groups and the survey will contribute to a new sexual assault policy that the Union hopes UCD will adopt.

The groups are based on similar formats used in other Universities and direct the conversation to consent. Hazel Beattie, the Postgraduate Officer, says the University has been receptive to their proposals. She notes that “things are beginning to change and I think they are open to change and open to working with us.”

input into the Student Advice Centre.”

The addition of the Student Advice Centre has brought the lack of resources for student mental health in UCD sharply into focus. Dr Tighe continued, “For the last number of years the demand for counselling has exceeded the available supply and unfortunately long waiting lists developed. We have taken a number of measures to address this issue including the two intern posts, locum counsellors and providing a subsidy for an external service. The ideal would be to have sufficient resource to meet student need within the in house Counselling Service but this is not possible with current resources.”

When questions were raised as

Roisin GuyettNicholson

News Editor

The title of the campaign comes help victims. Beattie says “It’s good to have everyone…know from the book Not Asking for It by Louise O’Neill, about the what supports are out there.” experience of a girl in a small Irish This consent campaign village who deals with damaging follows on from the work societal perceptions after being last year’s Welfare and sexually assaulted. The book is the Equality Officer Maeve second by O’Neill looking at the DeSay began in initiating pressures put on young women. Her Sex Out Loud week. This debut Only Ever Yours was set in replaced Sexual Health and a dystopian world where a young Guidance (SHAG) week last woman’s worth is based solely on year and focused on consent. how attractive she is considered.

As a part of UCDSU’s campaign, Louise O’Neill is interviewed in our arts and culture all members of the union will be supplement, OTwo. trained in how to deal with the aftermath of sexual assault and how to

Gráinne Loughran

Editor Poetry and Fiction

to whether one additional student advisor would be sufficient to cope with demand, UCD Students’ Union President, Marcus O’Halloran, said that “The university is probably opening with a single student adviser in anticipation that it’ll take time for word to spread of this new service. I’ve no doubt that should initial demand exceed expectations, there’ll be new hires.”

O’Connor said that “I’d imagine so [that the Student Advice Centre will be busy], especially because of the increased demand on the counselling service, you can imagine that there’s going to be a lot of footfall, yeah, heavy traffic.”

However, O’Halloran is happy with the progress that has been made. He

continued, “As the SU will be referring many students to the Advice Centre, reporting lines necessary to gauge areas of high demand and demand itself will run between Student Advice Centre staff, SU President, Graduate, Welfare and Education officers and Professor Bairbre Redmond - Dean of Undergraduate Studies.”

“Overall, we’re happy UCD is working on our call for a professional service in proximity. We had hoped that the centre would be opened before the start of term but in order to create the correct reporting lines of communication and lines of responsibility, it took longer than expected.”

UCD rise in Times Higher Education Rankings Roisin Guyett-Nicholson

THE TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION (THE) released their world university rankings last week which show a jump for UCD. The university has risen 53 places to 176th in the world, a rank it shares with Eindhoven University in the Netherlands. The recent rankings list 800 universities, their largest compilation yet.

UCD recently dropped in the rankings of another standalone organisation, QS. Both ranking systems use different indicators to compile their lists. THE rankings include research output, citations of the university, international outlook, industry income and teaching. One area in which UCD fell down in both lists was staff to student ratio.

President Andrew Deeks welcomed the announcement and noted that recent cutbacks had affected UCD’s standing: “What is keeping us back is the deficit in State investment in our universities in comparison with other countries.”

He claimed that Ireland needed to look at the European model of investment in third-level “such as the Netherlands, which has 12 universities in the top 200.”

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has fallen in both rankings and now stands at 160th in the world according to THE. This narrows the gap between UCD and TCD to just 16 places.

Overall nine Irish universities are included in the most recent THE list with NUI Maynooth and University College Cork between 351 and 400 in the world. This sees a fall from 276 to 300 for UCC in THE’s last rankings. NUI

Galway and the Royal College of Surgeons fared better, with both between 251 and 300. The lowest ranked Irish institution is Dublin Institute of Technology which comes in between 601 and 800 in the world.

THE rankings show an improvement for European institutions in general with a greater number of UK, German and Dutch universities in the top 200 than last year. The USA has seen a fall in the number of their institutions in the same quarter with 63 institutions listed this year, compared to 74 in 2015.

Despite their fall in THE rankings, UCC has recently been announced as the Sunday Times University of the year. This accolade is based on the “Good University Guide”, published by the Times every year, which focuses on Irish Institutions. This year, Cork Institute of Technology was named IT of the year, with IT Sligo the runner up.

UCC President Dr Michael Murphy welcomed the award saying it “recognises UCC’s tradition of independent thinking, exceptional student experience, considerable track record for innovation and particularly our rate of graduate employment. It is also welcome recognition of the hard work of staff, students and all those who contribute to our success.”

The Times’ guide is based on both university profiles of success and student experience. It takes into account the amount each institution spends on students combined with student engagement.

Submissions of poetry and fiction from UCD students

otwo p14 & p15

LOUISE O’NEILL an interview with the AUTHOR

EVA GRIFFIN Otwo P17

GRUNGE Fashion

THE LAtest in fashion LUCY COFFEY Otwo P24

WYVERN LINGO

Music editor talks to wyvern lingo AISLING KRAUS Otwo P22

IN Photo: Asking for it by LoUIse O’Neill

september 15th 2015

News national news in brief Shane Conneely

IRELAND NAMED MOST POPULAR FOR EXCHANGE STUDENTS STUDY PORTALS, a project funded by the European Commission, found that Ireland was the location which provided the most satisfaction to exchange students in 2014-2015. The survey received over 17,000 reviews of universities from international students.

On average Irish universities received a rating in excess of nine out of ten, pushing the average rating into the “excellent” category. The country that received the poorest satisfaction ratings from international students through the project’s www.stexx.eu site was France.

In an upset from last year, no Dublin university finished among the top three Irish places. This year, NUI Maynooth topped the podium of Irish universities as the only Irish University to receive an “Outstanding” rating. UCD slipped from “Excellent International Student Satisfaction” rating to merely “Very Good”.

The complaint most frequently cited among those on exchange in Dublin universities was the cost of living. Particularly noticeable with UCD was the high cost of rented accommodation on campus. This contrasted with the high cost of public transport for those who manage to find accommodation off campus.

Across the study students from Italy were the ones who were most likely to have a good time studying abroad, meanwhile the Finns were the hardest to please.

UCC RESEARCH PAPER WINS MEDICAL AWARD IN A FIRST for Irish research, University College Cork (UCC) Professor of Obstetrics Louise Kenny received the clinical science “Top Paper” award from the American Heart Association (AHA).

“Early pregnancy prediction of preeclampsia in nulliparous women, combining clinical risk and biomarkers: the Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) international cohort study” was published in Hypertention, the journal of the AHA. It seeks to develop a model to predict preeclampsia in women who have never been pregnant before.

More than half of all cases of preeclampsia occur in healthy first-time pregnant women. This condition claims the lives of more than 70,000 women and over 500,000 infants every year.

A follow on study called IMPROvED is recruiting pregnant women and will contribute to one of the world’s largest and most detailed “biobanks” with samples given by mothers and babies. It will combine clinical information with pregnancy specific biomarkers to develop a system for predicting problems in pregnancy.

The researchers are inviting first time mothers who are less than 17 weeks pregnant to get involved in the study. The IMPROvED team can be contacted by email at improved@ucc.ie.

STUDENT FINANCE COMPANY TO EXPAND TO IRELAND AN IRISH based lender, Future Finance Loan Corporation, which specialises in lending to UK students, is doubling their workforce in Ireland to almost 100 people. The lender, which is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation through the IDA, aims to expand into the Irish and European markets.

Future Finance offers loans designed for undergraduates and postgraduates. It specifically targets the financing of higher education given the limited financing options available to students.

When making lending decisions, the loan company factors in university and course specific data, in combination with the employability of different classes of students and their predicted first year earnings.

This approach seeks to provide students who have no working or credit histories access to finance that they otherwise would not have had.

Depending on personal circumstances, students in the UK are currently loaned sums between £2,500 and £40,000 each academic year to pay for tuition costs and living expenses. Loan periods extend to 12 years 5 months (10 years and 3 months after graduation) at a typical APR of 11.8 per cent. Payments are required while the student is still in university. At these rates, a loan of €10,000 would cost almost €20,000 to repay.

2 OCTOBER 6th 2015

LGBTQ+ Society to Hold Emergency General Meeting Roisin Guyett-Nicholson FOLLOWING the resignation of their auditor and secretary, the LGBTQ+ society will hold an Emergency General Meeting next Monday 12th October.

The meeting comes nearly six months after the society’s Annual General Meeting when the current committee were elected.

Ex-auditor Amy Crean, who is also the LGBTQ+ coordinator for UCD Students’ Union, explains that her reasons for resigning were down to time commitments. She is also on the committee of the L&H and Labour Youth. The secretary, Adam Ryan, stepped down for personal reasons.

Until they are replaced both the previous auditor and secretary will continue to fulfil their duties.

Nominations closed on Monday 5th October, as all candidates have to announce their nomination a week beforehand. Voting is done by secret ballot after all candidates have made a speech at the EGM. At least three people have gone forward for auditor with a number of people stepping forward for secretary.

The situation is made more precarious as the society is

in between constitutions. At the end of last year, the society changed the constitution but this has yet to be fully approved by the Societies Council. However, the Public Relations Officer Aoife Ward says that they have “been told to work off the new constitution by Richard Butler,” the University Societies’ Officer.

The expectation within the society is that a current member of committee will step forward to run for auditor. However, Tech Officer Jessica Platt-McCarthy notes that nominations were open to all members of the society and that “it’s entirely up to the society who they want to come in.” If a current member of the committee is elected, their position will also have to be voted on at the EGM. The committee expects a lot of interest from its members, particularly first years as PlattMcCarthy says “it would be their first EGM or AGM that they’d been to.” Ward goes on to state that new members are likely to attend to understand more about how the society is run.

Both Platt-McCarthy and Ward state that these developments

have not impacted on the society’s plans. As Ward says, “we still have the same amount of events running this week that we had originally planned to run, same for next week… it’s not going to be an extra strain on us.” PlattMcCarthy went on to emphasise the work that the committee has already put in and will continue to put in, saying “everyone’s been really good about it.”

Photo: COURTESY OF UCD

UCD Launches contemporary Irish writing website Fiachra Johnston

President’s travel costs UCD nearly €1000

UCD’s School of English, Drama and Film have recently launched a website designed as an aid to students and academics studying in the field of contemporary literature.

The site is a collaborative effort between members of university staff, as well as several international academics. It was founded

by UCD’s Chair of AngloIrish Literature and Drama, Professor Margaret Kelleher.

The project is being funded

by UCD’s seed funding and strategic initiative schemes.

Speaking to the University Observer, Professor Kelleher detailed the inception of the website, saying: “much of the inspiration for the project came from recognising the depth of interest in contemporary Irish literature among colleagues and students in universities outside of Ireland, for example in China, Brazil and Canada.”

Kelleher noted an absence in academia of this literature.

“Teachers of literature in those countries - and indeed in Ireland also - can sometimes be reluctant to put very contemporary material

UCD President Andrew Deeks claimed €992.53 in travel expenses during 2014, the University Observer can reveal.

Information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed that Professor Deeks claimed €744 for taxis and €248.53 for mileage and tolls through the UCD staff expenses system in 2014. This is on top of his €185,350 annual salary, which is equal to that of Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Since Prof Deeks took up the role of President in 2014, he has been reimbursed €1,166.15 in expenses, which includes travel and refreshments.

By way of comparison, Deputy President and Registrar Mark Rogers has been reimbursed for €1,266.72 since January 2012.

His expenses covered taxis,

on their syllabi because few secondary resources yet exist, and one of the aims of the project is to address that gap.”

The first large-scale venture of the site, titled “50 Irish Books” is an aggregate of 50 contemporary pieces of Irish literature. All of the books were published between 2009 and 2013. The list includes various links to reviews, interviews with authors, and other useful resources about each title.

The website features authors such as Kevin Barry, Anne Enright, Edna O’Brien and Frank McGuinness. Of the 50 authors, the project also includes five Irish language books, something that site contributor Anna Heussaff believes “demonstrates the opportunity today to own and to celebrate our writing in both languages.”

Reception to the website from various publishers and authors has been hugely positive, and the website has seen large amounts of traffic both nationally and internationally. On a smaller

scale, the site notes that a number of book-clubs in Ireland and abroad have begun using the site to set their autumn and winter reading.

On the future of the website, Professor Kelleher feels that “it’s really the reception of the project and reactions to the site in the coming months that will help us decide what exactly to do next.”

She further commented on the warm reception of the project so far. “What’s very clear is that there is a strong interest, and need, for more resources relating to contemporary writing that can also help us examine how reputations are formed and how we might extend the range of what is known of Irish writing at home and abroad.”

The site is available to visit at www.contemporaryirishwriting.ie.

USI Release Pre-budget Submission Eithne Dodd THE UNION of Students in Ireland (USI) released its pre-budget submission last month, which finds a rise in transport and accommodation costs for students across the country.

The USI is calling on the 2016 Budget to review student grants and to restore student family income thresholds to pre-economic crisis levels. The body estimates that the gap between the maximum rate of the maintenance grant and day-to-day student expenses is €11,000 per year.

The rising transport costs and rents, coupled with a grant that is reducing in value due to growing inflation, have resulted in increasing student drop-out rates. The Department of Public Expenditure and reform has admitted the grant is “generally insufficient to meet the maintenance costs of going to college.”

With the cost of college estimated at €11,000 per year, 38 per cent of students are using the Student Grant Scheme. The submission suggests areas in which the government could aid the financial burdens of students in Ireland.

Of the people living below the poverty line, 15.2 per cent are students, while rent has risen by 8.2 per cent nationally over the last year. USI blame a combination of private sector rent increases and a shortage of campus accommodation for the lack of affordable student housing. The number of rented properties available has dramatically reduced since 2011. In the last

12 months just 35,000 properties were listed, which resulted in students seeking accommodation in commuter towns where the rents have also risen, leaving students to face increasing transport costs.

The USI also call attention to other issues such as the fact that Ireland’s Student Contribution Charge is the second highest in Europe and that jobseekers under 26 receive an insufficient amount of money to support themselves. It also points out that the Student Assistance Fund has been cut further this year to €360,000 while the USI estimates that approximately €1 million would be necessary to give full assistance to students who need it.

The submission is also seeking for the government to address the adjacency rate grant. This currently has a limit of 45 kilometres regardless of whether it is a rural or urban area and does not consider the availability of public transport services in that area. It would also like the government to address the reintroduction of BTEA (Back to Education Allowance) which was a support payment of €500 to help alleviate college related costs such as book materials.

The pre-budget submission also highlighted the lack of financial supports for students wishing to move on to postgraduate education. Up until 2012, students who qualified for an undergraduate grant could seek a grant for postgraduate education.

GRÁINNE LOUGHRAN mileage, two academic dinners and refreshments. Rogers’ salary was cut in 2013 from €151,800 per annum to €141,638.

Prof Deeks has been a critic of the lack of funding available to Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in the past. His annual salary falls in the mid to high range of that of HEI presidents in Ireland. Trinity College Dublin Provost, Dr Patrick Prendergast is paid a salary of €191,417, while DIT President Brian Norton’s annual salary is €175,876.

When asked for comment, UCD provided no response to the University Observer.

150 Jobs To Be Created In UCD Keira Gilleechi GLOBAL business analytics leader SAS recently announced the creation of 150 jobs in UCD over the next three years. The €40 million investment will create multi-lingual roles in sales, customer service, data analytics and software engineering. The roles will be based on campus at NexusUCD, the Industry Partnership Centre.

SAS was founded in North Carolina University in 1979, and it specialises in big data solutions for businesses. A global company, serving customers in 138 countries, it has a yearly revenue of US$3.09 billion. It currently employs around 13,500 people worldwide, with less than 30 of these in its Irish office.

This expansion will increase the Dublin team by six-fold. Over the next few years, it aims to target small to mid-level businesses, which may be aware of the benefits of using data analytics, and the team in

NexusUCD will be at the forefront.

This announcement helps to ensure the retention of Dublin’s title as the “Silicon Valley of Europe”, despite the recent loss of the Web Summit to Lisbon. It also solidifies Ireland’s position as the leader of data science. Facebook, Apple, TelecityGroup and Zalando have all recently begun plans to build offices in Ireland, purely dedicated to data research and analytics. It is estimated that the data industry could create up to 61,000 jobs in the next four years, and bring in around €27 billion for the Irish economy.

Martin Shanahan, CEO of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) says: “SAS is a highly recognisable brand name in the global software industry and a leading player in data analytics. [Their] decision to locate here will further highlight our country as a centre for big data

and data analytics - a key emerging sector targeted by IDA Ireland.”

SAS Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, Carl Farrell, welcomed the Irish expansion: “As a global company with offices all over the world, we wanted to expand in a city as vibrant as Dublin which has such a thriving technology ecosystem.”

This is a significant win for UCD in particular, especially due to the university’s recent fall in the QS World University Rankings. Professor Orla Feely, Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact at UCD, explains why Belfield was chosen. “University College Dublin has a strong track record of working with business, through a growing portfolio of strategic and mutually beneficial partnerships which can impact the economy and wider society.”

News News Analysis: The Cost of College With the possibility of a British student loans company expanding to Ireland, Shane Conneely examines the future of student finance

Student Accommodation Crisis Hits Germany

cutbacks and downgrading of teaching and resources. The second is looking abroad for revenue opportunities.

In reducing costs, third level institutions have transferred work from full-time academics to adjunct part-timers – culling a generation of researchers from academia. To return Irish academia to 2008 student/staff ratios would require the hiring of 4,000 people.

This has weakened the research output of universities, reducing their standing in the international rankings, and ensuring that only a few high fliers account for the bulk of the highgrade research. These international rankings matter because degrees have become a useful signal to employers, not about how much you know, but rather as signifiers of social, emotional and intellectual competence. Not

having a degree suggests to employers that you don’t have the capacity to hop through the hurdles of third level.

The current strategy is equivalent to running down capital of a firm; it only solves the short-term issues and is unsustainable.

We need a simple, integrated educational finance system, where a graduate tax with minimum repayments is linked to student loans. A system is required where disadvantaged people get meaningful assistance, and where schools that have a track record in underachieving graduates receive less funding.

The alternative is that our higher education system reverts to being a complex form of finishing school where the children of wealthy people are the only ones who get to attend university.

News Analysis: Accommodation Shortage and the Refugee Crisis

With recent reports of a student accommodation crisis in Germany, Safa Zaiani questions whether this will have an effect on the refugee crisis

the most comfortable but according to the German Academic Exchange Program, they are the most expensive form of accommodation, costing an average of €357 per month. Shared accommodation is another common option, making up nearly two thirds of the residential lists held by various institutions and student associations. The monthly rent cost for these is on average €298 per month.

Prices vary across the country but student residences are the cheapest form of accommodation for students. Rent also depends on the furnishings, location and size of the room. For on campus accommodation students pay an average of €240 per month for

Campus News: US Sociologist wins UCD Ulysses Award Meshkat Haque PROFESSOR Arlie Russell Hochschild, emerita of Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, was recently awarded the 33rd UCD Ulysses award. This is the highest merit awarded by the University. Professor Hochschild is known for her pioneering work on “emotional labour”, which is defined as the relationship between culture and emotion in the context of social psychology.

Her research has become an important resource for understanding the dynamics of human emotion and anthropology.

Hochschild draws attention to issues such as the family, market culture and global patterns of care work whilst simultaneously exploring the emotional strain of these pervasive concepts.

News in Brief CHRISTOPHER SEELEY

COLLEGE costs. It costs time, Simply creating a state backed energy, and most obviously it loans system, as the British have costs money. The cost can be seen done, ensures a financial black-hole in the interest mounting up on once these loans reach maturity. student loans, and the savings from This socialises losses and means students’ summer jobs revert to zero that those who never went to college by the end of Freshers’ week. have to pay for those that did. In an There are three ways of financing third Institute for Financial Studies report level education: The first is a public entitled ‘Estimating the public cost subsidy, the second is borrowing from of student loans’, Crawford, Crawford your future earnings, and the third is and Jin found that the British model paying for it with current wealth. All would involve a long run “government three have issues associated with them. subsidy” of 43.3 per cent over a 30 When we have public subsidy, colleges year period. For the median earner maximise income by teaching those this involves a taxpayer contribution cheapest to teach. In a system such of £24,592. This leads to those in as the Irish one a good guideline for the lowest income decile receiving knowing what the profitable subjects a state subsidy of £44,229. Loans are is looking for the largest class aren’t cheap even with relatively sizes. A problem with these courses benign economic circumstances. is that this strategy leads to students The third option is the old way, full maintenance grants are only investing their energies in more obscure for the lucky few that can rely on provided to those experiencing the electives rather than what people are their parents to fund them. greatest economic hardship. interested in paying them to do.

In Ireland, everybody, even the Currently Irish fees are the second As the US has shown, highest in Europe after letting students borrow Britain. There is no “Letting students money to finance financial headroom to education is an even more borrow money against increase these further problematic idea. This without improving their future, in an system puts students in access to educational industry that erodes enormous debt before grants. This proposal they have even reached has as much traction quality to extract adulthood. Letting students in Leinster House as borrow money against their profits, guarantees developing a space future, in an industry that program, and would either inadequate erodes quality to extract cost more. resourcing or high fees.” probably profits, guarantees either Public spending will inadequate resourcing or high fees. In wealthy, get some form of subsidy. remain capped for the foreseeable the US, private colleges have become Almost every course is funded future. This means that the revenue to paper mills while New Zealand was in some way by the state, even Irish institutions is effectively fixed. forced to introduce caps for loans in those that enrol students that are They have two possible strategies in order to halt inflation in third level fees. unable to pass the course. However this environment. The first involves

THE GERMAN Student Welfare Service (DSW) has recently issued a statement to German students warning them about demand in the housing market. They claim that this could potentially worsen because of the refugee crisis. The DSW insists that the government provide funding for an additional 25,000 flats for student accommodation.

According to the real estate advisor Savills, the German student housing market achieved a transaction volume of over €200 million in 2014. This was the highest it has ever been for this type of accommodation.

North Rhine-Westphalian (NRW) Higher Education Minister Svenja Schulze says that there can be no further funding for student accommodation currently in NRW. “Given the challenges NRW is facing, we cannot afford more at the moment,” she says.

The NRW Bundesland is the home of one of Germany’s most popular universities in Cologne.

However, research revealed that there are many websites that could be used to find cheap and available accommodation.

These resources were available for international students as well as German national students.

Privately rented apartments are

international

In her recent work So How’s the Family? And Other Essays, Hochschild examines the “global heart transplant”, a phenomena where a nannies heart is diverted to their loved ones whilst they take care of a client’s children. In a society where service provision is growing, there is a greater need for interaction. These interactions call for emotional skill, and so emotional management is a key concept of her notable texts.

about admitting refugees, the DSW warning could highlight a further impact within the EU. European attitudes towards the crisis have already been lukewarm at best. If a country feels that the education of their youth will be affected by allowing a large number of refugees, they may be more reluctant to provide their support. Parents will not want their children’s education to be impacted and this could provide a reason for further resistance and controversy in welcoming refugees.

IN Photo: THE UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE In this statement, the DSW are not only noting the effect student accommodation all over a room and over 40 per cent of on German students, but those Germany. Furthermore, according all around Europe as well. international students in Germany to IPE Real Estate, more than live in these residences.

This warning could potentially 3,000 student apartments in The price of accommodation in consolidate Europe’s lukewarm German cities are being built.

Germany is relatively cheap in attitude towards allowing refugees Meanwhile, in a recent emergency to enter and accepting them, even comparison to that of neighbouring refugee summit, the German countries, and it is also more though in comparison to other government has pledged to provide countries in the EU, German widely available than the DSW warning would suggest. The German €670 a month for each refugee. A accommodation is quite cheap housing programme is going to also and readily available. It’s clear to accommodation crisis is limited to certain regions such as Cologne. In be subsidised by €350 million. see that this statement is not as the city, around 80,000 students are According to The University World urgent as it claims to be. While News, the government is intending there are issues for accommodation seeking accommodation and only to declare Albania, Kosovo and 5,000 hostel flats are available. in Germany, these are largely Montenegro countries of safe However organisations such as confined to University towns and origin. They hope this will result Studentenwerke need also to be are not a widespread national issue. in less pressure on authorities considered who, according to the However, these claims could easily trying to accommodate refugees German student affairs association, be used to support further antiwaiting for asylum status.

Deutsches Studentenwerk, refugee sentiment across Europe.

As debates stir across Europe offer around 181,000 places in

AS UCD faces its own accommodation crisis, the German National Association for Student Affairs (DSW) have warned that the mass migration of refugees into Germany may heighten the existing crisis there.

There are currently 2.5 million students registered in German universities this year, yet there are only 230,000 places available in subsidised student accommodation. DSW have called for an additional 25,000 flats to be funded by the government, as Germany accepts 800,000 refugees this year. The country is anticipated to take in a similar number next year. Georg Schlanzke, spokesman for DSW, believes that asylum-seekers compete with other lowincome groups looking for accommodation - among them students from abroad and those from lower income families.

Sources claim the German government have failed to keep up with a rising demand for student accommodation in areas with high student populations.

Student numbers have increased by fifty per cent in seven years, whilst the number of publicly funded flats (most often found in hostels) have increased by five per cent in the same time period.

Stories of students living in gym halls or in hostels with several others to a room have become more common.

The issue is noted on the government’s agenda, along with fee support.

Muslim student arrested over homemade clock leaves school AHMED Mohamed, the 14-year old student made famous after a photo emerged online of him being led away from his school in handcuffs, has been withdrawn from his school district.

Ahmed’s father, Mohamed Elhassan Mohamed, told the Dallas Morning News that he formally withdrew his son from the Irving Independent School District, adding that he was also withdrawing his other two children.

“Ahmed said, ‘I don’t want to go to MacArthur,’” Mohamed told the Dallas Morning News. “These kids aren’t going to be happy there.”

Ahmed received a three-day suspension from the Texas High School over a clock he put together and brought in to show his teachers and classmates. He was then accused of making a hoax bomb, handcuffed and questioned by police. The arrest sparked allegations of racial and religious profiling, and brought forward more calls for fairer policing in the United States. News of the arrest also sparked an outpouring of support, including an invitation to the White House from President Barack Obama.

The family plans to fly to New York on Wednesday, where UN officials will meet Ahmed. They also plan to visit the White House and meet President Obama.

Australia backs down on deregulation of tuition fees

THE NEW Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnball has moved away from plans to allow universities to set their own tuition fees, and announced that funding arrangements for 2016 will remain the same.

The idea was first introduced as part of the former Abbott government’s budget last year, but received widespread criticism from students and student bodies. Both the Labour Party and Green Roisin Guyett-Nicholson Party also opposed the legislation along with a number of independent senators, ELECTIONS were recently In a fall in voter turnout from last well are filling out Theatre L.” and rejected the bill in the senate. held for UCDSU union Of all the races, 118 had year’s UCDSU executive election The move was announced by council members or class only one person running or no which saw over 4,000 students Turnball’s new Education Minister representatives. They candidate at all. This means that Simon Birmingham last Thursday. The take part, only 1,775 students show varying levels of vacant seats will need to hold a voted in the class rep elections. main Higher Education lobby group, student engagement. by-elections but this can only go This translates roughly to 5 per Universities Australia, described Among the more active ahead if a potential candidate cent of the overall student body.

Birmingham’s announcement as “a faculties are Agricultural steps forward. So far only three Despite this, Cian Byrne, the much needed circuit-breaker”, and Science, Science and Campaigns and Communications by-elections have been called but urged the Government to “continue Engineering and Architecture. Officer, believes that “there only one of these will be contested. the focus on world-class education Arts, Human Sciences, Nominations for vacant seats is lot more engagement and and research that Australia needs”.

Business and Law and Health involvement.” He notes that this close tomorrow Wednesday 7th However, Birmingham advised Sciences saw most of their is not just confined to the union: October at 5.00pm. Results that some reforms would need to take engagement in the first stages “I think from every event, not just and further information can place given the 25 per cent increase in of undergraduate degrees. be found at www.UCDSU.ie an SU point of view, debates as federally supported undergraduate places between 2009 and 2015. Birmingham commented, “While this expansion of the system has provided opportunity and choice to more Australians than ever, it has come with a budgetary cost.”

Campus News: Class Rep Elections

september 15th 2015

comment

UN Plays Host to Simmering Tensions Tensions have continued to simmer between the US and Russia over a variety of global issues. Daniel Sinnott examines the situation between the two superpowers THE BUTTING of Russian and in Ukraine, such as the annexation will be focused primarily on the American heads has been a highlight of the Crimean Peninsula, while threat of ISIS and the growing this week in the media as Russian seeming aggressive and unprovoked extremist group. Western leaders President Vladimir Putin attended may have been seen as necessary are more sceptical, pointing out the United Nation’s seventieth by many Russian officials who feel that if Russia hits anywhere bar convention. While topics like global the Western Powers are pushing ISIS-controlled territories, they will warming are certainly a hot bed back Russian influence to its own show their hand. Russia has a vested issue for the majority of the nations borders. The slow push of the EU interest in the preservation of the involved, it was the main point eastwards, alongside the potential Assad regime and if their strikes hit of agreement for the majority of Ukraine application to NATO, will rebel occupied provinces, then their the nations. Massive nations such lead to massive reduction of power intentions shall be clear. According to as China and Russia announced in Russian-controlled territories. international law, only a UN mandate various different intentions to either Another interesting aspect of can legitimise foreign airstrikes into reduce emissions, or funding of UN the entire ordeal is the proposition a country, or if a sovereign leader programmes which could aid the that Russia’s veto privileges may invites the bombings. Assad has given heating planet. However most of the be revoked. Certain nations such permission only to the Kremlin and tension from the event, as well as as France and Ukraine argue that denied Western powers. Fears over the majority of the media’s attention, Russian use of the veto power in high the Russian veto prevent others for has been on both the Ukrainian and level UN operations has actually applying for the UN airstrike method Syrian crisis. US President Barack led to destabilising situations. For and adds to the Russian claim that Obama called for the deposing of example, Ukrainian president Petro alternative attacks are illegitmate.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Poroshenko claims Russian access The US has since commented that calling him a “tyrant” who “drops to the veto is a “license to kill”. This a Russian addition to the coalition barrel bombs to against ISIS is welcome, massacre innocent however, Putin seems civilians”, while to be disinterested in “If the Western powers Putin claims Assad joining. The formulation get their wish and Assad of a new Russian-led is necessary, as he promotes stability coalition seems on the is deposed and replaced which is needed horizon and is more with a more Westernfor the region. than likely another Why is Russia jab at Washington. friendly leader, then so interested In his address, Obama Russia will possibly be in the stability also mentioned Chinese kicked out of the region.” expansion into the South of the Middle Eastern state?

China Sea, criticising Well, beginning China’s dominating is a direct reference to Poroshenko’s in the recent ‘Arab Spring’ revolts, state mentality and urged larger request for UN peacekeeping soldiers states not to pick on smaller ones.

Russia has lost a tremendous in Eastern Ukraine, the area with amount of influence in the region.

As well as this, he also provided the largest amount of unrest and Historically, Russia had a hand in comments on the Iranian nuclear many Middle Eastern politics due to fighting. The reasoning for the deal, and said “chanting ‘Death to the economic strength and potential lack of response from the UN is America’ does not create jobs, or allegedly due to Russia’s ability to for international aid. However, the make Iran more secure.” He also veto any legislation which might put toppling of pro-Russian regimes in justified US interest in blocked peacekeeping soldiers on the ground. Russian expansion in Ukraine by Libya, Egypt, and even Iraq using The Ukrainian President believes the ‘Arab Spring’ revolts have left claiming that he understood the that denying Russia the veto is key to history between Ukraine and Russia, Russia with very few friends in the stabilising his nation, claiming that area. One of the remaining friends and that the US had little economic “veto power should not be used as an interest in the region and wishes to is Syria - currently in the middle act of grace and pardon for crimes,” of its own revolt. If the Western promote peace instead. However, and that “everyone in this hall powers get their wish and Assad is Obama did state that besides having understands Russia’s real motive”. deposed and replaced with a more the most powerful military in the Western-friendly leader, then Russia While Russia claims it is simply world, he could not solve the world’s attempting to not repeat another will possibly be kicked out of the problems by himself and needed help region. This would explain Russian Libyan situation, the West have taken if he is to succeed. He used a rather its use of recent vetoes as a way to interest in the stability of the area, powerful example in Iraq, where the and may explain why Putin is taking push forward its own interests.

US lost trillions of dollars and failed Russia has defended its presence such serious steps to assert himself to provide a stable government. on the world stage. Previous actions in Syria, claiming that its airstrikes Whilst the tensions between Russia

PHOTO: JAMES HEALY

and the US seem to be escalating, it is unlikely that anything serious will come out of it. Economic sanctions against the Russian state have had a massive effect on the Russian rouble, forcing the Kremlin to seek economic partners elsewhere. Other controversies such as the MH17 crash have also been a tension point for Russia on the main stage. It is however, incrediably popular for President Putin, with him scoring record high numbers on polls in Russia, which is more than likely the most desired outcome for the Putin government. His outward aggression is seen internally as him standing up to the more dominating American and European powers and is boosting the popular opinion

of his presidency back in Russia.

Though unlikely to impact the US and Western states, it can only remain to be seen whether Syria and other

Eastern countries will bear the brunt of Putin’s swipe for dominance.

In PHOTO: Barack Obama & vLADIMIR pUTIN

The burgeoning world of the shared economy With the term “gig economy” growing in popularity recently, Helen Carroll considers this growing area of the Irish economy FOR THOSE who haven’t heard it, Collins Dictionary defines the term “gig economy” as the freelance economy, which can be found on online platforms such as Etsy or Uber.

It is a service that, according to the South China Morning Post, “enables people to become freelance service providers without the inspections and legal oversight that traditional lodging and cab industries are subject to.” These sites have become increasingly popular of late, and include services such as Etsy, Uber, AirBnB and Hailo, to name but a few. They have grown into a legal conundrum, with many countries seeking to clamp down on tax evasion by their users, with France even banning an Uber service called UberPop. Here in Ireland, AirBnB has come under investigation for a massive, unpaid tax bill to the state.

These sites often use independent contractors without using contracts so they are not technically employees.

Anyone can sign up for these sites, and rent out a room/house in the case of AirBnB, drive people places using UberPop or sell fan merchandise with Etsy. It is an industry worth billions to the global economy. Even the term “gig” comes from the idea of musicians trying to get to play gigs in clubs to work their way to the top.

Platforms such as Hailo have long established themselves in Irish culture, enabling users to get a taxi at the touch of a button.

Users of sites such as Etsy can buy products that may only exist overseas easily, and rent out a room to students or holidaymakers for some extra cash. It is this convenience, coupled with the fact that we are emerging from recession, which has helped these platforms explode.

These apps and sites act as platforms, giving customers who are looking for a product access to someone who has it. It helps inspire people to become small-time 4 OCTOBER 6th 2015

entrepreneurs and to earn some the site brings up 1,070 results, none cash on the side. It works on the of which are rewarding the actual general principle of user-feedback creators of Doctor Who with a means and helps to build a community. So to continue producing the show, and why has it come under investigation none of which are paying any tax by so many different governments? on the products they make. There One of are over 1,200 the main results when ““The cause problems you type “Taylor with it is Swift” into the itself is not relating search bar of mental illness, to how tax Etsy, something is paid on the artist is very but rather the items and upset about. Her alarmingly services legal team have relaxed laws sold on recently sent these cease and desist that allow platforms. letters to many people to obtain Etsy sellers of her Sites such as Etsy only make their sellers pay products, who put her image and song tax on sales once they reach a certain lyrics on anything from pillowcases, threshold of around $20,000, which to t-shirts, to mug coasters and even many don’t. This means someone as cake toppers. She claims this can earn up to 20k a year tax-free. is a violation of her trademarked There was also the issue that label, and since this episode many certain car-pooling services (namely products have been pulled from the UberPop) allowed people who didn’t site, but many remain for fans to buy. have qualifications to become quasi-taxi drivers. This service was obviously unfair to genuine taxi drivers, who face large fees to get the necessary paperwork and qualifications to become a licensed driver. They were being undercut by these UberPop drivers, who didn’t have the costs of licensing or regulations to drive up their prices, which is why France ultimately banned the service, becoming the first country to do so. Uber have since appealed the French decision, but it was overturned by France’s highest constitutional authority.

Another issue is that of plagiarism, which is rampant on sites such as Etsy. Googling a particular fandom or musician you admire gives thousands of results instantly of handmade, unique items that are cheaper than official fan merchandise or simply would not exist otherwise. Simply searching “Sonic Screwdriver” on

It is also a question of safety.

The products and services offered on these sites often allude to the same standards as the identical goods officially on sale, but there is no regulatory body governing their actual safety. A person on UberPop is not a licensed taxi driver, and so has not gone through the process that would identify if it was safe for them to drive you somewhere or not. Etsy products can be returned if faulty, but these goods can be of a very low standard and recovering lost funds or injuries caused whilst using their products is often more difficult than it would be with official merchandise.

Last year, The Huffington Post described some of the horrors users of the platform have experienced when renting accommodation listed on the site. People have used AirBnB as a temporary brothel and have re-enacted scenes from The Shining, complete with axe and all.

One story that was particularly terrifying was one published several

months ago of a 17 year old boy goods legitimately to find ways to keep called Jacob Lopex, who claimed up with those who can undercut them that he was sexually assaulted in on prices and offer extras as their a Madrid apartment by his hosts overall production costs are lower. after being locked into the room he was renting. The New York Times did a comprehensive article on this incident, which brought to light many of the concerns and “Another worries people may have had with issue is this service. The fiasco of AirBnB’s handling of the issue as well as the that of fact that they did no backgrounds plagiarism, checks on the hosts raises serious questions of the safety of such sites. which is Overall, the main problems with rampant on these “shared economy” services sites such is the lack of regulation and safety nets, as well as the loss of money as Etsy.” from the economy that would have come from the sellers of these goods if they had been paying taxes on their products. It is a great example of the phrase “right idea, wrong method”, as the reduced accountability can be extremely dangerous. It is putting extra pressure on those who produce

Comment Separating Preaching and Teaching

It has been thought that the links between Catholicism and Ireland have been loosening in recent months and years. Leah Flanagan wonders if this is the case with the Irish education system by himself or his family members over the last three years. His father commented: “I had no idea he had any guns. I have no idea that he had any guns whatsoever… And I’m a great believer you don’t buy guns…”

After last week’s shooting, President Barack Obama commented on gun violence in the US. “Somehow this has become routine. The reporting is routine. My response here at this podium ends up being routine, the conversation in the aftermath of it… We have become numb to this,” he said. He argues for tighter controlled gun laws, however he is ON THURSDAY 1st October, a in a difficult position. While polls gunman opened fire on students suggest that the majority of the public in Umpqua Community College in would welcome gun reform, he is Roseburg, Oregon in the United held back by the US Congress, which States. During the massacre, Chris is heavily against gun regulation.

Harper-Mercer killed ten people, and Congress is conservative leaning, injured others. The shooting comes and it is unlikely that they will allow amid heightened criticism in both firearm reform through anytime soon, the US and abroad of their gun laws, particularly as the right to bear arms which allow easy access to firearms is protected in the US constitution. for American citizens. Gun laws in The problem is that school the US are highly relaxed, meaning shootings have become routine for that for many Americans, owning a a country where these shootings gun is a right rather than a choice. are a part of the very blocks on School massacres in the US are which the foundation of the US is not a new phenomenon, with the built. Many Americans view it as earliest recorded massacre happening in 1764. The massacre happened when native Americans stormed a school in Pennsylvania, killing the schoolmaster and ten children.

Throughout the nineteenth century, there were a number of school shootings, in which children brought guns to school, resulting in the death and injury of fellow students.

It was not, however, until the 20th century, that the phenomenon of mass-shootings began.

The problems surrounding gun violence in the US are ever growing.

Too frequently, shockwaves are spread across the world as guns are brought into public places, with multiple killings being the result.

Often, as was the case on 1st October in Oregon, the shooter turns the gun on themselves after their rampage.

What is perhaps telling is that investigators found Harper-Mercer was linked to 14 firearms. All weapons were legally obtained either

”It is a struggle to paint the illusion of the Church being highly protective of its schools.”

a right to possess firearms, taking to shine some light on what prompted weapons as something to marvel at their credence from the Second him to kill. However it doesn’t explain rather than as something to fear.

Amendment to the Constitution, why his country did not prevent A major feature of the commentary which reads: “A well regulated this tragedy from happening sooner surrounding these shootings is the Militia, being necessary to the through more restrictive gun laws. inclination of the public to blame security of a free state, the right Any mention of changing mental health difficulties for the of the people to keep and bear gun laws have been blocked by deaths. The first question posed Arms, shall not be infringed.” conservatives over the years, as by many reporters on the Oregan It is difficult for us to know what advocates of firearms believe it is a shooting was ‘did he suffer from drives people to a mental murder. However illness?’ A “However, a pressing issue with the regular survey from that has arisen is the fact mass-shootings in mid-July the US, it is even from the Pew that there are little to more difficult to Research no alternatives for nonunderstand why or Center religious parents.” even how shooters indicated carry out their actions. A MySpace constitutional right to possess a gun. that 80 per cent of respondants page believed to be linked to HarperThese conservative arguments are backed the idea that there Mercer carried posters from the Irish incredibly damaging, however, and should be a law preventing the Republican Army (IRA), as well are most clearly seen in the articles mentally ill from purchasing as a brief speculation on a previous published on the website of the guns. However this conversation shooting that happened in August, National Rifle Association (NRA). in itself is heavily misguided; where two news anchors were shot Titles of articles include ‘Stopping while the gunmen involved in on television. According to CNN, the Obama’s Latest Gun Grab’ and ‘The these shootings often suffer from MySpace page says: “I have noticed President’s Biggest Lie’. The NRA mental illnesses, the cause itself is that so many people like him are all also run several firearm museums, not mental illness, but rather the alone and unknown, yet when they where members of the public can alarmingly relaxed laws that allow spill a little blood, the whole world attend to look at large collections of people to obtain guns easily. knows who they are... Seems the more guns. Looking at the activities of the It is counter-productive to claim people you kill, the more you’re in the NRA, it is no surprise that America that mentally ill people should be limelight.” His comments may help is as gun-obsessed as it is. They treat prevented from purchasing guns. Not

everybody who suffers from mental illnesses will be officially diagnosed, and it also wouldn’t be able to prevent the current gun-owners, who may suffer from illnesses, continuing to own their own firearms. This conversation is diversionary, and only exists to shift the focus from the easy-access to guns to mental illness; if the former were fixed, the problem would be prevented.

School shootings have been happening now for not just decades, but centuries. However increasingly, the problem is that these shootings are becoming more violent, more damaging, and more frequent.

The US must stand up to these aggressors, and regulate gun control.

As Obama pointed out this week, “our thoughts and prayers are not enough. It’s not enough. It does not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel, and it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted someplace else in America, next week, or a couple of months from now.” It is time that the US takes action to prevent the innumerable and pointless deaths that are caused by gun violence, before another one of these tragedies happens. Diversionary tactics from

The need for reform: US Gun Laws As the United States reels from yet another school shooting, Patrick Kelleher looks at their relaxed gun laws, and questions how these tragedies can be prevented

ON THURSDAY 1st October, a gunman opened fire on students in Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon in the United States. During the massacre, Chris Harper-Mercer killed ten people, and injured others. The shooting comes amid heightened criticism in both the US and abroad of their gun laws, which allow easy access to firearms for American citizens. Gun laws in the US are highly relaxed, meaning that for many Americans, owning a gun is a right rather than a choice.

School massacres in the US are not a new phenomenon, with the earliest recorded massacre happening in 1764. The massacre happened when native Americans stormed a school in Pennsylvania, killing the schoolmaster and ten children.

Throughout the nineteenth century, there were a number of school shootings, in which children brought guns to school, resulting in the death and injury of fellow students.

It was not, however, until the 20th

century, that the phenomenon of mass-shootings began.

The problems surrounding gun violence in the US are ever growing.

Too frequently, shockwaves are spread across the world as guns are brought into public places, with multiple killings being the result.

Often, as was the case on 1st October in Oregon, the shooter turns the gun on themselves after their rampage.

What is perhaps telling is that investigators found Harper-Mercer was linked to 14 firearms. All weapons were legally obtained either by himself or his family members over the last three years. His father commented: “I had no idea he had any guns. I have no idea that he had any guns whatsoever… And I’m a great believer you don’t buy guns…”

After last week’s shooting, President Barack Obama commented on gun violence in the US. “Somehow this has become routine. The reporting is routine. My response here at this podium ends up being routine,

the conversation in the aftermath of it… We have become numb to this,” he said. He argues for tighter controlled gun laws, however he is in a difficult position. While polls suggest that the majority of the public would welcome gun reform, he is held back by the US Congress, which is heavily against gun regulation.

Congress is conservative leaning, and it is unlikely that they will allow firearm reform through anytime soon, particularly as the right to bear arms is protected in the US constitution.

The problem is that school shootings have become routine for a country where these shootings are a part of the very blocks on which the foundation of the US is built. Many Americans view it as a right to possess firearms, taking their credence from the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which reads: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear

knows who they are... Seems the more people you kill, the more you’re in the limelight.” His comments may help to shine some light on what prompted him to kill. However it doesn’t explain why his country did not prevent this tragedy from happening sooner through more restrictive gun laws.

Any mention of changing gun laws have been blocked by conservatives over the years, as advocates of firearms believe it is a constitutional right to possess a gun.

These conservative arguments are incredibly damaging, however, and are most clearly seen in the articles published on the website of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Titles of articles include ‘Stopping Obama’s Latest Gun Grab’ and ‘The President’s Biggest Lie’. The NRA also run several firearm museums, where members of the public can attend to look at large collections of guns. Looking at the activities of the Arms, shall not be infringed.”

NRA, it is no surprise that America It is difficult for us to know what is as gun-obsessed as it is. They treat drives people to murder. However weapons as something to marvel at with the regular mass-shootings rather than as something to fear. in the US, it is even more difficult A major feature of the commentary to understand why or even how surrounding these shootings is the inclination shooters carry ““The cause of the out their actions. public A MySpace page itself is not to blame believed to be mental linked to Harper- mental illness, health Mercer carried but rather the difficulties posters from the alarmingly for the Irish Republican deaths.

Army (IRA), as relaxed laws The first well as a brief that allow question speculation on a posed previous shooting people to obtain by many that happened in guns easily” reporters August, where on the two news anchors Oregan were shot on shooting was ‘did he suffer from television. According to CNN, the a mental illness?’ A survey from MySpace page says: “I have noticed mid-July from the Pew Research that so many people like him are all Center indicated that 80 per cent alone and unknown, yet when they of respondants backed the idea that spill a little blood, the whole world

there should be a law preventing the mentally ill from purchasing guns. However this conversation in itself is heavily misguided; while the gunmen involved in these shootings often suffer from mental illnesses, the cause itself is not mental illness, but rather the alarmingly relaxed laws that allow people to obtain guns easily.

It is counter-productive to claim that mentally ill people should be prevented from purchasing guns. Not everybody who suffers from mental illnesses will be officially diagnosed, and it also wouldn’t be able to prevent the current gun-owners, who may suffer from illnesses, continuing to own their own firearms. This conversation is diversionary, and only exists to shift the focus from the easy-access to guns to mental illness; if the former were fixed, the problem would be prevented.

School shootings have been happening now for not just decades, but centuries. However increasingly, the problem is that these shootings are becoming more violent, more damaging, and more frequent.

The US must stand up to these aggressors, and regulate gun control.

As Obama pointed out this week, “our thoughts and prayers are not enough. It’s not enough. It does not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel, and it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted someplace else in America, next week, or a couple of months from now.” It is time that the US takes action to prevent the innumerable and pointless deaths that are caused by gun violence, before another one of these tragedies happens. Diversionary tactics from conservative quarters cannot be tolerated anymore: the problem must

september 15th 2015

comment Who is watching the watchmen?

With large corporations looking for more and more of people’s private information, Billy Vaughan asks why are people so willing to hand over their personal details.

IN THE FICTIONAL novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell writes of an authoritarian society where surveillance is paramount. The telescreens on the wall see and hear everything, and nowhere is safe. The regime aims to nip any conspiracies in the bud before they become a problem. The main character, Winston, starts to waver in his loyalty to “Big Brother”.

The high-tech surveillance used in the novel was seen as complete fantasy when it was written. Little did they know that those same methods would be commonplace amongst democratic governments just six decades later. Even worse, our privacy is now under attack from several fronts, and the private individual seems to be losing the battle with government, big business, hackers, and themselves.

Thankfully, here in Ireland we don’t have any nationwide ranging intelligence agency to be afraid of. But unfortunately, in this day and age, that doesn’t mean we are isolated from the reach of the global surveillance industry. Just this year, Microsoft has been embroiled in an ongoing legal battle with the American government concerning Hotmail emails held on its Irish servers. The US is arguing that it can extract the emails of any Hotmail user at will from our jurisdiction.

“We would go crazy if China did this to us,” one of the Microsoft counsel was quoted as saying.

The sad truth is, the US can often be bolder and more assertive in facilitating its spy program, even if that means running roughshod over countries such as ours.

The scariest thing of all is that “Big Brother” isn’t just a government phenomenon anymore. Far from it.

The government has to do less and less work these days as sites such as Facebook and Google do their work

for them. Short of living a hermit life in the Himalayas, it is now impossible to escape from today’s online society.

Then, once online, it is impossible to stay under the radar. From the moment you visit your first site, your online profile is being built up, ripe for harvesting by corporations, governments, and hackers. An interesting feature available under “settings” on your Facebook page is the “download Facebook data” option.

““Even worse, our privacy is now under attack from several fronts, and the private individual seems to be losing the battle with government, big business, hackers and, themselves.”

Facebook is required to have this feature under EU law. If you select this, then Facebook will email you all of your personal information that they have on file. When you do this for your Facebook profile, you will be emailed a document containing personal data Facebook have on you, including photos, pages that you ‘liked’ (even if you later unlike them), events you have been at, locations you’ve been tracked to and every Facebook message you have ever sent.

The main method sites such as Facebook use to make money is by selling these huge reams of

information to marketing companies, who then target you with ads that you are likely to click on. In reality, the information we unwittingly provide is worth millions. Most new apps available require some form of location tracking as part of the features included.

A lot of the time, we are offered small treats for accepting these further intrusions. Snapchat now gives us location filters, but knows where we are as a consequence.

Don’t want to give that info up? Fine, be left behind. The new Apple iOS update now gives us the “Find Your Friends” option. It is this feature, above all, that heralds a new tactic of surveillance. In exchange for our acceptance of this status quo where we are all spied on, we are offered the ultimate prize: our own part in this technological world. Now we get to experience the thrill of tracking our friends, often without their knowledge at that point in time.

Several surveys show that the general public’s concern about privacy is decreasing. A Data Protection Public Awareness Survey, done in Ireland in 2013, showed that 49 per cent were concerned regarding privacy settings on social networking sites. This is compared to 61 per cent in 2008. This is the scariest aspect of the whole subject; that, increasingly, the biggest enemy to the protection of our data is ourselves.

Dazzled by the newest trinkets, many of us are eager to agree to the “legal bit” as quickly as possible in order to see if the latest update lives up to expectations. We marvel at how we can see what our friends are up to on a night out, or if they are in town at the moment. We think we are equals in the information age, but we only discover from others a fraction of what is extracted from us online.

The saddest part of Nineteen Eighty-Four are the final lines in the

novel. After months of brainwashing, he caves in. “He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.”

Have we, as a society, given in? The problem is, we have no choice but to comply. We aren’t just being watched by the government anymore. We’re being watched by the companies we must do business with, the sites

we communicate through, and the friends whom we communicate with.

To go against mass surveillance would be to surrender our modern way of life. We accept Big Brother in our lives, not because we love him; but because, with no alternative, we have to rely on him.

Islamophobia in Modern America After the recent controversial arrest of a young Muslim-American over his building of a clock, Gavin Treacy examines how this situation could arise in the first place ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, a 14 year-old boy named Ahmed Mohamed was arrested, interrogated, handcuffed, sent to a juvenile detention centre and fingerprinted, before being released without charge.

His offence? Bringing with him to school a homemade digital clock.

Ahmed, an extremely intelligent boy with a knack for building things, was excited to show his invention to his engineering teacher.

Instead of rewarding Ahmed for his creativity and ingenuity, the police were called on the grounds that the clock “looked like a bomb.”

It is obvious why Ahmed’s clock caused such a scare: it was built by a Sudanese-American boy called Ahmed Mohamed. Alarms were not raised because of what the clock looked like, but rather for what its inventor looked like.

Indeed, one police officer, when Ahmed was pointed out to them said “That’s who I thought it was”.

Ahmed’s case has thrown into sharp relief the insidious and sinister undercurrent of Islamophobia that runs through American society, from the media to academia. Ever since the events of September 11th 2001, American media outlets have tried to capitalise on the widespread fear and mistrust of Muslims by the general population. Fox News, the conservative, fear mongering Rupert Murdoch-owned “news” channel is at the forefront of this anti-Muslim crusade that is taking place in American media. By portraying Muslims as an external “other”, some sort of malefactor, they have succeeded in dehumanising them in the eyes of some Americans, to the point where the detention of a 14 year old boy has been defended by many pundits on the channel.

Indeed, this is not just a problem of the American right. HBO star Bill Maher, a dauphin of the left, has said that Muslims should be placed under higher scrutiny. From Fox News to Bill Maher to Republican

IN PHOTO: AHMED MOHAMMED

6 OCTOBER 6th 2015

American Sniper and movies like presidential candidate Ben Carson, it help to propagate a falsehood who has claimed that America should concerning Muslims. They create never have a Muslim as president, false dichotomies, anti-Islamic sentiment in which Muslims runs deep through “The ugly are either “with us American culture.

Muslims in STEM truth about or against us”, and up yet more (Science, Technology, these stories bolster Islamophobic rhetoric.

Engineering and The ugly truth Mathematics) fields are is that if about these stories highly misrepresented, Ahmed and is that if Ahmed and and due to the systematic Hisham were white, bias against them, Hisham they would not have can even feel they are were white, experienced the unwanted in these they would trouble they went areas. Take the case of through. Ahmed Hisham Bedri, another not have knew this because Sudanese-American, experienced he has been living and student at MIT. with this reality since He carried a pressure the trouble the day he started cooker across campus, they went school. In America, as he needed it to it appears that sterilise lab equipment. through.” schools and colleges In the ten minute walk only reward ingenuity and talent it took him to get to his dorm, three if it is coming from a white face. people had called the police, and his So what can be done to curb this apartment was searched. rampant anti-Muslim bigotry? Just Most notably however is the way as the problem is multi-faceted, in which Muslims are portrayed so too is the answer. What is in American films and television required above all is for the fair and shows, where the engrained bias responsible portrayal of Muslims is pervasive. This was evident in on our television screens and in our one of last year’s biggest movies, American Sniper. The protagonist, movie theatres. Film studios and Chris Kyle, mows down a total of news companies must stop using 225 Iraqis, caring little whether they the black and white narrative of were men, women or children. In Muslim ideology versus American his eyes, any Muslim constituted a freedoms, and look at the issues threat, and was fair game. He refers with more nuance. Above all, every to many of them as “ragheads”, one of us must make the conscious another attempt at dehumanisation. choice not to accept the narrative Many would argue that what is pushed by the mainstream media. portrayed in films is irrelevant – they Ahmed Mohamed was lucky. He are just fiction, aren’t they? However, was not charged, and has supporters, the world view these movies espouse ranging from his Twitter defenders reflects upon what movie goers wish who tweet #IStandWithAhmed, to to see, yet again capitalising on a President Barack Obama, who has deep undercurrent of anti-Muslim invited him to the White House. bigotry. Indeed after the movie was Some however, are not so lucky. released, the American-Arab AntiMuslim students all over America Discrimination Committee said there are discriminated against every day, had been a “significant rise in violent and we should not think that this hate rhetoric targeting the Arab and problem has disappeared just because Muslim-American communities”. things turned out well for Ahmed.

“Alarms were not raised because of what the clock looked like, but rather for what its inventor looked like.”

Gaeilge

Google Translate: Beannacht no Mallacht?

I saol an lá inniu, agus sa todhchaí romhainn, an mbeidh áit don áisteoireacht daonna?

Le Déonna McLaughlin SAN lá atá inniu ann bíonn an-chuid agus chuidíonn sé leis an méadú de daoine ag baint úsáid as suíomhanna leisciúlacht. Sea is féidir a rá nach mar Google Translate. Ach ar an bhfuil sé ró-olc í a úsáid ar son aistriú drochuair ní suíomh maith í google focal nó dhó. Ach dá chuirfinn abairt translate. I mo thuarim chruthaítear inti le aistriú ó Béarla go Gaeilge, leisciúlacht mar gheall ar suíomhannad’fheadfainn a bheith nócha faoin mar seo. Ní bhíonn daoine ag iarraidh gcead cinnte go mbeadh sí mícheart. tamaill a chaitheamh ar a gcuid Mar shampla, “Every week I visit my obair má tá suíomh ann a féidir é grandparents and they always give a dheanamh láithreach bonn. Ach me loads of food.”: “Gach seachtain má tá tú ag iarraidh rud a bheith mé cuairt ar mo sheantuismitheoirí déanta i gceart ba choir duit é a agus tá siad a thabhairt dom i deanamh tú féin agus gan brath ar gcónaí ualaí a eascraíonn de bia.” áiseanna mar google translate.

Cinnte is dea rud iad na háiseanna Is é Google Translate i seo ach dean cinnte go bhfuil tú ag bhfírinne ná suíomh a chuidíonn baint úsáid amach de na suíomhanna le drochghramadach, aistriúcháin cearta. Má tá tú ag iarraidh aistriú a atá mícheart go thoill is go iomlán dheanamh baint úsáid as teanglann.

ie nó focloir.ie, ná baint úsáid de scoil is breá áis í. Is féidir cumarsáid google translate nó babel. Ní féidir a dheanamh le daoine ó tiortha leo an gramadach a athrú agus mar eile nuair atá tú ar chuairt nó ar gheall ar sin ní bheadh do obair an idirlíon. Ní na suíomhanna seo cheart ar aon nós. Cuir níos mó olc go thoill is go hiomlán, tá siad ama isteach i do chuid oibre agus cabhrach. Ach chaithfear a bheith bheithinn thar a bheith cinnte go cúramach nuair a baintear úsáid astú. gheobhaidh tú marc a bhfad níos fear.

Tá mé lán cinnte nach ba choir liom seo a rá ach má tá tú chun google translate a úsáid , théigh tharais agus athrú an gramadach mícheart, bá sin rud a bhí ráite chugamsa ó mo Múinteora Fraincise nuair a bhí mé sa mheánscoil. Beidh cliste faoi agus ní beidh fadhb ar bith agat.

Muna bhfuil tú ag úsáid google translate ar son obair don choláiste nó

Radharc ón dTúr Uisce

An bhfuil tú tuirse agus banc-briste? Ná bígí buartha, tá cabhair ag teacht Le Síofra Ní Shluaghadháin

‘‘Ba mhaith liom an fhoirm sin a fháil as Gaeilge’’ Tugann Oisín Ó Cléirigh súil ar bhuntáistí agus deacaireachtaí atá ag Gaeilgeoirí i saol an nua-Éireann Le Oisín Ó Cléirigh

AGUS muid ag druidim le leathbhealaigh tríd an seimeastar, tá scéal tágtha chugainn ó leachtóirí na hollscoile go bhfuil a leithid de teacs leabhair agus éarraí léitheoireachta fós ag teastáil roimh cuid mhór mic léinn anseo san Ollscoil. Tá frustrachas orthu go bhfuil daoine fós ag teacht chuig ranganna agus gan aon léitheoireacht déanta acu.

“Tarlíonn sé seo achan bliain, dár ndóigh,” arsa duine inainmneacha linn, “ach tá muid anois i seachtain a cúig, nó a sé, agus níl pioc leabhair féicthe agam!”

Chuaigh muid ar siúlóid chun roinnt tuairimí a fháil. An dushláin is mó atá rompu, deir duine amháin lasmuigh den

leabharlann an tseachtain seo cháite, nó nach bhfuil an t-airgid ag éinne iad a cheannacht a thuilleadh.

“Níl pingin rua fágtha againn,” arsa mic léinn eile (nach raibh muid ag caint le, ach a chuala ar n-ábhar cainte cibé ar bith), “Bhí rogha againn i seachtain na bhFreasúir idir leabhair agus cúpla búidéal beora. Níorbh fhéidir gan dul amach, an dtuigeann tú?”

Tuiginn muid uilig, cinnte. Agus, ar an abhár sin, chuaigh muid chun freagraí a fháil! Ar an déa-huaire, dóibh siúd go léir ar an campas seo, tá deá scéala againn! Tá fógra tar eis teacht chugainn ón siopa leabhair. Deir foireann an tsiopa go mbeidh plean íocaíochta ar fáil anois d’aon mhic léinn a cheannaíonn leabhair ar campas.

Maireann na pleain seo idir deich agus cúig bliana deag, ag ráta uais réasúnta (d’ár leo cibé ar bith).

Chun pairt a glacadh sa scéim seo, níl ort ach turas gairid a glacadh chuig siopa leabhair an campas, in aice na leabharlainne! Ansin, cabhaireoidh an foireann leat leath de do chuid tuarastal a chailleadh go dtí go bhfuil tú daichead bliana d’aois. Má tá an t-adh leat.

Is maith a déa-scéala sin a fháil, agus ní hé sin a t-aon scéal atá againn don eagrán seo. I nuacht eile, tá athás ar an leabharlann fógrú go bhfuil cóip eile don teacs leabhar sin ceannaithe acu. Tá a fhios agat an ceann. An ceann a bhí ag teastáil ó gach duine sa chéad bhliain.

Bhuel, anois tá DHÁ coip acu le tabhairt amach. Mar is gnáth, tá siad ar iasacht fad-tearmach, thuas staighre i leabharlann James Joyce. Beidh ceiliuradh oifigiúl an Mháirt seo chugainn, ag a deich a clog ar maidin, roimh a cuirtear an cóip nua ar na seilfeanna.

Tá súil againn nach gortaítear éinne!

TÁ cuid mhór dúshláin agus deachrachtaí rompu siúd a bhfuil ag úsáid nó a bhfuil ag iarraidh an Ghaeilge a úsáid mar teanga laethúil. Cuireann an stát go leor seirbhísí ar fháil tríd an Ghaeilge, cosúil leis Oifig an Phoist. Ach de ghnáth ní bhíonn ionad speisialta ann don Ghaeilge. Chaithaítear ceist a chuir nuair a faigheann tú chuig an cuntair bíonn ort ceist a chuir chun an tseirbhís seo a fháil trí meán na Gaeilge. Cuirtear am amú ag lorg duine don seirbhís seo agus cuid den am ní bhíonn duine ar fáil. Agus má tá mar an chéanna liomsa agus níor mhaith leat am daoine eile a chur amú tá sé fusa do gach duine ma ndeántar é thrí Béarla, cé go bhfuil sé do chearta é a fháil mar Gaeilgeoir.

Ach, ag an am chéanna fosta, tá buntaistí ann do Ghaeilgeoirí in Éirinn sa lá atá inniu ann. Le deanaí, d’aithrigh mé m’ainm oifigiúil go dtí an leagan Gaeilge.

Anois ar mo cárta mac léinn tá an leagan Gaeilge do m’ainm le féicéail ann. Thig liom é a úsáid ar foirmeacha stáit, carta aitheantais, nó in aon áit eile atá m’ainm de dhíth, má tá mé ag iarraidh. An rud is fearr faoi seo nó ní raibh orm aon foirm a shíneadh chun é athrú mar go n-aithnítear nuair a rugadh tú go bhfuil dhá ainm agat: do ainm i mBéarla agus do ainm i nGaeilge. Ar an drochuair, is pian sa tóin

ceart é an ainm Gaeilge a litriú arís agus arís eile ar an ghúthan nuair atá gnó agat. Fosta bíonn sé deacair ar do cairde nua tú a cuardaigh ar Facebook mar nach bhfuil siad in ann do ainm a litriú.

Ar go leor dóigheanna tá cuid mhóir dúshláin ag Gaeilgeoirí in Éirinn inniu, ach tá rudaí ag amharc go maith dúinn fosta.

Chonaic muid cúpla seachtain ó shin aire ag labhairt sa Ghaeilge os comhair an Dáil. Fosta an méid daoine a bhí ar mire nuair a rinne an Taoiseach an cinneadh chun an Ghaeilge a athrú go stadas mar ábhar roghnach. Cuir an méid daoine in éadan sin go cuireadh stop leis. Is teanga oifigiúil í fosta san Aontas Eorpach agus ciallaíonn sé sin trí rud. Thig le duine ar bith Gaeilge a chuir síos mar an dara teanga agus go n-áithrítear foirmeacha an Aontas Eorpach isteach go Gaeilge. Is mac léinn atá ionam ag déanamh BA sa stair. Tá seans agam poist a fháil ag aistriú Béarla go dtí Gaeilge san Aontas Eorpach. Tá buntaistí ann do siúd ag úsáid an Ghaeilge mar teanga laethúil.

Géarchéim na dTeangacha in Ollscoil Uladh Is scéal casta é stair an teanga Gaelach i dTuaisceart Éirinn - an scéal nua é seo, nó céim eile at bóthar fada?

Le Stiofán Ó hIfearnáin Tuairiscíodh le déanaí go mbeidh tábhachtaí ná sin, b’fhéidir, ab ea dtiocfaidh sraoillín de dhóchas chun deireadh ag teacht leis an gcéim an fhíric go raibh 100% des na mic solais: chuir Conradh na Gaeilge BA sa Ghaeilge ar champas Bhéal léinn sásta le caighdeán an chúrsa. achainí ar líne le gairid chun a Feirste de chuid Ollscoil Uladh, agus D’éinne a bhfuil cur amach acu ar mhíshástacht leis an gcinneadh a as seo amach go gcuirfear an chéim stair an oileáin seo sa 20ú aois, beidh chur in iúl d’údaráis na hollscoile. úd ar fáil ar a gcampas i nDoire sé ar eolas acu gur ghin bunú Ollscoil Tá tacaíocht pholaitiúil ag teacht amháin. Ní hamháin sin, ámh, ach Uladh an-chonspóid ar fad ag tús na freisin i bhfoirm Shinn Féin, agus de go mbeidh deireadh ag teacht leis na 70idí, go háirint os rud é nár lonnadh réir a bhfuil ráite acu níl an chuma céimeanna i dteangacha iasachta ar an príomhchampas i g Cathair Doire, ar an scéal go ligfidís le húdaráis na nós na Gearmáinise agus na Sinéise, áit ina raibh Coláiste Mhig Aoidh ann hollscoile an bua a bheith acu gan rud a chiallaíonn nach mbeidh an cheana féin, ach i gcroílár dúiche coimhlint agus troid de shagas éigin dá theanga sin le fáil in insititiúd na n-aontachtaithe i gCúil Rathain. idir an dá linn. Ach cad is féidir triú leibhéal ar bith sa Tuaisceart B’fhéidir gurb é sin an fáth nár leo a dheineamh i ndáiríre? Tá sé – dúnadh Roinn na Gearmáinise tháinig rath ceart ar an ollscoil ar eolas ag gach aoinne go bhfuil in Ollscoil na Banríona i mBéal ariamh, go háirithe nuair a deineadh córas ollscoile na Ríochta Aontaithe Feirste cúpla bliain ó shoin os rud an cinneadh campais beaga bídeacha ag titim as a chéile mar thoradh ar é nach raibh líon na mac léinn ard éagsúla a scaipeadh amach ar easpa infheistíochta agus nach bhfuil go leor chun leanúint ar aghaidh fud na Sé Chontae. Ní áit ró-mhór an dara rogha acu ach postanna a leis an gcúrsa ar bhonn réasúnta. í Tuaisceart Éireann, agus dá ghearradh aon áit a fheiceann siad Mar adeir go mbeadh sé sodheinte é sin a Helen Finch, Bleá ”B’fhéidir go bhféadfadh chur i bhfeidhm gan mórán agóide Cliathach atá ina le duine a rá go raibh an ón bpobal. Sa chás airithe seo, Ollamh Comhlach feictear dom gur phiocadar iomarca infheistíochta ámh, le Gearmáinis in an áit mhícheart – tá taithí fada Ollscoil Leeds ag pobal an Tuaiscirt maidir le i gcúrsaí nach raibh anois ach a chaith conas is féidir a míshástacht a chur seal mar léachtóir oiriúnach don sórt in iúl dóibh siúd i Westminster. in Ollscoil Uladh An éireoidh leo an chéim a oideachais a bhí de ag tús a gairme, shábháil ó phinn na gcuntasóirí? dhíth ag muinntir na ní raibh sí siúd Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir! háite, Mickey Mouse lánchinnte conas ar éirigh courses más mian leat.” leo an cúrsa sa Ghearmáinis a chur ar an bhfód, cé bhrí sin b’fhéidir go bhféadfadh go n-adhmaíonn sí gur ‘mór an trua le duine a rá go raibh an iomarca é’ nach leanfar ar aghaidh leis an infheistíochta i gcúrsaí nach raibh gcúrsa as seo amach. Dar le húdar an oiriúnach don sórt oideachais a bhí phíosa seo tá seans réasúnta láidir de dhíth ag muinntir na háite, Mickey ann gurb é sin an chúis gur ghlac Mouse courses más mian leat.

Pól O Dochartaigh, iar-léachtóir le Mar a chloistear chuile lá na Gearmáinis in Ollscoil Uladh, le laethanta seo, tá an sruithléann i post úr i gColáiste na hOllscoile i lár géarchéime in ollscoileanna an nGaillimh anuraidh: b’fhéidir gur domhain fé láthair. Constaic mhór aithin sé cad go díreach a raibh i is ea í nach mbeidh ollscoil mhór ndán dó dá bhfanfadh sé ach níl i cosúil le hOllscoil Uladh in ann sin ach machnamh ar mo pháirtse. réimse leathan d’abháir staidéir Ní mar sin a bhí i gcás na céime a chur ar fáil a thuilleadh, go Gaeilge ar Champas Bhéal Feirste háirithe nuair a bhí an chuma ar – a mhalairt iomlán a bhí i gceist de an scéal go raibh an cúrsa ag dul réir na scéalta oifigiúla, agus níos ó neart go neart, ach b’fhéidir go

september 15th 2015

features

Evaluating JobBridge: Time for change?

As the JobBridge internship scheme continues to operate in Ireland, Patrick Kelleher looks at how effective it has been in reducing unemployment

Photo: eNDA KENNY ANSWERING QUESTIONs ON JOBBRIDGE

THE JOBBRIDGE scheme has been operating in Ireland since 2011, and was introduced by the Department of Social Protection as a response to rising unemployment and economic recession. Interns who operate on the scheme receive social welfare payments, and also receive a 50 euro bonus each week.

The JobBridge scheme remains in place today, despite an improved economy. Unemployment is down to 9.5 per cent, and the economy has largely recovered from what was the worst economic crisis seen in years. Despite this, there are currently over 4,600 participants on the JobBridge programme.

Mary Murphy, a sociology lecturer in NUI Maynooth, was involved in the compilation of a report for IMPACT, a public services trade union. The report, entitled ‘JobBridge – Time to start again?’, is “a proposal to reframe, restrict and resize Irish Internship Policy”.

Murphy says that IMPACT were prompted to write the report when they discovered that there were positions being advertised on the scheme for special needs assistants.

“They saw it as a direct displacement of real jobs, so to them it was that JobBridge was being used to displace actual jobs in the economy, which there was an agreement that it shouldn’t do,” she explains.

For Murphy, one of the main issues was the lack of regulation of JobBridge positions. “There’s a chart in the report that analyses

the kind of regulations that exist in different countries, and Ireland comes out fairly poor in relation to regulation, on a number of variables of regulation,” Murphy explains.

“So say for example, the absence of regulation in health and safety and occupational injury regulation for people who are on JobBridge placements, so if they had an accident in those places, for example, it would be very unclear as to whether they would be covered under any kind of social insurance – well it’s not totally unclear, in my view they wouldn’t be.”

However the greatest issue is the displacement of actual jobs, which Murphy believes the scheme is responsible for. This is especially true for young people and recent graduates. “It’s primarily geared towards addressing the lack of work experience that young people have when they’re trying to access employment for the first time… So it’s primarily therefore targeted at people whose primary barrier to work is lack of work experience. If it’s actually displacing the kind of jobs that people would often get as a first entry job, or a stepping stone type job, then it’s actually more damaging to young people, because it’s taking away from the possibility that those jobs would actually exist in the first instance.”

Murphy says that the IMPACT report isn’t arguing for the removal of the work placement scheme, and acknowledges that “sometimes the absence of work experience might well be a barrier to employment

for some people”. What they are arguing for is tighter control of an internship programme.

“We’re saying scale it down, scale it back, have it maybe as a program where somebody has an explicit need whereby they are not likely to get a job unless they have some form of work experience… Because most graduates, if there’s jobs there, they’ll get the job without having gone through a JobBridge program.”

Despite Murphy’s criticisms of the scheme, Declan Clear, who up until last week worked on a JobBridge internship in the Classics department in UCD, was favourable of both his employers and the scheme itself. Having worked in the Classics department for five months on a JobBridge scheme, Clear, who is educated to master’s level, says that the scheme gave him the work experience he needed that helped him gain a full time job in a London university. He says that he doesn’t know if there would have been an offer of a full time job in UCD at the end of the scheme.

“While I was on the JobBridge I was applying for other university jobs in Ireland, and I was having limited success,” Clear explains.

“To be honest there were limited “I can’t imagine someone surviving jobs available, the availability in on JobBridge, they’d have to be on Ireland is very poor. So I kind rent supplement on top of that then, of shifted my focus towards the otherwise there’s not a chance.”

UK. I don’t know, to tell you the The University Observer can reveal that there were 16 interns working truth, I don’t know if I would have on the JobBridge programme in been offered something. If I was I UCD as of 23rd September 2015, would have been happy to take it.” information that was obtained under While Clear speaks very highly the Freedom of Information Act. of both the School of Classics and These interns are placed across 11 the University, he says that it is a Schools/Units within the University. challenge to get by on the wages.

This information also revealed “I think one of the toughest things that since 1st January 2014, UCD about it is they give you fifty euro has taken on ten interns as full extra… and realistically that extra members of staff at the end of their money you get is burned on if you’re schemes. While UCD has a good travelling to work. So for me, I spent record with taking on interns as staff, 5.60 a day on transport in and out this is not true of every employer. of work, so after a week that’s 30 Since the scheme’s inception in euro pretty much gone. So I suppose 2011, there has been substantial when you’re working in an office material published criticising the setting, it can be kind of harder scheme, and there has been much when you’re on the JobBridge to do discussion around perceived abuses. things that your fellow workers are In a statement released to doing, or have the same resources.” the University Observer by the Clear lived at home while working Department of Social Protection, under the JobBridge scheme in they reiterate that the scheme was UCD, and notes the difficulties introduced as an extraordinary associated with the cost of living in measure in 2011. They say that it Dublin. He says that surviving on was “an extraordinary and temporary the money offered by a JobBridge response to the unprecedented scheme for those who have to rent accommodation would be a challenge. collapse in the economy.”

In their statement, they acknowledge the changed economic circumstances, stating: “The Department is eager… to review the scheme to take account of the changed economic circumstances and operational experience. The aim of the review [is] to assess the suitability, relevance and effectiveness of the JobBridge internship programme to date.”

What is clear from both Murphy and Clear is that, while the JobBridge scheme has its benefits, it has become an outdated system and needs reform. It was introduced to alleviate the burden on unemployed people during the economic recession.

However, as the economy continues to improve, it is time for the introduction of a new internship scheme that will pay its interns appropriately, as well as offer opportunities for unemployed people to reskill. There needs to be tighter regulation that will ensure that internships are not undercutting the economy by displacing jobs.

Through this, interns will be equipped to better themselves and gain valuable, full-time employment.

“They saw it as a direct displacement of real jobs, so to them it was that JobBridge was being used to displace actual jobs in the economy, which there was an agreement that it shouldn’t do.”

Ireland’s LGBT journey After the passing of Marriage Equality and the Gender Recognition Act, Michael O’ Sullivan looks at the current state of LGBT rights in Ireland

2015 was a historic year for LGBT rights in Ireland. The Marriage Equality Referendum in May represented a cultural phenomenon the likes of which hasn’t been seen before by the generation of students currently inhabiting UCD. The Ireland that emerged from the referendum was seen internationally as a beacon of acceptance and equality.

The rise of LGBT rights in Ireland has been extraordinary. It was only in 1993 that homosexual acts were decriminalised here and not until 1998 that equality legislation was passed.

Kieran Rose, chairperson of the Irish gay rights group GLEN, has seen this journey from start to finish. “When GLEN was set up in 1988 there was a widespread belief that Ireland was irredeemably reactionary on socio-sexual issues, and there was a lot of evidence for this in terms of limited access to contraception, no divorce, no access to abortions, and the fact that gay men were still criminalised.”

The Irish Referendum result had implications beyond just the island itself. Marriage equality groups internationally renewed their campaigns using Ireland as an example. Australia and the United States in particular saw a massive resurgence in their respective marriage equality movements. The United States have since approved marriage equality and the issue has become a major point of contention in Australian politics. Tony Abbott’s attempts to deflect the issue only inflamed his opposition and he has since been ousted as Prime Minister.

The forward march of LGBT rights in Ireland didn’t just stop at marriage equality however. Another piece of 8 OCTOBER 6th 2015

legislation, the Gender Recognition Act, was passed in early September of this year. This act is, arguably, even more progressive than marriage equality, but received far less media and global attention. The Act allows transgender persons over the age of 18 to have their birth certificate altered to reflect their gender identity, legally recognising this change.

Transgender people are typically underrepresented and being transgender is still seen as being something of a taboo subject. The recent, very public transition of Caitlyn Jenner from male to female helped to highlight the plight of transgender people internationally, but much still needs to be done.

The Gender Recognition Act is Ireland’s first step towards affecting major change and acceptance.

The University Observer spoke to UCD student and Transgender Rights Activist Sam Blanckensee about the Act, what it means to him and to all Transgender people in general.

“As a young queer trans person in Ireland, it’s such a relief to be recognised as deserving of the same rights and respect as everyone else. For me it’s exciting to be able to start to have more in-depth and nuanced discussions about what our next step is.”

The Act allows for transgender people to have their identity fully and completely recognised by the State. This was an incredible step forward. Marriage equality was the extension of a right to a group of people. The Gender Recognition Act goes further than this. It is not extending a right; rather, it is recognising a person for who they are.

For many in the transgender community, this was even more important than marriage equality,

a fact Blanckensee was keen to “shall not be taken to discriminate point out: “The Gender Recognition against a person” if “it takes action act makes me real. It means that which is reasonably necessary to legally and in the eyes of the prevent an employee or prospective state my identity is valid. I’m not employee from undermining the making it up, I’m not pretending. religious ethos of the institution”.

This is so important. This is as or This is a major issue in Ireland as more important than the ability many schools and hospitals are run to get married, this is the state by the Catholic Church, meaning recognising my basic identity.” many LGBT teachers and hospital As progressive as Ireland has employees find it hard to come become, for the LGBT community, out publicly for fear of losing their there is still much to be done. Many jobs. Teachers are often seen as within the LGBT rights movement role models, and so their inability feel that the momentum achieved in to be completely open with their 2015 needs to be kept up as there students could be depriving young are other issues that need to be people of figures of influence to tackled. Both Rose and Blanckensee help them come to terms with had thoughts on this area. sexuality and gender identity, “Schools and colleges and the whether they themselves come workplace are two critical areas under the LGBT umbrella or not. where we must make far more Though teachers may be the progress, to make sure that this new obvious choice, Rose pointed out Constitutional equality is a reality in that role models are important in all

“The forward march of LGBT rights in Ireland didn’t just stop at marriage equality however.

Another piece of legislation, the Gender Recognition Act, was passed in early September of this year.” peoples’ everyday lives,” says Rose. aspects of life to help normalise the On the subject of Rose’s concerns, idea of being LGBT: “I think young Section 37.1 of the Employment people do benefit from role models, Equality Act currently states that and ‘out’ teachers can be great role a religious institution, or a place of models, but so can family members work that promotes religious values, or prominent people in any area

of life such as local communities, sports, politics, media and so on.”

Blanckensee’s major concerns focussed on another area where further legislation is needed: “I believe Irish [law] needs to also recognise non-binary and under 18 Trans individuals and intersex individuals explicitly. This is a flaw in the current legislation that needs to be fixed during the review process.”

“We also need a more robust nondiscrimination policy that states that gender identity and gender expression are protected. We need trans young people to have basic rights in schools to respect for their identities.”

These are but a few of the many issues still facing LGBT people in Ireland today. As far as we have come in this past year, complacency is still a danger. If Ireland is to become a nation of true equality, then more work has to be done to ensure that all are catered for in the eyes of Irish law.

It is however, important to celebrate the victories thus far. As Kieran Rose put it: “I think the LGBT community and the people of Ireland have been on a tremendous journey from gay law reform in 1993, equality legislation in 1998, marriage-like Civil Partnerships in 2010, and now Civil Marriage and full Constitutional equality.”

Ireland’s Gambling Culture

features

A habit that is quite common, but rarely discussed; Billy Vaughan examines Ireland’s gambling culture

ILLUSTRAION: JOANNA O’MALLEY

THERE IS A DISEASE in Ireland that affects just over one per cent of the population. It is a dormant disease, and many don’t realise they have it until after childhood. It costs millions each year in treatment and lost revenue. According to the Institute of Public Health in Ireland, it affects young people at 2-3 times the rate of adults. This disease is called compulsive gambling.

Gambling is a widespread issue in Ireland. Over €5 billion a year is gambled in Ireland, which equals to €10,000 per minute. Almost 44 per cent of the adult population bought a lottery ticket regularly in

2010; 12 per cent of Irish adults bet with a bookmaker weekly and 2 per cent bet regularly online.

A question that is often asked is where the starting point of this addiction lies. If we are not all addicts from the moment we place our first bet, how do we pinpoint when a gambling problem begins?

Where does the dividing line lie?

“Well most people would have a bet on occasion, for most it’s just fun.

It’s when you start losing control; when you go over the amount you’ve set aside, that’s when it becomes a problem,” says Daniel, who works at Gamblers Anonymous. Daniel

chose not to disclose his full name have shown that compared with as part of Gamblers Anonymous adults, adolescents have been found policy. “For people with this problem, to have high rates of problems with

explains. Neuroscientists have suggested that young people are attracted to gambling because they are going through a time of high levels of risk-taking, novelty seeking, and impulsivity and this is said to feed into the urge.

Often, compulsive gambling goes unnoticed. We frequently hear about big wins, but rarely about the losses. And losses tend to significantly outweigh any gains, especially in people who have a gambling problem, because they often bet on random sports that they have no knowledge of or interest in.

Gamblers Anonymous help sufferers of compulsive gambling to overcome their addiction with the help of meetings, support groups and various techniques including cognitive behavioural therapy. Even when a sufferer overcomes their addiction, they can often be saddled with crippling debts for years to come.

Ireland’s culture is one that is very conducive to gambling. Far from discouraging the practice, a large part of the Irish government’s health funding used to come from the Irish Hospital Sweepstakes, a lottery set up by an Irish bookmaker in 1930. Paddy Power, an Irish company, is a household name and one of the world’s largest bookmakers.

It is also a common misconception that gambling is a working class pursuit, says Daniel. “We would see people of all socio-economic types with problems, people who’ve spent their welfare for the week to pay for bets but also people who have stolen thousands from their businesses to fund it.”

Gamble Aware is an industry funded organisation committed to educating people and creating awareness about problem gambling.

Every major bookmaker in Ireland has their gambling addiction policy displayed on their website.

But is there a certain cynicism here? On Paddy Power’s page, they have the sentence: “When the fun stops, stop.” A welcome statement, but the biggest and brightest word on the page is “fun”.

Many other countries have

“Ever since gambling started moving online, we’ve seen a parallel increase in young people using our services” winning is a huge thrill. It’s a drug to them. They’ll just keep going until they win again, no matter what the losses in the meantime.”

Compulsive gambling can take hold gradually, often so that the sufferer doesn’t even notice. Studies

pathological gambling. “We would definitely see more young people coming to us these days,” says Daniel.

“Ever since gambling started moving online, we’ve seen a parallel increase in young people using our services,” Daniel

employed novel ideas to varying degrees of success. Norway, for instance, has a system where every gambler in the country has a card they must scan when gambling. This way, their activity can be tracked, even if they move between several different casinos and bookmakers.

The cards contain a mandatory spending limit and makes risk assessments based on your activity.

Other places, such as South Carolina, have simply outlawed all gambling and driven the industry underground.

There are a wide range of supports available here to people with gambling issues. These usually take the form of counselling and support groups. But getting people to come forward can often be more difficult than people with drink or drug problems.

It’s easy to tell if someone’s been drinking, but you can’t tell if someone’s gambled away thousands of euro that day. It’s easier for them to cover their tracks. Unfortunately the sufferer is often the last person to come forward; usually therapy centres are contacted by family members or friends. Perhaps this explains why less than one per cent of those who have a gambling problem receive help.

Clare O’Connor, the Students’ Union Welfare Officer, is making an effort this year to publicise the problem, and is working with Gamble Aware on a nationwide campaign. She is also working with Carl Fulton, a UCD academic who has done a vast amount of research on the topic. “I’ve seen the detrimental effects it can have, and often students don’t realise it’s a problem until it’s too late,” she said.

Problem gambling is an issue that is not going away. But as we have seen in recent years with mental health, some publicity and awareness can go a long way towards helping to combat it.

If you or anyone you know if affected by a gambling problem, please contact the National Gambling Helpline on 1800-753-753, Gamblers Anonymous on 01-872-1133 or the Rutland Centre on 01-494-6358. *The opinion of members of Gamblers Anonymous reflect their own personal opinion, and not that of the organisation.

The Price of Cheap Alcohol Mieke O’Brien examines the increasingly fraught student relationship with alcohol SOME STUDENTS may argue that a cheap night out and the next day’s recovery is an experience integral to the college experience. It certainly appears inevitable to have attended UCD without having also gained knowledge of the specific alcoholic drink specials offered by certain venues in Dublin. Cheap alcohol promotions may seem innocent enough, but there are serious risks attached to the consumption of these discounted drinks.

According to Alcohol Action Ireland, the national charity for alcohol-related issues, “the average Irish person aged over 15 drank 11 litres of pure alcohol” in 2014, a slight increase from the previous 10.73 litres in 2013. An even more alarming observation presented by Alcohol Action Ireland is that 54 per cent of 18-75 year old drinkers could be classified as harmful drinkers.

This constitutes an overwhelming number of people in Ireland (1.35 million) as harmful drinkers.

44 per cent of drinkers acknowledge that they partake in binge drinking on a regular basis.

According to Alcohol Action Ireland, “Irish adults binge drink more than adults in any other European country.” They also report that the “highest proportion of binge drinkers is in the 18-29 age group.”

Donal Kiernan is a student

afternoon, Kiernan provides support to approximately 35 to 40 students who are “dealing with problems with alcohol”.

According to Kiernan, the link between problematic drinking and being in college is a strong one.

He explains that an unhealthy relationship with alcohol is usually only established when the student starts college. In order to combat alcohol abuse, the social significance of alcohol has to be considered.

“Often it is peer pull rather than peer pressure which compels young people to engage in drinking,” Kiernan says. “Peer pull is when your friends, who themselves may be drinking are telling you not to drink, but you want to in order to feel included, part of the group – peer pressure is being pushed against your free will into engaging in this activity. You surrender your personal freedom and identity for the myth of belonging.”

Kiernan emphasises that this need not necessarily be an issue.

“It is important to state that for many people drinking alcohol is not a problem, it is a social lubricant and this group do not feel the need to continuously drink.

They can take it or leave it.”

While some students may not see the harm in discounted drinks at student events, for others the

affecting physical and mental health.

Furthermore, consuming alcohol may also have a profoundly negative effect on a young person because, as Kiernan puts it: “The pathway to addiction is progressive and as tolerance rises one needs a greater quantity to get the same effect.”

Kiernan states that in order to support “those who cannot stop after one drink despite their best intentions… [the] reduced cost selling of alcohol needs to be totally outlawed as it is a dangerous commodity...”

It is not only the discount on the drink itself which promotes the consumption of alcohol. Certain students experience the “peer pull” to consume alcohol because it is this consumption that is praised and encouraged by fellow students.

For instance, one of UCD’s largest student societies, the Literary and Historical Society (L&H), has detailed on their membership card a total of fifteen discounts for different establishments. Five of these are nightclubs. Dramsoc, another large student society, offers discounts ranging from bookstores to nightclubs. These discounts demonstrate a response to that which is requested by their members, who demand that both academic and non-academic activities are subsidised. The cards therefore accommodate all components of

“The pathway to addiction is progressive and as tolerance rises one needs a greater quantity to get the same effect.” focused alcohol awareness counsellor employed on a contractual basis

by UCD. According to Kiernan, the “national relationship with alcohol...is reflected in the student population as a whole”.

Located in the Student Health Centre on the UCD campus, and available for counselling all day Thursday and Friday

close relationship between alcohol and the college experience may be troublesome. Kiernan notes that alcohol can indeed serve as a mere “social lubricant”, but there is danger within this too. Drinking alcohol for the sake of being sociable may achieve the exact opposite.

Kiernan emphsises that alcohol is a depressant drug, capable of severely

the students’ college experience.

According to the events and entertainment manager of UCD Students’ Union, Paul Kilgallon, UCD Ents “is essentially the entertainment department of the Students’ Union”.

Kilgallan is supportive of what he considers a shift that has already occurred on the UCD campus; a new “focus on mental and physical health”

photo: JAMES HEALY

is “the trend amongst students at the moment, and we are reacting by providing… more and more, non-alcoholic entertainment.”

The success of the Mind, Body, and Soul festival organised by the Students’ Union demonstrates their wish to “cater to as many students as we can,” says Kilgallon.

“We had at no time… less than two hundred people in the quad… an incredibly successful event, something we are very proud of, and it just shows that alcohol isn’t required to have an enjoyable time.”

The question of whether a

student’s decision to abstain from alcohol is made more difficult by student specific marketing remains.

According to Jonny Cosgrove from the venue Dicey’s, the discounted alcoholic drinks on offer on a Monday night do not directly encourage those attending the venue to drink. In fact, Cosgrove notes that despite the slight increase in prices of alcoholic beverages this past summer, they “have been busier than the previous September”.

While many societies promote alcohol in some way or use it at their events, Jonathon Byrne, the Station

Manager for Belfield FM notes: “Lots of societies hand out wristbands with concessions to nightclubs. Other societies advertise ‘Free Grape Based alcohol products’ at their events.

As societies we are not promoting the consumption of alcohol, as we are not ridding the student of their right to choose what they drink”.

However, while societies see no harm in drinking, Donal Kiernan points out: “Individual societies within the college may well at times be sponsored by a particular brand or establishment, but as I said, there is no free drink; there is always a price.” september 15th 2015

features

The Refugee Crisis: a personal experience Coverage of the European refugee crisis has focused mostly on facts and figures. Gráinne Loughran talks to Ayman Belli about his personal experience as a Syrian refugee ROUGHLY HALF a million people so far this year have boarded dinghies and small boats to attempt to make the dangerous crossing over the Mediterranean Sea to the safety of Europe.

The majority of these come from Syria, Eritrea and Afghanistan, but many more come from further afield. The Syrian Civil War has been ongoing since 2011, and has displaced more than four million people. One of these people is 25 year old Ayman Belli, who shared his story with the University Observer.

Ayman’s family are currently scattered around the world in whichever countries they could reach safely. His brother was one of the 500,000 who have travelled across the Mediterranean. “I’m in Ireland, my brother is now in France, one of the girls is with my father and my mother in Lebanon, and the other one is still in Aleppo.

This is the only one [still in Syria], she has also her family with four children and her husband. They couldn’t get out until now because all around them are the government army,” he says.

Ayman was living a normal life until the start of the Syrian war, studying banking and financial science and working as an accountant in the capital city of Aleppo. When the war began, he spoke out about the injustices that he saw and was arrested three times as a result. He narrowly escaped Syria with his life. “When the revolution started, I can’t sit down. It’s not my business. So I had to do something. And when I do something, I was bringing videos from all around Syria, and showing them to the normal people who don’t see anything, because in Syria, most of the people are watching the government media, so they will not know anything that’s happening exactly. So I was working at this, and then the government said, “you are a danger”. I was arrested three times in Syria. The last one I got out by accident, by chance you can say.

Because in our country, the third one is the last one. So after I found myself outside, I had to run away to Lebanon.

I can’t stay in Syria, if I stay I will be killed by the government directly.”

The current situation in Aleppo is incredibly dangerous, according to

Ayman. “On every street in Syria, there’s a danger from everyone, from the rebels, from the government, from ISIS – you can’t know anytime when there’s a bomb coming to you and you don’t know where it’s coming from.” After he escaped Syria and went into hiding in Lebanon, a friend in Aleppo sent him a photo of the charred remains of his house. “The picture my friend sent to me from my home, it was black. Everything is burned, in my home. Because the government came to my house after I ran away and they burned it.

They didn’t find me there, so they decided I didn’t have to come back.”

Ayman was resettled in Ireland a year ago by the UNHCR with his wife and son. The couple has since had another daughter, and Ayman is visibly proud and delighted with his family and the life they now have in Ireland. “Here I have my wife, my son, who came with me, and my daughter here in Ireland.

She was born here in Ireland, in the Rotunda Hospital. She is just two months old. I called her Aleen, nearly an Irish-Syrian name!”

It has taken some time for Europe to recognise the ongoing crisis and come up with a cohesive plan to deal with the number of people fleeing their home countries. Jody Clarke, External Relations Associate for the UNHCR, says “It’s only now that European member states have come together to acknowledge what’s actually happening, but for a number of years we’ve been trying to tell EU member states and the rest of the world as well that they need to find more sustainable, durable solutions for people who’ve fled the conflict…I think Europe has come a little bit late to the party in terms of responding to that. There’s been a feeling in the past that this is happening somewhere else, it’s happening here now. But I think it’s important to say that what’s happening in Europe is only symptomatic of what’s happening in the rest of the world, where we see increasing numbers of people being forced out of their homes

A Syrian refugee holds a baby WHILE DISEMBARKING A RAFT photo: IMPACT.IE

because of war conflict and so on.”

Ayman and his family have settled in well to Ireland, but Ireland has given a distinctly lukewarm response to the idea of welcoming further refugees to the country. Ireland has agreed to take in 3,500 refugees, but this is a tiny portion of the 160,000 that the EU plans to relocate from Greece and Italy. Lebanon has taken in four times as many refugees as the entire EU, which should say something about our willingness to share what we have. “It’s quite possible that some peoples’ hesitancy comes from a fear of peoples’ ability to integrate, because they speak a different language, they have a different religion to most of the people who live here,

but I don’t accept that,” says Clarke.

“When Irish emigrants went to the United States in the 1840s and 1850s in such huge numbers there was massive backlash in the US public against these people, and the main reason was that they were Catholics…

And what they thought was that these people would have more loyalty to the Vatican than they ever would have to Uncle Sam and their new country.

But I don’t think there’s anybody today that would claim that John F Kennedy or Joe Biden is any less American than someone else. So I don’t accept that because people are of a different background that they can’t integrate.”

It’s difficult to look at Ayman and his family and come to the conclu-

“I can’t stay in Syria, if I stay I will be killed by the government directly.”

sion that they haven’t been able to integrate into Irish society. Ayman is currently studying English, and he and his wife plan for the future and the safety of their family. “She hopes to study a master’s after the children have grown up a little bit.

We plan to complete our normal lives, to complete studies, to find a job, and that’s that. And the most important thing, to find our families in a safe place. My wife, she has her father and her mother still in Syria until now, in Aleppo, and they are in danger at any time, and they are old people… So we hope to bring them here so they will be safe.” A safe haven is all that the refugees fleeing from their home countries want; one can only hope that Ireland and Europe will continue to provide it.

A Modern State with Musty Voting Laws Ireland has used the same voting regulations since the founding of the Free State. Ciara Fitzgerald looks at what could be done to bring our democracy into the 21st century

IRELAND is a democracy which by definition entitles citizens to have a say in how their country is run. The Irish public have a tendency to take democracy for granted. In order to be effective, every democracy needs to have the ability to move with the times and modernise in accordance with the needs and wishes of the people it governs. At Ireland’s most recent election, the Irish people called on the state to modernise in more ways than one.

The sense of national pride on May 22nd 2015 was fierce when the State voted to recognise everyone’s right to marry whomever they choose.

There was however one particular element of this day that was a source of shame for the Irish people.

Over the course of the 24 hours preceding the opening of the polls, thousands of Irish emigrants made their way home from all corners of the globe in order to have their say in the referendum. #HomeToVote was tweeted more than 72,000 times over a 24 hour period as Irish emigrants made their journeys back home, some from as far away as Sydney and Vancouver.

While the effort made by those emigrants was outstanding, many were confused as to why it was needed. Ireland, unlike many EU countries, does not allow its citizens to cast their vote abroad. At a time when so many have been forced, or have chosen to emigrate in search of a better life, there is no provision in place in the Irish Constitution for those affected to have their opinions heard.

According to Articles 16 and 47, Irish citizens are eligible to vote as long as they are “in State”, and therefore able to cast their vote in person. The Constitution also states that emigrants become ineligible to vote after 18 months of living abroad. Given today’s modern age, it is understandable that many believe these rules are out of date.

“We’re behind the curve,” says Professor David Farrell, UCD lecturer in political science. “Pretty much every other European country gives more rights to their expats, and in virtually all cases that includes postal voting from abroad.” Many other countries

also make use of options such as absentee ballots and Embassy voting, yet Ireland has never attempted to do so. According to Professor Farrell, this can be somewhat attributed to a lack of attention from government.

“It’s very easy for politicians to hide behind the cloak of ‘there are more

what is needed to help push for improvements to the voting laws.

“The frustrating thing about Dáil reform is that you could do an awful lot to improve the nature of the balance of power of Parliament and government in our system without the need for constitutional amendments.

This could be done overnight, and I think that’s something that should be addressed,” says Professor Farrell.

And there is no reason why it should just stop at emigrants either.

Today’s Ireland is a multinational country housing a population made up of both citizens and non-citizens, all of whom are contributing to the growth of the economy. “We already give immigrants the right to vote in local elections,” points out Professor Farrell. “If we’re moving towards wanting democracies to be more inclusive, then we should also include the rights of taxpayers working in our country and their dependence to vote.

And once we are going down that road why not open it up to just residents as well?” says Professor Farrell. The cornerstone of democracy is, after all, having equal rights for all.

Voting reform will only happen if the Irish public that can vote now care enough to ask for it. May’s referendum, with the added support of emigrants, had a record turnout at the polling stations. 60.5 per cent of the 3.2 million people eligible to vote did so. If we are looking at make more drastic changes then that number needs to continue to increase.

More people need to get involved in the conversation. Professor David Farrell has faith that change is coming though. “If other democracies in Europe can modernise their systems there is no reason why we shouldn’t be doing the same.”

“Ireland has become more aware of its current voting laws and wants something to be done to improve them.’’

“If other democracies in Europe can modernise their systems there is no reason why we shouldn’t be doing the same.”

10 OCTOBER 6th 2015

important things’ and ‘you don’t need to waste time and resources.’”

But while those with the power to initiate change don’t see the urgent need for reform, the people might say otherwise. If public opinion last May is anything to go by, Ireland has become more aware of its current voting laws and wants something to be done to improve them.

These election rules have been in place since the Constitution was first enacted in 1937, so why has it taken this long for people to call for change?

“Political reform by its nature is a very nerdy topic and it’s very hard to excite the public’s interest,” suggests Farrell.

“I think that a lot of it is just because they are not paying attention to it, to be honest … when it comes to modernising our institutions of state they’ve been very slow to do that.”

But given that the marriage referendum was a subject that certainly got people excited, it was also crucial for the path towards modernising the voting system.

As all the pictures and news articles from earlier in the year will show, both sides of the marriage equality referendum were passionate and vocal about their beliefs and importantly, were allowed to be heard. Ordinary people wanted to have their opinions respected and acknowledged by government. It is also just one example of a definite increase in awareness that has occurred over the past number of years.

As Ireland moves into a time of tentative economic recovery, Irish people care more than ever about how important decisions are made, as well as who is making them. This new momentum is just

science

Homo naledi: the new hominid on the block

More than 1500 fossils unearthed in South Africa could mean the discovery of a missing link in the human evolutionary chain. Aisling Brennan sheds light on this recent discovery FINDINGS UNEARTHED in a South African cave have opened up a new chapter of human evolutionary history, revealing the existence of a previously unknown hominid species: Homo naledi. This groundbreaking discovery comes from the richest African hominid fossil site so far and presents not only new data on the evolution of human physiology, but could also possibly cause a major shift in how we understand the evolution of human behaviour.

Discovered accidentally in 2013 by amateur cavers exploring the Rising Star cave system near Johannesburg, H. naledi became the focus of the Rising Star Expedition. At the start of a 21 day exploration, 60 scientists and volunteer cavers only hoped to recover remains from a single skeleton, but quickly found that the site was an unprecedented trove of fossilised individuals. It was “something different and extraordinary” as described by research leader Lee Berger. A total of 15 skeletons from the single species were found in a single chamber, 90 metres from the cave entrance. The team believes that this is only the beginning and that there are thousands of similar remains still untouched.

The site has already provided fossils of almost every skeletal element from a variety of ages, ranging from those of infants to adolescents and adults, stretching to the elderly. H. naledi appears to have been a distinctively slim hominid, with muscular joints supporting an approximately 5 foot frame. Though slender and light in body, their

skulls are still unexpectedly small, less than half the size of our own.

The site became even more unusual upon the finding that all of the individuals unearthed were remarkably similar. More similar, in fact, than modern identical human twins. This has led to the belief that these individuals were closely related and could perhaps have represented multiple generations of a family.

It is not yet known precisely how old these fossils are. The possibilities range from maybe two or three million years to as recent as 100,000 years old. While the evolutionary age of the specimens is of obvious importance, no matter how old they are, the mosaic of physiological forms found in the skeletons are just as, if not more, intriguing.

The structure of H. naledi is considered unusual because it mixes old and new evolutionary skeletal structures. The shoulders and pelvis of H. naledi are primitive, and resemble the ape-like Australopithecus which appeared in Africa approximately four million years ago. But the limbs and extremities are incredibly humanlike. The hands are almost modern, with fingers suited to gripping, not to climbing trees. These skeletons, compared to many other remains linked to human evolution, prove to us that we are far from fully understanding our history, and that there are many more questions to be asked and answered.

The possibility exists that the discovery of this new species could merely be a tangent of human

evolution and not one of the missing links hoped for, but this would hardly diminish its scientific importance.

Even if H. naledi is a localised species, and not as big a contributor to modern human evolution as we might think, it is a remarkable new addition to the human fossil record.

In addition to their morphology, this new species could vastly impact on current theories about the evolution of human behaviour. One of the most important questions is one of the simplest: how did so many of these individuals come to rest in the Naledi chamber? After all, the discovery of more than 1500 fossilised hominid bones and teeth in one place is extremely unusual.

One of the strangest aspects of the site isn’t what has been found there, but actually something that’s missing. Aside from a few rodent fossils and the more recent remains of an unfortunate owl, there are no other vertebrate species present. One suggestion was that a carnivore could have hunted the species and dragged the remains into the cave, but this is implausible for a variety of reasons. It would be very rare for a predator to target a single species so specifically, and no bite or gnaw marks were found on the bones that might indicate predation by a large carnivore.

There are also far too many individuals of varying ages to support the idea that they could have stumbled across the small chamber entrance deep inside the cave system and fallen to their deaths accidentally.

While a fall down the 12 metre shaft leading to the chamber could’ve been

fatal, it would be incredibly unlikely for infant, adult and the elderly alike all to make the same mistake.

Once probable scenarios were ruled out, scientists were left with the astonishing belief that this is evidence of the species deliberately and repeatedly disposing their dead in a protected area. This raises all sorts of varied questions about the behaviour of H. naledi, including how they navigated the treacherous caves in pitch darkness over and over again.

More significantly, however, are the questions that arise surrounding Homo naledi’s skull size. The depositing of their dead in a protected place is not unprecedented among extinct hominids, but it has only ever been suggested in species with larger brains that looked and behaved more similarly to modern humans.

The possibility of a species with a brain nearly half the size of our own having even a semblance of recognition of their own mortality is incredibly significant to current theories about the origins of human behaviour and cognitive development.

Furthermore, Berger’s team produced a cast of H. naledi’s small brain, which remarkably appears to hint at intriguing features close to a brain region that’s associated with speech in modern humans. According to Berger himself, it’s possible that for the first time ever, we’ve found another species that though not that closely related to us, could have a cognitive ability “different but essentially equal to ours”.

IN photo: HOMO NALEDI

The dark side of the moon

Aoife Hardesty Science Editor

Master’s student Emmet Burke speaks to Aoife Hardesty about his work in virtual reality

Tomás Fitzpatrick explores the reasons behind the spectacular moon that hung in our skies on September 27th the moon enters the earth’s shadow, whereas a total lunar eclipse occurs when the entire moon enters the shadow. During a total lunar eclipse, the moon becomes dimmer, but remains visible due to light passing through the earth’s atmosphere being refracted. If earth had no atmosphere at all, the moon would be completely dark during a total lunar eclipse.

The earth’s atmosphere scatters different wavelengths of light in different amounts; blues and violets the most and reds the least. This means that the majority of light reaching the moon is red light, which gives a total lunar eclipse its trademark rusty red colour. It is this colour which is the origin of the term “blood moon”. This effect is the same reason sunrises and sunsets turn the sky red, and to an observer standing on the moon during a total lunar eclipse the sun would appear to be setting behind the earth and rising again some time later.

Lunar eclipses last much longer than solar eclipses, where the moon’s shadow is cast on the earth. This is because the earth has a much larger shadow to cast. As the moon moves at approximately one kilometre per second through the shadow, it can remain in total eclipse for up to 107 minutes, and the period between when the first part of the moon enters the earth’s shadow and the last part leaves can last up to four hours.

Eclipses can only occur during what is known as an eclipse cycle. An eclipse cycle is a 31 to 37 day long period where the sun is in the correct position for an eclipse to occur. If a full moon occurs during this period, it will be a lunar eclipse, and if a new moon occurs during this period it will be a solar eclipse. For either of these, a total eclipse will occur if the sun is perfectly aligned with the moon.

As a lunar eclipse can only happen when the three bodies are aligned, lunar eclipses always occur during full moons. This means that some number of them must occur during supermoons. However, with only one to three supermoons occurring per full-moon cycle, and between two and five lunar eclipses occurring per year, it is quite rare that the two will intersect, and Sunday night’s eclipse will be the only supermoon total lunar eclipse until 2033.

The spectacular sight was extremely popular among both amateur and professional astronomers, with many around Ireland staying up late in order to view and photograph the sight. As with all similar events, the supermoon total lunar eclipse caused its fair share of end-of-the-world myths, though luckily none came to pass, and the amount of interest in astronomy in the past couple of weeks can only be a good thing for the field.

Photo: Lána Salmon

THE NIGHT OF Sunday September 27th yielded one of the most spectacular sights our night sky has to offer: a supermoon coupled with a lunar eclipse. Facebook newsfeeds have been filled with pictures of the huge blood moon for those lucky enough to have clear skies, and the energy to stay up until 3am to see it.

But what exactly are supermoons and lunar eclipses, and why was the event on Sunday night such a big deal?

A supermoon is a full moon or new moon that occurs when the moon is at its closest approach to the earth. The scientific term for this event is the perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system. Due to the fact that moon does not orbit the earth in a perfect circle, but rather an oval shape, or ellipse, the moon can appear to be different sizes depending on what part of the orbit it is in. When the full moon is at the point closest to the earth, it appears approximately thirty per cent larger in area and approximately thirty per cent brighter than when it is at its farthest.

Supermoons are relatively uncommon, with up to 3 occurring per full-moon cycle, which is about 412 days long.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, earth and moon are all in alignment, and the moon enters the earth’s shadow. These can be be divided into two types: partial and total lunar eclipses. A partial lunar eclipse is where some part of

Is there a researcher in the house?

IN photo: OCCULUS RIFT IN ACTION

What is your research about?

My research is all about using virtual reality technology to develop virtual methods of training surgeons to perform operations.

are a postgrad. Students always What real life applications want results returned to them as does your research have? quickly as possible, but these things I like to believe that if we can fine take time to do on top of our own tune a way to simulate operations research. There is also a lot more in virtual reality, then the medical responsibility as a postgrad. You industry could make huge savings How did you become interested have to manage your own deadlines. on the use of cadavers and in your area of research?

If you don’t meet your supervisors’ training, as well as allowing trainee I’ve always been interested in virtual standards, then you are out. surgeons a lot more opportunities reality. It felt like it would always be to practice operations and the final frontier of gaming, to become How do you undertake perform them better in real life. fully immersed in the world of Star your research?

Wars or Lord of the Rings. From the I’ve reverted back to an old fashioned Do you enjoy teaching time I had the opportunity to use the method of printing out notes, ordering undergraduates?

Oculus Rift at Science Day 2015 and them in a folder and just reading over Yes, believe it or not I do. I am see what it could do, I knew that this everything. In my case I can focus on teaching students a course that I was the area I wanted to work in. something a lot better if it is in solid went through only a few years ago. form. I retain the information a lot Corrections are time consuming but What is your favourite thing quicker and more thoroughly this way. helping a student along a path that I about your research? have taken myself has its rewards.

I get to develop in the Unity game What do you use for your engine and have free use of the research in terms of Would you undertake any Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear. materials and equipment? more academic research This is like every kid’s dream!

The Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear after your master’s? for a start. The Oculus Rift is a I have been looking at PhD Why are you doing a master’s? powerful virtual reality headset prospects. I guess it depends on Ultimately I would like to do a PhD which can display scenes to a user funding in a year’s time, but yes, I or start up in this industry. After and change depending on the user’s think I would enjoy doing more examining my options at the end movements. Aside from that I just use academic research in the future. of stage four, a masters degree my own laptop, a Dell XPS 12, and a seemed to be the best way to get second screen for development work. What are your plans for a solid grounding in the area. when you are finished?

Did you find funding Change the world with a start-up, What’s the hardest thing about difficult to acquire? make millions, travel the world, undertaking a master’s?

I have two great supervisors. Once retire, go to Disneyland, die happy.

Correcting students’ work…You they knew I was the student they don’t realise how hard it is to be wanted to have on board they were a Teaching Assistant until you able to sort it out quite easily. september 15th 2015

science

Battle of the Black Holes

Two black holes in a nearby galaxy may soon collide together. Michael O’Sullivan looks at the reasons we should pay attention

HUMANS, as a species, have an obsession with space. The evidence for this can be seen throughout popular culture. Whether it’s the (inexplicable) continued existence of the Transformers franchise, or the prevalence of the conspiracy theory that the moon landing was actually just a hoax, we simply cannot get enough of the vast emptiness that lives next door.

It really shouldn’t come as a surprise that we invest so much time and wonderment to space. As soon as we realised how miniscule we were in relation to the universe as a whole, we developed an insatiable desire to discover what secrets it holds.

That interest has paid off, too.

Our fundamental understanding of physics has only been increased by watching the skies. The sheer volume of technologies we take for granted, originally developed as part of space programmes, have irrevocably changed the way we live today, from the innocuous (scratch-proof lenses) to the hilarious (remotely controlled ovens). Even the discovery of the Doppler Effect (i.e. the reason the nee-naw sound of an ambulance siren changes as it passes you by), was discovered by observing the light of stars in the late 19th century.

It is therefore clear that discoveries that come from our studies of space can never be taken for granted, no matter how boring and inconsequential they may seem.

Hence, the interest in a recent study from Columbia University which has huge implications for our understanding of the universe.

A team of astronomers led by Zoltan Haiman have discovered a pair of black holes in the constellation of Virgo that are so close together that

they will crash in about 100,000 years time. They discovered this by measuring the rate at which a quasar located between the two pulsed. A quasar is a massively powerful pulse of light that occurs when a piece of space debris is drawn into a black hole. Normally these pulses are completely random, but when two black holes are close together, they can draw debris from one another, causing a more regular pulse to occur. The team at Columbia used this to figure out just how close together these black holes are.

100,000 years may seem like an eternity to us, but in universal terms it is a blip, and this has made the astronomers very excited.

“We can start to put numbers on the rates that black holes come together and build up into larger black holes, and use what we’re learning to search for more black holes pairs,” said study co-author David Schiminovich.

The next question is simple: why the interest in pairs of black holes?

In early 2014, people began foaming at the mouth over a study from the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics that claimed to have found evidence of gravitational waves, a fundamental concept in Einstein’s theory of relativity that have yet to be observed. That study has since been almost completely discredited, and so the hunt begins anew.

The interest in gravitational waves stems from the fact that they could further our understanding of the formation of our universe.

Not only that, but should scientists be able to observe and measure them, they could be able to obtain information from parts of our universe that no light can penetrate.

A gravitational wave is basically a ripple in space-time caused by the acceleration of an object. This effect is usually invisible, until an object of enormous mass comes into play. These objects can actually bend space-time by sheer force of their size and speed. The heaviest objects in the universe are black holes, and so we could learn about gravitational waves by watching them fly around one another.

This new research has paved the way to possibly observe more pairs of black holes in the universe than had previously been known. The larger the size of the black hole pairs that are found, the greater the gravitational waves they generate and so, the easier they should be to measure.

If we manage to measure the waves, we may be able to understand some fundamental concepts of the universe, such as gravity itself, which is still not fully understood. By understanding the basic mechanism of action of gravity, we can begin figuring out how to harness it for our own ends (think hover boards, artificial gravity generators for space exploration, that sort of thing).

The huge resurgence of interest in space exploration of late has lit a fire in the imaginations of many.

We have seen fantastic pictures of the outer reaches of our solar system, landed probes on comets moving so fast they could peel the flesh off your bones and we have people actually volunteering to go to live on Mars and never return.

If we can keep this interest up, we may one day take greater leaps towards actually exploring the universe ourselves, and we all know that the advent of real-life, actual lightsabers, won’t be far behind.

The environmental impact of Volkswagen’s emission scandal The recent scandal of Volkswagen’s deceit about their cars’ emissions has had serious implications for the environment. Valerie Tierney takes a closer look at these repercussions

“WE CARE AS MUCH as you do about the environment so we design our cars to have minimal impact on it at every stage: during manufacture, while on the road and at the end of their lives.”

These are the opening words from Volkswagen’s webpage where they discuss their commitment to the environment – a commitment that has recently been revealed to be questionable. As has received much newspaper coverage in recent weeks, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discovered that Volkswagen had installed software designed to circumvent emissions testing by detecting when the cars are being subjected to tests as opposed to being driven on the road.

The vehicles affected include many of their popular models, including the Golf and Passat. Other car brands owned by Volkswagen, including Audi, Skoda and Seat have also been affected. This means that many of their diesel cars produced between 2009 and 2015 are emitting up to 35 times the legal amount of nitrous oxides, in real world driving scenarios.

Not only is this issue limited to American vehicles, but the software has been found on cars all around the world. An estimated 11 million cars are affected worldwide, creating severe repercussions not just for Volkswagen shareholders, but for the environment.

Nitrous oxides (NOx) are greenhouse gasses, gasses that are capable of trapping and holding heat in the atmosphere. These gasses are naturally present in the environment to a point, but are also produced by human activities such as transportation, agriculture and industry. Nitrous oxides are also a precursor to the formation of ground-level ozone, another greenhouse gas, which is more efficient at retaining heat than nitrous oxides. This of course is a problem, as increased levels of these gasses leads to increased amounts of trapped heat, leading to the often-referenced phenomenon of global warming.

While many things have an impact on the levels of these gasses, it is hard to deny that Volkswagen have played a role in global warming due to their subterfuge. So far it has been estimated that the actions of Volkswagen may have caused up to 1 million tonnes of extra pollution. According to figures released by The Guardian, these emissions are “roughly the same as the UK’s combined emissions for all power stations, vehicles, industry and agriculture”. If Volkswagen had complied with regulations their vehicles would have released less than a tenth of that into the environment.

Europe is even more likely to be affected by the emissions scandal than the US. Approximately half of all cars in Europe are powered by

diesel, while only an estimated 3 per cent of cars in the US run on diesel.

It is not just the health of the environment that has been put at risk, but the health of people. A study published in the British Medical Journal in May 2015 revealed that short-term exposure to nitrous dioxide significantly increases the amount of premature deaths due to heart and lung disease by 0.88 per cent and 1.09 per cent respectively, and nowhere in the world is this more clearly seen in China, where 17 per cent of Chinese deaths are linked to air pollution.

So what is next for Volkswagen? At the time of writing, Volkswagen have announced a “comprehensive” plan to refit cars affected as part of the scandal, which will involve returning cars to meet emissions standards.

However, it remains to be seen if such a move will appease customers who were duped and sold falsely advertised products, and if it will placate shareholders, who, judging by the plummeting share price, are eager to distance themselves from Volkswagen, and the damage they have done to the environment.

Ultimately, the environment will suffer the most from Volkswagen’s subterfuge. The harm the excess pollution has caused to the atmosphere and its contribution to global warming cannot be undone, and Volkswagen cannot repair such damage.

Spilling the beans on coffee’s health benefits Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages on the planet. Alanna O’Shea reports on its health benefits

EVEN THOUGH it is one of the most popular drinks in the world, coffee is better known for its caffeine kick than its health benefits. Coffee has a bad reputation for being addictive and depriving you of your sleep; there is a reason the most popular Irish coffee chain is called Insomnia.

Nowadays there is always a new faddish drink that claims to have wondrous benefits that coffee does not. Whether it is “detox” tea or a matcha green latte, there are always new, supposedly healthier ways to get your caffeine dose.

Luckily for those who rely on an Americano to get through a nine o’clock lecture, scientists have been busy enabling our addiction. Numerous studies have come out in the last few years saying that regularly drinking coffee decreases your chances of getting a wide range of diseases, from neurological conditions to cancer.

First of all, what is it about coffee that is so good at keeping us awake, even in the most boring of lectures?

You might be surprised to learn that it is a psychoactive, a stimulant drug like amphetamines and cocaine, although considerably milder (or else those nine o’clock lectures would be a lot more entertaining than they are).

Coffee’s active ingredient, caffeine, can quickly enter the brain, where it binds to receptors called adenosine receptors. Usually, a chemical called during old age, at least if you are adenosine binds to these receptors a woman. They found that women and makes you drowsy, but when a caffeine molecule is bound, adenosine who had higher coffee consumption over their lifetime performed binding is blocked. This leads to mental alertness and reduced fatigue. better in certain cognitive tests.

Further good news: numerous So this is why coffee can make studies have shown that your daily you intelligent enough to finish that cup of joe can decrease your risk of 3000 word essay at three o’clock in the morning. But over a lifetime, what contracting Alzheimer’s disease. How effect does taking this stimulant have coffee has these effects is unclear, on your mental faculties? Surprisingly, but the answer may lie with some coffee may actually make you smarter over-caffeinated rats in Florida. In a 2010 study, the effect of coffee in the long term. Several studies administration on rats who were have found that frequent coffee genetically modified to develop drinkers can suffer less memory loss as they age. One study from the Alzheimer’s disease was examined.

They were given 500 mg of coffee a University of California found that day, the rat equivalent of five cups coffee can help cognitive function 12 OCTOBER 6th 2015

and depressive symptoms of a pool of 50,000 women over a period of ten years. The findings showed a decreased risk of depression with increased coffee consumption. This is not to say that there is no such thing for your brain as too much coffee: the risk of suicide was increased for the most extreme coffee drinkers, classified as those who drank more than eight cups a day.

Drinking coffee to excess may be helpful in preventing type 2 diabetes.

Finland has one of the highest coffee consumption rates in the world, and a recent Finnish study examined how this affected their rate of diabetes.

The study examined a large group of people over a ten year period and found an inverse correlation between coffee consumption and the risk of diabetes. This was true of even the most dedicated drinkers: in fact, people who drank over ten cups of coffee were the least likely to contract the disease.

If you have ever talked to a health nut, you will have heard about the importance of antioxidants in your diet. But it isn’t just fruit and veg that are good sources of antioxidants, a humble cup of coffee is chock full of them. Bodily metabolism produces highly-reactive molecules called oxidative species, but when overproduced these oxidative species can cause inflammation and disease. The antioxidants in coffee can counteract these oxidative species. This may be why increased consumption of coffee is associated with lower rates of inflammatory conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. These antioxidants are also thought to be the reason why just one cup of coffee a day can lower your risk of having a stroke by 25 per cent, according to the Journal

of the American Heart association.

It seems to be a rule in science that a paper will be released about every food that either blames it for causing, or curing, cancer. However, multiple studies suggest that coffee consumption reduces the risk of getting several types of cancer, such as liver, kidney and breast cancer. One study found that five cups of coffee per day could reduce your risk of getting certain brain cancers by 40 per cent. Researchers have found that there are no similar protective effects against cancer if you drink decaffeinated coffee, which is a victory for the jittery, over-caffeinated population.

Whilst all these benefits may seem like good enough reasons to drink all the coffee your tired heart desires, there are downsides to drinking too much coffee. Like most things in life, it is beneficial in moderation, harmful in excess. So, while having ten cups of coffee a night to finish an assignment might not be a good idea (more like a good way to give yourself a stomach ulcer), next time you spend €3 on a double-shot, extra large cappuccino you can smugly tell everyone that you are doing it for the benefit of your health.

“Coffee may actually make you smarter in the long term.”

photo: A LOVELY CUP OF JOE

“Multiple studies suggest that coffee consumption reduces the risk of getting several types of cancer, such as liver, kidney and breast cancer.”

of coffee. The rats who were given coffee performed better at memory tasks than those that weren’t. The effects of the disease were also less prominent in caffeinated rats’ brains post-mortem. The same researchers are now planning to test whether coffee can have the same effect in humans with mild cognitive impairments or with Alzheimer’s disease.

The stereotype of the coffee addict is the anxious insomniac, but a 2011 study proved the opposite to be true.

Having a (moderate) caffeine addiction may help your mental health. A paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined the coffee consumption

Business & careers The Unprecedented Rise of Bitcoin and the Shadow It Casts As the online currency bitcoin continues to rise in popularity, Tim Healy examines the currency, and asks whether online currencies have a future SINCE the early days of unregulated currency, to our current market valued at well over a billion dollars, online currencies such as bitcoin have skyrocketed in popularity and accessibility. The idea of a medium enabling the user to unlimited anonymity and a platform immune from federal taxation has regulators quaking behind their fiscal policies.

for the decriminalisation of class A hallucinogenics that find these forms of currency attractive; quite the opposite.

Towards the tail end of 2013, a single unit of bitcoin would have been valued upwards of $1000. This is a stark comparison to the $13 valuation received only a mere 11 months earlier that sent investors to their search engines.

Forbes Investing even stretched as far as to label 2013 as ‘The Year of the Bitcoin’.

“Bitcoin seems to thrive in a field where its competitors have fallen short: in terms of evading regional and international governments”

Despite its popularity and prices, serious questions still remain over the crypto-currency’s legitimacy. There is a much darker side to the shadow cast by this mysterious currency. Accompanied by the infamous crash of Silk Road, the name of bitcoin was brought into serious disrepute due to its heavy involvement.

Bitcoin was the fiscal medium that facilitated the transfer of drugs, child pornography, assassinations, weapons and various other illegal paraphernalia on the darknet market. It is the anonymity that enables these elicit transactions.

The total value in revenue through the currency of bitcoin was reported at around roughly 9,519,664 bitcoins, which, as reported by the FBI equated to roughly 1.2 billion dollars in USD. The fallout from this barely fazed the resilient bitcoin, as its stock price only took one day to recover. This in itself only proves

Perhaps bitcoin stands out more than other online currencies due to its nature of decentralisation.

Bitcoin seems to thrive in a field where its competitors have fallen short: in terms of evading regional and international governments.

This in itself serves as a catalyst to cultivate a growing online movement towards buying contraband in online black markets, due to the ease of transfer and lack of regulation.

This said however, it’s not only the tech-savvy libertarians screaming

the ability these online currencies have to recuperate and prove their resilience, something traditional stock markets cannot exactly be accredited for.

The pivotal questions remains however: could Bitcoin be the inflection point it was previously destined to be? The Wall Street Journal certainly believe so, recently reporting boldly that Bitcoin could perhaps prevent future economic disasters such as the recent Greek financial crash.

Proposing that crypto-currencies such

as bitcoin have the ability to democratise how money is created, removing at its very root the issue over which the Greek government and the EU seem to be locked in a tug of war. There will always be a dilemma in the fate of Bitcoin, and that is its acceptance by state regulators and seemingly traditional banking sector. Bitcoin’s hopes of globalisation will not be helped by the standpoint of world power China, who holds the firm position that the currency is a form of

possible money laundering and a severe threat to perceived financial stability.

This worrying prognosis from the economic powerhouse, accompanied by the very simple fact that bitcoin can be manipulated by online speculators doesn’t bode well for opting in new investors. That said, who knows? Maybe in five years time we will be paying our student contribution charge with bitcoins after another Eurozone collapse.

THE ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF WEB SUMMIT LOSS With the news that the Web Summit is to move to Portugal in 2016, Sinead Conroy looks at the implications of the move for the Irish economy

LAST WEEK, we heard the disappointing announcement that the Irish born Web Summit will be relocating to Lisbon in 2016. Paddy Cosgrave, CEO of the summit, cited a lack of infrastructure as one of the primary reasons for the move.

The company employs 130 people in Ireland and the event is estimated to be worth approximately 100 million euro to the Dublin economy. This year’s event, the fifth to take place, is expected to bring 30,000 people to the capital, 90 per cent of whom will travel from abroad, according to Cosgrave.

The summit has been gathering pace at an almost breakneck speed, increasing in scale and momentum over the last number of years and attracting worldwide celebrities such as Bono and Eva Longoria.

The summit is of huge interest to the 7,000 students and graduates expected to walk through its doors this year, encouraging innovation, creativity and start-ups. Given all of this positivity, one would have to wonder why our political leaders are so blasé about its

relocation and more especially, its loss to the Dublin and Irish economies.

Minister for Finance Micheal Noonan has claimed that the Web Summit won’t be missed. Noonan remarked that people wont be disappointed because “Dublin is chock-a-block with business at the moment”. Similarly surprising comments came from the Minister for Jobs, Trade and Innovation, Richard Bruton, who claimed that the move was “a natural step” for the company. This seemingly resigned and flippant attitude raises serious questions as to the efforts being made to attract and keep events such as the Web Summit in Dublin.

Figures supplied by an Enterprise Ireland spokesperson show that the Web Summit has recieved 455,900 euro in EI funding since 2011. In total it has received 800,000 euro from state agencies since its inception. Fáilte Ireland has estimated a loss to the city of 37.5 million euro as a result of the relocation. A considerable amount of taxpayers’ money has gone in to supporting and sponosoring the Web Summit over the last five years.

Projections are that it will bring 175 million euro to the Portuguese economy next year. Why are our political leaders

not more concerned? What will be done to keep events like the Web Summit here in future, and what can be done to change the perception that Dublin failed to keep a home grown success on our shores?

With little sign of concern shown by Noonan or Bruton last week, one would have to wonder whether any effort was made to fix the problems faced by the Web Summit in Dublin. The saga which has been ongoing for sometime has been seen by many as an embarrassment.

Chief among the suggested reasons for the relocation have included poor WiFi and huge increases in hotel rates. This is an unwanted blow to the reputation of the country in international tech circles as well as in the international business and investment world. A spokesperson for the IDA confirmed that from the IDA’s perspective, “every effort was made to ensure the Web Summit continued in Dublin”. The IDA also highlight that its work “encouraging investment into Ireland is continuing and every day IDA staff engage directly with potential investors into Ireland, including those in the technology sector”. Enterprise Ireland also pointed out its position going forward “will be supporting other great initiatives

to help drive awareness of Ireland as the key location in Europe to start a business, and to help our companies succeed globally, creating and sustaining jobs in Ireland.” However, none of these statements of concern seem to address the issue of infrastructure – which is key to attractive international events, especially those of a technological nature.

Tánaiste Joan Burton has claimed she is “confident” that Ireland can attract a similar event in the future. Despite this, it’s not clear what plans the Government has to improve infrastructure issues which seem to be at the heart of the failure to keep the Web Summit in Ireland.

In reaction to the departure, opposition leader Micheal Martin questioned whether or not the government could have done more to ensure the Web Summit remained in Dublin. It was announced last week that Portugese authorities will be providing 1.3 million euro in financial support in 2016 where they expect the event to grow to 40,000 attendees. The loss to Dublin city will be seen in tourism, investment, reputation and local small businesses who use the event as a platform for development.

The Grim Truth About Google’s Growth Keira Gilleechi questions how Google’s increasing market share and ongoing expansion is affecting the growth of European tech start-ups

GOOGLE has recently come under criticism for the abuse of its dominant market share in Russia. Yandex, Russia’s largest search engine, accused the American company of excluding Yandex apps from Google powered Android devices.

Google’s operating system is on over 80 per cent of smartphones sold in Russia. These phones require the pre-installation of Google Apps, and give these apps a preferential position on the home screen. While Google was found guilty of market abuses, it was acquitted of the accusation of unfair competitive practices.

This is not the first time that Google has been accused of using its dominance to manipulate the market.

Google’s search market share in Europe currently stands at over 90 per cent, meaning there is very little room for competitor search engines to penetrate. Earlier this year, the European Union filed a case against Google, claiming that the company had distorted search results in order to place its own affiliates at the top.

This effectively meant that Google was dictating which brands got seen and which shops got business.

In 2013, the Federal Trade

Commission took a similar case against Google in the United States, although the investigation eventually concluded that Google had not manipulated its search results. However, the EU has stricter competition laws than the US, and this case could trigger a change in the way in which the search engine giant displays its results.

This controversy comes at a time when Google’s status as a world leader is being challenged on all fronts. While Android phones command 80 per cent of the market, the release of the iPhone 6 in October of last year saw more Android users converting to Apple than

ever before. Furthermore, search traffic is being challenged by social traffic on an unprecedented scale. Earlier this year Shareaholic announced that social traffic referrals had outstripped search referrals for the first time ever. This is hugely significant as it will cause many businesses to question the value which they have placed on optimising their websites for Google search results, and perhaps instead will focus more on building their social network following.

As a result Google are constantly expanding and acquiring new start-ups, in an attempt to find sources of potential growth elsewhere. In 2014, Google bought 34 new companies, up from 17 in 2013.

In the same year, it also acquired more European tech companies than any of its competitors. Most notable of these was UK based DeepMind Technologies, an Artificial Intelligence focussed start-up, which Google paid £242,000 for.

The company also recently announced that it would be reducing its focus on Google+ going forward, stating that users will no longer have to sign in with Google+ to use other products like YouTube or Gmail. This has led to speculation that Google is planning to acquire another social network, where it can dedicate its resources. The most likely candidate for acquisition is Twitter, due

to its continuously falling stock prices, failure to innovate, and slow growth.

So what does Google’s on-going quest for world domination mean for European tech? Surprisingly, the biggest threat to the future of European tech is not necessarily Google itself, but rather the rate of exits that result in acquisitions and mergers. There is no European tech company that exists on the same scale as Google, Microsoft or Apple, as 37 per cent of European tech exits in 2014 resulted in acquisitions by American companies. In contrast, only 4.75 per cent resulted in an Initial Public Offering, indicating that many of our most promising start-ups are selling out before they’ve reached their full potential.

In order for Europe to be able to contend with firms such as Google, it is necessary to offer alternatives to our startups so they don’t feel pressurised to merge or go public before they need to. One of the primary ways to tackle this issue is to focus on attracting more Venture Capitalists and Angel Investors to Europe, as their funding could encourage our tech companies to compete on the same level as Google. While tech conferences such as the Web Summit have succeeded in doing this to some extent, there is still a long way to go before the European tech scene is as sustainable as Silicon Valley. september 15th 2015

student voices

My body, my rights: change Ireland’s abortion laws Callie Crawley discusses Ireland’s restrictive abortion laws and Amnesty International’s call for change

EVERY DAY between ten and twelve women and girls living in Ireland travel to England for an abortion. The majority of women are aged between 20 and 34. Their reasons for terminating their pregnancies vary, however their reasons for travelling are the same.

They cannot access safe and legal abortion services in Ireland, as procuring an abortion here is a criminal offence except where the pregnancy poses a “real and substantial” threat to their life.

Amnesty International holds that restrictive abortion laws violate women and girls’ right to life, health, privacy, and freedom from torture.

Ireland has long since had some of the world’s most restrictive abortion laws. For over 20 years, Ireland has refused to engage in abortion law reform, despite repeated criticisms and calls for action from international and regional human rights bodies.

Instead, the government has relied on the “safety valve” of women travelling to England and other jurisdictions, abdicating its responsibility to address the issue. “Out of sight, out of mind,” is the Irish government’s approach.

Recently, however, the Irish legislature was finally forced to act in order to comply with a decision by the European Court of Human Rights and to respond to the shocking, preventable and highly publicised death of Savita Halappanavar, a woman who was denied a medically-indicated abortion in an Irish hospital following a miscarriage. This recent reform has left Ireland’s legal framework on abortion largely unchanged. The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 (PLDPA) criminalises abortion on all but one ground. A woman may only

obtain a legal abortion in Ireland if her life is at risk, including through suicide. The withholding and denial of abortion related information to women as the Ireland Regulation of Information Act requires also violates fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression.

The role of Ireland’s Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, which protects the foetus’ right to life is on an equal footing with a woman’s.

Ireland’s abortion law continues to criminalise abortion in cases of rape, incest and fatal or severe foetal impairment, perpetuating the suffering of survivors of sexual violence and of women and their partners already grappling with a devastating loss.

Not all women and girls are able to exercise the freedom to travel. Marginalised women and girls, such as asylum-seekers, migrants and those living in poverty, may be trapped in Ireland, without access to necessary

health care. Unable to afford the significant financial burden of travelling, or prohibited from travelling due to their immigration or dependent status, or simply too ill to travel, these women and girls are forced to carry their pregnancies to term, or to resort to dangerous or clandestine measures to terminate their pregnancies.

International human rights laws are clear that women should not face criminal penalties for undergoing abortions. The possible 14 year prison sentence for women under Irish law is a violation of their human rights. It also means that doctors should not face specific criminal sanctions for performing unlawful abortions, but instead abortion should be regulated and doctors dealt with under medical disciplinary procedures and the general criminal law.

Human Rights obligations require the decriminalisation of abortion and that states ensure access to abortion

at a minimum when a woman’s life and physical and mental health is in danger, in cases of rape and in severe cases of fatal foetal impairment. This would mean that abortion would no longer be regulated by criminal legislation and would not be a criminal offence in itself.

Amnesty International’s position, based on international human rights law, is that all women and girls should have the option to decide whether or not to carry on with a pregnancy in cases of severe foetal impairment. Amnesty International has followed the lead of the UN’s human rights bodies in calling for access to safe and legal abortion services in cases of severe and fatal foetal impairment where women or girls wish to terminate the pregnancy on these grounds.

Amnesty International calls on the Irish authorities to take immediate steps to comply with their

human rights obligations concerning abortion, including by: Repealing Article 40.3.3 (the Eighth Amendment) of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the Irish Constitution, Decriminalising abortion; and Repealing the Regulation of Information Act. Recently at Electric Picnic, over 12,000 women and men signed petitions to change Ireland’s abortion law.

The committee and members of the UCD Amnesty International Society took part in the fourth Annual March for Choice that took place on September 26th marking the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion. By joining Amnesty International and the UCD Amnesty International Society, you can become part of a worldwide movement campaigning for an end to human rights violations

“Not all women and girls are able to exercise the freedom to travel. Marginalised women and girls, such as asylumseekers, migrants and those living in poverty, may be trapped in Ireland, without access to necessary health care.”

Postcards From Abroad: Toronto From exchange in Toronto, Ruth Murphy explores the city of festivals, friendliness, and frustrating toilet cubicles

AS THE PLANE landed I could see one journey for that three dollars, as the city sprawling to meet the horizon. long as you pick up a transfer ticket.

The city looked too large for words, too Costs are not always so simple here large for an Irish person. I felt it might though. Prices listed in shops exclude swallow me whole and I’d never find my tax. The locals are, of course, used to way around it. Little did I know Toronto this but the rest of us are bit confused never feels as big as it is. I’ve been when that jar of Nutella costs about told that Toronto is like New York if it a dollar more than you thought. Also, were run by Europeans. With the lifts some people here say “nooh-tella”. broken in both of the subway stations On the bright side Canada doesn’t that we travelled through on the way use one and two cent coins. Another to our hotel, strangers helped us carry difference in the purchase of goods our 20kg bags up and down stairs and here that can drive an Irish person up helped guide us in the right direction. the wall is the sale of alcohol. Alcohol The people of Toronto are friendly cannot be purchased in supermarkets. and welcoming; they will pet your dog, You must go to a shop that sells give you directions, alcohol only. There pick up that bottle “It feels as if eveare plenty of these you dropped, and their opening rything is at one’s but tell you when your hours are a little fingertips. This skirt is caught tighter than we’re on your bag. seems a very accu- used to. I hopped on The city is not rate description a city bike just the quite as bustling as other day (I got a one might expect. when there are student discount for While hotels will askthree supermarthe year to use them) if you need parking, kets within walk- to go to an LCBO, not that many peoas they are called, ple drive in the city. ing distance of only to find that this me typing, two of LCBO closed at 6pm This may be due to the high cost of which are open 24 on Saturdays. I was parking, the popusaved by the Wine hours.” larity of walking Rack around the and cycling, and the corner but Wine practicality of the public transport sys- Racks only sell wine and cider. I tem. Toronto has several subway lines was able to purchase a 1.5 litre and streetcars. You’ll only have to wait bottle of wine for about the price of a few minutes to catch one. You can a standard bottle in Dublin. As the ride both for three dollars each and you Canadian dollar is doing quite badly can hop on as many lines as you like in at the moment it is only worth two

thirds of a euro. British people are in heaven though as the pound is worth double the Canadian dollar.

The population of Toronto is extremely diverse. The few who do identify solely as Canadian may be from a different part of Canada hours away. Canada is almost as large as Europe so when someone says they’re from the west coast, you know they are from far away. French Canada in comparison is relatively near and the effects are obvious: Canadian products all have writing in French and English on them. We can thank our lucky stars for the fact that Canada uses the metric system. People actu-

Charlie McDonnell, Meghan Tonjes and Toby Turner. I have no doubt that after writing this, I will discover more events on in the city. Toronto has something for everyone. I’ve been told that if you search hard enough for what you want you will find it here.

It feels as if everything is at one’s fingertips. This seems a very accurate description when there are three supermarkets within walking distance of me, two of which are open 24 hours.

Food portions here are very large.

Many meals come with a generous helping of chips in some form or another. It seems that Toronto restaurants are big fans of eggs and avocados. The avocados are always delicious. The eggs vary. You have to be more careful with cheese here as it can often taste cheap photo: University of Toronto. via Ruth Murphy leaving a lingering stench that attaches itself to some buildings. ally know what you’re talking about from Harry Potter, Scream, Agent Moreover, Dairymilk here does not when you discuss Irish temperatures. Carter, and many more. Shortly after taste the same as it does at home.

The vast majority of Canadians came the Toronto International Film The only thing that truly bothers I have met know exactly where Festival which is the second largest me about this city is the small gap Ireland is, understand that it is not international film festival in the world, between toilet cubicle doors and part of the UK, and that it borders after Cannes. This brought many their doorways meaning you can Northern Ireland. Many however, celebrities to the city such as Ellen make awkward eye contact with seem confused about the relationship Page, Anna Kendrick and the one I strangers whilst on the loo. Toronto between Northern Ireland and the spotted standing by his car: Gerard is a beautiful city of possibilities, the UK. People do ask where you are Butler. Last weekend Riot Fest was on longer you stay, the more you will find. from in Ireland, though they then featuring acts like Weezer, All Time usually admit that they’ve only Low and the Wu-Tang Clan. Right ever heard of Dublin and Belfast. now there is a large comedy festival Toronto has a lot more going on in here attracting the likes of Grace it than an Irish city. When I arrived Helbig and Miranda Sings. Next a month ago the Fan Expo was on. month Buffer Festival will be host to This large exhibition featured casts many famous YouTubers including

SOCIETY NEWS

By Gráinne Loughran

Inaugural Paeds Soc Event UCD Paediatric Society, a new branch of MedSoc, held their inaugural event on Tuesday 29th September. The event ran in the Health Science Centre and welcomed guest speakers Jonathan Irwin from the Jack and Jill Foundation, Avril Carr and Rachel Tynan from Helium, and Gillian Smith from the Children’s Cancer Foundation.

Further Debating Success for Lawsoc and L&H Following the success of UCD at the European Championships, teams from the Law Society and the L&H have had further success at the Prague Open Debating Competition. Both teams, comprising of Aodhan Peelo & Kevin Roche for the Law Society and Lucy 14 OCTOBER 6th 2015

Murphy & Daniel Noble Stairs for the L&H, reached the final with the team representing the Law Society winning the tournament overall, speaking on the motion “This House Regrets the Continuation of NATO after the Cold War”. Both societies would like to thank the support of Richard Butler and Susan Connolly, whose hard work and dedication has been invaluable.

Working in Journalism Lecture series The University Observer will host a talk on Thursday from Deputy Editor of the Sunday Business Post, Pat Leahy, as part of the Working in Journalism lecture series. The talk will take place at 7.30pm in C110 and will be followed by a reception. All staff and students are welcome to attend.

Med Day UCD MedSoc’s Med Day will be taking place on the 16th of October.

This year they will support the Laura Lynn Foundation, Debra, Helium, the Berkeley Fund, St. Vincent’s Foundation and the Mater Foundation. They will start collecting at 6am, with a complementary breakfast in DTwo. For further details, see www.ucdsocieties.com Litsoc Noisebox Litsoc will host their monthly accoustic open mic night from 7pm-9pm on the 12th of October. All forms of writing are accepted, with poets, storytellers and writers invited to come along and share their work. photo: JOANNA O’MALLEY

Maths Sparks lights a fire

Student Voices

Niamh Maher from UCD’s Maths Sparks programme discusses her rewarding experience as a volunteer and the diverse applications of maths in modern life.

photo: COURTESY OF MATH SPARK

IN NOVEMBER last year, after speak- realise how to win these games!). the College of Science in UCD ing with one of my lecturers, I signed and we were ready. The Maths The applications I came across Sparks team delivered four two up to volunteer in a new Maths Sparks while researching were really programme. It would involve designing surprising and it was hard to hour workshops that were held and presenting workshops to secondary condense the material to what each week in the spring. At the school students on various Maths topics was feasible to present – a first beginning of the Game Theory outside of the Leaving Cert course. workshop, I was very nervous taster into what it might be like While I had never taken part in such a about presenting, but received to be a lecturer in these topics or project before, my personal goal was to to present mathematical topics much support and encouragement offer a female face of someone studying in industry. Some of the other from the rest of the team. It was a mathematics-based degree. This is my topics presented in the Maths an amazing experience to see the third year of studying Theoretical Phys- Sparks programme included understanding dawn in the eyes ics and I have always had an interest of the students while they were cryptography, graph theory and in mathematics education. My studies working on our maths problems. the maths of card tricks and showed me that maths can be frustratThe students came from fourth modelling the Angry Birds game. ing for some students, with its apparent and fifth year and from six One of the most helpful proclack of application and abstract different schools and, as well as esses in designing and facilitating concepts. This motivated me to learn an educational opportunity, it was my own workshop was attending more about what it would be like to obviously a social event for them. the trial presentations for each of showcase mathematics which had very They were enthusiastic and it was the workshops the volunteer teams obvious applications in the real world. I a pleasure and a challenge to never imagined it would be come up with answers to such a rewarding process. some of their questions.

“I learned that giving stuThe aim of Maths Sparks Some of these students dents the belief that that was to improve secondary would never have conthey are capable of doing students’ engagement with sidered themselves parmaths and to promote STEM maths is hugely important.’’ ticularly strong in maths.

(Science Technology EngiHowever, over the course neering Maths) subjects at university of the four weeks, all seemed to had created. Before running level and in UCD. In January 2015, ten each workshop for the secondary find one part of maths they liked. other student volunteers from UCD and students, all of the volunteers At the end of each of the I had our first meeting with our two workshops we invited speakers and lecturers would peer review lecturers from the School of Mathemat- each presentation. I learned how to provide other insights into the ics & Statistics – Dr Anthony Cronin fields associated with each topic. to animate slides (which I will and Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin. We undoubtedly use in future presThere was a card magician, Dr split into groups to work on different Colm Mulcahy, our head of school entations!), to present in front of a mathematical topics that interested us Prof Gary McGuire presented on large and varied audience, and to and, over a number of weeks, designed work collaboratively on a team. I his work in cryptography and, my interactive workshops which secondary also learned the mathematics of personal favourite, Dr Adrian students could enjoy taking part in.

O’Hagan of UCD, did an interaccard tricks and came to realise My team partner, Melanie Dwane tive demonstration of the Prisonthat making a trick look effortless and I chose Game Theory and our ers’ Dilemma using Maltesers. while talking to someone was an research of the topic and preparation From this project, I learned entirely different skill altogether. of our problem-solving workshop began. As well as students of Mathematthat giving students the belief Game Theory had always fascinated that that they are capable of doing ics, Applied Computational Mathme since the core idea is about finding ematics, and Statistics, some of maths is hugely important. Many the optimal strategy for a situation, students were surprised at their the other volunteers were studying rather than merely the best strategy for Maths Education and I benefited abilities and the different topics winning board games. In my preparacovered provided discussion from the wide range of perspection I enjoyed coming across the best about the diverse applications of tives, knowledge and experience. strategies for games like noughts and maths. There was full attendance Finally it was showtime: the crosses and rock, paper scissors (it’s each week which shows the equipment arrived and over 40 actually quite interesting when you enjoyment and engagement the secondary students appeared at

students had with Maths Sparks.

I would certainly recommend getting involved with the Maths Sparks programme again this year. I have always felt that one does not have to be brilliant at mathematics to have an appreciation for all its uses in the modern world. Through this programme, I learned presentation skills, new ways in which mathematics is used, and had the opportunity to help students have a more positive image of maths. I am also delighted that volunteering on Maths Sparks will be accredited on my UCD Diploma Supplement.

If you’re interested in being involved with Maths Sparks this year please contact Dr. Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain or Dr Anthony Cronin in the School of Mathematics & Statistics, UCD.

september 15th 2015

OPINION Quinn’s Bizzness Jessica Quinn WE’RE ONE quarter of the way through first semester. Gone is the organised mentality of “this is going to be my year” and instead I’ve reached a place where I just find random wine bottle corks in my pockets.

The L&H had a debate during week one, “I’d Rather Be Pretty Than Witty”. I’m not sure why they would open themselves up for this discussion, considering they are all hideous. I didn’t go to the debate. I was in Lidl watching the bread slicing machine slice bread, a much better way to spend my time.

Despite my absence, they had a pretty big turn out. You could fill the chamber twice with twelve baskets of pizza and wine. That’s enough L&H praise. Unable to set up their Freshers’ Tent stand on Thursday of Freshers’ Week, it is estimated that they missed out on 1.4 billion new members, as that is the average number of people that join per day. I’m sure they’ll survive. The L&H, giving arrogance a pedestal for 161 years.

Maybe Ents should take a leaf out of the L&H’s book when it comes to audience numbers.

Scooter was a bit of a flat tyre.

There’s probably a greater number of Grammy Awards on Scooter’s mantelpiece than there were people that attended the Freshers’ Ball. Renting out the Freshers’ Tent as accommodation would have been a more successful venture for the SU than the Ball.

LawSoc managed to fill Theatre L, with the faithful lure of pizza and abortion. As always, people got angry and personal, without making any valid or noteworthy

points. If that could fill UCD’s biggest lecture theatre, they’d need to book the RDS to debate the Centra chicken fillet roll price increase. People are more put out by that than the crippling rent increases that have hit students worse than ever this year.

The SU did run a fun Mind Body & Soul festival. As always, the petting zoo was a popular attraction. With Dublin students seeing animals for the first time, and culchies getting to spend quality time with their family. I met a pig there, I didn’t put my dick in its mouth. I guess I’ll never be the Prime Minister of Britain now.

With everyone back in college, Tinder has become more interesting. Whenever you feel bad about yourself, remember there are people out there who have purchased Tinder Plus. This allows you to match with anyone anywhere in the world. So that lonely first year in Glenomena has a chance to swipe with their true Belgrove love. I’m not very good at Tinder, primarily because all my chat up lines involve geometry.

I still manage to pull quite often, but it’s usually with a push door.

Every year there is a new UCD myth. This year’s myth is that if you graduate with a 4.2 GPA you will be reincarnated as a swan. With UCD’s decline in the university world rankings, we can safely assume that the swan will follow the dodo into extinction.

Another, but less likely myth, is that if you graduate with a 4.2 GPA, you will get a job. Most students worry about trivial things

Navigating Ireland: An Australian Abroad Maeve Clarke has been in Ireland for a month now, but the culture difference is still disorientating. Now it’s the less obvious things that are tripping her up

AFTER being in Ireland a month, the major differences have sunk in and become part of the scenery.

Now it seems it’s the turn of less obvious things to trip you up just when you think you’ve got the hang of living in another country.

Before you go on exchange, they warn you that after a while you’ll feel homesick, and that at some point you’ll have to change your classes around. But no one mentions that you won’t be able to buy your normal brand of shampoo, or that Ireland’s Cadbury chocolate tastes different to Australia’s.

First world problems, yes, but strangely disorienting ones. It’s a subtle culture shock, like waking up in a parallel universe where things are slightly yet disconcertingly different.

It’s this culture shock that has you leaping out of the way of traffic, because Australia drives on the same side of the road as Ireland, but Australian drivers never do that. Or that leaves you

madly trying to place a familiar yet unfamiliar accent, then realising it’s your own. By this stage I’ve given up on trying to juggle the conversion between the euro and the Australian dollar in my head every time I buy something, preferring to just ignore my bank account and hope.

The differences are like distant, not unpleasant white noise at the back of your mind, making you think about everyday things you’ve never questioned. In Australia I never questioned that societies you joined would seldom advertise their events, and indeed sometimes seemed to go out of their way to hide them. Irish societies, on the other hand, are refreshingly well organised and eager to let you know what they’ve got on. I’ll enjoy this more when I’ve finished taking out the rubbish and paying, actually paying, to have laundry done. The residence I stayed in at the ANU employed cleaners for everything except the bedrooms and had a free washing machine and dryer for every 28

residents. Babysitting it may have been, but none of us were objecting.

We also got a free $40 printing allowance every semester if we lived on campus. It was living the dream.

The benefit of culturally similar places is that there are familiar things to hold on to. A car alarm is still something to be ignored no matter which hemisphere you’re in and you’ll still have to get hair out of the shower drain and scraps out of the sink, because you’re nominally an adult now. And as you’re standing in line at Centra, you might come to the realisation that universities everywhere are prime real estate for the convenience store. Someone, somewhere has worked out the exact upper limit of what a student is willing to pay for junk food the night an assessment is due. Because wherever you are, convenience always comes at a price. And when you decide you need chocolate at 9pm with an essay looming, you’ll always be willing to pay it.

#SocialMediaSuperiority Social Media Superiority is a cruel mistress and if you’re not careful you may begin to compare your own self to her one-dimensional façade IMAGINE you’re at a party, huddled together in an inconspicuous corner with some friends. A quick fire round of jokes and anecdotes is the topic of the night. You’ve lined up a stomper of a story; a personal narrative of something that ties in so seamlessly and brilliantly with what you’ve all been discussing. Confidence high and the objective of your anecdote so clear you’re pretty sure that it’s the best story any of your friends are going to hear that night. Just as you’ve wet your tongue, your opening in the conversation in sight, an acquaintance verging on stranger, possibly a friend of a friend, nudges you aside, spilling some of their pint on your sleeve and hijacks the conversation.

Loud and brash they slowly push whatever high regard you had for your anecdote into inconsequentiality. Their story appears better, sounds more appealing and elicits a twinge of jealousy in you, yet it garners enthused smiles and justifying nods from its audience. Sound familiar?

By definition, a social network is quite simply a network of social interactions and personal relationships. In our day and age, a Facebook, Twitter and Instagram account comprise the triad upon which we base our everyday communication and interaction with others. Logging in is an impulse, an insatiable thirst we’ve developed to update others on our whereabouts and to silently view the lifestyle of others, praising or disregarding whatever they’ve chosen to share on this unflinchingly public domain. Yet, where in the past decade or so, have those innocent interactions turned into competitive updates, and personal relationships a superficial façade? Worst still, why

16 september 15th 2015

have these networks become an arena of showmanship and a waste bin of ‘friends’.

I have a real problem with social media. It’s an intrusive obligation, and the unsaid courtesy that goes along with it leaves me gritting my teeth more times than not every time I clamber online. It’s an obscured window into the meticulously manipulated lives of others, an impression of what people desperately really want you to see. Fail to participate in it’s overall superficiality and you feel isolated, somewhat dejected. Participate and what do you get in return? A flash release of endorphin maybe; a transient high like eating a sugary sweet, and then the need for more, always more. More justification and more need for ‘likes’, glorious, glorious ‘likes’. However, there’s a new shade of social media that really gets under my skin, something I like to refer to as Social Media Superiority.

There are many different types of people in this world, like there are many different types of social media users.

There’s the projectile over-sharer, depositing their entire camera roll and emotional back catalogue onto your newsfeed, more often than not met by your scrolling, rolling eyes. There’s the quiet observant type, silently seeing all but saying very little; perhaps a whispering comment here and there just reminding you that their profile still kicks. Next are the school friends who have never left the small town they now despise, the woo-girl Saturday night-ers and the piss-pulling lad group, jumping at every chance to humiliate one of their own. Mingled amongst this myriad of personalities is probably the one person you message each and everyday, or a long distance friend, the platform of social media being your mutual means of communication. Yet amongst these is one stand out character, a persona quite like no other we’ve come across before.

Over the past few months I’ve started to notice this character more online.

Perhaps they’ve always been there and I’m just a little naïve. Perhaps my low days heighten their behavior while my good

days somewhat overshadow their updates.

Or perhaps it is just the competitive world we’re all enclosed within, whereby every opportunity is one to showcase how much better you are than the next person. Where every Facebook update or Tweet or Instagram picture is another chance to show your peers how in control and fantastic your life appears to be.

The snapshot world of social media has somewhat created a behavior in some that manifests itself in a strange cocktail of insecurity, narcissism and the incessant need to have their every move justified. It takes a less than quiet update to keep themselves above the next person, a form of superiority hierarchy.

These personas photograph their toned bodies in mirrors explaining their morning routine of yoga/running/kettle belling/helping old ladies cross the road, they pen themselves as newly educated fitness aficionados, they feel the need to disclose another ridiculous way to bring avocado into every meal, and truthfully are generally all round sickeners.

Some people have somehow created a career out of this behavior and this is what is the most frightening. The public display of their own self-centered attention is by some means allowing them to carve out a name for themselves. Yet the message they’re sending is completely and utterly misconstrued. Photographing your partially clothed body to advocate how proud you are of the fitness progress your making lacks sincerity and perhaps the right message to those viewing your updates. I look at those on social media and wonder what must go through their mind as they pose and edit images of themselves. There’s nothing as lonely as a selfie, but a mirror shot of your body comes quite close.

These people post about their early morning runs, their healthy balanced lifestyle and the ongoing highs in their life. While you may have personally achieved something great during your own day, one look at these updates and you immediately diminish said achievement. Their superficial sheen of triumph

subconsciously tarnishes the confidence in your own self. Should you do as they do and have your every move justified?

Should you start getting up at 6am just to nab that sunrise moment in order to show it off? Modesty has long disappeared on social media and in its place stands a mutated idea of what we think we must do to succeed in today’s world.

Social Media Superiority is a cruel mistress and if you’re not careful you may begin to compare your own self to her one-dimensional façade. These personas outrage me but I can only say to them, as Yeats once said “Tread softly because you tread on my dreams”.

Upload softly, please, because you’re making me feel bad about myself.

“ IN our day and age, a Facebook, Twitter and Instagram account comprise the triad upon which we base our everyday communication and interaction with others

editorial

editorial

I HAD THE pleasure last week of meeting Ayman Belli, a refugee from Syria, at an event run by the educational charity SUAS as part of their 8x8 Festival in UCD last week.

Ayman is 25 years old. He came to Ireland when he was relocated from Lebanon, where he had spent two years in hiding after escaping prison and probable death in the Syrian capital, and his hometown, Aleppo.

Ayman is just four years older than I am, but he has seen much more danger and death than I hope ever to see. His family is currently scattered across Europe, in whichever countries they could get to safely.

His brother made a horrific trip on a dinghy across the Mediterranean.

Five of his cousins and many of his friends have died in the war.

These are problems that I hope that neither you nor I ever have to face.

Ayman talks about the dangers he has faced casually, and he laughs easily. His face lights up when we chat about his two children; his youngest daughter is just two months old. He and his wife have been studying and working while in Ireland, and they can only hope that the family and friends they have that still live in Syria will be safe.

Ayman is just one of thousands of refugees from Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan and many other countries suffering under dictatorial leadership or invasion by terrorist groups. It is nearly impossible for us, students at a wealthy Irish university, to imagine what it must be like to have to escape from your home in the dead of night with only the clothes on your back. No matter what our family or financial situation, we have never been in such life-threatening

danger from a regime as to have no other option but to run from our own country with little hope of returning in the near future. We are extremely privileged to live where we do, and it’s important that we recognise this.

Perhaps the most important thing that we as educated university students are able to do is to be informed about this crisis, to realise how lucky we are and to talk about it. The cynical and distrustful attitude held by more than a few commentators towards the refugee crisis and those who are risking their lives to come to Europe and Ireland needs to be overturned. This needs to happen in order to create a society that is not just accepting, but supportive of these people who come to Ireland for help. Comments that we are just emerging from a recession, that it is difficult to integrate these

people into our society, and other such selfish remarks form the only battle that Ireland needs to fight.

Lebanon has taken in four times as many refugees as the entirety of the European Union – think how small a percentage this leaves Ireland to host.

Students can play a major part in this change of attitude. We form part of the lucky minority in the world that have been able to progress to third level education in a relatively wealthy country, and as such we have a platform to speak from. Ayman was one of the lucky ones in that he managed to escape the Syrian regime; one only needs to look at the online homepage of the independent news organisation, Syria Deeply, which covers the Syrian crisis in-depth, to realise how many people haven’t been so lucky. As students, we are in a position to educate ourselves about

this crisis and to help in the change of attitude necessary for Ireland.

It was at a SUAS event this week discussing the Syrian refugee crisis that I met Ayman. SUAS is an Irish educational development charity which is making strides towards improving literacy and education in Ireland as well as countries such as Kenya and India. It also runs courses in colleges and universities across Ireland to teach students about global issues. They hold society status in many of these universities and have been campaigning, unsuccessfully, for society status in UCD for some years now. You can look up more about what they do on www.suas. ie, but hopefully they will regain their society status in UCD within the coming years, so that they can continue to educate students about the necessity of being aware of what’s

the university observer

Talleyrand

Editor Gráinne Loughran Deputy Editor Patrick Kelleher

TALLEY HO! One’s reputation is like a shadow, it is gigantic when it precedes you, and a pigmy in proportion when it follows.

I, Charles Maurice de TalleyrandPérigord, have a reputation of enormous infamy going before me at all times; the same cannot be said for some in the executive offices of UCD, whose reputations follow them with a whimper. As UCD continues to plummet in University Rankings worldwide, this newspaper has learned that President Deeks spent nearly €1000 on travel expenses during 2014. It is rather unfortunate that he did not choose to spend the money on a one-way flight. In the grand scheme of this University of ‘note’, €1000 may not seem like much, particularly when looking at the hordes of young faces glued to their I-whatsits and intelligent calling paraphernalia. However, €185,000 most certainly is, and one would think that Sir Deeks would be able to afford a monthly ticket for Dublin Bus on such a salary. I travel primarily in the wind around UCD, and have no need for such ludicrous expenses, and would advise anyone else with as large a reputation as mine to do the same.

Cian Churnout was once more in the spotlight for bringing pride and joy to our beloved Union and the University as a difficult competitor

to beat in C&E’s Iron Stomach competition during Freshers’ Week.

Not only did Churnout projectile vomit on a stage on front of hundreds of students, but he did so while wearing an SU t-shirt, as an esteemed representative of the students of UCD. Some were shocked at Churnout’s talent at expelling vomit and various other noxious substances on opening his mouth, but Churnout has proven himself more capable of this than of actual communication of late.

The most important calendar event of the year came to a close over the weekend. Oh, you missed it? You mean, you weren’t one of the seven or so people who ran for Class Rep this year? Talleyrand is disgusted at your lack of zeal for wearing hoodies and attempting to sell tickets for various Union events. Class rep training for the future hacks of the SU was, as always, a huge success and thrill for the Union as excited young reps were taught the vital skill of ordering Dominos pizza and eating absurd amounts of it. After Talley-ing up the numbers, I’ve discovered that over half of the new class reps that were elected were uncontested, in what was obviously a highly successful year for student politics. Looks like the position of Campaigns and Communications officer for the Students’ Union won’t be back next year… well, hopefully.

The Mind, Body and Soul festival was undoubtedly a success for the Union. Indeed, the introduction of shisha pipes was a stroke of genius from a Union that introduced a smoke free campus just one short year ago. Even more impressive was the smell of smoke from certain other herbal refreshments that seemed to lie around the Old Student Centre for some time during the reggae music events. Though I prefer a pipe myself, such a scent was an interesting change from that of the rats I usually sniff out.

Clare O’Incompetent took a well-deserved break after her “organisation” of the highly successful Mind, Body and Soul Festival. In fact, she’s been hiding ever since, possibly due to the exertion that organising a ball pit and a couple of puppies to come to the college caused her. Talley has heard little whisper of her whereabouts or even her existence.

Her position has possibly been filled by one of the other various sabbat officers struggling to account for her absence, as they are the ones who appear to be doing the greatest bulk of the work for welfare.

Until the next time. You may hear me whispering in the wind, “Talley’s going to get you.”

TALLEY OUT

letters to the editor Letters, corrections and clarifications pertaining to articles published in this newspaper and online are welcome and encouraged.

Letters should be addressed to The Editor, University Observer, UCD Student Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4.

going on in the world around us.

VISUAL CONTENt & Design Editor James Healy Chief of pHOTOGRAPHY Joanna O’Malley News Editor Roisin Guyett-Nicholson Comment Editor Martin Healy Features Editor Eithne Dodd Science, Health & Technology Editor Aoife Hardesty BUSINESS & CAREERS Editor Megan Fanning Eagarthóir Gaeilge Síofra Ní Shluaghadháin Sports Editor David Kent Otwo Editors Eva Griffin & Karl Quigley Food Editor Niamh O’Regan Games Editor Adam Donnelly Film & TV Editor David Monaghan Music Editor Aisling Kraus

Photography & Illustration Joanna O’Malley Louise Flanagan Dearbhla Ross Words Shane Coneely Fiachra Johnston Meshkat Haque Safa Zainai Christopher Seeley Daniel Sinnott Helen Carroll Leah Flanagan Billy Vaughan Mieke O’Brien Déonna McLaughlin Oisín O’Cléirigh Aisling Brennan Tomás Fitzpatrick Alanna O’Shea Michael O’Sullivan Valerie Tierney Tim Healy Sinead Conroy Keira Gilleechi Jessica Quinn Maeve Clark Rebekah Rennick Niamh Maher Callie Crowley Ruth Murphy Ruan McGuinness David Kennedy Amanda Cheng Susan Barry Chloe Browne Freya Williams Mina Dawood Andrew Carroll Fintan Maloney Gavin O’Donnell Corey Fischer Daniel Ryan Anna Walsh Owen Steinberger Katie Scanlon Adam Lawler

Fashion Editor Lucy Coffey Creative writing Editor Roisin Murray Arts & Literature Editor Maebh Butler ONLINE EDITOR Keira Gilleechi

Correspondence may also be sent to editor@universityobserver.ie. september 15th 2015

sport

The Glass Ceiling of Sport: How The Media Are Holding Back Irish Women As women’s sport still lags behind, Keira Gilleechi examines why the media and the public fail to engage with women’s sporting activities WHILE MANY are celebrating the record-breaking attendance at last week’s All-Ireland Ladies Football Final, the fact remains there is still a long way to go before women can be considered equal in the sporting world. One of the biggest problems faced by women’s sport in 2015 is that it does not receive the media attention or mass support like that of its male counterparts. Although it may seem admirable that the Ladies Final managed to attract 31,000 supporters, more than the 2015 FAI Cup Final, this is less than half of the 82,000 who attended the Men’s Final between Dublin and Kerry a week earlier.

It could be argued that this is purely because fewer women play sports and therefore are not as invested in the outcome of sporting events. However in 2013, a study from the Irish Sports Council demonstrated that women’s participation in sport had risen to 43 per cent in comparison to 52 per cent of men, meaning that almost half the female population were engaged with some form of sport on a weekly basis. Therefore it must be questioned, if female participation in sport is almost equal to male, why do the general public have so little interest in watching women’s sport?

Malachy Clerkin of The Irish Times recently attempted to answer this by explaining that “women’s sport’s most basic problem when it comes to media coverage is that you can’t force people to care.” This is a problem not specific to Ireland, but is faced by female athletes around the world.

Last year, former Olympian Nicole Cooke unsuccessfully challenged the BBC to increase their coverage of women’s sports from 20 per cent to 50 per cent. Similarly, the University of Southern California conducted a 2014 study, which showed that sports broadcasters in the United States generally dedicate just 12 per cent of their airtime to women’s sports.

While Clerkin is right to some extent, it’s difficult to argue that an increase in media coverage would not generate an increase in interest without actually trying it.

In her keynote speech at last year’s Sports Summit, Irish marathoner and sports blogger Emily Glen explained how the issue is a cycle; the media say that they do not broadcast women’s sports due to

lack of demand, sponsors say they cannot increase their sponsorship due to lack of media coverage. Fans cannot expand their base without the support of media and sponsors.

Within Ireland, there is no shortage of outstanding female athletes. The Cork Ladies Gaelic Football team have been dubbed Ireland’s Greatest Sports Team by The42.ie, due to the fact that they have won an incredible ten out of eleven All-Ireland finals since 2005. This goes largely unreported by the Irish media, alongside the fact that two Cork players – Briege Corkery and Rena Buckley – have sixteen All-Ireland medals each.

This is more than any male player, and yet their names never make it onto ‘Best Gaelic Footballer’ lists alongside the likes of Bernard Brogan or Diarmuid Connolly.

While coverage of Corkery and Buckley was largely positive, there were some suggestions that they only accomplished this record-breaking achievement due to the fact that ladies GAA is less demanding than men’s.

Patrick Conway of PunditArena describes how “it would be simply unimaginable for a man to achieve similar feats in hurling and football.

The training demands at the elite level are so high that doubling up verges on the suicidal.” This notion, that women’s sport is somehow less ‘elite’ and requires less commitment than its masculine counterpart, is damaging not only to the institution as a whole, but also to the thousands of women who train hard every day to play at a competitive level.

Similarly, the Irish Women’s Rugby Team are often overlooked, despite their on-going outstanding performance. As winners of the 2013 Grand Slam title, they went on to beat four time champions New Zealand in the 2014 World Cup, before eventually losing to France in the third round. It has also recently been announced that Under 20 and International matches will be moved from Ashbourne to the larger Donnybrook Stadium due to the high attendance. This is hugely significant, especially since it has recently been announced that Ireland will host the 2017 Women’s World Cup. Although coverage of women’s GAA and rugby is scarce at best,

the situation is even worse for other sports. Olympic champion Katie Taylor has previously criticised RTÉ for their focus on Rugby and GAA, while women’s boxing is greatly neglected. Speaking to the Irish Independent, Taylor lamented, “They always want to jump on the bandwagon when the Olympics come around every four years but that’s not good enough. We should be getting the support of the national broadcaster. What more do I actually have to do to get that coverage?”

So what can be done to get that coverage? One of the biggest issues at a grassroots level, is that the majority of people who go out and support local teams and attend sporting events are men. When we look at the gender imbalance in sports, it is far greater amongst children than at adult level.

This indicates that from a young age, girls are not encouraged to partake in sports to the same degree that boys are, and while they are just as likely to take up a sport in adulthood, this does not necessarily translate to going out and supporting a team.

Many organisations are attempting to change that. The Women’s Sports Journal was set up in January 2015 by two female students in an attempt to provide a website dedicated solely to reporting on women’s athletics in Ireland. The Irish Sports Council launched the Women In Sport initiative in October 2005, which by 2013 had seen 20,000 women get involved in sporting events nationally. Liberty Insurance have recently begun a campaign entitled #SupportHerSport, under the premise that 73% of people who attend sport also did so as a child. This targets parents and encourages them to introduce sport to their daughters at a young age.

In the short-tem, the only way to see an increase in women’s sport’s coverage in the Irish media is to demand it, to tweet about it, to share Facebook posts about it and to talk about it. However, in the long-term, the stigmas associated with women playing sport need to be pushed aside and increased participation and attendance at grassroots sporting events will eventually pave the way to a more equal playing field.

World Cup Review – hosts HEADING HOME at halfway point With the tournament reaching its halfway stage, Ruan McGuinness details the thrills, spills and shocks of the Rugby World Cup so far

IRELAND have yet to play a decisive game, but the 2015 Rugby World Cup has already delivered thrills for hard-core followers and casual supporters alike. Most notably, minnows Japan beat the second best team on the planet, South Africa, in a thrilling contest. Japan outscored the overwhelmingly-backed Springboks (who had over 800 international caps on the field) by 34 points to 32. A dramatic last-minute try from Karne Hesketh sealed what was remarkably only the Japanese’s second ever world cup win in 24 years. This fact is even more impressive when you take into account they had only won five matches against Tier 1 nations in 73 years of international rugby.

This upset was undoubtedly the biggest talking point of the first round of matches, where Ireland, Wales, France, England and Australia all registered wins with relative ease.

Tournament favourites New Zealand held off Argentina 26-16, despite strong resilience from the Pumas in what was most likely the decider of the top spot in Pool C, the boot of Dan Carter taking down the South Americans. Namibia and Georgia have fallen to the Kiwis and 18 OCTOBER 6th 2015

Pumas respectively and Tonga are late Gareth Davies try put the Welsh for Irish fans was Rob Kearney’s unlikely to offer much resistance ahead, before English captain Chris premature exit due to injury, almost to both teams’ progression. This is Robshaw opted to go for touch from immediately after coming on as a especially true after Georgia upset a penalty instead of attempting a substitute. The game set a record the Tongan’s 17-10 in their first game. kick at goal which would have seen for the highest ever attendance at a They were able to bounce back by the match level. 23 points from Dan world cup match, with 89,267 fans defeating the Africans by 14 points Biggar was crucial to the victory for packing out Wembley Stadium.

Joe Schmidt’s Ireland cruised past Warren Gatland’s men. The hosts Meanwhile in Pool B, Samoa will Canada in their opening game 50-7 were then knocked out of their own fancy their chances of being the without competition only of the Pacific Islands teams to “With the perennial ever really by a bullish reach the knockout stage, but they feeling of being Australian will have to face an equally eager tested. side 33-13.

Scottish side first. That game on underachievement The men The Wallabies Saturday will likely decide second looming large in green comfortably place in Pool B as despite their over the head of secured a beat Fiji in nightmarish first game, South Africa bonus point the side, Schmidt their first are still favoured to qualify after would be clever to with their outing before a convincing backlash against the seven tries not underestimate obliterating Samoans, thrashing them 46-6. (from seven the opposition” Uruguay 65-3, Ireland face France on the 11th of different the biggest October in what will most likely be players) in front of a huge Irish crowd score of the tournament thus far. the deciding match of the Pool. While at the Millennium Stadium. Out-half Ireland dominated a tired it’s expected both teams will still Johnny Sexton was named man of the Romanian side in their second game, progress to the knockout rounds, this match after an excellent performance, securing a second bonus point out encounter should decide the winners with a solid kicking display and a try of two with the 44-10 scoreline. The of the group, and subsequently who to boot. Elsewhere in Pool D, France Irish showed flashes of excellence andwill have to face behemoths New beat fellow Six Nations competitors promise for later in the tournament Zealand in the quarter final. Bar a and neighbours Italy 32-10. when breaking through the freak occurrence, the All Blacks will Pool A was blown wide open when Romanian’s lacklustre defence, with come out on top of Pool C and face the Wales claimed a stunning win over Keith Earls and Tommy Bowe both runners up of Pool D. Ideally, Ireland hosts England in Twickenham. A scoring twice. The only real concern would avoid Richie McCaw and Co.

for as long as possible, considering they have never once defeated the All-Blacks in Rugby Union.

While in recent years Les Bleus haven’t looked particularly dangerous, they hold an excellent record in the World Cup, coming second on three occasions. In 2011 they lost to New Zealand by a single point in the final.

Ireland will attempt to put their poor showings in previous World Cups behind them, having never progressed past the quarter final. History isn’t on the Irish side, with only three victories in the last 16 attempts over France, but two of them have come in the last two Six Nations campaigns.

However, head coach Joe Schmidt has created a formidable force around several key players including Cian Healy, Sean O’Brien, Paul O’Connell, Kearney and Sexton.

A huge amount will be riding on Sexton’s place kicking form come the clash in Cardiff’s Millennium stadium. Despite the ominous legacy, there is a huge amount of faith both in and among the Irish team; especially knowing a potential quarter final with Argentina awaits, and the greatest chance for an Irish triumph at the Rugby World Cup yet.

This all sets up what is looking to be an interesting quarter final line up. At time of writing, the last 8 stands up as follows. If as expected, South Africa win their remaining games, they’ll top group B, where they will face Wales. The Japan defeat has shown vulnerability in the Springboks, and with Wales wrecked with injuries, they’ve performed admirably so far.

Australia should top group A, which would line them up against Scotland, which should be an easy victory for the Wallabies.

As mentioned before, Ireland would play Argentina.

With the perennial feeling of underachievement looming large over the head of the side, Schmidt would be clever to not underestimate the opposition.

This would leave a repeat of the 2011 final in the final quarter final: the unstoppable All-Blacks against the resilient French.

One point separated them in Auckland four years ago, and a similar scoreline would not surprise this time around.

sport

Grealish setback mustn’t disrupt Ireland’s Euro chance Ahead of the two biggest games of the last decade for Ireland internationally, David Kennedy previews a crunch weekend for Martin O’Neill

JACK GREALISH’S long-awaited a new away jersey released. decision over the future of his Table-toppers Germany’s visit on international career ended in October 8th represents a chance for disappointment for Martin O’Neill Ireland to secure one of eight playoff and the Republic of Ireland setup. places with a win. The trip to Poland The Aston Villa attacker opted to three days later offers a second pledge his allegiance to England, chance should the Germans prove to choosing his birth country over the be too strong at the Aviva. Indeed, a one he represented at international win in Warsaw could qualify Ireland underage level. This puts to an end for the finals in France automatically the seemingly age-old saga that has should Scotland take all three points surrounded Grealish that has only from their showdown with the Poles. increased in media coverage since Ireland’s four-point gap over his first-team breakthrough at Villa Gordon Strachan’s side after the last Park towards the end of last season. round of qualifiers, where the former The final twist in the tale came beat Gibraltar and Georgia while the when the 20-year old’s agent, Scots were beaten by both Georgia Jonathan Barnett, revealed his and Germany, leaves their fate in attempts to persuade Gareth Bale their own hands. However, should the to represent England over his Celtic neighbours end up on 15 points native Wales. He stated that his with two Irish defeats and Scotland decision has cost the Real Madrid getting a win and a draw from their man “millions and millions of two games, it would be Scotland who pounds”. The Telegraph’s Luke would take the playoff spot, thanks Edwards then revealed that to their superior head-to-head record Grealish’s choosing of England following last November’s 1-0 win was influenced by “commercial over O’Neill’s side in Glasgow. sense”. Incidentally, the winger O’Neill’s tenure at the Irish won’t feature in Roy Hodgson’s next helm has been mixed to date, with squad for their games against Estonia improvements seen in certain areas IN PHOTO: MarTIN O’NEILL & ROY KEANE and Lithuania – his international from Giovanni Trapattoni’s reign but clearance may take up to six weeks. similarities remaining in others. With In spite of Grealish’s absence, Glenn Whelan and James McClean back four, the position he’s played crowd is bigger for the 7:45pm kickScotland’s defeat in Georgia, where last two fixtures, enabling Gordon O’Neill and his squad must focus all both suspended for Germany’s visit, at international level for the past off, but whether the Aviva reaches this campaign got off to a rocky, nervy Strachan’s side to sneak in in third their attentions on two of the biggest the manager has decisions to make few games. Whether he’s trusted capacity remains to be seen. 50,500 start for Ireland last year, has offered into the playoff at Poland’s expense.

Failure to qualify from this position games in recent Irish footballing against the world champions. As defensively in that role or not people were listed as attendees for the side a lifeline. However, the memory. It’s hard to remember such ever, the key questions surround remains to be seen, but the ex-Hull the 1-1 draw with Poland in March, cruelties of the fixture computer leave would raise serious questions of make-or-break ties over the past Robbie Keane and Wes Hoolahan.

City man’s delivery from set pieces with just under that figure in the them in a fate-in-own-hands situation O’Neill. Potential replacements are abundant; not least his rightfew years, the playoff with France The latter has started the Premier probably offer Ireland’s biggest goal stadium when Ireland and Scotland of the most difficult magnitude. hand man Roy Keane. The FAI’s in 2009 probably being the last big League season well for Norwich threat – both of Scotland’s goals played out the same result in June.

All the pressure is on the Scots. current financial situation probably game in Dublin, surpassing the non- with five assists already, but perhaps in their 3-2 defeat to Germany Travelling to Poland a few days One more loss from their final two means that another Trapattoni-style event of the Estonia game in 2011. tellingly his club boss Alex Neill came from dead ball situations. later will be another huge test. games will virtually end their hopes. appointment is unlikely. However With the Football First up they will Association of host Lewandowski’s that shouldn’t detract from the “It’s hard to remember such make-or-break ties over the past few years, fact that failure to at least make Ireland (FAI) still in Poles at the playoff with France in 2009 probably being the last big game in Dublin” the playoffs in a forgiving format debt, qualification Hampden Park (despite an unforgiving group) would could bring about more than one left him out of the side for the recent Speculation regarding the After scraping a 1-1 draw back before travelling to Faro to tackle spell failure for the management. opportunity for marketing. Success visit to Anfield to face Liverpool, attendance total for the Germans’ in March at the Aviva in the first minnows Gibraltar. Irish fans will It’s an opportunity for the team, next weekend could be capitalised opting for solidity in midfield in his visit is rife. 27,200 was the official game, the Irish will be up against naturally be pinning their hopes though – what better way to banish on alongside the expected good stead. O’Neill may well do the same figure quoted for the Georgia game, Europe’s form striker in Robert on the first of those games. the Grealish disappointment than to performance of the Irish rugby side when the Germans come to town. though these figures tend to be Lewandowski. He has had ten goals Despite appearing unrealistic, secure a playoff place (at the least)? at the World Cup. The association Also at Norwich, O’Neill will inflated by the FAI. The attraction of in his last three games after hitting the permutation that both Celtic are constantly releasing new have been glad to see Robbie Brady star turns Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil another hat-trick against Dinamo nations progress remains. This merchandise with most recently get a run of games at left back in a and Thomas Muller should mean the Zagreb for Bayern Munich. would require both winning their

The badger Hurrah, Ireland have a chance at a major tournament. But the Badger is not a fan

REJOICE, the sport for the gentleman’s greatest tournament is here once again! The Badger used to be a fan of rugby. Used to. That is, until the snobbery and holier-thanthou attitude of players, managers, and fans alike reared its ugly head.

The Rugby World Cup is the most expensive sporting event for fans to attend of all time. That’s including every Football World Cup, every Ryder Cup (on either side of the Atlantic) and every Olympic games. Average ticket price for the competition in England is £104.17.

Tickets for Ireland’s first game were coming close to £109. And that’s before you bring travel and hotels and other expenses into it.

There are 20 teams at this World Cup, but the media seem to ignore how you can literally count on your hands the amount of sides that are competitive. Take the three Southern Hemisphere giants out of it, and four of the six nations. Your winner

will be from one of those. You could further narrow it down by taking the three ‘nearly’ sides of rugby out (France, Ireland and Wales). It’s shocking. Ireland being second best in the world in the rankings means absolutely nothing when you don’t even have 10 nations that take rugby seriously, whereas in soccer you have between 20 and 30 competitive teams.

Rugby fans are obsessed with other sports. As referee Nigel Owens famously claimed in a match, “this is not soccer’’. But it was another Owens comment which particularly annoyed the Badger. He recently claimed he’d be able to “sort out” José Mourinho and his antics, and easily be able to referee a soccer match. This is simply lies, and Owens knows that.

It’s incredibly hard to referee a sport at grassroots let alone at top level.

Rugby managers/coaches are usually high above in the stands and not on the sideline of the pitch where they will be able to directly

scrutinise a referee. Rugby referees have the use of the TMO as well, and can review plays. This doesn’t happen in soccer either. So Owens needs to get off his high horse, and stop drawing attention to himself.

He wouldn’t last twenty minutes on a football field before cracking.

And that’s not even mentioning the pathetic excuse for an anthem.

Amhrán na BhFiann is the Irish national anthem. That is the one that should be played at every event involving the international team. Oh no, there are players from Ulster on the Irish team – well, so what?! At Ulster GAA matches the anthem is played; it’s up to the players to decide to sing it or not.

Ireland’s Call should be discontinued immediately. It’s not played away from home, both are played at home. It doesn’t make any sense.

Sports Digest David kent Men’s soccer

yet to be announced at time of writing.

U19

mind for the Waves.

UCD’s final home game of the season takes place this weekend, with hopes of automatic promotion all but gone. Collie O’Neill’s side take on Cabinteely in the Dublin 4 Derby. Elsewhere, the Third Level Colleges 2015/16 season was launched at the end of September.

The event was attended by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) CEO John Delaney, and by UCD’s Soccer Executive Diarmuid McNally. McNally, coach of the back-to-back champions going for three in a row spoke at the launch about how difficult that task might be: “A lot of the other colleges have been progressive so we’re expecting it to be an exciting competition but very tough… I expect Carlow IT and Maynooth probably to be the two from the Leinster region certainly.”

Paul Doolin’s Irish U19 squad for October’s friendlies in Market’s Field contains two UCD students, as Dylan O’Connor and Dylan Watts will represent the college.

Women’s soccer

UCD Waves begin their 2015/16 season with an away league game against Wexford Youths Women’s AFC in the first series of the Women’s National League. It’s an exciting prospect, as last season the Waves missed out on the title by two points to the Youths. Already this season Eileen Gleeson’s side have been beaten in the Continental Shield and the FAI Cup by the same opposition, with Claire O’Riordan netting twice in the former, so revenge will certainly be on the

GAA

Basketball

Furthermore, there were some great announcements for GAA this week as UCD Medical student and Sigerson Captain Jack McCaffrey has been nominated for Player of the Year. Monaghan’s Ryan Wylie has been nominated for Young Player of the Year. McCaffrey, Brian Fenton and Graduates Rory O’Carroll, Cian O’Sullivan and Laois’s Donie Kingston were all nominated for All-Stars. UCD graduate Ali Maguire has been nominated for a Camogie All Star. Further good news followed with the announcement of the Hurling All-Star nominees, with Cillian Buckley of Kilkenny (and UCD) up for contention in the defenders. The Ladies All-Stars have

UCD Marian’s basketball season got underway at the weekend with a match against Belfast Star in the Sports Centre.

The 65- 58 victory is a great start to the campaign. In the other domestic competition, Marian have been drawn away to St.Anthony’s of Cork. That tie will take place on the weekend of the 24/25th of October. Victory will see the team come up against either Limerick Celtics or Ballingcollig in Round Two.

events in Dun Laoghaire have also started. For more information contact windsurfing@ucd.ie Ultimate Frisbee

Windsurfing

UCD Windsurfing have their freshers’ trip this weekend (9th-11th) to Achill.

People wishing to join up can still do so by checking out UCD Windsurfing Club on Facebook. Their weekly

UCD Ultimate Frisbee had representatives at both the Galway Open a fortnight ago and at the Edinburgh Open this week. UCD Ultimate took home silver, being defeated in the final

by Snatch, but it is a positive start to the season for the club.

Lacrosse

The UCD Women’s team started off their EY League campaign with a defeat at home to Hermes, with ex-Belfield player Anna O’Flanagan scoring a hat trick in a thrilling 3-2 victory. The side from Booterstown boasted a quartet of ex UCD players in their starting side, but it was O’Flanagan who did the damage, turning home a penalty corner in the last play of the match, having dragged her side from behind twice to equalise.

UCD will look to bounce back this weekend with an away game in Park Avenue against Railway Union.

UCD’s lacrosse teams both held their first open training of the college year in the final week of September, with a huge turnout particularly for the women’s teams.

Hockey

september 15th 2015

sport David Kent Sports Editor

Dardis hat trick a highlight for dominant UCD UCD’s rugby squad on a winning streak as they blitz Young Munster in Belfield Bowl in photo: BILLY DARDIS

UCD’s first XV continued their strong start to this season’s Ulster Bank League on Saturday, running through nine tries to blitz Young Munster by 56 points to 22. On a perfect day for rugby in the Belfield Bowl, seven different try scorers will please Noel McNamara, as the Students sit just three points off the top spot.

After demolishing Ballynahinch in Galway the previous week, McNamara opted to make two changes to his starting XV: David McSharry making his return from injury to take his place at inside centre, James Tracy coming in at hooker, replacing Conall Doherty and Sean McNulty respectively.

Contrary to the win last week, UCD started slowly. Young Munster were happy to run the ball through the forwards, and UCD weren’t able to get to grips with them. As a result, they were penalised four times in the opening ten minutes by referee Eddie Hogan-O’Connell. The boot of Paul Downes was accurate, as he stroked over the opening score of the match from a penalty. It would be the only time in the game the Munster side would lead.

The response to falling behind was almost instant, as on 12 minutes David Cawley smashed his way over the try line after a tough UCD pack mauled from a line out. That woke the home side up, and three minutes later they touched down again. A fantastic catch by Adam Byrne following an up and under started the move, and following some good link up play, Mark McGroarty went in under the posts, Bobby Holland adding the extras to put UCD 12-3 ahead.

Halfway through the first 40, Byrne scored his second try in as many weeks, again after some fantastic hands in the centre. The Medical Engineering student went over in the corner, with the conversion missed.

Young Munster weren’t going to roll over though, and they were able to score a try themselves. Similar to the UCD opener, a great maul left Alan Kennedy space to cross, Downes adding the conversion to bring the gap back to seven. A lack of discipline would set them back with just under ten minutes left in the first half as centre Diarmaid McCarthy was sin binned. Despite this, the

away team applied a decent amount of pressure. UCD’s defence was strong though, and they turned the ball over, allowing Billy Dardis to sprint clear from inside his own half and score a bonus point securing try. In the final play of the first half, Holland kicked over another penalty, giving UCD a comfortable half time lead of 25-10.

Still down to 14, the second half began in the worst possible way for the Cookies, as they immediately gave away a scrum from kick off. They didn’t let it deter them however, and they pounded the UCD five metre line with attack after attack in the opening ten minutes, comfortable to roll the ball through phases in order to break through. UCD weren’t giving in though, and Josh Murphy forced the knock on, from which they were able to clear their lines.

It was a turning point, as UCD would blitz their opposition with three tries in the next six minutes.

First, an initial breakaway and good hands from Barry Daly and McSharry in midfield carved open a tiring Young Munster defence.

This led to Dardis going over on 55 minutes, with the 20 year old converting his own try. Five minutes later, the forwards combined at the breakdown and Tracy scored on his return to the side, which was again converted by Dardis.

A near-carbon copy would come within the next minute, as Tracy’s fellow front row compatriot Jeremy Loughman bundling the ball over the line, killing off any hope of a Young Munster comeback.

They were able to grab a try of their own though with eleven minutes to go, and again it was the result of good work at the maul. From a lineout just outside the home team’s 22, the pack drove UCD back and the ball eventually was touched down by loosehead prop Sean Duggan. Downes converted the try to leave the score line at 44-17.

It didn’t stop UCD though, as they continued their battering of the Young Munster rear-guard.

Having worked tirelessly all day at the breakdowns, scrum half Jamie Glynn was rewarded after being put through by Byrne to score his second try of the season so far.

Credit must go to Young Munster

for not giving in however, as they would again use the rolling maul as an avenue of attack to score their third try of the game. With the clock winding towards 80, another drive from a line out saw David Begley scramble the ball over the whitewash.

This gave the away side hope of eking out a bonus point, as they needed just one more try to do it.

Their eagerness would cost them however. With sub scrum half Abrie Griesel making his debut, he tried to force the five points, but the ball was turned over and it came to the hands of substitute Liam Bourke just outside the Young Munster 22. His delightful kick into space was inch perfect for an onrushing Dardis, who scooped the ball up and went over to complete his hat trick. Bourke converted to cap off the scoring and another superb performance from UCD. The side backed up this huge win with a thrilling draw away to Cork Con at the weekend. Their next home game is on the 16th, as Friday night lights come to Belfield again, with the visit of Terenure College

UCD Scorers: Tries: Brian Cawley, Mark McGroarty , Adam Byrne , Billy Dardis (x3) James Tracy, Jeremy Loughman and Jamie Glynn.

Conversions: Bobby Holland, Liam Bourke and Billy Dardis (x2).

Penalties Bobby Holland.

UCD XV : 15 Billy Dardis; 14 Adam Byrne; 13 Stephen Murphy (Capt); 12 David McSharry; 11 Barry Daly; 10 Bobby Holland; 9 Jamie Glynn; 1 Andy Porter; 2 James Tracy; 3 Jeremy Loughman;4 Brian Cawley; 5 Emmet Mac Mahon; 6 Josh Murphy; 7 Mark McGroarty; 8 Peadar Timmins.

Replacements (all used): 16 Gordon Frayne; 17 Sean McNulty; 18 Shane Grannell; 19 Nick McCarthy; 20 Liam Bourke.

Club Focus: UCD Orienteering Club David Kent takes an in-depth look at some of the various sports clubs in UCD, starting with Orienteering

IT’S NOT TOO common in sports these days that brains are used alongside brawn. But that isn’t the case with Orienteering. You need to be quick both mentally and physically for the sport, which involves competitors locating points on a map and racing to them in the quickest time possible. First appearing in Sweden towards the end of the 19th century, orienteering’s popularity grew rapidly alongside the invention of the various compasses. The sport is governed these days by the International Orienteering Federation, which is comprised of over 67 different countries, including Ireland.

Despite being one of the older sports clubs in UCD, at almost 40 years old, Orienteering on campus has only flourished in the last couple of years, a fact 2015-16 captain Laurence Quinn notes: “It hasn’t been very active until the last three, four years because it was always run just, people kind of doing it alone.

But then three years ago, three of us joined the club who had been orienteering for a few years, and… we undertook the running of the club, and since then we’ve had more serious orienteers come on board.

Running the club has become a bit easier; it’s become a bit more serious as well. Before it was usually just one person running the club, so now four or five, even though it’s not too many it’s still a big difference.”

The Irish Orienteering teams have generally done quite well for themselves, with four of the seven athletes involved with the Irish squad at the 2015 Junior World Championships a part of UCDO. At a senior level, the world championships have been dominated by the Scandinavian countries. Sweden sit on top of the medal table with 149, and Norway, Switzerland Finland and France complete the top five.

20 OCTOBER 6th 2015

UCDO took the intervarsity’s team and individual golds in both the Men’s and Women’s classes in 2014-15. With some great individual performance at the Irish championships, as well as the Men’s team finishing 3rd in the relay championships, they are a club most definitely on the rise.

A big advantage that Orienteering has over other sports is that it’s remarkably cheap, with no requirement to buy

work than I was kind of expecting, I’m good friends with the guy who was captain the last three years, so he’s helped me…the big thing is the grant application. Because we’re such a small club we can take all the help we can get, so hopefully we’ll get a decent subsidy off the Athletic Union Council like we did last year.”

The 2015-16 schedule is being put together by UCDO, with some major

“We undertook the running of the club, and since then we’ve had more serious orienteers come on board.” equipment. “With orienteering there’s not much more you need than just to show up and you get given a map.

Obviously you’d want to have decent shoes or a decent rain jacket if it’s raining, but nothing special,” says Quinn. When compared to the likes of football or golf, it is a sport that is perfect for a cash-strapped student.

While there are some competitive events, Quinn is quick to stress that it is a sport for all comers: “You don’t need to be fit at all, you can walk around if you want, you can run if you want, obviously it can be serious and competitive, but it’s for all ages, all abilities.”

Quinn, who is in his fourth year both in UCD and as part of the club, has played a big part in the behind the scenes aspect in the past three seasons. Having been treasurer while in first year and secretary in second year, he was a little surprised at the volume of work involved when he was given the captaincy. “It’s a lot more

events planned: “The first event I think that we will try and get people to is up in Three Rock Wood, which is just a mass on the hill, you can see it from the college, so that’ll be the first instruction to getting out into the forest and onto the mountain.”

The major competition this year is a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, which is being organised by the Edinburgh University orienteering club. “Because it’s being organised by a university club, it kind of becomes a hub for lots of other university clubs to go there, so it won’t just be about orienteering, it’ll be about the social aspect as well,” says Quinn. The club will also be hoping to defend its intervarsity title when the competition rolls around again in 2016.

For those who aren’t always on campus, there are plenty of other events dotted around the country.

“On the weekends, it’s not an event organised by us, but there are events organised by orienteering clubs

around Dublin and Wicklow, so if people are interested they can get in contact with us. We’ll bring them out to those, and that’s a better way to get to know what orienteering is actually about.” Training events take place on the 11th in Galway, Tipperary, Cork and Dublin (see Orienteering Ireland for further details) and also on the 14th up in Belfast. All of these events have a ‘’come and try it’’ aspect to it, so all are open to newcomers.

Numbers for the club on campus are improving steadily year on year, pleasing club secretary Colm Moran.

“The club welcomes newcomers, be it those who wish to simply walk around and enjoy the scenery, or race their course to beat the others.”

This point is backed up by Quinn: “It’s something new, it’s something very different. It involves map reading so you have to think about stuff but you also get your physical exercise as well. You get to go and see many places that you wouldn’t normally see. All the Erasmus students that come here, they love the orienteering club because they get to go out and visit the Wicklow mountains…and if you go abroad you’re not visiting one of the main cities, you’ll be visiting somewhere unique, somewhere that you never would have experienced before.”

Students wishing to join the Orienteering Club on campus can mail them at orienteering@ucd.ie.