The University Times

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Lenihan Drops Out of USI

Ma!hews on Write-downs

Trampolining Triumph

Trinity College Students’ Union President, Tom Lenihan, has pulled out of the running for the Union of Students in Ireland Vice President for Campaigns in news, page 3 »

Peter Matthews, TD for Dublin South, talks about the current economic situation in Ireland and argues that seeking debt write-downs is the only way out in opinion, page 12 »

Dublin University Trampoline Club take home gold, silver and bronze in UCD vs TCD Colours last week, which was held in UCD’s Belfield Sports Centre in sport, page 15 »

A History of Women in Trinity throughout the 20th Century

www.universitytimes.ie

Volume V, Issue VII

Registration Difficulties Led to Withdrawl of 559 Students Students who had not paid fees in full were charged an additional €358 for readmission in Hilary Term.

Hannah Ryan NEWS EDITOR

T

he University Times has learned that 559 students (3% of the student body; 320 undergraduates and 239 postgraduates) were deemed withdrawn from Trinity in Hilary Term of this year, having failed to complete College’s full registration process before December 20, 2013. Some of these students had paid their fees in full but had not completed other administrative procedures necessitated by the college.

Many of these students only checked their TCD emails in the week before Hilary Term, to discover that they had been made withdrawn during the break. By this point they had lost access to the library, college network accounts, Blackboard and information such as course timetables.

By the end of October 2013, 2,000 students remained unregistered, prompting the decision to defer application of the College Calendar regulation whereby “students who [did] not register by November 15, 2013 would

be deemed withdrawn and services such as library, College email account and TCD ID cards [would] be suspended automatically.” This deadline was pushed to December 20; thereafter, students would have to apply for re-admission and pay a fee of €358.

On January 17 Senior Tutor Claire Laudet and Dean of Students Amanda Piesse sent an email to the Senior Lecturer, the Vice Provost and others, formally requesting that the re-admission fee be waived for students who had been made withdrawn, and that those who had already paid the fee be refunded. Professor Laudet outlined their shared view “that the information given to students at the time of fee payment and registration is not as clear as it could be. A number of the students who have been made withdrawn had paid their student contribution in good time and were convinced that they had registered.”

Professor Laudet further expressed concern that: “Many of these students have indicated that they would have difficulties meeting the cost of the fee and have expressed quite negative opinions about the way the issue was handled by College. Given the teething problems encountered with SITS [the College student administration system], we believe it would demonstrate good will on behalf of College to waive the re-admission fee and fa-

“

Given the teething problems encountered with SITS, we believe it would demonstrate good will on behalf of College to waive the readmission fee

Twenty-four Hour Ussher Extention Delayed Until Summer Sinéad Baker DEPUTY ONLINE EDITOR

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lans to extend the 24-hour section of the Berkeley/ Lecky/Ussher (BLU) Library to include the entire Ussher Library have been delayed, with works expected to begin in summer 2014. Work on this extension was originally planned to begin in January of this year.

The project, which will see the entire Ussher tower remodelled to be open 24 hours a day like the bottom floor, was agreed last year between the then-Dean of Students, the Vice Provost and last year’s Students’ Union.

cilitate the readmission of these students.”

Head of the Academic Registry, Leona Coady, then contacted the parties involved, speaking in defence of the SITS system.

Ms Coady wrote, “students who do not register within seven days of receiving the invitation to register, are automatically sent a system-generated reminder to complete registration (which is also backed up with an email notification prompting log in to their portal in-tray)”, and added that further email notifications were sent to students in October/November and December along with follow-ups by Schools/Course Offices, the Senior Tutor’s Office and the Students’ CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Why Languages Improve the Psyche

Sinéad Baker bemoans the need for Students’ Unions to incentivise student voting PAGE 12 »

Aisling Curtis details how having more than one language improves cognitive ability PAGE 13 »

SPORT

FEATURES

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PHOTOS

A14 M8

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MUSIC

M20

CULTURE

M6

A10

FILM

M18

WEEK IN SOCIETIES

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EDITORIAL

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FASHION

M22

ONLINE NEWS

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This newspaper is produced with the financial support of Trinity College Students’ Union, but maintains a mutually agreed policy of editorial independence.

was ordered to spend €500,000 on additional student services.

The first use of this fund came when the entire BLU Complex remained open for twenty-four hours, seven days a week during a ten-week period last year and with the Hamilton Library also seeing extended opening hours during supplemental exams.

Acting Librarian Jessie Kurtz issued the following statement to The University Times: “Unavoidable delays have meant that work on this will not now start until summer 2014, although it had previously been scheduled for January this year. The work is being supported by funding arranged by the SU and a philanthropic donation.”

PHOTO BY ANDREW MURPHY FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES

Angela Merkel speaks to The Phil The German Chancellor, in Dublin for the European People’s Party annual congress, spoke at the Phil’s 329th session Inaugural alongside Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Trinity Hall Strip Auction Under Scrutiny in Run-up to JCR Elections

OPINION

Editor: Leanna Byrne Volume 5, Issue 7 ISSN: 2013-261X Phone: (01) 646 8431 Email: info@universitytimes.ie Website: universitytimes.ie

Plans to increase the seating capacity of the reading areas of each floor are also being discussed.

Students’ Union Education Officer Jack Leahy has expressed dissatisfaction at the delay, stating: “it’s hugely disappointing that these developments will have to be postponed. The proposed works have been agreed for over a year and students have been looking forward to their realisation for some time.”

Funding for the project has come from a case in 2012 in which the Higher Education Authority ruled that Trinity was giving excess allowances to teaching staff.

Trinity was fined €1,000,000 towards the government and

The Phil Inaugural Angela Merkel visits Trinity

Paul Glynn & Leanna Byrne

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The library and the Students’ Union have been meeting since July to discuss the project; however, a lack of sufficient preparation as well as the absence of a librarian to oversee the project have caused the delays.

The University Times has learnt that the project has recently been put out to tender and quotes have been received. The refurbishment of the tower is expected to take roughly one week per floor, necessitating the closure of collections on those floors during that time.

Although access to reading spaces will remain open, concerns have been expressed that the work will impede on study work for the exams.

Prof. Claire Laudet, Senior Tutor

Incentivised Voting and Lack of Engagement

NEWS

Tuesday 11 March, 2014

To contact The University Times write to: The Editor, The University Times, 6 Trinity College Dublin 2

C

riticism of the JCR “Strip Auction” has come after a series of emails from a Trinity Hall student was sent to Warden of Trinity Hall, Brendan Tangney, and College authorities.

The email in question was sent last week to the Warden and the assistant wardens, in which they condemned the event as “extraordinarily shocking, disappointing, and generally unacceptable”, demanding that the

event be cancelled.

Having received no response from Mr Tangney or the assistant wardens, the student forwarded the email to other College authorities on Saturday evening at 8pm. Included in the email was the Provost and Vice-Provost, the Welfare and Communications Officers and the President of the Students’ Union, the College Chaplaincy services, the Senior Tutor, the Senior Lecturer, the Junior Dean and the Community Liaison Officer, as well as some JCR members.

The student in question claims that allowing the event to happen right before the JCR elec-

tions puts a “severe limitation on the ability of all potential candidates to take part fully”, stating on this point that: “this event makes candidates who, for ethical or religious reasons feel unable to take part in a ‘strip auction’, effectively ineligible to run for JCR positions.”

Similarly, on potential bodyimage concerns, they stated: “These people, who may have self-esteem issues to begin with, will essentially be made to feel that they are ‘too unattractive’ to be a member of Trinity Hall JCR, something which I find deeply regretful.” She added that: “It is not clear to me whether it is ob-

ligatory for standing candidates to take part, but the pressure of having voting immediately afterwards, and the cruel expectations of members of Halls, will mean that even if not obligatory in any official context, this event is essentially compulsory for anyone who wishes to participate in Trinity Hall’s democratic proceedings.”

The student criticised the strip auction’s “encouragement of nudity in exchange for approval or benefit”, adding that it “helps create and perpetuate a stereotype of students as beCONTINUED ON PAGE 4

»

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The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

News

Online this Week Visit www.universitytimes.ie for the full stories Trinity Launches International Women’s Week Monday, March 3 marked the first day of International Women’s Week (IWW) with Trinity College launching on the steps of the Exam Hall in Front Square. Senator Ivana Bacik was among the speakers at the TCD Women’s Week launch.

The speakers gave their speeches in a front of an enthusiastic crowd all sporting their bright purple IWW t-shirts.

High Turnout at Student Nurses and Midwives Protest Over 700 student nurses and midwives gathered outside Dr Steeven’s Hospital at 2pm last Tuesday, calling on Minister for Health, James Reilly, to introduce a proper rate of pay for graduate nurses. The demonstration, organised by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), brought students from across the country to speak out against the low wage training rates for these interns in the healthcare sector.

TCD Physics Department Praised for Gender Initiatives The Physics Department at Trinity College has been awarded Juno Practitioner status by the Institute of Physics for its work in addressing gender inequities in both the staff workplace and in the student body. The department has been recognised in its efforts to improve and promote the participation of women in the field of Physics by taking such measures as creating more flexible work arrangements and transparent organisational structures, as well as arranging for childcare provisions.

Global University Rankings Reveal Trinity’s Strength in Humanities According to the latest QS World University Rankings, Trinity has retained its reputation for being Ireland’s best-performing institution, scoring in the top 200 in 20 out of the 30 disciplines examined. Trinity’s strength according to the rankings lie in the arts and humanities departments, with high rankings for English (25th), Politics (46th), History (48th), and Modern Language (42nd).

Samuel Becke! Manuscripts Acquired by Trinity Trinity College Dublin has recently acquired manuscripts belonging to Samuel Becke", as well as the library of the scholar Stanley E. Gontarski, one of Becke"’s closest theatrical associates.

Students that did not complete registration forced to withdraw in December 2013 « CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Union.

Students eligible for a local authority/SUSI grant were warned via email that the college would be “unable to provide the funding body with confirmation of [their] registration until completed in full”, while students intending to sit Foundation Scholarship examinations in January could not be scheduled for the exams “on the basis of their unregistered status”.

“The communications and instructions were clear,” Ms Coady affirmed. “Students in doubt of their registered status could verify it in the portal and/or contact the Academic Registry.”

Ms Coady also cited the fact that, “since the implementation of SITS, the rates of students being ‘deemed withdrawn’ are in fact down by approximately 50% due to our ability now to track and follow up directly with students.”

Nevertheless, the 559 students who had not completed registration and had not contacted the Academic Registry with a “legitimate issue” were made withdrawn on December 19/20, 2013.

Speaking in opposition to the proposed “blanket waiver of the fee” in January, Coady stated: “The mandatory requirement for students to register is critically important not least for the purposes of returning student statistics to the HEA which determine the College’s

core grant allocation. It is vitally important that students register on time so as not to be excluded from the statistics which would reduce the College’s funding stream.”

The Vice-Provost/Chief Academic Officer then made the following decisions: the readmission fee would be waived for students who had paid their fees in full but did not complete registration; for all students on the Trinity Access Programme Foundation courses; and for cases of “specific genuine hardship or other issues” considered individually by the Senior Lecturer or the Dean of Graduate Studies “in line [with] current practice”. The €358 was not waived for students who had paid only part of their fees, or for funded students who failed to complete registration. The Academic Registry was tasked with processing applications for readmissions based on these decisions.

Geoghegan told The University Times: “[The Vice-Provost’s decision] eased the pressure on a number of students whose cases had come to my office. Since then we have waived the fee for all of the recommendations sent to us by the Senior Tutor (acting for the tutors).”

Geoghegan continued: “This issue should not be a persistent annual problem. We have identified the source of the confusion and have been promised that a fix will be developed in time for the next academic year.”

PHOTO BY ANDREW MURPHY FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES

Conference Called on Creation of Technological Universities Emer Gerrard STAFF WRITER

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resident of Dublin Institute of Technology Students’ Union (DIT SU), Glenn Fitzpatrick, has spoken in favour of the Heads of the Technological Universities Bill published earlier this year, which will permit Institutes of Technology to merge to form Technological Universities. However, Fitzpatrick has also stressed the importance of such developments remaining student-focused throughout and is currently planning a Technological Universities (TU) Conference to this end.

The Bill, announced in January, follows recommendations made in the Hunt report, which mandated the consolidation of the Institute of Technology sector and the establishment of several multi-campus technological universities.

Speaking on behalf of Dublin, Blanchardstown and Tallaght Institutes of Technology Students’ Unions, Fitzpatrick said the development will give students the opportunity to experience new world class universities while maintaining the

ethos of the Institutes of Technology.

However, the proposed mergers have been described by some as “cost-cutting”, with the status of University being used as a marketing ploy to attract foreign students who pay much higher fees.

Fitzpatrick said he is concerned with the recent focus on the merger being “good for industry and good for the economy”; while this will be a positive outcome of the process, he points to the fact that the mission statement of the TU does not contain a single mention of the word “student”.

He added, “We look forward to engaging intensively with [the] government and the Institutes themselves to ensure that the new universities – in terms of the courses and student services they will be providing – are of the highest possible quality.”

The date of the planned TU Conference has been pushed back from March 26 to an unconfirmed date in April, in an attempt to secure guest speakers who possess authority on the subject, are major stakeholders in the mergers, or will be responsible for the implementation of the Bill.

Fitzpatrick has identified Simon Mar-

ginson, Professor of International Higher Education at the Institute of Education, University of London as an ideal speaker. An expert in his field, Professor Marginson was first to coin the term “Technological University”. Ruairí Quinn will also be invited to speak but if he is unavailable Fitzpatrick hopes Joanna Tuffy TD, elected Chair of Education and Social Protection Committee, will be in attendance.

Dublin, Tallaght and Blanchardstown ITs have expressed interest in merging to form the Dublin Technological University (DTU). This merger will be the most straightforward and is likely to be implemented during Minister Quinn’s tenure.

Other likely mergers include the Institutes of Technology in Cork and Tralee and also Waterford and Carlow.

The governance of the proposed DTU will be an important point raised at the conference. Fitzpatrick is adamant that the proposed university have a fully independent Students’ Union which would be fully resourced and a key stakeholder in the DTU community.

The DIT President envisages a panel discussion on the issue with speakers including current Union of Students in

Ireland President Joe O’Connor and representatives from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland.

Following the preparation of legally binding documents between each individual establishment interested in merging, concerning their assimilation into a single institution, the institutes that have agreed to merge will then submit an application to become a Technology University.

Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has said that the legislation will pave the way for mergers and allow for “technology universities” to be become “new higher education institutions,” representing an “essential milestone in the modernisation and reform agenda for higher education institutions”.

Fitzpatrick is running for the Vice-Presidency of Campaigns in this year’s USI Officer Board elections. The main issue Fitzpatrick is tackling in his campaign is the reform of Students’ Unions; he is keen to ascertain how well resourced, influential and democratic individual unions are and, from there, put in place measures to improve the strength of the Irish Students’ Union movement overall.

Trinity to Review Admissions Scheme for Northern Ireland Students Leanna Byrne EDITOR

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rinity College Dublin will be one of the many Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in Ireland to review its admissions scheme to attract higher numbers of students from Northern Ireland.

Members of the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and the Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI) will be working together to look at student mobility in Ireland, particularly at the system that compares A-Level results with the Republic’s Leaving Certificate qualifications.

A solution to this barrier for Northern Ireland students is hoped to be rolled out by September 2015.

Speaking to upper sixth form students at the Market Place Theatre and Arts Centre in Armagh last week, Provost Patrick Prendergast said that it is the intention of the IUA and IOTI “to find a fairer mechanism so that students who only do three A-Levels - in other words the overwhelming majority - will be able to access any courses in the south, depending on their results.”

Currently, students from Northern Ireland that apply to HEIs in the Republic of Ireland through the CAO are required to

sit 4 A-level exams, whereas only 1 in 7 sixth form pupils would sit this amount as many schools in Northern Ireland would only permit students to sit 3 A-Levels.

Approximately 85 students from Northern Ireland are admitted to Trinity each year, a figure that has risen slightly from 62 from the past decade. Comparably this is still a low number as one-third of students in Trinity in the 1960s were from the North.

According to TCD Senior Lecturer Patrick Geoghegan, Trinity “would like to lead a sectoral change” on the issue of low numbers of students coming from the North.

Any changes to the admission

scheme would apply to all ALevel applicants, not just Northern Ireland students.

TCD are also seeking to attract prospective students from Northern Ireland through the Northern Ireland Engagement Project (NIEP), a targeted intervention driven by the Provost to reverse the decline of students from the North and to ensure that Trinity is a university for the whole island.

Under the NIEP, TCD ambassadors have visited eleven new schools in Northern Ireland and are set to visit nine more this semester in a bid to build relationships with students and teachers for the years ahead. By targeting and meeting with stu-

dents, HEIs from the Republic of Ireland hope to inform students about applying to colleges outside the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) system.

“Another barrier is the lack of information to students on how to fill in the CAO,” explained SS BESS student Rosa Langhammer, who is also working as an ambassador for the NIEP. “Teachers having not gone through the process or being given adequate information themselves often ignore CAO in favour of UCAS and its longer application process.”

Trinity College and other HEIs are set to continue to target students from Northern Ireland.

Dr Patrick Geoghegan, Senior Lecturer

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The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

News

Lenihan Pulls Out of USI Elections

PHOTO BY ANDREW MURPHY FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES

Current TCDSU President was running for VP for Campaigns.

Emer Gerrard STAFF WRITER

T

om Lenihan, current President of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union,

last week decided to pull out of the election race for the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Officer Board 2014-15. Lenihan was running for the position of Vice-President for Campaigns in the upcoming elections. His fellow candidate was Dublin Institute of Technology Students’ Union President Glenn Fitzpatrick, who is now running unopposed for the post.

Lenihan told The University Times that he made the decision

to withdraw due to “personal reasons”.

He went on to say, “I did not want the campaign to affect my job and I could not find the time for it.” Previously, when asked if he believed that campaigning for the position would affect his ability to serve the remainder of his term as TCDSU President, Lenihan told The University Times: “I am committed to my work as SU President. It comes first and it is important to me

that campaigning does not interfere with fulfilling my role and what I want to get done in the SU.” The elections for the one-year paid position will take place on April 1. Lenihan said that he was initially drawn to the position as “successive governments, political parties and individual college boards and governing bodies have let students down” and as a result students “do not feel they are represented and

are left with no other choice but to accept it”. Lenihan believed that his experience in the past year would make him the ideal candidate and said that he wanted to be “another choice” for students.

A prominent part of his campaign focused on disaffiliating himself from politics. This perhaps formed an attempt to remain removed from the longstanding political presence of his family in national politics,

as well as endeavouring to dissuade the notion that the positions on the USI Board are merely a step on the ladder to the Dáil.

From the opening page of his manifesto, Lenihan claimed “I have no ambition to run for national politics”, continuing, “I am not a member of a political party and have never been active in one”. This signified a break from the past, with three previous generations of the

Lenihan family forming part of the Oireachtas as members of Fianna Fáil from 1961 to 2011.

Some had voiced surprise at Lenihan’s decision to run for the position following the controversy which surrounded the first half of his term as TCDSU President. After being caught cheating in his summer exams last year, a motion to impeach him was put before Trinity students. However, it was defeated by over 1,000 votes.

Trinity Students to Vote on Direct Provision for Asylum Seekers in Seventh Referendum Called This Year Campaigners are confident that Trinity students will vote to end direct provision for asylum seekers.

Emer Gerrard STAFF WRITER

S

tudent campaigners have successfully called for a referendum to be held later this month regarding the Students’ Union’s position on the system of ‘direct provision’ for asylum seekers in Ireland.

This will be the seventh referendum called in the current academic year, making this college year the highest on record for referenda held by the Students’ Union.

Sources have also indicated that the Union will receive signatures this week calling for an eighth referendum, requesting that the Union adopt of a policy of boycotting Israeli produce and campaign for international sanctions on Israel.

History and Political Science student, Peter Gowan, one of the leading figures behind the asylum seekers referendum, is confident of support from student voters. Gowan highlighted the extremely positive response

the campaigners received on campus as they collected the 250 signatures necessary to put forward this referendum to the Students’ Union. “I had scheduled out three days of collections for the signatures. In the end we didn’t need three days, we needed three hours.”

“The vast majority of students in Trinity are opposed to direct provision once they understand what it is,” he added.

The wording of the referendum will ask students: “Do you support including the following in TCDSU’s long term-policy? TCDSU shall campaign: 1. To abolish the system of direct provision for asylum seekers; 2. For its replacement by self-catered accommodation and the right to work for asylum seekers who have not had their applications processed after six months; 3.

For the government to sign up to the EU Receptions Conditions Directive setting down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers.”

Gowan roundly condemns the realities of direct provision for asylum seekers in Ireland and considers the system one of the most significant “blackspots” on the country’s human rights record. “We like to think of ourselves as a tolerant, liberal and multicultural society but there are black-spots like this on our human rights record which I think really need to be

corrected,” Gowan told The University Times this week.

The system of ‘Direct Provision’ was introduced by the Irish government in 2000 as a response to an influx of asylum applications and the corresponding increase in demand for asylum-seeker accommodation in the late 1990s. However, the system has increasingly come under criticism from national bodies such as the Irish Refugee Council. Under Direct Provision, asylum seekers are housed by the government’s Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) in residential centres across the country while their application for refugee status is being processed. The residents at these centres are provided with three meals a day at set times, a medical card and other basic services and receive a weekly stipend of €19.10 per adult and €9.60 per child.

The Irish Refugee Council, the country’s only national nongovernmental organisation which specialises in working with and for refugees in Ireland, have highlighted concerns such as overcrowding, restrictions on family life, social exclusion, diet and lack of independence for asylum seekers and their families at these residential centres.

Gowan, who is leading the campaign to end direct provision in Trinity, also vocalises concerns about the situation

for children who make up more than one-third of the people living under direct provision in Ireland. Gowan comments that these children “grow up in an environment where their parents are totally dependent on the state.” As a result he believes that they find it difficult to later integrate into Irish communities and live independent lives.

A particularly contentious issue for the campaigners in Trinity and the Irish Refugee Council is the stipulation that asylum seekers are banned from working while living in direct provision residential centres awaiting their applications to be processed. The student campaign in Trinity advocates the alternative model to direct provision advocated by the Irish Refugee Council which supports self-catered accommodation for asylum seekers and the right to work if their applications have not been processed after six months. The campaigners are lobbying for the government to sign up to the EU Receptions Conditions Directive setting down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers.

Overall, Gowan welcomes the “level of interest and engagement with the issues so far” and is “looking forward to the campaign so we can inform more people about this important issue.”

The referendum to end direct provision will be held alongside another referendum this month. On the expected level of voter turnout, SU Education Officer Jack Leahy commented “we typically see increased turnout when a referendum vote is held alongside either class rep elections or sabbatical officer elections. In the absence of either of those crowd-drawing plebiscites, we’ll have to run a very effective information campaign to get people to the ballot.” He remains confident regarding voter turn-out and added, “I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

In the context of the “unprecedented” number of referendums put to Trinity students this academic year, Leahy stated that this is “a clear indication that students are confident in their Union’s capacity both to represent them on issues and to affect positive change within the organisation itself.”

The referendum will be held at the same time as a vote on the adoption of a new constitution, as well as the potential eighth referendum, on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 March.

Past referendums held this academic year concerned the reform of the Seanad; marriage equality; the impeachment of the SU President; the TobaccoFree Trinity initiative; and gender identity and expression.

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The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

News

JCR Commi!ee Continues with Strip Auction Despite Candidate Reservations « CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ing rowdy, irresponsible, and lacking in ethics, with those who are most in possession of these qualities being given the wheel to steer the rest into the same ditch”. Furthermore, the student accused the event of cheapening the JCR elections and distracting from discussing policy and ideas.

Following the circulation of the email, The University Times learned that members of the JCR committee began contact-

ing candidates asking them whether or not they would like to take part. According to sources, some candidates are unhappy to take part and have expressed their wish for the strip auction to be discontinued.

When asked to comment, Conor O’Meara, President of the JCR, stated: “Normally, the event is a fundraiser for the Irish Cancer Society in conjunction with Trinity Cancer Society and aims to raise funds and awareness for the charity

in the middle of one of JCR’s main events of the year - the elections. In previous years, it has been stressed that candidates are not forced or pressured to take part. If they do decide to take part, they only go as far as they are comfortable and normally a joke element is added to it to lighten the stressful election process atmosphere.

“The email circulated by the student in question is being dealt with by Brendan [Tangney],” he added, further com-

menting that: “the JCR are continuing to organise the election process promptly and with the Halls residents’ best interests at heart, like we do with all our events, with the support of Brendan”.

When speaking to The University Times, O’Meara stated that he could neither confirm nor deny that the strip auction would take place, as the schedule for the week has not yet been released. However, an email was sent out to candidates after the JCR committee

meeting confirming the time for the Strip Auction.

The email further reassured candidates that the event is “a bit of fun” and went on to say “Many of the candidates last year took on a little bit of “liquid courage”, but seriously don’t overdo it. Do whatever makes YOU comfortable.”

At the time of publication Trinity Hall Warden Tangney was unavailable for comment.

In addition, The University Times made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the student.

Trí Babhta Duiseanna don Cumann Gaelach

This Week in Societies Tuesday Law Soc Inaugural and 80th Birthday Derren Brown – 4pm, Exam Hall In a string of highly impressive guests to visit Trinity societies in the past few weeks, Law Soc will be hosting none other than “mentalist” Derren Brown. Email lawsocinaugural@gmail.com to reserve tickets. Perhaps more excitingly is the society’s 80th birthday party following the event, taking place in a secret location. In true Law Soc style (see Masquerave) we can hopefully expect big things.

Trinity Investors “The Good Life” – 7pm, Edmund Burke Theatre, Arts Block In what can only be described as “the most popular Facebook event Trinity Investors have ever had,” the society will host an ex-investment banker who threw it all away to live the unemployed life as a surfer in Southern California. The event’s popularity is a nice testament to the ambitions of bewildered soon-to-be Trinity graduates.

Wednesday Q-Soc, TCDSU & The University Times Body Image in the Media Panel Discussion – 7pm, Joly 4 Theatre, Hamilton Building As part of Body + Soul Week, The University Times has teamed up with TCDSU and Q-Soc to host a panel discussion on body image in the media.

Speakers include Irish Times journalist Una Mullally and Irish comedian Al Porter.

Thursday Trinity TV Louise Kiely Casting Workshop

Dónal Ring CONTRIBUTING WRITER

L

e déanaí, bhí Cumann Gaelach Choláiste na Tríonóide bainteach le trí babhta duiseanna. Ar Céadaoin an 5ú lá de mhí Márta chuadar chuig an mBál CSC, áit a bhuadar trí honóir.

Ainmníodh iad chomh maith le haghaidh an comórtas Glór na nGael, an eagraíocht a dhearbhaíonn an Cumann Gaelach 3ú leibhéal is fearr sa tír. Ina theannta sin, tá siad ar an ngearrliosta den duaiseanna BICS, a thugtar amach go dtí choláistí timpeall na tíre.

Chuaigh an Cumann go dtí an mBál CSC le ceithre ainmniúcháin: Cumann Mór na

Bliana (Best Large Society), Rogha na gCumann (Societies Choice), Indibhidiúil na Bliana (Best Individual), agus Freisir na Bliana (Best Fresher). Ar an oíche tugadh trí dhuais móra dóibh. Tar éis Cumann Mór na Bliana (Best Large Society) a bhuachaint, bronnadh Indibhidiúil na Bliana (Best Individual) ar Niamh Ní Chróinín, reachtaire na gCumann. Ag deireadh na hoíche, fograíodh gur roghnaíodh an Cumann Gaelach mar Cumann na Bliana (Best Overall Society).

“Bhíomar ar fad ar bis nuair a chualamar go rabhamar ainmnithe do ceithre dhuais ag an CSC,” a dúirt Niamh Ní Chróinín. “Níor chreideamar é ansin nuair a d’eirigh linn trí dhuais a bhaint amach Cumann na Bliana, Indib-

hidiúil na Bliana agus Cumann Mór na Bliana, duais nach bhfuil buaite ag an gCumann Gaelach ó 1995!”

Dar le Jonathan Shanahan, Oifigeach Áiseanna an CSC agus baill den phainéil breithiúnach, tá cúpla factóirí éagsúil mar chuis le rath an gCumann i mbliana. Mhol sé na himeachtaí a chuireadh ar siúl, ag rá go raibh réisme úllmhór de chaighdeán iontach, nach raibh fheicithe riamh cheana.

Sampla bheag den méid a dhearnadar i mbliana ná: “Lá na Gaeilge”, le Kevin McAleer ag cur i laithir as Gaeilge; “Gig do Phádraig”, cheolchoirm i gclub Workman’s; agus turas chuig an Oireachtais, ócáid lán-ghaelach i gCill Áirne.

Maraon leis seo, duradh go

raibh an phainéil sásta gur lean an Cumann ag diriú ar a phríomhaidhm: an teanga a scaipeadh agus a chaomhnú.

Bhíodar an-phairteach ag troid ar son na Ghaeilge ó gur eirí an Choimisinéir Teanga as. Fhreastal siad ar agóid lasmuigh den Dáil i mhí na Nollaig, agus bhíodar i laithir ag “Lá Mór na Gaeilge”, agóid ullmhór i Lar na Cathrach.

Chomh maith le sin, fograíodh ar an 27ú go raibh Cumann Gaelach TCD ar an ngearrliosta don chomórtas 3ú leibhéal Glór na nGael. Seo comórtas, urraithe ag an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna, a mheasann an méid atá déanata ag na cumann timpeall na tíre agus a thugann amach duaiseanna dá bharr.

Tá seacht duais le bhronnadh:

Protests During Merkel’s Visit to The Phil Leanna Byrne EDITOR

F

our members of Trinity College’s Socialist Worker Student Society (SWSS) protested outside the Graduate Memorial Building (GMB) on Friday of last week during German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to the Phil.

Members of SWSS chanted and held signs saying “cheerleaders of austerity not welcome in Trinity”. The four were shortly joined by other anti-

austerity groups that had to be restrained by Gardaí as a video by UCD student Stephen McDonald showed one Garda officer shoving a women back underneath the Campanile.

When The University Times contacted the Garda Press Office a spokesperson refused to comment as there was “no reports of incidents or arrests at Trinity College” that day.

Chancellor Merkel was visiting Trinity as part of the Phil Inaugural with Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Both arrived at just before 5pm after a 2 hour delay.

The session was chaired by

President of the Phil, Rosalind Ní Shúilleabháin and held in association with the Provost’s Office.

In her opening speech, Merkel discussed the common goals of Europe and the benefits of countries working together to form a strong alliance against other super powers. According to her “countries going it alone would not prevail” in the current economic and political climate.

Merkel went on to recognise the struggles that Ireland have faced under austerity. She said “I have every respect for the

trials you have been through” and also felt that Ireland’s recovery is considered to be a success story.

When questioned about reconciling the interests of Germany and the European Union both Kenny and Merkel felt that being part of the Council of Europe is “all about compromise”.

“You win some and you lose some,” said Taoiseach Enda Kenny. “You come back from the table saying I got this for my country, but lost this. At the end of the day it is a decision for the interests of Europe”.

duais ón gcéad go triú h-áit, agus roinnt duaiseanna éagsúil, ar nós Duais Trasteorainn.

Beidh siad seo le roinnt idir 5 cumann: Cuallacht na Gaeilge MáNúad, Cumann Gaelach UCD, Cumann Gaelach Marino, agus Cumann Gaelach UUm. Tá an céad duais, le bronntanas airgid €2,000, buaite ag dream Coláiste na Trionóide le dhá bhliain anuas.

Ar an 10ú lá Aibreáin, beidh baill ón gCumann ag taisteal go Béal Feirste chun filleadh ar bronnadh na nduaiseanna BICS. Ainmníodh iad le haghaidh dhá dhuais, Cumann na Bliana agus Indibhidiúil na Bliana. Bunaíodh an ócáid seo i 1995 agus ó shin tugann siad aitheantais go cumainn den chéad scoth ar fud na tíre gach bhliain.

Winners of the 2014 “Societies’ Choice Award” Trinity TV will host another casting workshop this Thursday with casting director Louise Kiely (of ‘What Richard Did’ fame). The workshop costs €2 for members and tickets can be reserved by emailing trinitytv@csc.tcd.ie.

Those who wish will be recorded to start building their showreel.

Friday Fish Soc and The Phil Phishtery Tour – 9PM, “Mystery Location” Ahoy maties! This Friday sees the third and final Phishtery Tour, an institution among Fish Soc and Phil heads which has brought students to “mystery” locations which may or may not have been a random barn in Glendalough. Will there be fish? Will there be fishing? Probably not. What’s not to love? Clearly, there really is not a lot not to love at all, really.

This is going to be quite exciting.

Anna Harrington

In the Magazine Digging in Hillgrove “The practice of Gardaí investigating Gardaí is perverse really. I mean one senior Garda investigating another senior Garda who works down the corridor from him is absolutely bizarre.”

— John Wilson, Garda Whistleblower M5

6

The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

In Focus

Relay for Life Daniel McFadden Staff Writer

Last week, students and staff collaborated to face up to a disease that has affected so many. Relay for Life participant, Daniel McFadden tells us what happened during those 24 hours on the cricket pitch

C

elebrate.

Remember.

Fight back. These are the words which echoed through Trinity’s cricket pitch last Wednesday as the first ever on-campus Relay for Life took place.

The event which is organised by the Trinity Cancer society is a fundraiser for cancer research which involves teams of 15 to 20 people walking around a track tagging each other in and out for 24 hours.

The event was started by the Ameri-

can Cancer Society in the 1980s and now takes place in over 20 countries across the globe. Relay for Life gives communities a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember lost loved ones, and fight back against the disease.

Last Wednesday it was the turn of Trinity students and staff to come together in order to take a stand against cancer. All teams gathered at 12pm to attend the opening ceremony, many of Trinity’s societies such as VDP, SciFi and Cumann Gaelach submitted teams as well as a team of postgraduates and other teams comprised of various different friends group who came together to make a difference.

The opening ceremony was filled with an air of excitement as current president of Trinity Cancer Society Sarah McAvinchey opened the event. She spoke of the importance of Relay for Life and how “it gives the students of Trinity hope that one day we will beat cancer”. “Students vs. Cancer” was another common phrase used and there was a real feeling that we as students were together facing up to a disease which has affected so many.

The opening ceremony ended with a poignant speech from breast cancer survivor, Bronagh McAvinchey. She spoke of how important Relay for Life had become to her before beginning to walk the first lap with other survivors present at the event. All teams then joined in for the caregivers lap and the event commenced with a strong group of 100 people circulating a small marquee in front of the Pav. Various different activities took place throughout the day including tag rugby, football, space hopping, cricket and dancing. In order to keep the laps interesting many of them

were themed.

Some laps involved everyone having their hands down their trousers to raise awareness of testicular cancer and another lap involved participants having their hands on their chest to bring attention to breast cancer. The other laps were slightly more conventional including a backwards lap, a three legged lap and a wheelbarrow lap.

As the day continued on many friendships were struck up over the serving of such delicacies as chilli con carne, pizza and Haribo sweets.

The first bout of tiredness was notably setting in as darkness began to fall over the now well defined track. The evening saw two great performances one by the intervarsities hip hop group from DU Dance and the other from the Trinitones. Both performances were very well received and lifted the spirits of the now slightly fatigued participants. It shows everyone can contribute to the fight against cancer whether you are walking around a track or singing to the participants, you are making a difference.

As night time fell and many individuals in suits and dresses walked past the track to attend C.S.C. Ball, relayers prepared for their candle of hope ceremony which was to take place in the sports centre where the night time portion of relay would be.

This ceremony is the emotional highpoint of the event as it is where participants remember those they have lost to cancer. The candle of hope bags which are decorated by participants are spread around the track, each relayer stands by a bag as someone reads out the possible ways you may know someone who has cancer.

As your way is read out you sit

PHOTO BY SINÉAD BAKER FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES

The History of Relay The story of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, which began in Tacoma, Washington, as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer. In May 1985, Dr. Kla! spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma for more than 83 miles. Throughout the night, friends paid $25 to run or walk 30 minutes with him. He raised $27,000 to fight cancer.

That first year, nearly 300 of Dr. Kla!’s friends, family, and patients watched as he ran and walked the course.

down and break the glow stick inside your bag. Fourth year student Eimear Burns then sang a beautiful rendition of “Songbird” originally by Fleetwood Mac and Trinity Choral Society serenaded the crowd with Sarah McLachlans “In the arms of an angel”.

Samm Silverman, organiser of the ceremony then told two touching stories of young people who had suffered from the disease. Samm believes the importance of this ceremony lies in the emotions it evokes, “sometimes people need to feel that sad emotion and I think this is a great place to feel it; because we’re all in it together”. The consistent theme of standing together is again reinforced in this ceremony.

Relayers then faced into a long night in the sports centre, music played all night to keep spirits high as well as a showing of popular musical film Pitch Perfect to ease people into the early hours. Many still remained energetic even skipping around the track, refusing to let the exhaustion and lack of sleep bring them down.

As we reached 4:00am the amount of people on the track dwindled and the number of bodies sleeping around the sides increased. Morning came and it was time to finish the final few hours outside. The participants were treated to scones and sandwiches wile the Trinity Céilí band played. This gave them the final burst of energy to finish the final few laps. As the last lap finished a big cheer was let out and the event was closed. It was visible that everyone knew they had taken part in something important for the last 24 hours and all relayers were very proud to have been part of such a tremendous event.

All that is left on the cricket pitch now is a dirt track generated by hours of walking. However what will remain

“

All that is le! on the cricket pitch now is a dirt track generated by hours of walking.

However what will remain in the minds of Trinity students is so much more

in the minds of Trinity students is so much more, we will remember that we celebrated survivors of this awful disease, we remembered those amazing people who we lost and as a college we fought back against it.

Relay for Life gave over 200 people a platform to fight back against cancer, so often as you see loved ones suffer you feel powerless. For 24 hours no one was powerless, everyone was fighting and it is this ability to fight which brings so much comfort to those whose lives have been touched by cancer.

President of Trinity Cancer Society Sarah McAvinchey finished off the event with a look to next year, “I can’t wait until next year when more teams can get involved and more money and awareness can be raised”. Next year even more people will fight against this disease and more the year after that as we hope to be the generation to beat cancer.

7

The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

In Focus

Making A Break For It With Jailbreak Daire Collins found himself 2,273m from the ground taking part in Jailbreak 2014. He details how his team made it from Dublin to Austria while raising €36,000 along the way.

Daire Collins Deputy Features Editor

I

t’s two weeks since the adventure ended and everyone has moved on. What remains of Jailbreak 2014 to most is the knowledge that two Trinity lads made it to Sydney and the memory of the social media storm that happened on the weekend of 22 February.

I, myself was on the inside, a Jailbreaker, who along with George Voronov made Team 27.

In short, we blagged, begged and hopped our way across Europe with a mixture of preparation and luck. We met some incredible people and had experiences way beyond our expectations. It is still hard to believe, that this incredible operation worked, that almost 90 teams made it out of Ireland and across the globe all for free, raising over €36,000 along the way.

From within, the experience was entirely different to what I saw from the outside last year. I have vivid recollections of yesteryear, lying on my couch, tea in one hand, laptop on my lap.

This year was anything but relaxing.

Travelling with no money for 36 hours is fairly stress inducing and was a bit of a reality check on my grand aspirations to one day traverse the globe via hitchhiking and couchsurfing. Some of this stress was self imposed, as stated, we had made some plans prior to starting. We were lucky enough to have secured flights from Belfast international airport to Italy, courtesy of Topflight Schools. However the timing was tight and didn’t leave any room for error. From 9am till we boarded the flight at 3pm, uncertainty plagued our thoughts. Nothing would have been more embarrassing for us than missing that flight. Our flight afforded us the luxury of relaxing. That lasted until, in true Jailbreak fashion, I made an inflight announcement pleading for onward transportation. A new fear set in after landing, that of the unknown, as we hopped onto a tour group’s bus heading into

the Italian night. We had no idea where we were going, it would take three hours and arrive in Brunico, a small Northern Italian town at 11pm.

From the moment we had secured the flights to Italy, the Monday prior to leaving, we started looking at maps and thinking about where we could go. A Jailbreak team is constrained by the acts of other people and although I had the ultimate goal of Africa in my head, the list of banned countries and our flight landing in Verona, 2,000km from the African coast, put that idea to rest. We had always believed that we would be beaten in distance by someone who would leave Dublin at 9 and arrive in Sydney on Sunday morning, so a long time ago we decided we wanted to be different. In that sense we had set our sights on the mountains prior to leaving, but had no idea how’d we end up getting there. In hindsight, we were outrageously optimistic, packing only a spare tshirt, devoting the rest of the space to a pair of ski trousers, goggles and gloves. Our optimism twice took a battering. First experience of such a low was 11:30pm in Brunico, Italy. We had made it all the way to a ski resort without paying a cent, yet being forced to pay €50 each for a night’s accommodation turned out to be the expensive straw that broke the donkey’s back. By the time we had sat down to have our first beer of the trip, we were adamant that our plan to get free boards and lift passes would fail in this strangely Germanic part of Italy. The second low came the following morning, when a ski rep, who after much negotiating and pestering had promised us a free lift pass, disappeared.

In both cases, we were rescued from our pit of despair by strangers. In the bar on the Saturday night, the kind people of the New Horizon’s Ski Club, convinced us not to give up, to give it one more go. The same goes for the Austrian students we met the next day (also in a bar, this time on the base of the slopes). The students went as far to help improve our woeful German explanation of Jailbreak. Myself and George fully believe without the help of the students we would have never

“

For everyone who complains that the travel costs could have be!er spent on charity, it is hard to imagine €36,000 being raised if we all stayed in Dublin for weekend

gotten the lift pass, and had to leave Brunico never having reached our goal. Yet, these two groups of strangers took the time to listen to our cause, to buy us drinks and to help us on our way. We made it to 2,273m, the highest of any Jailbreak team. It may have been a prize category we made up, but we didn’t care we got to snowboard our way back down.

It was the ultimate 21st century adventure, something which would have been radically different if not impossible a mere 10 years ago. There was a bizarre feeling of connectivity with the other teams, despite being for the most part strangers who were moving in different directions, thousands of miles apart. That is not to mention, the incredible feeling of support which followed us everywhere as we checked into Facebook and with our Jailbreak HQ Tracker, Foldha. Even more incredible was the way in which people’s interest and support turned into monetary contribution, an incredible €36,000 raised for two very deserving charities. For every nay sayer out there, there are two donating money. For everyone who complains that the travel costs could have better spent on charity, it is hard to imagine €36,000 being raised if we all stayed in Dublin for weekend. And finally to anyone dubious that we just went on a ski holiday, we got the ski pass at 2:00pm and were off the slopes for good by 4:00pm. We left the following morning to make our way back home.

Laptops | Tablets | Accessories | Servicing | Repairs | Advice &* HidgZh CVi^dcl^YZ " 8Vaa ^cid djg dc XVbejh hZgk^XZ 8ZcigZ ^c I89 HJ! =djhZ +! IZa/ %& +)+-)()

PHOTOGRAPHED: DAIRE COLLINS LIVE-BLOGGING HIS JAILBREAK ADVENTURE FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES

8

The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

In Focus

M.I.E. Marino Puts on Their First Music Festival Pat Fanning Contributing Writer

M

.I.E. Marino may be a small college in terms of student numbers but it is big in terms of energy, activities and indeed talent.

“Body and Ceol” was the creative title given to the day of celebration organised by the Students’ Union to celebrate and showcase life on campus in Marino. This was an opportunity to let the hair down before the hectic season of Teaching Practice, Gaeltacht visits and exams starts!

The circle of one hundred year old trees to the side of the main college buildings provided a natural amphitheatre in which the stage was set up; the Art Department decorated the area and the aforementioned trees were festooned with magic lanterns, streamers and some other fairly imaginative decorations! Throw-in a barbecue and everything was set for a great night!

The evening’s activity was started off with Marino’s traditional music group and troupe of Irish dancers – Riverdance, eat your heart out, this was music and dance bursting with energy and passion to stir the emotions and set the feet tapping! Such

was the enthusiasm generated by the music and dancers that the audience joined in an impromptu céilí with students and staff, led by College President Dr. Anne O’Gara, belting away for all they were worth at Fallaí Luimní. The interval in the céilí gave a certain Cork lecturer the chance to perform his ‘party piece’ - a rousing rendition of “An Puc ar Buile” - with plentiful assistance from the audience!

One hour of the best in Irish music and dance was followed - thankfully giving everybody a chance to draw breath - by the presentation of the M.I.E. Marino Sport Awards. The stars (ahem!) of our Camógaíocht, Peil na mBan, Football, Soccer, Basketball agus Iománaíocht teams were honoured with presentations.

It was back to the entertainment then with the M.I.E. Student Choir making its stage debut with a couple of numbers; what a sound they made in that open air theatre.

The Drama Society presented a hilarious sketch centred on the trials and tribulations of a poor student teacher’s terrifying first day in front of a class perhaps previewing some of the worries the next four weeks will bring? (and it was very true-to-life!)

The evening’s on-campus entertainment was brought to a close in lively fashion by Mike Walsh and 10 Minute Mind, an upcoming talented band situated here in Dublin.

A special thank you is extended to our sponsors, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, The Comhar Linn INTO Credit Union, College Living Student Accommodations, Kris

Morton Hair Salon Omni Park, The Johnstown House Hotel & Spa Enfield and The Regency Hotel, Santry.

Thank you to All Event Productions for supplying the lighting and audio

THE IRISH TIMES

and to Bob Conway for MCing the event, to ‘Eventserv’ for supplying a top quality service in staging and finally to the entire M.I.E. community for making this event such a success.

THE WORLD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS SIMON CARSWELL SUZANNE LYNCH MARK HENNESSY DEREK SCALLY LARA MARLOWE MARY FITZGERALD CLIFFORD COONAN PADDY AGNEW MICHAEL JANSEN TOM HENNIGAN BILL CORCORAN GUY HEDGECOE PETER CLUSKEY RAHUL BEDI DAVID MACNEIL PADRAIG COLLINS

WASHINGTON BRUSSELS LONDON BERLIN PARIS DUBLIN BEIJING ROME THE MIDDLE EAST SAO PAOLO JOHANNESBURG MADRID THE HAGUE NEW DELHI TOKYO SYDNEY

THE IRISH TIMES THE STORY OF WHY

A great evening, a wonderful display of the talent in M.I.E. and a great opportunity for students and staff to join together and celebrate life in Marino.

9

The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

In Focus

Does Whiskey Make You Frisky?

Do different kinds of alcohol get you different kinds of drunk? Eoghan Crowley investigates whether or not the drink you choose has an outcome on your personality for the night.

PHOTO BY SAMUEL RIGGS FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES

Eoghan Crowley Contributing Writer

H

ow often have you heard someone suggest that tequila makes you crazy, or whiskey makes you violent, and vodka makes you cry? You’ve probably noticed yourself how different types of alcohol affect you. I find that if I drink enough Captain Morgan’s on a night out I start to believe I’m actually Captain Jack Sparrow.

However, despite the abundance of first-hand accounts of

these differing effects occurring there is practically no evidence to support these claims. In fact, according to scientific research it appears that what you drink is irrelevant, what is important is how much you drink and how fast you drink it.

Alcohol is alcohol, whether it be the four euro bottle of wine you got in Aldi, a bottle of Kinsey vodka or the God awful concoction found in the cup after an intense game of kings.

All alcohol is ethanol and ethanol will get you drunk. What does differ is the concentration of alcohol in a drink. The fact that vodka has a higher concentration of alcohol than beer means that the same volume of

“

If I drink enough Captain Morgan’s on a night out I start to believe I’m actually Captain Jack Sparrow

different alcoholic drinks will get you more/less drunk.

A simple experiment to demonstrate this can be done quite easily. Grab a friend, find two pint glasses, one full of beer and one full of vodka, one person drink the beer, the other the vodka in the same limited amount of time.

Take note of the different stages of inebriation of both participants and then sit back and laugh at the vodka guinea pig as he gradually begins to forget his own name. It’s probably best to have an ambulance on hold for this particular experiment. So, because of the different volumes of alcohol in certain drinks, this led to the rise of

the standard drink rule.

The standard drink model suggests that when it comes to behavioural effects, the only difference between a pint and a shot is the mode of delivery. If you down a few shots of tequila in a row, you’ll experience a rapid spike in your blood alcohol level, and, presumably, a rapid drop in your inhibition and so on. But any perceived difference between the drunkness you feel from the liquor and the inebriation you feel from beer has to do with the rate at which you consumed the ethanol, not the beverage via which you consumed it. “The effects of alcohol are similar, whichever form they come in,” according to Dr. Guy

Ratcliffe, medical director of the UK Medical Council on Alcohol.

“Any difference is dependent on the rate at which it is drunk and the amount. Alcohol is a simple molecule that is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. So if you drink a few shorts - spirits are generally 40% ABV [alcohol by volume] - quickly, you’ll get a rapid increase in your blood alcohol level.”

But what about spirits that have similar concentration of alcohol, and are therefore equally efficient at getting you drunk? According to the Alcohol Is Alcohol argument, Tequila with an alcohol volume of 30% should have the same effect on you as vodka, rum, gin or

whiskey with the same alcohol volume. Yet we all know someone who insists that tequila makes them bat shit crazy, that whiskey makes them angry, or that gin makes them sad. Why is that?

An alternative explanation for the belief that you can get different kinds of drunk could come down to the mixer that’s used. Tequila would obviously be taken as a straight shot because if anybody actually wants to sip on a glass of tequila for the taste, I think it can be agreed they have no taste buds or have some serious issues.

Jägermeister however is typically mixed with Red Bull. As a stimulant Red Bull could produce a different reaction, as Morgan Freeman so eloquently puts it: “Boy, these red bull and vodkas are strange. I feel like I’m getting drunk and electrocuted at the same time.” Similarly, if you’re on the vodka and you’re mixing it with Red Bull -or for us students a bottle of Boost who’s to say the drunk you’re experiencing is due to the alcohol, and not because of the fucking insane amount of caffeine you’re ingesting as well?

Despite the fact that there are no scientific studies (to my knowledge) that examine the behavioural effects that different alcoholic beverages may or may not have, the most common explanation for the varying effects of booze is that it’s all in your head. Your experience with a given alcohol is dictated largely by the social situations in which you choose to consume it. For example, if you are out looking to get drunk you’re always going to hit the shots, tequila for example, and that makes you drunker faster than if you were sipping it.

If people believe tequila makes them rowdier, they may opt for tequila when they want to be rowdy. And the next time someone blames their crazy behaviour on tequila or vodka, know that’s exactly how they wanted to be.

This idea that we change how we drink depending on what effect we desire to achieve may be the most logical explanation, but personally, no matter how much scientific evidence you put in front of me, give me a bottle of Captain Morgan’s and brace yourself for Captain Jack.

Bra-wearing as an Ingrained Social Habit “ “ Heather Keane Contributing Writer

T

he jury is not just out on whether the bra is woman’s friend or foe. Those who would go barebreasted will hooray at obscure French studies that assure us the garment is actually increasing sagging, while the rest of the media gushes with interviews conducted with medical professionals saying just the opposite.

Most of us get up in the morning and strap our bras on without the slightest consideration for these clinical investigations, just because we think we should. The reasons women feel this ‘should’ have fluctuated wildly since the modern bras-

siere’s dawn in the beginning of time, as well as the actual purpose of the undergarment.

One thing that may have stayed the same is that end-of-day feeling of release when we unhook and unwind – in the glory days of Facebook Like pages, ‘When You Take Your Bra Off At Night =)’ was up there among the oneliners about going to mass and the regrettable deluge of “when your turban –” sit-coms.

It seems to be an absolutely indisputable fact that women love getting out of their bras.

Along with this, we’re bombarded with headlines screaming about the detrimental effects of mistaking our measurements or falling asleep with one on. Muscles and breathing are at risk, lymphatic vessels are compressed and hormone production restricted. Not to mention the cost – for those readers

The daily donning of a bra is an ingrained social habit, and to go against this would be more hassle

who live without breasts, buyers are expected to fork out an average of €50 for a well-made bra in any department store. When you’re faced with all this, you begin to wonder: why bother?

For larger-breasted women, there is an undeniable need for comfort that only a well-fitted bra can provide. What has kept the multi-billion dollar market alive for A-C cup sizes? If it’s a cosmetic thing, why is going without a bra any more surprising than foregoing makeup on a lazy day? Why does it seem less of a carefree choice and more of a grand, liberal statement?

A survey conducted by The University Times about bras took in a majority of answers from women wearing B cups. 30% of the women who wore this size said that they wore a bra most days so that their nipples were not on show. When asked to

provide their own answer to the question of why they wore a bra, there was a single recurring theme among the responses from all sizes: the daily donning of a bra is an ingrained social habit, and to go against this would be more hassle than the nuisance of slipping straps and pokey wiring. A significant number of women are wearing a bra everyday for the simple reason of common decency, as if distinguishable outlines of nipples or any discernible wobbling under a t-shirt would shock any and all witnesses.

And this reasoning would be spot on, in a way; hardly a week goes by without tabloid reporting on a celebrity who dared to go bare, nip-slip photos trading like gold-dust.

While most of us are not at risk from the paparazzi, there is definitely still a majorly per-

Women are under to present their bodies and their breasts in a neatly yet artificially packaged way at all times

ceived threat of ogling from our peers. While cleavage, sideboob, and under-boob are all heartily encouraged, few of us follow the footsteps of the brave and wise Jennifer Aniston – is the nipple just too real? Women are literally trained to disguise them from prepubescence; the training bra serving no other physical function in the absence of actual breasts.

While I would hate to add any fuel to the totally erroneous braburning fire that caught on to sixties feminism through some misleading coverage of protests that took place, I would call on the movement to question the very simple but very pervasive pressure that women are under to present their bodies and their breasts in a neatly yet artificially packaged way at all times. In other words, I’m urging: get your nips out for the gals.

10

ILLUSTRATION BY SAMUEL RIGGS FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES

The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

Daniel O’Brien Staff Writer

W

hen degrees are cheap, how much do we really value them? The issue is increasingly relevant throughout Europe, where almost every country now offers free or highly subsidized third-level education for EU citizens. While a shift toward universally accessible education is desirable, the current approach brings with it a host of problems that are particularly relevant in the Irish context. The need for higher education reform in Ireland stems equally from financial and structural concerns; both can be addressed in part by revaluing education to promote accountability and achievement from Irish students.

The problem begins, but certainly does not end, at a personal level.

With rampant youth unemployment across the EU, students may be forgiven for preferring the structured regularity of university life. The “free fees” initiative only magnifies the issue; the cost of repeating a year is generally affordable for those who need to (or want to) do so. If an Irish student repeats a year for non-medical reasons they simply revert to paying EU fees (ironically the same fees Non-EUs would pay for getting Schols). The ease with which Irish students often choose to switch courses despite incurring marginally higher fees indicates that this approach may be worth reconsidering. In particular, failing a year should incur a cost more appropriate to the severity of such an outcome.

Even at EU fee levels, the Irish government is still subsidizing higher

Broke and Broken

As the third level education sector in Ireland goes through a period of transition, higher education must face up to the accountability crisis to ensure we are valuing our degrees.

“

It is hard to see why those in Irish society who are both able and willing to pay more for higher education should not be asked to do so when the entire education system stands to benefit.

education to a level far below market value. When a student repeats a year for any reason, the money that financed that period has produced no discernible value and more will be needed the following year. More importantly, these funds are never explicitly quantified and thus have no real significance for the benefitting individual. American students, in contrast, can look at their university’s annual price tag for a rough sense of what their education is worth (arguably an overinflated sense, but that actually supports the main point here). The majority of Americans still receive some form of public or private assistance to pay for education, but they are more conscious of the significant financial investment being made on their behalf.

There are a number of options worth considering that could target these financial and structural inefficiencies in Irish education. Among

the least popular would be shifting the burden toward private funding.

The simplest method would have the government end the free fees program and either set Irish fees at an arbitrarily higher level or, preferably, allow third-level institutions to set their own prices. It is assumed that EU and Non-EU fees would rise accordingly (recognizing that Irish citizens already pay more into the system through taxes). Some level of government funding would certainly still be required, but a greater personal investment in education would bring a heightened awareness of its value.

This approach does not inherently conflict with the goal of universal access to education and could help finance more generous assistance for students who actually need it. With the funds gained from Irish students fully paying the higher fees, the government or the institutions them-

selves could offer targeted support in the form of grants, loans, tax credits, etc. It is hard to see why those in Irish society who are both able and willing to pay more for higher education should not be asked to do so when the entire education system stands to benefit. Toward this end, the government could also work to promote a culture of early saving for higher education by offering tax-advantaged investment options that disperse the cost over a longer period of time.

Combining this culture with a shift toward higher levels of private funding would encourage greater personal commitment and accountability in the Irish education system.

A separate approach that could be taken without (or in addition to) adjusting the fee structure would be to reconsider some of the more problematic structural aspects of higher education in Ireland. One of the most notable examples puts students on

the wrong track before they even enter university. The CAO points system encourages ambitious applicants to apply for courses based on reputation or desirability as much as genuine interest. A law degree from Trinity might be a “good” degree, but does the country really need more lawyers more than it needs engineers or computer scientists? Both required fewer points in 2013. The result of this is that students often end up doing degrees for which they have neither the inclination nor the aptitude to succeed. If you suffer through a year of Science only to then decide you fancy BESS instead, a mistake has clearly been made somewhere. That is not to say that students with a serious issue with their course should not change, but that perhaps there is a way to limit the frequency with which these problems occur.

If students were exposed to a wider range of subjects at the university level before committing to a course they might stand a better chance of sticking with their choice. This idea doesn’t require the “general education” approach that many American schools take, where first year students take classes in science, history, English, etc. all at once. Students could choose two or three courses (ideally somewhat related, but perhaps not) to study first year and then fully commit to one or two at a later date. This is essentially the BESS/PPES/Science approach, but at the moment the vast majority of Trinity students (and indeed Irish students more broadly) are denied this opportunity to explore and find their interests. Making this practice a universal feature of higher education would help students more effectively choose their academic path.

When students lack the opportunity and incentive to find academic success, society as a whole bears the cost.

It should be evident that this cost is beyond financial; the Irish third-level education system is at risk of finding itself both broke and broken. For the long-term health of the country and its economy, finding a solution should be among the government’s top priorities.

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The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

Mandela House, 6 Trinity College, College Green, Dublin 2 Phone: (01) 646 8431 Email: info@universitytimes.ie Leanna Byrne, Editor Vladimir Rakhmanin, Deputy Editor Conor Murphy, Online Editor Edmund Heaphy, Creative Director Colm O’Donnell, Editor-at-Large Hannah Ryan, News Editor Ludovic Dawnay, Features Editor Samuel Riggs, Opinion Editor Conor Bates, Sports Editor James Benne!, Magazine Editor Shauna Cleary, Supplements Editor Michelle O’Connor, Copy Editor Cailan O’Connell, Multimedia Editor Andrew Murphy, Photo Editor

Shall You Go to the Ball?

POINTLESS REFERENDUMS ARE A WASTE OF STUDENT FUNDS

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n the 19 and 20 March, the students of Trinity will be asked go to the polls for the fourth time this year, bringing the total number of referendums to a record-breaking seven.

With the considerable expense of running a referendum and the incoming cuts to capitation funding by college authorities, it must be asked whether the new trend for referendums is the optimal way to gauge student body opinion and the most appropriate use of student funds.

Traditionally, due to high costs and the work that must go into organising campaigns and voting, referendums are only brought for highly contentious issues or issues of lasting consequence to the student population. The issue of direct provision, while a highly important one that should be discussed and campaigned on, is neither highly contentious nor an issue that will directly affect students for many years to come. There is a clear need for reform of the system that leaves so many refugees in inadequate circumstances in Ireland and this simply cannot be disagreed with logically. With issues such as fundamental human rights at stake, a referendum simply is not necessary and constitutes a major waste of much-needed student funds.

A more appropriate forum for raising the issue of direct provision would be at Student Council. A referendum creates long-term policy in the constitution while a motion to Council creates short-term policy that lapses after two years and can be renewed as needed. However, both have the same effect of mandating a campaign to be carried out by the Students’ Union on the issue at hand. A simple motion to Council would have allowed a campaign to be organised effectively without the unnecessary expense of printing ballots and thus allow funds to be used more wisely in the campaign for reform.

Without the drama of the sabbatical elections, a low turnout can be expected, further invalidating the expense of running a referendum on the issue at all. However, the importance of using the right to vote is one that must be taken seriously and with the referendum on the new constitution taking place alongside it, it is vital that students turn out to the polls in large numbers once more, regardless of the pointlessness of the direct provision referendum.

INCREASED FAIRNESS FOR NORTHERN IRISH STUDENTS IS A WELCOME MOVE

PHOTO BY TARA SHEVEJ

Does it really ma"er who plays the Trinity Ball?

Danielle Courtney argues that we’re going to go anyway.

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t has been announced that Trinity College will be introducing a new comparison system between A-Level grades and Leaving Certificate points in order to increase an intake of students from Northern Ireland. At the moment, Trinity admits approximately 85 students from Northern Ireland each year – an extremely low number, considering that during the 1960s one-third of all Trinity students were from the North. These changes are very welcome, especially considering Northern Irish students are currently under a huge disadvantage when compared to native students.

Due to a huge difference in the way that both systems evaluate the end of school examinations, grade conversions between the two are extremely difficult. As we all know, in the Irish system, students take a minimum of six subjects for the Leaving Certificate. The A-level system is structured quite differently. While some students take four subjects, the vast majority choose only three. There are also less grade distinctions in the A-Level system. Where in the Leaving Certificate, you can receive an A1, A2, B1, and so on. the A-Level system features alphabetical grades only. In fact, the A* grade was only recently added after it was revealed that twenty per cent of those taking the exams received the top grade available, making the domestic university admission process extremely difficult.

Because of these difficulties, the process under which A-Level grades were transferred into the CAO Points system was grossly unfair. A student who received the maximum grades in three A-Levels will only receive 450 points, which is not enough for a lot of the top courses in Ireland. This means that students from Northern Ireland have to take on a whole extra subject in order to have a chance at competing for university places with Irish students. This is extremely unfair, given that the A-Level system’s primary goal is providing a deep knowledge of a very small set of subjects – due to the short-sightedness of the conversion process, students from Northern Ireland are penalised for having a deep knowledge of the few subjects that, presumably, they will be studying at university. Why should a student who wishes to study theoretical physics be punished for not having done English, or French? It seems logical that, because their educational system allows it, they would only take on the subjects that they need later on in life.

Thankfully, this is all about to change. Understanding the need for change, the college is currently working on a new conversion system – one that will most accurately reflect the ability of students who wish to study in Ireland. Hopefully, this will lead to more talented students coming to study in Trinity and other Irish universities.

www.universitytimes.ie

The Largest Ball in Europe The Trinity Ball in an annual event that draws an a!endance of 7000 which makes it the largest outdoor private party in Europe.

A History of the Ball Until 2010, it was held annually on the last teaching day of the Trinity Term to celebrate the end of lectures and the beginning of Trinity Week. The ball is now held on the last day of the Hilary term before the exam period due to a reconstructing of the academic terms. The ball is run by Trinity Students’ Union and the Central Societies Commi!ee in conjunction with MCD Productions, who hold the contract to run the ball until 2015.

Danielle Courtney Staff Writer

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eemingly there is nothing more divisive on the Trinity Campus this Hilary term, than its own annual Trinity Ball. The biggest private ball in Europe is never devoid of controversy, particularly this year when its announcement was the cause of an avalanche of negative comments on the event page and a Facebook group, later deleted, demanding for Ents Officer Sean Reynolds to resign from his post. Most students feel the lineup doesn’t offer the same level as former years, and is not worth its €80 price.

The lineup is not, in fact, decided

by Reynolds – instead it’s at the discretion of MCD, who have been organising the event for many years.

The original reason Trinity outsourced organisation of the event was to ensure that we acquire the best possible acts, and as a concert promoter owning The Olympia and The Academy and producing festivals like Oxegen, MCD are able to book acts on a larger scale than the SU sabbat. The company pull together a list of acts and take their fee.

A particular asset of MCD has always been their ability to book acts who have yet to break the industry.

Last year I, like many others, had no idea who Imagine Dragons were.

A former boyfriend loved them and so I followed suit and bought tickets. With their breakout single Radioactive, huge radio play followed and their album Night Visions went on to be Grammy nominated, achieving fourth place in Billboard album charts in 2014.

Likewise Bastille were on the verge of success with their debut album Bad Blood, having already played Glastonbury, but it wasn’t until the week of last year’s Ball when they achieved number one in the charts with Pompeii, the final song played in New Square at six in the morning.

This year sees a lot of acts yet to break as well as several who already have enjoyed some success. Every year an artist with noted chart past is promoted as the top bill, even despite of the fact they might not be the most current act, and if only

to balance a line up where affordability comes first, a large quantity of acts needed to play the several stages all night, they must be either emerging or touring widely in between albums, as was the case with Ellie Goulding who having had initial success, had yet to achieve the international success of the last year with her latest album.

The same could be said for Example who having had several club anthems that people screamed to at Oxegen during their secondary school days, is potentially set for a reprisal with his new album Live Life Living which isn’t launching till this June. Whether he attains the same success as Ellie is unforeseeable. He played second stage for the 2010 ball, and if nothing else his headlining is mere respect for where his career has been since his first appearance at the Ball.

Looking forward to other acts, one in particular to watch is Nina Nesbitt, who toured as unsigned support for not only Example but also Ed Sheeran, both having heard her music and then personally inviting her on their respective tours.

The Scottish teenager signed with Universal and released her debut album Peroxide this year, featuring a duet with Kodaline. She also appears on an acoustic version of their song ‘Brand New Day’. Her appearances on BBC’s Radio1 Live Lounge, dating back to 2011, display dulcet vocals and an ability to make any song her own. Her set is one to see.

Another is Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, the work of Orlando Higginbottom whose house and electro pop remixes have been garnering him fans since 2009.

The DJ’s first album Trouble was launched in 2012, and his work with Disclosure last year shows promise of more to come.

Saint Raymond is hotly anticipated for even bigger things, and having yet to release an album the Nottingham teen Callum Burrows has toured with Haim and and Gabrielle Alpin, his second EP Young Blood hit number 3 on iTunes. Big things are in store for Burrows, and his label who also carry Rudimental, have announced his first headlining tour in the coming months.

Perhaps he will be the biggest success of the 2014 Trinity Ball alum.

As for the more established acts; Trinity students will be familiar with Duke Dumount, The Original

“

Whoever actually played the Ball would be irrelevant, with most students stating that they were too drunk previous years to remember seeing any performances

Rude Boys and La Galaxie. Whilst the primary complaint about Le Galaxie is how frequently they’ve appeared at Ents events under Reynold’s helm, they will undoubtedly be one of the most popular sets on the night having a strong Trinity following.

In between slurs against Reynolds on the lineup announcement, was an attitude that whoever actually played the Ball would be irrelevant, most students stating that they were too drunk previous years to remember seeing any performances. The event is notorious for excessive drinking and drug use.

Jessie J in 2012 tweeted her upset at the inebriation of those at her slot, claiming it was her hardest gig to date playing to “people so drunk they couldn’t even stand.”

I’ve heard it argued that one would need to be that drunk to stay for her entire set, but that’s not the issue here.

The issue remains of whether MCD could rip us off? They collect their fee no matter what, and we buy the tickets no matter what. If this were an actual music festival it would probably equate to Friday of Electric Picnic; not everyone has arrived yet, they’re not selling day tickets to it, and it’s a drinking contest to see who’ll be awake the next morning and ready to hack the big lineup. Instead there are two things that go against the Ball; MCD run the Ball at a profit which has never actually been disclosed or made transparent, and our reputation for hedonistic partying means they know whoever they send, Trinity students will buy their tickets in droves, for the college sanctioned opportunity to get sick outside of the GMB.

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The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

Don’t Gender Me, Bro: Heteronormative, Hetero-negativity

Michelle O’Connor Copy Editor

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nless you’ve had your head buried completely under sand for the past two months or so, you’ll be aware of what has been called “Panti Gate”. This was legal action taken on behalf of RTÉ to give members of the Iona Institute a very large sum of money as recompense for Panti calling them “homophobes”. The interview was subsequently removed from the RTÉ player online. Following the payment, Panti

gave a noble call in the Abbey Theatre, which went viral. In it, she stated that in an “Orwellian twist, the homophobes have now become victims of homophobia”.

Following the payment, Senator Norris brought the Iona Institute’s status as an institution up in the Seanad and asked, “why are they an institute?”

A question asked elsewhere has been, “where do they get their money?” This was a question I wondered myself, particularly in light of starting my M.Phil with the Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies in Trinity. Since starting, there has been a slight sense of lamentation in the voices of staff and students who say, “pity you’re not based over on Westland Row anymore”.

Years ago, the CGWS had a very large space on a floor in 17-20 Westland Row. Now, the centre has been relegated to a double room in the Arts Block. There is a small library for students, followed by office space for

academic staff. We have a bell, a kettle and a secure room, but space is limited. Granted, it’s more than any other Postgrads have, save the squishy couches in House 7, but it is a far cry from the CGWS of old.

I asked why, in an era of such change and rising awareness of gender issues the centre has lost such esteem. “Outside funding was pulled, so we’re back to core funding”.

The Iona Institute’s funding has been the source of much stipulation and one can only guess that the money comes from abroad, from conservative Christian organisations.

When organisations such as that have access to the media and their ideas are broadcast so readily, could it not be detrimental to fostering tolerance?

The lack of religious education in France has been deemed the reason for religious intolerance in their society. The lack of education about sexuality is the reason for misunderstanding of gender and sexual identity.

Gender Studies is something that

encompasses many different disciplines: history, politics, theory, theology. It has opened my eyes to the subconscious way that we become socialised into behavioural patterns through advertisements, etc. These prescribed normative behaviours are insidious in their nature because they project an ideology of what constitutes male and female activity.

There have been petitions online recently attempting to de-stereotype gender bias in toys. Lego, for example is a universal toy, except that you can get girls’ Lego and boys’ Lego.

In 2007, The Equality Authority of Ireland published An Introduction to Gender Equality Issues in the Marketing and Design of Goods for Children. You may look at the date of the research and think, “That’s so long ago”, and it is, but they have not been in a position to publish any new research since because their funding has been pulled.

The research analysed how children were portrayed in the advertisements for toys. The report found that girls’

toys commonly showed them at home in a domestic setting, while boys’ toys had them outside, playing in a more action-packed environment.

Recently, Paul O’Connell was in an ad for Pinergy which showed him helping out with the washing. This has been viewed as a step away from the gendered norms more commonly shown in advertisements, but should it be? While this is a step in a right direction, should it be done in a way which makes it almost farcical? In the other ad for Pinergy, he is “hiding” from the couple he is lighting the candle for.

These messages are the most commonly seen and proliferated in society as we see it. Young people spend the most amount of time watching television than any other demographic. If the images broadcast to them are of gender binaries which show women at home, and men “ironically” doing the washing, anyone who doesn’t fit neatly within that binary is ignored.

And invisibility is not how to raise

awareness.

If religious intolerance is due to a lack of education and awareness, then sex education should incorporate information about transgender people and people who are not heteronormative.

The SU recently withdrew the sale of Coca-Cola products as part of a protest against Russia’s discrimination of LGBTQ* people. Last week was International Women’s Week; Trinity is, as it always has been, very supportive of equal human rights. Yet, there is very little offered at undergraduate level relating to gendered discourse.

There is a token lecture or seminar on gender, and that would be it: a glossed-over account of the fight for equal rights. Yet, humans are not to be glossed over, and unless there is a change in the way the media portrays gender roles, society is going to impose gender norms on us all. To the dismay of anyone who dare step beyond the boundary of “masculine” or “feminine” behaviour.

Seeking Debt Write-downs is the Only Way to Economic Recovery Peter Ma!hews Contributing Writer

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The Central Bank of Ireland on Dame Street is home to the wreckless decisions of the years gone by.

n 28th November 2010 Ireland signed up to the Troika 3 year Programme of loans assistance. At the time the 6 Irish banks owed a whopping €135bn to the European Central Bank (ECB). This was an eye-watering ECB exposure to 6 Irish banks in a peripheral country with a population of only 4.5m people, with an open economy and a Gross National Product (GNP) of only around the same amount of €135bn.

The rapidly mounting level of ECB exposure up to a whopping €135bn level was the alarming reason that brought the ECB, alarm bells ringing, post haste, to Ireland.

Since then, over the 3 years up to December 2013 the economy continued to be ground down by fiscal adjustments, while a total of €68bn of assistance loans from the Troika (EU, ECB and IMF) as well as some smaller bilateral loans from the UK and Sweden were disbursed to Ireland.

Direct close supervision by the Troika of compliance with the terms and conditionality of the disbursements came to an end along with these final disbursements. However, the Troika will continue to monitor the Irish economy and key economic indicators, albeit with less frequent visitations, in order to be satisfied with Ireland’s capacity to repay their loans. This is the true meaning of “we have successfully exited” the EU IMF ECB Bailout Programme.

Ireland now carries a Government Debt burden of about €205bn representing about 124% of GDP or 145% GNP - a better measure of debt burden on the indigenous economy. This is a massive load on our small open economy. As a direct result of the enormous credit bubble ending in the financial collapse of 2008, Irish households and SME’s (non-financial corporates) also carry massive legacy debts. Aggregating these 3 components of the legacy debt overhanging on Ireland represents a combined 450% of GDP, a truly over-burdening level of debt severely obstructing the prospects of balanced economic recovery and sustainable growth.

Bank of International Settlements economists Cecchetti, Mohanty, Zampolli, in an outstanding paper entitled “The Real Effects of Debt” presented in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA, in August 2011 to a conference of Governors of Central Banks of leading OECD countries, demonstrated that when the aggregate level of overall debt in an economy exceeds 300%, economic growth becomes undermined, resulting in economic under performance, stagnation and contraction. Ireland is at extremely high level risk of long term economic stagnation and decline, with the realistic danger of economic lost decade(s), because of our extremely high aggregate debt levels. So there is now a pressing imperative for negotiating structured Debt alleviation. The fact that the 40 year long term e28bn (Prom Note) Bonds, at present held by the CBI, have an odious unjustified genesis gives compelling support to our contention and undeniable insistence with the ECB for a fully justified cancellation of the Bonds.

Even after the March 2011 recapitalisation of our 2 survivor banks, AIB and BoI, in July 2011, it has nevertheless become increasingly apparent that the credit bubble legacy mortgage loan books and the SME legacy loan books are far more problematic and in much greater arrears and unrecoverable loans trouble than originally known.

Well researched recent assessments by experienced expert outsiders have noted that these

banks are likely to require a further €20bn-€25bn capital to make adequate provisions for losses and write-offs on these legacy loan books.

The evidence of what went on in international banking and financial markets and the absence of regulation provides a compelling, indeed overwhelming, case that such further €20bn-€25bn capitalisation, needed for the 2 survivor banks to write down mortgage and SME non-performing and non-recoverable loans to realistically recoverable amounts, should be provided by euro-system.

Such additional €20bn-€25bn creditor compression capital from the euro-system would enable the banks to shake off their present operational paralysis, and to finally start writing down customer loans to realistic collectible amounts.

This would allow bank customers (there’s over 100,000 households in chronic mortgage arrears) to return to normal economic functioning, with normal levels of consumer expenditure, savings and investment. This would allow the indigenous economy to recover properly and to return to normal growth. If it doesn’t happen we face lost decade(s) of stagnant economic existence.

What a depressing prospect, but it needn’t be so.

The upcoming European Parliament elections pose a huge chance for Irish citizens to make their voices heard. It would be a very powerful statement to our European partners if each Irish candidate for the 11 seats on offer entered a pre-election pact to ensure that each of them would be part of a cohesive group, dedicated to advance the Priority Objective in seeking debt write-downs. Such a clear and bold strategy would not only command wide respect, but would also demonstrate justified, courageous leadership on behalf of the Irish people, while focusing minds in the European Commission and ECB as well as the Parliament.

This is exactly the kind of resolve we need to guide Ireland’s return to economic prosperity.

Peter Matthews, currently a TD for Dublin South, is a former financial and banking consultant.

If Students Need to be Incentivised to Vote, Then Student Activism is Dead

Sinéad Baker Deputy Online Editor

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n my experience, as students, we’re delighted when we’re painted as ‘the voice of a generation’. We’re insulted by the lazy student stereotype and

admonish officials that perpetuate it, such as Eamon Gilmore’s recent comments about “young people sitting in front of a flat screen”. We’re proud of the association between students effecting change, but can we lay any claim to it?

Student apathy is an issue. Turnout at recent protests, such as those against cuts to the student grant and against LGBTQ rights in Russia, has been low. Voter turnout in Trinity rests at just under 25%. Trinity’s turnout of 4,168 students this year is impressive by national standards (UCD’s elections last year saw a turnout of 8%, and NUIG around 19%). Yet when looked at objectively, it’s hard to be impressed when you consider

that only a quarter of all students in college ticked the box on a piece of paper, particularly given two important referendums took place the same week.

During the recent elections a high number of students had no plans to vote. They weren’t taking a stand by not voting, but rather just didn’t feel like it. These students could be easily won over by a Union initiative to increase voter turnout: the promise that you could win a free Trinity Ball ticket if you were seen sporting an “I have voted” sticker on the second day of voting. This incentive motivated more students towards the polls, as well as linking the concept of voting to more attractive activities.

But it’s disappointing to realise how easily these students are won over: it’s true that many students will automatically vote and that others refuse to ever vote on principle, yet the number of students that can be so easily won over based on the promise of entertainment alone is upsetting. It’s a change of focus from the important issues.

TCDSU rebranded the elections this year to ‘The Leadership Race’, which saw voter turnout increase by less than 150 votes. ‘DIT Decides’, run by DIT Students’ Union (DITSU), encourages students to vote in their elections for the sabbatical officer and college officer positions in the Union. They incentivised voting by using part of

their budget for promoting elections by offering voters a free ticket to see Toy Soldiers and Le Galaxie, while charging €10 for non-voters. This incentive is being branded as ‘Rock The Vote’, with the importance of issues hidden behind the promise of entertainment.

The term ‘election’ seems to have been abandoned by many institutions, replaced instead by short, snappy phrases and accompanied by incentives that fail to mention the issues at hand, such as recent rebrands at GMIT and DIT. It seems that unions have been forced to make these changes in order to combat the attitude of the vast majority of students.

When faced with these issues, other

forms of incentives have to be introduced, ones that seem to belittle both students and the important issues in our colleges. The focus is being taken away from the importance of issues, or even the debate around the value of voting itself, and is now presented as a means to an end – a necessary evil that must be completed if you want the reward.

I can’t blame any of the organisations for changing how these elections are presented, but it seems a shame that this is what has to happen.

Consistently low turnout and these changes to how elections are presented, make it obvious that, rather than engaging, students have forgotten what they’re actually voting for.

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The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

In Praise of Follicles

Letter from the Editor

Stephen Cox Staff Writer

Leanna Byrne

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ou don’t need to be particularly observant to notice that men’s fashion in Ireland has undergone a definite change in recent months. I’m not talking about slightly-too-short skinny jeans or shirt buttons done all the way up. I refer, rather, to the recent surge in Chuck Norris lookalikes and guys who look like extras from Inside Llewyn Davis.

Now seems a good time to mention that I have played my part in this trend. I’ve preferred to have facial hair more or less since I was old enough to grow what passed for a beard. This is far from saying that I had one before it was popular—nevertheless, it is clear walking around Dublin that bearded men are a much more common sight than they were even a year ago.

So why is it that beards are back in fashion? It is important to remember that they have gone in and out of style the world over for thousands of years. The Ancient Greeks were bearded; the Romans smoothchinned. Beards were popular among Victorian men, while their twentieth century counterparts were mostly cleanshaven.

In some modern professions—folk singers, philosophers, lumberjacks, pirates— beards are virtually obligatory.

In others—pilots, the police, the military, female impersonators—they are frowned upon, if not banned outright. Margaret Thatcher is alleged to have forbidden beards from her cabinet during her time in power, while a 2012 report from the Huffington Post revealed that 98 of the 100 richest men that year were clean-shaven.

By contrast, counter-cultural aesthetic tends to favour the beard over the clean-shaven, corporate look. Fidel Castro and his followers became known as the barbudos (bearded ones) upon their rise to power in Cuba—those who wanted to show support for the new regime were quick to discard their razors. Living in Spain last year I was struck by how much more common facial hair was than among men at home.

Editor

L

“

It is clear walking around Dublin that bearded men are a much more common sight than they were even a year ago

ast week the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) boasted an impressive turnout outside Dr Steeven’s Hospital. Over 700 angry student nurses and midwives from across the country banded together to wave placards with Minister Reilly’s name being used in a variety of creative ways.

Their message was that they are worth more than €6.49 an hour. Concise and to the point.

Overall, the protest was a success not because we have seen immediate outcomes from the students’ efforts, but due to the level of engagement drawn from this group of students. The same can be said of the recent protest just before the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics in Sochi outside the Russian Embassy. Albeit the turnout was much lower, the support from students in the Dublin area was notably stronger than the national campaign in October last year. Students seemed to care, which is a rarity.

One of the biggest criticisms of the USI is the complete separation between the average student and their lobbying efforts. The large scale campaign that takes place just before the budget is considered to be the cornerstone of the USI’s lobbying efforts. Although this period of time is extremely important to make sure students are not put on the chopping board, levels of engagement have been steadily decreasing since the numbers that came out in 2010. To combat this, the strategy was changed to make the demonstrations ‘localised’, with protests taking place across the country. However, this made very little difference apart from the fact that we received media coverage in the morning and in the afternoon. Our own university had an embarrassing turnout of less than 30 students, with some students slinking back to class once they bagged the free t-shirt.

The push for support during the national campaign was very much a top-down effort, whereas the more recent issue-specific protests and demonstrations are products of grass-roots efforts that look to the USI to support their cause. Even our reluctant new additions to the USI family, Dublin City University Students’ Union (DCUSU), were happy to shout and hold banners with the rest of us.

The truth is that it is easier to gather behind a cause that you either believe in for selfish reasons or that is close to home. It is difficult to get students behind a list of demands, as opposed to one consistent message.

“We’re worth more than €6.49” is stronger than “no more cuts” because these cuts will probably have little or no impact on the average student. As for the increases to the student registration charge, well, we’ve given up on that one a while ago.

Perhaps breaking the national campaign down geographically is not the answer to the USI engagement question. For years students have been told to think of the student sitting next to them in the lecture hall and fight for their right for access to education. The reality is that this will only have an impact on the consciences of a handful of students. While the USI waste their time coaxing students to engage by promising them an entertaining demonstration thanks to the DIT Samba Soc, protests would be far more effective engaging with the students issue-by-issue, rather than trying to fit them all under one banner of solidarity that simply doesn’t exist.

Student protests that target specific issues sends a stronger message than a national campaign.

PHOTO BY SAMUEL RIGGS FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES

Even given their recent renaissance on these shores, I still think beards are more common among Spaniards than Irishmen. This is not a trend limited to Spain; my Greek flatmate in Salamanca would generally only compliment my appearance when I was particularly hirsute. On days when I’d dusted off my trimmer, she would tease me for looking young and square.

I can’t say for sure if mainstream acceptance of facial hair says anything about our own cultural expectations. For myself I prefer how it looks, and have grown so used to having a beard that being clean-shaven, or even having short stubble, feels uncomfortable. It is worth noting as well that facial hair has long been the saviour of many a weak chin; masculine aesthetic must be behind at least some of the beard’s favour.

I also suspect that, given the relatively uncommon or even stigmatised use of makeup among males, beards offer many men a range of facial experimentation otherwise cut off from them—I would be interested to hear of any studies carried out to this end.

Several reasons lie behind

the beard’s recent comeback.

While purchases of cheap disposable razors may have risen, in January Procter & Gamble reported a 7.8% fall in sales of non-disposable shaving products. Their head of finance, Jon Moeller, was quick to cite an ‘increased interest in facial hair’ as being the main reason for the dip in sales. Moeller also noted that the worldwide observance of Movember had its effects on transactions of razors. Campaigns like Movember may have helped to raise the public profile of beards (and particularly moustaches), but don’t provide all the answers behind the renewed popularity of face fuzz.

A 2013 study conducted by the University of South Wales showed that men with heavy stubble, as opposed to a full beard, were deemed most attractive by the women surveyed. According to professors Barnaby J. Dixon and Rob C. Brooks, ‘women may balance...a competitive masculine partner against the costs of mating with a too-masculine partner.’ What does this mean, if anything, for the future of facial hair?

In the end, the current vogue for beards probably comes

down to the cyclical nature of fashion. In his book The Definitive Guide to Stuff White People Like (that is, liberal middle class American white people, commonly referred to as hipsters), Christian Lander notes that ‘the popularity of beards with white people can fluctuate depending on the decade, but it always maintains a level of respectability regardless of current styles’. So, when the rugged outdoorsman look extends beyond actual woodsmen to reach Williamsburg bars and even Irish rugby internationals (Gordon D’Arcy claimed he would only shave his alarming bristles in the event of Ireland winning the Grand Slam), can we say that we have reached a peak in beard prevalence? This remains to be seen.

Even being generally favourable to facial hair, I can’t say I favour the heavy, caveman-style growth favoured by D’Arcy. Perhaps this new micro trend has signalled a high watermark for Irish beards. Perhaps not.

In any case, it also remains to be seen if Procter & Gamble’s restorative measure— increased marketing of body hair trimmers—takes off in quite the same way.

Multilingualism is Not Just Necessary, but Psychologically Beneficial

Aisling Curtis Senior Staff Writer

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s the vehicle for idle gossip and beautiful phrase, your native language is something fundamental to who you are. Whether you express your-

self in a plethora of dialects or just the one, your language dictates your psychological landscape, your mind shaped as a consequence of the mode of expression you grew up with, or the ones you adopted along the way.

Our language alters how we see our subjective worlds; in other cultures, the earth they occupy can be very different from our own. A snapshot of examples: the language of the Pormpuraaw, an Australian aboriginal community, does not use “left” and “right” but instead forces them to define “northeast” and “southwest”, giving them a better sense of direction even in unfamiliar landscapes.

In Spanish and Japanese a vase breaks itself, whereas the English language demands we specify that “Aisling broke the vase”, reflecting our higher drive for judicial punishment following crime. A mere segment of divergence, but illustrative of this fact: that the language you speak directs how you think.

Language is not simply the addition and subtraction of words to form arbitrary meaning, as once was thought. Instead, it carries the weight of a culture and a people and a colourful and vivid collective past, giving you a glimpse into another psychological realm.

Nevertheless, we let languages die – 46 per cent of the world’s

languages are predicted to be under threat. Few people bemoan the loss of a language, the chiefly English-speaking Irish least of all.

You would think that we would strive to prevent language extinction and expand our own linguistic capacity.

Too many times I’ve heard Irish people say that a new language is difficult, they don’t need it, English is the global tongue anyway and to learn another, well, what’s the point? What we seem to forget is that many in other countries speak English alongside their native tongues – and often alongside multiple tongues – and therefore reap the cognitive benefits that we eschew. They understand

this fact: that language affects thought.

Certainly, the English language has allowed the expression of some of the most exquisite pieces of literature ever seen. But so have French and Urdu and the lost languages consigned to the scrap heap of the past. Though it may be the path of least resistance for us to stick safely with our one ubiquitous language, the costs we incur are greater than we might think. With one language we limit ourselves to a single horizon, denying ourselves the opportunity to explore brave new worlds.

This self-inflicted constraint is a crime unto itself. To have a second language is to have a

“

Few people bemoan the loss of a language, the chiefly English-speaking Irish least of all.

second psyche.

New languages are not easy: certainly, the way languages are taught in Ireland, particularly the instruction of Irish itself, needs a serious overhaul.

But first we must challenge the idea that multilingualism is not necessary in a globalised world. That the Irish people can get by on English, and English alone. That a smattering of bonjour and gracias and nîhâo will see you through.

We must acknowledge that multiple languages are not only important for career progression and travelling and one’s health and cognitive function, but for the fundamental reason that they alter how our reality is perceived.

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The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

Sport Different Season, Same Problems Ross Mullen STAFF WRITER

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ven during my time following the League of Ireland, a relatively short one by some comparisons it must be said, I have seen crowds dwindle and deplete. I once stood behind the goal in Dalymount Park alongside my dad in awe of the throngs of people surrounding us.

Three sides of that ancient turf were once engulfed with feverous fans, and decades before my time, even the four sides were not enough to meet demand as those brave enough set up camp upon the tin roof. Sadly, those days can now only be experienced in photographs. The O’Connell Street stand lays in ruin, closed off to supporters out of fear that the rusted seats and crumbling concrete could collapse at any moment. The Des Kelly Stand, the one I used to frequent behind the goal remains desolate, but for the odd game a year. Likewise, the Jodi Stand which stretches down one touchline has also suffered the same decline. As a youngster I remember people clambering for seats. Numerous people congregated in the aisles, unable or uninterested in getting a seat while others piled into rows, numbers far outweighing the available seats. Now, people are dotted throughout, enough empty space for even the away supporters to feel at home in their corner.

The League of Ireland returned last Friday and I fear the same aspects will dominate public opinion this season as have done in recent years; lack of money, lack of talent, lack of interest. One can simply point to the demise of Monaghan United, only just promoted, as a manifestation of the plethora of problems our national league faces. Ones which the powers that be at the F.A.I. fail to take much notice of, or even remotely care about.

When Monaghan died, they joined a cemetery which can also boast to contain the other recently deceased; Sporting Fingal, Galway United, Kildare County, Dublin City and Kilkenny City. “7 Clubs in 6 Years, Too Much F.A.I.lure” read a banner unveiled by St. Pat’s fans back in 2012. The League of Ireland still survives, but is regularly interrupted with fiascos and deba-

cles which seem more suited to rashly organised 5 a-side competitions, not a national league.

John Delaney, Chief Executive of the FAI, earned €400,000 in 2011 while in the same year, grants given to clubs were cut by around the same amount (€377,000). The winner of the League of Ireland gets a measly €100,000 in comparison. This is the same man who was videoed in Poland drunk, hoisted aloft by Irish fans while at home, Monaghan were forced to vacate their position in the league. The problems with our national competition are vast but those at the top do not seem to care. At the moment, clubs are surviving due to the commitment and dedication of fans who volunteer their time. They owe very little, if anything, to those in charge.

It’s incredibly difficult to justify that salary for even the most talented or skilled worker in their field, it is impossible to do so for the head of such shambolic association. I won’t even get into his laughable plea to FIFA for Ireland to be included as the “33rd Team” at the last World Cup, embarrassing to say the least.

Nonetheless, the troubles that the league endures run deeper. The FAI, no matter how competent cannot force people to go to games. They can’t merely create talent to match the top European leagues. We, the Irish public, tend lack any sort of interest in their local clubs and it is something I find difficult to fathom. The idea of avidly following a team, turning up weekly to see your team live is a notion that is distinctly foreign to Irish football fans but is an essential part of any league around the world. Disappointingly, our idea of live football revolves around which games Sky has scheduled for Saturday afternoon, not what is taking place in the local vicinity. The bright lights of the Premier League seem to have blinded us to our local teams. The term “barstooler” is almost synonymous with “football fan” in a society where we lament our lack of world class talent by ignoring any that exists. But some League of Ireland fans do little to help, lambasting those who veer towards our neighbouring leagues instead of encouraging them to at least taste the Irish equivalent. There is also the sense of preaching to the converted, the rest simply don’t understand the

“

Talent does not necessarily equate to entertainment.

Live football can evoke an endless list of feelings. relationship, and unfortunately, the majority never will.

I write this as I watch the national team play Serbia where six players in the Irish starting eleven (Forde, Coleman, Ward, McLean, Hoolahan and Long) all began their professional playing career in the League of Ireland. The talent, while incomparable with the Premier League, is not as poor as believed. Similarly, talent does not necessarily equate to entertainment.

Live football can evoke feelings of ecstasy, fury, frustration, depression – the list is endless. The same attachment, the same connection cannot be felt in front of a television screen, no matter how much you think the game means to you. At a live game, those beside you become your weekly companions, just as embroiled in the whirlwind of emotion as you are. The crowd breathes in unison, its emotions shooting from various states of ecstasy and fury throughout. You understand, they understand.

The new season still kicks off with new ambition, new optimism and hopefully some new fans. Fans are the integral facet. A team, let alone a league, cannot function without them. Our league’s predicament remains one of difficulty, but there still remains reason for optimism. Keith Fahey’s move to St. Pat’s, and the transfer of ex-international Stephen McPhail to the league bolsters the growing collection of talent while the return of Limerick last season coupled with Athlone Town’s promotion signals a recovery by previous strongholds for League of Ireland football.

The potential is there, the only question is, will anyone turn off the television and bother to show up?

Despite a sustained and increased effort in promoting the League of Ireland, the same issues still remain in the domestic game.

Making Tracks: The F1 Preview How the famous 1976 Formula One season may just eerily resemble the upcoming season.

Ross Mullen STAFF WRITER

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lmost fascinating documentary on the 1976 Formula One season charting the rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda appeared recently on the BBC. It was a season portraying the charismatic Hunt and tactically proficient Lauda in an era of rip-roaring and hazardous racing, which saw the latter lose half of his right ear at the Nurburgring.

This coming Formula 1 season may echo the vibe of that famous season.

Along with the now familiar radical rule changes there is also a collection of top quality drivers in the sport competing for the championship this year, with many constructors also throwing their hat in the ring.

Formula 1 is unique in that it undergoes more rule changes each year than a schoolyard game of five-a-side football. As part of Bernie Ecclestone’s grand plan to make F1 appear more green, environmentally aware and commercially attractive, the cars’ power units have been radically reduced to 600BHP, 1.6L turbocharged V6s (from the normally aspirated 2.4L V8s in use since 2006) and include a new Energy Recovery System (ERS) to replace KERS, which will provide an extra 160BHP for 33 seconds per lap.

This will lead to slower top speeds in the straights.

After Hispania left the parc fermé for the last time in 2012, there is still yet to be a replacement for the former minnows; the number of teams sits at eleven. Nevertheless, the winter testing provides enough drama to whet the appetite of any petrol-headed

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are two of the major contenders for this year’s Championship F1 fan. If recent developments are anything to go by, current constructor champions Red Bull look to be the most high profile casualty of the new specification tweaks. Consistent performances from Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg on the other hand currently have Mercedes installed as the favourites for the title this year.

It looks like Ross Brawn has finally got the recipe right for the German marque who has struggled to capi-

talise on his debut season success in 2009. Ferrari too have had a fruitful testing period and could yet challenge for honours this year. Williams will be encouraged by unfamiliar pace in testing and Felipe Massa topping the standings in Bahrain while McLaren have hardly put a foot wrong save for the last day of testing in Sakhir.

It is looking more and more like a Ferrari-Mercedes shootout, but it is impossible to rule-out current cham-

pions Red Bull. As in-season testing returns, how well each team evolves over the course of the year is paramount. This may favour the Austrian giants over the other teams due to the sums at their disposal.

The most notable transfer of the winter was arguably Kimi Raikkonen’s return to Ferrari, a somewhat surprising move given the Italians’ history of not matching drivers of equal ability.

Should the two drivers drive consistently they could deliver Ferrari their first constructors’ crown since Kimi’s success in 2008. Felipe Massa was finally thrown out of Maranello and joined ranks with Williams, alongside Valtteri Bottas, leaving Pastor Maldonado to join Lotus, teaming up with fellow occupational hazard Romain Grosjean at the expense of Paul di Resta. Elsewhere at Red Bull, Australian Daniel Ricciardo was promoted from Toro Rosso to the big leagues. If his drives with the lesser of the Red Bull teams are anything to go by this puts him with an outside chance for the world title. The current world champion has already raised concerns over his team’s ability to challenge this year after disastrous testing, however his titles coupled with the ease with

which the majority of them were attained means one can’t rule out Vettel for top honours this season.

It remains, on paper, the most open championship for some time.

Alonso and Raikkonen at Ferrari and Hamilton at Mercedes performing in pre-season are surely the forerunners for the title based in their solid winter. Despite his somewhat negative rhetoric regarding their current car it is impossible to believe that Red Bull won’t feature. As for the dark horse of this championship, the encouraging pace of Felipe Massa in Bahrain might propel him to long-awaited glory, but, as Juan Montoya showed in his Williams in 2001, pace minus cornering skill will inevitably equal failure. The winning driver this year then will be the one who can master the cars’ performance and not fret under the pressure, much like F1’s halcyon days of Lauda and Hunt.

As for who that will be, the form book suggests Raikkonen, Alonso, or Hamilton. Despite everything aforementioned, winter testing can be a poor predictor of race outcomes, so choosing a winner from the current batch is like picking winning lotto numbers.

15

The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

Sport

Sport in Brief Cricket JS microbiology student, Jennifer Gray, has been selected for the Irish Women’s team travelling to Bangladesh in March for the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup. Gray, Trinity’s cricket captain, made her Irish debut in oneday internationals earlier this year, with a notably positive bowling performance of three wickets for forty runs, against Pakistan, in Qatar. The team also features Trinity graduate Cecelia Joyce, and is coached by former Trinity coach, and Ireland international, Trent Johnston. Ireland’s women play New Zealand on March 25th in their opening game.

GAA The GAA college championships season provided Trinity with a number of mixed results. A tough opening draw for the men’s footballers, against eventual winners UCC, saw TCD exit in the first round. Trinity played well in their only contest of the tournament, rallying strongly in the second half, but ultimately going out, by a scoreline of 1-14 to 1-7.

Paul McPadden scored Trinity’s only goal from the penalty spot.

The hurlers beat Queen’s by eleven points on their way to the Ryan Cup finals weekend. They overcame St. Pat’s, Thurles, in a must-win game to set up a semi-final clash with IT Tralee a!er dispatching Tralee, they were beaten

by NUI Maynooth in the final.

The Camógs were in fine form as well, reaching the Fr. Meagher final weekend, and a semi-final matchup with St. Pat’s, Drumcondra. This proved to be the step too far for the Camógs, who were comfortably beaten 2-8 to 1-3.

The ladies footballers opened their Giles Cup campaign with a high scoring loss to NUI Maynooth. Despite beating their Maynooth counterparts in the league, Trinity succumbed to a 5-11 to 3-9 scoreline. This was followed up by an away loss to Mary Immaculate College Limerick, in another high scoring encounter, 3-22 to 4-9.

Taekwon-Do Trinity once again showed great prominence in the field of martial arts, taking home a fantastic haul from taekwondo intervarsities in late February. Yingbei Ho led the way with three medals, including gold in pa"erns and bronze in sparring. Ma"hew Phutai and John Walsh picked up medals for sparring, silver and bronze, respectively, while Cian O’Driscoll brought home a bronze for pa"erns. All of the aforementioned four also claimed the silver medal in the team sparring competition. Phil O’Gorman rounded off the medals, claiming the silver in pa"erns.

Rugby Trinity find themselves remaining at the wrong end of the Division 1B table as the league nears its close. A victory against bo"om placed Dungannon, 25-19, gave them a good start to February, and some temporary relief from their poor results of late. They were unable to turn this into a winning streak, however. Their next match was a narrow away loss to Buccaneers, 20-17. In their most recent league fixture, Trinity were overturned, 12-19, by UL Bohemian at Sydney Parade, leaving them a precarious 8th in the league. Trinity were beaten 19-12 by UCD in Colours, on Friday.

Hockey Work has begun on the new hockey fields in Santry. DUCAC expects the new, state-of-the-art pitch to be ready

by June. The ladies hockey team made it through to the final of the Jacqui Po"er Cup by beating favourites Pembroke on penalties. They play Railway Union in the final.

The men’s team lost 3-2 to Fingal in their semi-final.

Conor Bates

Squash Club Triumph at Intervarsities Robert Ta SQUASH CORRESPONDENT

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ublin University Squash Rackets Club (DUSRC) has claimed the 2014 intervarsity title, after defeating its traditional rival, UCD, in a close final.

Trinity’s triumph capped off a stellar year for the club, which also defeated UCD in a tight Colours match in November. This is all in spite of squash’s uncertain future in Trinity, due to growing concerns that College could be without courts from September 2014 following the demolition of Luce Hall.

The Squash Intervarsities were held at UCC in late February. Seven universities entered the competition, with over 130 players participating in the event. Trinity brought down a record number of twenty-seven members to compete in the Men’s A, B, C, D, and Ladies B divisions.

The Men’s A team faced long-standing rivals UCD, who narrowly beat Trinity in last year’s intervarsities.

James Kong, Trinity’s third seed, came into the tournament on the back of good form in the Leinster League.

James played shots of an excellent length, while also hitting some great attacking drop shots. Kong ultimately lost 0-3, and Trinity began the tournament from behind.

Club Captain, Robert Ta, played UCD captain John Gordon, whom he had convincingly beaten in the Colours tournament a few months earlier. Ka wore down his opponent to take the match 3-0, and tie the series at 1-1.

Sean O’Sullivan was fast and agile around the court, but was beaten 0-3, putting UCD into a strong position.

Theo Anderson took on former DUSRC captain Karlis Zauers. Anderson exhibited real composure during his games with lobs floating above his opponent’s head as the ball landed perfectly in the back corners of the court.

His experience proved too much for his UCD opponent and it was left to Tony Simpson to decide the outcome.

Simpson, an ex-captain, had lost to his opponent in last year’s intervarsities, making the team particularly anxious about this fix-

ture. Starting well, Tony took the first game 11-7. The next game proved much closer, as Tony was down 10-8 before coming back to win 12-10.

His opponent made a strong push in the third game. He was up once again and in the final points, Tony managed to squeeze a few rallies in his favour to tie the scores 11-11.

In the next couple of points, Tony dominated the “T” and put his shots away to win 13-11. His win ensured Trinity were crowned Intervarsity champions.

Trinity’s B team was unfortunately no match for UCC’s first team who went on to take the Division B title.

However, they did manage to beat UCD to claim third place in the division. The Men’s C played some tough matches this year and placed third while Queen’s University, Belfast took the Division C title.

The Men’s D comprised of mostly beginners managed to finish in third place in their division.

The ladies team had a fantastic performance by finishing runners-up this year in the B division. Considering that most of the ladies were rookies, much credit is due to the club’s coach, Elvy Da Costa. As one of the most highly qualified coaches in Ireland and with international experience, Da Costa is undeniably the inspiration behind this season’s success.

Despite having had such a successful year, DUSRC finds itself in a very uncertain position. There are increasing concerns that the proposed demolition of Luce Hall, to be replaced by a Business Centre, will result in the absence of squash courts in the main campus of college. This sadly puts the future of the club in jeopardy, despite a proud history that reaches as far back as 1936 and a tradition of elite squash players, including Jonah Barrington; former provost F.S.L. Lyons, who was Irish captain; and John Luce, distinguished classicist and chairman of DUCAC for 20 years, who captained the club as a student.

Undoubtedly, the loss of squash courts in campus would be detrimental to the college community as a whole. The failure to build new courts will also threaten the club’s long-running outreach project.

New Heights for Trinity Netball Annabel Healy NETBALL CORRESPONDENT

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fter struggling to find form all season, the Trinity College Netball Team came into their own at the 2014 Netball Intervarsities Tournament held at Queens University, Belfast over the weekend when February became March. Led exceptionally well by captain and coach Lydia Todd, the Trinity Netballers attained one of the best results at the competition in TCD history. With a shaky start, three team members getting delayed at Gatwick airport, hindering a

win against in the first match against top seed UCD Firsts Netball Team, spirits weren’t high. However, never likely to give in, the Trinity girls went on to dominate in the rest of the heat rounds, winning a total of six out of their eight remaining matches, going undefeated in the preliminary rounds of Saturday and achieving an unparalleled 3rd place finish in the playoff seedings.

Some highlights of the heats included an incredible winning margin of 26-4 against one of the teams from hosts, Queen’s, as well as individual moments of superb netball from each member of the team. The upset win over final

favourites Ulster University Jordanstown, Trinity’s steady teamwork and the joy of witnessing the TCD netball team fulfil their potential in becoming a team to be reckoned with will all be held among the positives to take from the weekend.

On Saturday, after a whole day of non-stop netball, the girls entered into their semifinal against UCD Firsts, the first placed playoff seed, and were determined to come out on top. Unfortunately, UCD emerged just victorious in the closest match between UCD and Trinity for this season; UCD had proven their mettle against Trinity on two occasions by this point, and

furthered their credentials as they went on to win the whole tournament. Despite this loss, the overall results and brilliant match play of TCD over the whole weekend was an inspiring culmination of lots of hard work and dedication from the team. Thus, reaching and overcoming the pinnacle standard that UCD have set remains a primary goal of the Trinity netballers as they finish their season back in Ireland. All in all, the weekend demonstrated that the future of the TCD netball team is bright and the girls look forward to more successes and wins in coming matches on the back of such great results.

PHOTO BY CLÍODHNA O’DONOGHUE

David O’Driscoll’s impressive routine won gold in the elite men’s category.

Trampoline Club Spring to Victory in Colours Kate O’Neill & Paul Scully TRAMPOLINE CORRESPONDENTS

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CD’s Sports Centre was the venue for the annual trampolining Colours competition, as two fierce rivals met once again to do battle.

Trinity’s record at the competition was unfortunately not great, having only won three times in the competition’s nine years of running.

Nonetheless all the competitors arrived with enthusiasm and the hope that this year, the 10th anniversary, would be our year.

A trampolining competition runs similarly to that of gymnastics, with competitors completing two routines consisting of ten moves. Each routine is scored out of ten and designed to show off both form and difficulty, with the first being dictated by the competition organisers, while the second can be designed by the competitor. Trampolinists compete in five different levels beginning at novice, with no somersaults, up to elite where some top performers complete ten somersault routines.

Elite is the top level available at student competitions and this year the club was lucky to have five elite competitors, a highly unusual occurrence.

The whole club had been training hard for the Colours competition, as it feels more personal and important than some other competitions, and winning the shield is a matter of college pride.

The competition began with novice men and women, a category in which we had a number of freshers competing. The novice men category was made up purely of Trinity

competitors, which meant an early confidence boost knowing that the medals for this category were in the bag.

The competition then ran through intermediate, intervanced, advanced and elite with almost all of our competitors landing all twenty moves, a great achievement in the pressurised environment of a competition.

Many achieved excellent scores with certain members receiving scores of 8.0 and above from some of the judges, which in trampolining is about the highest scores you are likely to see at competitions. After receiving scores like this, confidence grew and all members were inspired and motivated by the scores of previous competitors to perform extremely well in their own categories.

Once the individual competition was over, the voluntary synchronised competition began. This portion of the day is always more light hearted with pairs from different levels and clubs coming together to attempt to complete routines as synchronised possible, which is a challenge when competitors are on two different trampolines and cannot directly see one another.

There were only two levels, lower and higher meaning some people had to learn their routines in the warmups if they were paired with someone of a different level.

Almost everyone decided to compete in this part of the competition as well, and it meant everyone finished the day in high spirits, ready to go home for a rest before the medal ceremony in the evening.

The squads reconvened later on that evening for the

medal ceremony and the tension was palpable. Knowing there had been some very high scores throughout all levels of the competition from Trinity’s competitors meant there was an atmosphere of hopefulness and expectation, as people wondered if they had done enough to win a medal, or indeed win the shield.

The medal ceremony began and with it, Trinity’s triumph.

Overall the team won gold in novice ladies; gold, silver and bronze (the triple) in novice men; gold and silver in intermediate ladies; gold in intermediate men, gold and silver in inter-vanced ladies; gold in inter-vanced men; the triple in advanced ladies, and gold and silver in elite men.

Even in synchronised events Trinity dominated with members of the team part of the gold and silver pairs in the lower category, and three Trinity pairs winning the triple in the higher category. With each new announcement the elation amongst the entire team grew, as everyone congratulated each other with each medal registered, and hopes of finally winning the shield were raised.

When it came to the winner of the shield, the room was silent in anticipation, and erupted in cheers on the announcement that Trinity had beaten UCD by nine whole points. This was a great achievement, considering that the difference between winning gold or silver in a category can be as little as 0.1, a margin of nine in trampolining is massive.

The rest of the night was spent taking photos with the shield, and celebrating in true Trinity style.

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The University Times | Tuesday 11th March 2014

Sport No Gold Rush in DUAFC Cup Campaigns Conor Bates SPORTS EDITOR

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fter careening through the group stages of the CUFL Division 1 Cup, silverware appeared to be a distinct possibility for Trinity’s football team.

Following a comprehensive 2-0 victory over NUI Galway in the quarter final, the team travelled to Cork in the final days of January. Once again, DUAFC overcame their opponents, Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, albeit in more dramatic fashion on this occasion.

A 2-2 draw, with goals coming from Farhad Patel and Pablo Garzon, saw the semi-final go into the ultimate determinant; penalties. After all ten outfielders had taken their penalties, the score stood at 7-7. Trinity’s spirits were lifted as goalkeeper, David Minihane, found the net from twelve yards out. Minihane then cemented his place as the hero of the day by saving the opposition ‘keeper’s strike, sending his team triumphantly through to the final; an encounter with reigning champions, IT Carlow.

February proved to be a less kind month for the men’s footballers. Leixlip Stadium played host to the final, which had to be abandoned at the first instance. During the first iteration of the final, the infamous hurricane season got the better of the occasion, with the referee deciding to abandon proceedings at half-time. At 0-0, the game was ruled a no-contest and rescheduled for the following week.

Once again, some resolute defending saw Trinity reach the half without conceding, but the second half would not be so favourable. A deflected Colm Poole shot left Minihane with little chance, and Carlow took the lead in the 52nd minute. Despite the best efforts of Gus Shaw Stewart and Brian O’Reilly, among others, the scoreline remained 1-0, and IT Carlow retained their trophy. This proved to be a disappointing end to the cup run which had seemed so promising from the off. It is ultimately hard to argue with Carlow’s victory on the day, but over

PHOTO BY ED SCANNELL FOR THE UNIVERSITY TIMES

the course of the competition, there was very little to choose between the sides, and the cup could have returned to Trinity as easily as not. All things considered, the real positive to take from this cup is promotion back to the Premier Division of the CUFL, for next season.

The centenary Collingwood Cup was undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of the university footballing calendar, and DUAFC would look to bounce back from the disappointment of the previous week. Their opening game, a quarter-final clash against UCC, however, would be the first and final game for them in the

main draw. An irrepressible UCC side found the net three times, shocking Trinity who brought little to the table in the way of attacking prowess.

The defeat saw DUAFC exit the Collingwood Cup competition, and enter the ancillary shield tournament, the Farquhar Cup. In the other realms of the main draw, NUI Maynooth pulled off a surprise victory against hosts and holders UCD, meaning they too would drop down to the Farquhar tier. In traditional cup football fashion, Trinity were drawn against UCD, setting up a tantalising impromptu Colours game the following day.

As if things couldn’t have gotten

any worse for DUAFC, the hosts took the lead with a goal from Brian Ó Brochláin.

With the hurt of losing to Cork still fresh in the Trinity minds, this goal seemed to boost the team, who upped their game significantly, digging in in defence and pushing forward more decisively on the attack. Club captain, Conor Bobbett, registered an equaliser before half-time to carry Trinity into the second half with a reward for their renewed vigour.

Trinity redoubled their effort in the second half and the definitive moment arrived courtesy of the boot of Colm Begley, making the score 2-1.

Trinity held out defiantly until the end, setting up a Farquhar Cup final match against Jordanstown University.

The trend of close but no cigar reared its head on the final day of the Collingwood festivities, as far as Trinity were concerned. Three matches in three days would take their toll on the players, as they found themselves on the wrong side of a whopping 4-1 scoreline.

Finals have evidently not been the friend of DUAFC in recent times, and this was once again the case, as UUJ opened their account in the 30th minute. The Ulster side took the score

to 3-0 after half-time, before Trinity could register a consolation response, through midfielder, Liam Ware.

The positives DUAFC will take from this year’s CUFL, Collingwood and Farquhar Cups may be hard to recognise at first, while the burden of defeat lingers. Although no trophy will make its way back to Trinity from any of the DUAFC cup campaigns, the reaching of two finals is not to be smirked at.

Similarly, the performances required to attain the runners-up positions were admirable and strong; if they can be repeated for the remainder of the league campaign, there may be more to smile about soon.

A Fi!ing Send-off to a Rugby Legend Rua Rogan CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I

t can be argued, without a hint of exaggeration that Brian O’Driscoll is the greatest rugby player of the professional era and the greatest centre of all time. At least that is what I believe. The legacy with which he departs international rugby after this current Six Nations campaign is phenomenal. With 139 international caps under his belt to date, and 47 test tries (46 for Ireland and 1 for the Lions) it is hard to overstate his impact on rugby within Ireland and on the game as a whole. He has been nominated for the IRB Player of the Year three times, in 2001, 2002 and 2009, narrowly missing out on each occasion, but none more so than in 2009 when Richie McCaw won by a single point. In 2010 Rugby World magazine named him the player of the decade. High praise indeed but clearly deserved.

The multiple record holder won his first international cap in 1999 against the Wallabies and hasn’t been omitted from an Irish starting XV since.

Remarkably, Brian was still awaiting his first senior club cap with Leinster at this point. In reality he only really burst onto the scene after THAT match against France in the 2000 Six Nations. His hat-trick of tries granted Ireland their first, and only, win in Paris since 1972. In a way it is fitting that his last international match is the corresponding match 14 years later.

In 2001 Graham Henry chose him for the Lions tour of Australia. He started

“

This was the dawn of the golden era and he was a corner stone figure in the rise of this team. in all three test matches and scored a spectacular solo try in the first test.

The Waltzing O’Driscoll ran a wonderful line to break through the defensive line in the midfield, stepped the cover tackle and burned both wingers to score.

In 2003 O’Driscoll took over the captaincy of Ireland from Keith Wood and went on the lead Ireland 83 times.

This was the dawn of the golden era of Irish rugby and he was a corner stone figure in the rise of this team. He led his team of Irish stars to Triple Crowns in 2004, 2006 and 2007 before winning the elusive Grand Slam of 2009, scoring a try in 4 of the 5 matches that season. In 2010 O’Driscoll became the second Irish man to reach a century of caps. In 2011 he claimed the record for the most tries in the Six Nations, with 26 tries to date. Due to a complex injury he missed the entire 2012 campaign and Ireland suffered for his absence in both attack and defence. By the 2013 campaign Heaslip had taken over as captain to allow O’Driscoll focus on his own game and recover after so many injuries As a world-class no. 13 player O’Driscoll was selected on four consecutive tours and played in 8 tests with The British and Irish Lions. In

2005 he was awarded the highest honour when chosen to lead the home nations against New Zealand. Unfortunately, this tour will be remembered for all the wrong reasons as his tour was ended within the first 10 minutes of the first test when Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu speared him into the ground, dislocating his shoulder on impact. Amazingly the officials did not pick this up at the time.

In 2009 he was chosen again to represent the Lions and played in the first two tests against the Spring Boks before being ruled out with a concussion. He was selected again in 2013 in a Welsh-dominated squad to tour Australia for the second time. This was his only successful Lions tour until he became the centre of possibly the most controversial selection call of the professional era when he was dropped for the third test, for the first time in his career. It says a lot about the caliber of player that he is that he has been the best in his position across the home nations for the last 12 years.

In an international career with so many flashpoints and moments to remember it is clear that Brian O’Driscoll, stalwart for Ireland and The Lions, has been a force of nature for every team that he has lined out for over the years. Never giving less than his all and always willing to put his body on the line for the good of the team. Over the years he has taken many knocks and is always first to stand up again and make the next tackle. At 35 years of age he has no right to be anywhere near the level he still plays at and deserves to be sent off with a massive performance in Paris. Never will his like be seen again.

O’DRISCOLL FACT SHEET

Tournament Wins LEINSTER

3 Celtic Leagues: 2001/2002, 2007/2008, 2012/2013 3 Heineken Cups: 2008/2009, 2010/2011, 2011/2012 1 Amlin European Challenge Cup: 2013 IRELAND

1 IRB Under-19 Rugby World Championship: 1998 4 Triple Crowns: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009 1 Six Nations Championship: 2009 (Grand Slam) 4 British and Irish Lions Tourist: 2001, 2005 (captain), 2009, 2013

Top Try Scorer Six Nations all-time top try scorer with 26 tournament tries.

Six Nations Player of the Year 2006, 2007, 2009 Six Nations Top try scorer 2009 European Cup Top try scorer 2009

O’Driscoll on Saturday just a!er his last home game for Ireland, a 46-7 win over Italy at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.