Harper Alderson dives into the seedy underbelly of pickup artistry page 6»
In Our Radius: The Complete Trinity and Dublin Events Guide page 2 / Feminist St. Brigid page 7
Eliora Abramson speaks to Trinity student
Sahana Sridhar
PHOTO BY ELOISE SHERRARD
MUSINGS ON THE PAST MONTH
The end of February has swiftly descended upon us, and the post-reading week grind feels as though it’s inching ever closer – as are the sparkling, (slightly) longer days of spring. Thank you, St. Brigid! With the dawning of this lovely new season comes the T-Ball lineup announcement, holidays that should be spent in the library, and the not-at-all dramatic TCDSU sabbatical elections!
This issue celebrates all things music – we’re highlighting three incredibly talented musical groups and acts, from DJs to rappers to a capella groups, thanks to Eliora Abramson and Julie Gleeson; maybe we’ll see them headlining T-Ball one day… Harper Alderson dives into the seedy world of pick-up artists, unveiling the bad, the ugly, and the Tom Cruise. Gavin Jennings and Rita Chernikova take us to the stage, with Chernikova’s interview with Scene & Heard festival director Clíona Dukes and Jennings’ review of the Gate Theatre’s Autumn Journal That’s not all though – there’s a plethora of stories to feast your eyes upon, so turn this page and get to reading!
FILM AND TV
DUBLIN INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
FEBRUARY 20 – MARCH 2
The Dublin International Film Festival is finally here! Every year since 2003, Dublin has celebrated Irish and international cinema with a range of galas, screenings and Q&As to look out for. The festival will take place across venues in Dublin, from the IFI and the Light House Cinema to the Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire. Featuring short films, feature-length films and documentaries along with other events like the Volta Awards, which will be presented to Jessica Lange and Ed Harris, and a retrospective of Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman, the festival has something to offer everyone. Choose between single tickets, bundles, or film passes for the festival.
THEATRE
SCENE + HEARD FESTIVAL
13TH OF FEBRUARY – 1ST OF MARCH SMOCK ALLEY THEATRE
Running for its ninth edition, Scene + Heard is a festival of new work from young theatre makers. With one-hundred and eleven shows, including many involving past and present Trinity students, there is a
broad range of new work to choose from. It is great chance to see the future of Irish theatre perform new, exciting work.
FILM AND TV
BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL: THE FILMS OF INGMAR BERGMAN
FEBRUARY & MARCH
THE IRISH FILM INSTITUTE
Throughout February and March, the Irish Film Institute celebrates the life and work of acclaimed filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. The IFI shows one of his films every few days, and tickets are available for €12.50 or €5 with a 22 and under membership card. All Bergman films and the documentary Bergman: A Year in a Life are also available on IFI@Homewhere a bundle can be purchased for €80.
THEATRE
THE FERRYMAN
27 TH OF FEBRUARY – 15 TH OF MARCH
THE GAIETY THETARE
The Irish premiere of Jez Butterworth’s 2017 play set in Armagh during The Troubles, The Ferryman features a large cast of twenty-three, a live goose, and a live baby. It is described as ‘an epic of betrayal, redemption and the totality of the human experience’. It is on an extended run until March 15 th tickets begin at €19.
FASHION
RELAY EVENTS- PERSONAL CLOTHING MARKET
SATURDAY, 1ST MARCH
11AM-3PM (DOORS AT 10AM)
PORTOBELLO COMMUNITY
HALL D08AY98
Discover sustainable fashion at Relay Events’ Personal Clothing Market, where your preloved garments can find a new home. This event promotes eco-friendly wardrobe refreshes, allowing participants to exchange quality clothing items. Join a community dedicated to reducing fashion waste and embrace conscious consumerism just in time for Spring!
FILM AND TV
NT LIVE: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST MARCH 6TH
THE LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA
At a limited few screenings at the Light House Cinema you have the chance to see
The Best Reads for February
Lily Ainsley
Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education, Doctor Who) take centre stage in a new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic play The Importance of Being Earnest. Directed for the stage by Max Webster and originally performed at the National Theatre in London between November and January, it has been filmed and is now showing in cinemas around the world. New screenings have been added to the Light House Cinema due to popular demand so make sure to get a ticket while they last! Tickets are available for €14.
THEATRE
MEN’S BUSINESS
17 TH OF FEBRUARY – 1 ST OF MARCH GLASS MASK THEATRE In the back of Bestseller Café, Glass Mask Theatre presents an intimate environment for ‘a love story set in the back room of a butcher’s shop with a brutal bastard of a dog howling in the yard next door’. A two-minute walk from campus, it is an opportunity to see rising names on a small stage. Tickets start at €20.
THEATRE MILK
20TH OF FEBRUARY – 1ST OF MARCH
THE ABBEY THEATRE
After premiering in Palestine in 2022, MILK م is a performance piece that deals with themes of destruction, change and humanity. Described as ‘a powerful visual theatreexperience’, tickets for the show start at €15, or €5 for people displaced by war or crisis.
It’s Sunday afternoon again, and you’re staring outside your window, looking at the dreadful Dublin downpour. There’s no signs of stopping, so you wonder to yourself how to spend your afternoon. You eye the bookshelf next to your bed, and you see a stack of brand new books to tackle. Or, you might not have any books to read and you want to get that New Year's Resolution of reading 5 books this year done. So off you go to Hoggis and Figgis, but you’re not sure what to buy. I’m here to help suggest a few books that ring true (or not so much) to the February gloom. Note: Some of these books contain triggering themes such as suicide, abuse, and death.
LITERATURE BOOK SWAP
FEBRUARY 26TH PAWN SHOP
Podcaster and YouTuber Keelin Moncrieff is hosting a social book swap that will also include speed friending and a snap cup segment. Just bring two books that you wish to donate, and you'll come away at the end of the night with two new ones. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
MUSIC
DUBLIN BOWIE FESTIVAL
26TH OF FEBRUARY – 2ND OF MARCH
50 years since the release of Young Americans, this week Dublin is celebrating all things David Bowie. The festival will explore the legacy of Bowie through art, music and film. Notably, an exhibition by rock photographer Denis O’Regan will run for the duration of the festival. Additionally, musicians who worked closely with David Bowie will put on gigs and share stories about him onstage.
LITERATURE BOOK LAUNCH: IN THE GOOD SEATS
26TH FEBRUARY, 6PM
BOOKS UPSTAIRS
Books Upstairs is celebrating the launch of In the good seats: Essays on film, a collection of essays by a number of different contributors. All the essays revolve around film and how film impacts our lives. The event will feature readings from contributors Maggie Armstrong, Francis Halsall, and Ian Maleney and refreshments will be available.
Human Acts by Han Kang Human Acts is arguably one of my favorite books of all time. Recent Nobel Peace Prize winner Han Kang writes a truly devastating yet impactful book about the 1980 Gwangju Uprisings. Each chapter takes place from the POV of individuals that were all affected by the uprising. A unique feature of this work is Kang writing in second-person throughout the novel. While the whole book is not placed in second-person, integral parts relating to the main character is used in this rare literary format. Kang reflects on religion, death, loss, politics, and love throughout this remarkable book and explores how immoral and moral humans can be. While not written in a wintery setting, this is a book that everyone should read due to the heartfelt and powerful content.
The Odd Woman and the City by Vivian Gornick
As a young woman navigating urban life, can find it to be overwhelming and even awkward at parts. For me, I find the winter season a time where I remember every embarrassing thing that has happened in my life here in Dublin. Vivian Gornick’s The Odd Woman and the City quite literally saved me from my humiliation of being an off-putting young woman in Dublin. Vivian Gornick writes about her life in New York City, analysing how the greatest place in the world has influenced her life. Gornick writes about personal experiences of love, loss, and friendship within an urban setting. By the end of the book, you’ll likely feel comforted and more aware of your own life in an urban setting due to Gornick’s humorous and thoughtful prose. Even if you have never been to New York City, you’ll appreciate the setting by the end of this 200 page book.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Small Things Like These is a modern classic written by Irish author Claire Keegan. This short novella takes place during Christmas 1985 in New Ross, Ireland. Bill Furlong, a coal merchant, begins to recall troubled memories visiting an abusive Magdalene laundry. While Bill now lives a comfortable life with a wife and children, he begins to remember his childhood living in a similar laundry as well as empathize for the girls living in the local laundry. This book changed my life, helping me remember how important it is to be kind and show empathy to everyone. I highly recom-
mend this book to everyone. Now, it is a film with Cillian Murphy starring in it (though I would argue the book is much better). Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton Ethan Frome quite literally takes place in the cold winter of New England. This short novella takes place in the late 19th century of the fictional town of Starkfield, Massachusetts.
Titular character Ethan Frome lives as a caretaker for his sickly wife, Zeena. Their unhappy marriage is thrown into chaos once Zeena’s cousin Mattie begins to live with the couple. Mattie and Ethan begin to fall in love, but all does not end well in Starkfield by the end of the book. highly recommend this book for people looking for a good book to finish within a day.
Devotions by Mary Oliver If you’re a fan of poetry, or you’re ready to become one, I recommend Devotions. This collection of poems written by Pulitzer Prize winning author Mary Oliver helps us all remember to be present and mindful within our lives. While these poems are not all necessarily about the coldness of winter and the uncertainty of spring, they all feel like a warm hug. Oliver’s straight to the point writing makes readers like myself feel less alone in the trials and tribulations of life. Each poem selected in the book will ring true to the reader, no matter how different you might be from Oliver herself.
I Used To Be Charming by Eve Babitz If you’re looking for a personal book of collected essays that can give you a laugh in this cold weather, I recommend Used to be Charming. Hollywood-It Girl Eve Babitz recalls old lovers, parties, and social dynamics in the city of Los Angeles. While these stories are written from decades ago, the reader will appreciate the insight on the city of Angels as well as Babitz’s sincerity over views of life. Her prose effectively makes the reader reflect on their own life, even empathizing to Hollywood royalty such as Eve Babitz.
On Palestine by Ilan Pappè and Noam Chomsky
This book is incredibly important to read now more than ever. On Palestine reflects on the history of Gaza as well as the West Bank, reflected through conversation between Illan Pappè and Noam Chomsky. Noam Chomsky is known as one of the most significant modern day philosophers, as well as one of the leading vocal activists regarding the situation in Palestine. His insight on the history of Palestine is thought-provoking and educational within this book. On Palestine helps the reader understand how international relations can pressure Israel to end their human rights abuses towards the civilians of Palestine. While it was published over 10 years ago, the content is even more relevant today.
All About Love by Bell Hooks
Valentine’s Day season is upon us. What else is better to do than read a book about love? Bell Hooks masterfully explores the idea of love and how it affects life. She reflects on personal childhood abandonment wounds and how they affected her love life as an adult. In addition, she ponders how gender plays into sexuality, revealing hard truths regarding love in modern-day society. While love can be a losing game, Hooks argues that no matter the circumstances, the human race should choose to be open and willing for it. recommend this book for anyone starting a relationship, ending one, or willing to work on outlooks concerning romance.
Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin If you’re looking for a fictional piece regarding the trials and tribulations of love, highly recommend Giovanni’s Room. Legendary writer James Baldwin explores the mystery of love, gender, social constructs, and sexuality within this classic. David, an American in Paris, meets the Italian bartender Giovanni and begins an affair with him. While David combats his internalized homophobia, he starts to fall in love with Giovanni. He moves in with Giovanni, but shortly finds out after that his girlfriend Hella is coming back to Paris for him.
This beautiful yet heartbreaking book is truly one of the greatest works exploring themes of love and sexuality.
Emma by Jane Austen
What better way to end a list of not-so wintery/cozy novels with a wintery, cozy novel? If you’re looking for a classic that partly takes place in the winter, I recommend Emma by Jane Austen. While we are all no stranger to Jane Austen, Emma is a classic and humorous novel about love and relationships. Emma Woodhouse, a 19th century rich socialite from the fictional town of Highbury, has decided that she enjoys matchmaking. Throughout the novel, she begins to place herself in budding relationships within her town and prove that she can bring the righ t people together. However, she begins to get into trouble as she negatively impacts her social circle. In addition, will Emma be able to find love herself? Emma is a charming yet introspective book about societal expectations and love.
TUESDAY
“THIS HOUSE BELIEVES ALL ART IS USELESS,” THE COLLEGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, GMB, WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 7:00PM
The Hist hosts their weekly debate which will be sure to have some controversial takes this week. Be sure to stop in and see the lively discourse over the true definition, meaning, and reality of art–something that surrounds us each and every day. What does art do for us? How should its success be measured? To think about these questions and more, join the Hist’s debate this Wednesday at 7PM in the GMB.
THURSDAY THE POLISH ROUND TABLE: IN ‘DEFENCE OF POLITICS’ THAT DELIVERED WITH JACQUELINE HAYDEN, TCD, DU EASTERN EUROPEAN SOCIETY & DU HISTORY, ROBERT EMMET THEATRE, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 6:00 TO 7:30PM
In their ongoing lecture series, “Understanding Resistance in Europe’s East,” join DU History, DU Eastern European Society, and the TCD Department of Russian and Slavonic Studies in the Robert Emmet Theatre for an engaging evening this Thursday to discuss patterns of resistance and protest in this area of the world. Free tickets are available on Eventbrite and through DUEES bio on Instagram. Be sure to listen in and keep an eye out for even more lectures within their insightful lecture series.
FRIDAY
DU DANCE INTERVARSITY SHOWCASE, GOLDSMITH HALL, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28, 7:00 TO 8:00PM
DU Dance’s annual Intervarsity Showcase takes place this upcoming Friday. It will highlight dancers and their pieces they have worked on for the past few months and provide a chance for some inspiring movement. The event will host all sorts of exciting dance performances which will be sure to be an exciting way to wrap up your day of classes on Friday. Tickets are 4 euro online and 5 euro at the door. Online tickets are available in DU Dance’s link in their Instagram bio.
SATURDAY
CARNAVAL DUBLIN, NATION STADIUM, SATURDAY MARCH 1, 3:00 TO 10:00PM
Celebrate the experience of Carnaval this upcoming weekend and enjoy traditional live music, DJs, colourful costumes, amazing food, and a carefree atmosphere. With an exciting lineup of bands, dancers, and more, this event will celebrate the excitement of Carnaval for all of Dublin to witness. If you have any interest in Brazilian culture and the festival of Carnaval itself, this is the event for you. Tickets are available on Eventbrite for 17.07 euro.
Molly Wetsch
PHOTO BY SOPHIE QUINN
In Conversation with Dublin DJ Sahana
In a city where it seems every other arts block student owns a turntable and a mixer, it takes a lot to stand out. I got to sit down with one of these standouts, Trinity student and DJ Sahana, to catch a glimpse of her world and the Dublin DJ scene.
Sahana, who is in her fourth year at Trinity studying psychology, is originally from New York City but came to Dublin in 2021 for college.
Sahana, whose full name is Sahana Sridhar, tells me that she had always wanted to get into deejaying but only started teaching herself the summer before coming to college.
“My parents were ravers, my grandparents were big into dance music” she says, adding she grew up watching boiler rooms as well as with a keen sense of club culture in New York.
She bought herself a “tiny set of decks” before coming to college and discovering the Dublin University DJ society. In fact, DUDJ was the very first society Sahana joined.
A month later she played her first gig and was on the committee of DUDJ by the end of her first year.
“My grandma and my mom were the ones who shaped my music”, Sahana says when I ask her about her greatest inspirations, adding “I grew up at five or six years old in the car listening to a lot of house music”. As far as other influences, Sahana lists Honey Dijon, Jeff Mills, Sally C, and Surgeon, calling them “pioneers for electronic music”. Sahana, whose sound Midnight Disco has referred to as ‘hectic, eclectic, and electric’, is also deeply influenced by Dublin DJs, including S-Agenda, Patrick Weaver, Jezebel, and Puzzy Wrangler. “We’ve all known each other for years now and we’ve all seen each start up and grow in the scene”, Sahana says of her peers. The DJ scene in Dublin is very welcoming, Sahana tells, “the scene in Dublin is very welcoming, it’s very tight-knit but it’s a very open community, it’s very easy to make friends and there are people who want to support you”. This is in contrast to the scene in places like London, New York, and Berlin, which Sahana describes as “very big and it’s very competitive and it leads to a lot of competition and
cliqueness and it’s harder to find your sound and stick out”. In Dublin, she says, “with clubs shutting down and the government trying to shut down clubs and late-licensing laws, I think we’ve all kind of banded together to keep the nightlife scene going, keep clubs going, keep dance music active”. also asked Sahana about how she sees the intersection between music and activism, as she is extremely outspoken about her beliefs on politics and human rights. She tells me, “With music, a lot of us have platforms. think if you have it, use it”. She continues, “I think a lot of people think that music isn’t political but there are a lot of collectives, clubs, people in general that are still censoring artists because of their views. Whether that's racism, sexism, homophobia, especially what’s going on in Palestine. You can say we’re not a political entity but at the same time, you’re still censoring artists for their beliefs… think you can use music as a form of liberation, especially I think there are a lot of oppressive regimes and oppressive scenes out there where people can’t express themselves and I think clubs and dance music in general is a way to do that, to express yourself”.
It is clear, when it comes to a platform, Sahana is serious about using her own for good. For the past two years, she has had a monthly residency with Dublin Digital Radio. In her live shows, which are
live the first Sunday of each month, Sahana focuses on spotlighting people of color and ethnic minorities in the music and DJ scene. Saying, "it gives a platform for other artists who have never recorded a mix”, she refers to it, as she calls it, “decolonising music”.
As a high in demand DJ as well as a full-time student, wonder how Sahana manages it all and what challenges she has encountered on her way. Mental health, she says, is a “big struggle. think a lot of people can relate to this, there’s definitely a lot of imposter syndrome. A lot of feeling like you’re not doing good enough”. She continues, “there’s moments when you’re getting five-six gigs a month and then there’s moments when you’ll have one or no gigs a month and you’ll see other people getting more gigs than you are. You can't beat yourself up, that’s how the scene works.” She deals with it, she says, by learning to let things go and to go with the flow, “if I’m meant to get a gig, I’m meant to get a gig. If not, then I’m not”. When I ask what she would advise others feeling similar to do, she tells me it’s about “collaboration not competition.” She adds, “I also think with social media, that’s such a big deal and such a big part of being in the club scene, being in music, promoting yourself”. Sahana admits there are moments where she wishes she could take a break from social media, however bookers and promoters often reach out on
An Ravetacht: gan Béarla anseo, Gaeilge amháin
Instagram. “It’s kind of annoying for me” she says, “right now I’m doing my dissertation and I’d love to be off but at the same time I still have to promote myself.” She says it’s crucial to put your health and wellbeing first and it’s all about finding the right balance.
In reflecting on what she describes a “pretty hectic” last semester, Sahana acknowledges “I think a part of me also likes the chaos of having music as my outlet and college during the weekdays.”
With her dissertation due so soon, she has told promoters and friends in the scene that she will be taking a break until March. “I think it’s okay because you’re putting yourself first and think people respect that” she says, adding “I know I’ll have opportunities after. And it sucks because you feel like you have to keep this momentum going but also at the end of the day, came to Dublin for college not for deejaying”.
The chaos is clearly worth it as Sahana describes some of her biggest achievements to date which include playing for NTS Radio and Rinse FM. She also played in London last summer for the UNiSON show at The Cause where her parents got to see her, as well as world famous festivals like All Together Now and Electric Picnic, shows where she says she got to play for some of her heroes.
Looking forward, Sahana tells me the most exciting gig she has coming up is AVA, a Belfast-based festi-
val. “It’s one of the most well known festivals in the world, it’s huge”, she says. “Since coming here, every year I used to watch the boiler rooms. It’s unreal to me that I’m on the poster, playing. Sahana also is looking to play another London show or debut in Berlin.
For now, she is the secretary of DUDJ, where she tells me she sees so much potential talent. For those looking to get into the scene, she recommends not putting pressure on yourself, calling it not worth it. “Don’t compare yourself to anyone” she suggests “also, don’t feel like you have to find your sound immediately. I’m still finding my sound after four years.” Beyond this, she says networking is crucial. “I think the reason I was able to work my way up is just through networking in Dublin, meeting promoters and bookers for different clubs, reaching out to smaller collectives or collectives you think are aligned with your values and your music” she reflects. She also encourages aspiring DJs to go out, saying there are “so many great clubs and acts that are getting booked” as well as collectives that spotlight women, queer people, and other underrepresented voices.
For her final piece of advice, Sahana tells me, “don’t feel shy”. She continues, “Even for me, I’ll be honest, I met the booker for AVA in April. met him again in Belfast”. Sahana reveals she texted him saying she wants to get involved and two weeks later he had sent her the offer for AVA.
“Sometimes you just have to ask because people want to see new talent, they want to see new people, new voices, new music. think there’s much potential in the scene now. There’s definitely a new generation of people that I think are gonna take over,” she tells me.
For Sahana, this advice has obviously worked. With amazing upcoming gigs and a passion for the art, it will come as no surprise as she continues to make splashes in the scene and take the world by storm.
An imeacht lán-Gaeilge a gheallann rithimí radacacha agus buillí borba
Hannah Joung
“Cumann Gaelach x Trinity Ents x DUDJ presents: RAVETACHT” a d’fhograigh an post monocrómach ar an gcuntas siamsa na Tríonóide. Ach ná ligeadh an stíl simplí bob a bhualadh ort - faigh réidh don imeacht lánGaeilge is craiceáilte ariamh. Nuair a gcloistear an focal, bíonn mothúcháin sólasach ann. Cén fáth? Is meascán cliste é idir an dá rud is fearr do mhic léinn ollscoile le Gaeilge: rave agus gaeltacht. Ach, conas ar thángthas ar an smaoineamh cruthaíoch seo? Bhí an seans agam labhairt leis an t-Oifigeach Gaeilge AMLCT, agus dúirt sé:
“Bhíomar ag iarraidh oíche chlub lán-Ghaeilge a chur ar siúl chun go mbeadh pobal na Gaeilge ábalta a bheith normálta le chéile trína rogha theanga agus iad
amuigh. Is minic a bhíonn sé deacair an Ghaeilge a choimeád in atmaisféar lán-Bhéarla agus is é cúis leis an Ravetacht a háit cheart a thabhairt don teanga agus a thaispeáint gurb amhlaidh a oireann sí do shaol na hoíche”. Is cumasc de cheol agus de teanga, nó i bhfocail eile de chraic agus de Ghaeilge. Tá sé mar chuid den fheachtas ginéaralta an Gaeilge a chur chun cinn ar an gcampas a bhfuil faoi lán seol anois agus mar straitéis fhádtearmach spás neamhfhoirmeálta idir Ghaeilgóirí agus daoine nach bhfuil mórán nó fiú gan Gaeilge a chruthú. Bhí an chéad ravetacht ar siúl i gClub Chonradh na Gaeilge (suaimhneas síoraí dá hanam) ar an 24ú lá de mhí mheán fomhair 2024. Ní haon strainséir í Niamh
Ní Lideadha ar an t-urlár damhsa nó ar imeachtaí as Gaeilge, agus ag céistiú ar a taithí dúirt sí: “Bhí sé ár n–oiche deireanach i gClub Conradh, agus bhí sé croíúil gael phobal ollmhór a fheiscint, chomh maith le daoine nua nár fhaca mé riamh ag aon imeacht Cumann Gaelach! Tá a fhios agam go mbíonn eagla ar daoine gan Gaeilge teacht chuig na himeachtaí lan-Gaeilge. Áfach, is léir gur tharraing an smaoineamh go leor daoine, go háirithe toisc go raibh sé eagraithe ag an gcoiste siamsaíocht. Táim ag tnúth le níos mó imeachtaí cosúil le seo!”
De thoradh an rath, eagraíodh Ravetacht II. Bhí an dara eagran de ravetacht rith seachtain na hÉigse in íoslach Wigwam ar an 30ú lá de mhí eanair. An
t-aon difríocht ná go raibh sé mar imeacht idirollscoile, ní amháin do mhic léinn Colaiste na Tríonóide ach do dhaltaí ó cholaistí eile (scanrúil!). Feictear domsa gur tionscnamh nua é, i measc an pobal Gael sna ollscoileanna an Gaeilge a chur chun cinn le chéile sa gnáthsaol. Ó thaobh ceol de, i dtiúin leis an téama aonteangach, bhuail DJs Culchí, Holly Foyle, agus Peadar cúpla tunes ó Kneecap cosúil le “Get your Brits out” agus “An Dreolín”. Oiche den scoth chun a bheith ag damhsa go dtitfidh tú as do sheasamh!. Ó thaobh taithí daoine gan mórán Gaeilge, bhí mé ag caint le Ixim Hernandez, mac léinn leann na hEorpa chomh maith. Níor lig sé a chuid caighdéan Ghaeilge stop a chur leis glacadh páirt san
imeacht. De réir leis, “Is tionscnamh an-cool é, go raibh ceol agus an teanga dteannta a chéile sa himeacht seo.” Nuair a cuireadh ceist air cad a bheadh sé ag súil le sa todchaí, d’fhreagraigh sé: “Bíonn an ceist ann den t-atmaisféar ceart a fháil. Dar ndóigh, bíonn ceol an-ard ag na himeachtaí cosúil le seo, agus mar sin tagann an ceist suas: an bhfuil mórán Gaeilge labhartha? Ach, mar duine nach bhfuil morán Gaeilge, bhí sé deas an Gaeilge a nascadh le an saol laethúil. Is cosúil go mbeadh imeachtaí lán-Ghaeilge mar ghné coitianta den saol ollscoile agus ní hamháin srianta don Cumann Gaelach. Is deis iontach é do chách bhain taitneamh as an teanga agus ceol.
"I'm very much about a story well told:" Scene and Heard festival director Clíona Dukes speaks to The University Times about the festival's ninth year
Rita Chernikova
With the Scene and Heard festival in full swing this month, there was no better time than now to interview its directing team. While festival director Caoimhe Connolly wasn’t available during this busy period, we had the chance to chat with her partner in crime, festival director Clíona Dukes.
What inspired you and Caoimhe to create this festival? Was there a specific moment where you were like, “Okay, now I have to take action. I can't just sit with this idea”?
Basically, we were seeing a lot of shows on big stages like in The Gate and The Abbey that we felt weren't properly developed and hadn't been given enough time, and we saw that happening with a lot of younger companies as well. We felt that it was unfair. Because they're going out in the public forum and they're getting reviewed in the press and they haven't been given the full opportunity to put their best foot forward. It's bad for the audience as well because they aren't getting the best show either. It’s been nine years now and our audience know what they're doing. In terms of their criticism, they don't hold back. Since COVID
we've introduced an e-mail that we send out to everyone after the show, and it's been amazing because we get reviews in like two weeks later. People really sit and think about it.
Would you say the criticism in 2016 was not up to par with what you were looking for?
Yeah, so in 2016, suppose nobody really understood what we were doing. e ask people to review before they go to see the show, and people still have a problem with that. It is so the artists can understand if they're selling their show correctly because we ask people what they expect to see and what they think this is about based on the blurb and the photo.. Then after the show, we kind of say, “did you get what you expected?”in the sense that sometimes people sell their shows completely the wrong way. At the start, it was very difficult to get people to do that preview bit because people were saying “No, haven't seen it yet,” and you're like, “No, no, that's not what it's about.” But now people really understand that. So that's great.
What would be your tip for artists submitting their work for this sort of environment?
Less is not more. So our application form is very general and very open because it's up to you to put in what you want us to see and what your vision of the show is. And would say less is not more. The more you put in the better. You know, some people are devising something. They don't have a script, but then you should probably put in a mood board and costume design sketches, or you should put in the music you’re gonna play. So we really need to get a sense of what you're trying to achieve and what your end goal is on stage.
And then I suppose from the other side—because, you know, being an artist can be quite intimidating—I want to hear how it feels to be a festival director. When you were starting off, did you have any worries about how you were going to handle all these tasks? suppose I didn't because at that stage, I had a lot of experience already. You know, ran Smock Alley from 2012. I was program-
ming there. I was dealing with all the artists there. ran the Gaiety School of Acting twice. Actually, hilariously we call it Hotel California; you can never leave. So obviously was dealing with students and emerging artists, and graduates and all. I spent the last two years in casting. I suppose everything kind of feeds into the same thing. So didn’t really consider that. Maybe I should’ve but didn’t. (Clíona laughs.)
I see, so it was a smooth ride in general.
Caoimhe’s very avant-garde and out there. And sometimes I think that's nonsense. I'm very much about a story well told. And it doesn't have to be, you know, straightforward. You can start in the middle or at the end. It's interesting, I suppose, because we fell into our natural strengths in a sense. I write the press release. I'm all about words. I love words. Caoimhe does all the imagery, the visuals. She’s the visual girl. So that’s the same with our theatre taste.
Scene and Heard, The Festival of New Work 2025, is running 13th February- 1st March at Smock Alley Theatre so make sure to check it out.
Yeah I mean, it's handy that there's two of us and we have totally different tastes. And so, when the applications come in, we read them separately so as not to influence each other. We have a scoring system, and we make our own notes. And then we come together for a week. We call it “the mad wall” and we put up post-its and we write all the things of the different shows and we try and match them. We argue about what should go in and what shouldn't go in and try to fill it up. So it's good that there's two of us because there's always a balance in a sense. I always think if there's one artistic director it's only natural to have subconscious biases and to programme things that you like and not think about other audience members. So it's very handy that there’s two of us. And how do your tastes differ? What would be the type of play you yourself would absolutely go and see every day?
Eliora Abramson
A Straussian Approach: Pickup Artistry & The Bucket
Harper Alderson
THE FOLLOWING IS A TRUE STORY: at approximately 3:00 a.m., kneedeep in an internet rabbit hole, I detoured to the world of pickup artistry. What I knew about pickup artists then was limited to Tom Cruise’s portrayal of Frank T.J. Mackey in Magnolia. In my fact-finding stupor, kept seeing one thing, a book called The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists by Neil Strauss. had never heard of it. The Game is almost as old as me (published in 2005), has sold over three million copies, and has graced the New York Times bestseller list several times. The book is covered in black leather and bookmarked with red satin like a bible.
I, ever the go-getter, found a PDF and read it. 40 pages in, I realised it was nearly 500. I’m not a quitter, but I knew that this challenge could destroy me.
The book depicts Strauss’s journey into the world of pickup artistry, the art of seduction, and his ensuing sexual success. Strauss details strategies, his meteoric rise in the community, and the many many women he encountered. He meets celebrities like Tom Cruise, Paris Hilton, Courtney Love, and Dennis Rodman, and eventually creates “Project Hollywood.” He lives in a high-end mansion with fellow pickup artists (PUAs) by the dubious names of Mystery, Playboy, Papa, Tyler Durden, and Herbal, alongside a revolving door of PUA hopefuls. They make a small fortune selling their expertise to disillusioned young men, and are prominent in online communities and message boards.
The lifestyle is not a thing of the past. I had the opportunity to speak to an ex-PUA (active in the community from 2018-2023), who asked to be referred to as “Erik”. Erik called The Game “a good collection of techniques for somebody who struggles with women.” He adds “But it could easily be taken to the extreme, which probably happens more often than not.”
The following sections correlate to chapters in The Game, which are conveniently the roadmap for a pickup. I am not advising any reader to follow these steps, and am in fact begging you not to.
Select a target
Linguist Amanda Montell coined the term “The language of fanaticism”.
She argues that cults use specialised language that fosters a sense of an “in-
group” and shared secrets in order to maintain power and membership. PUAs do the same. The glossary of The Game is extensive and disturbing. Strauss called it a new “permanent lexicon”. The lingo makes a special point to denote “tiers” of PUAs. It includes AFCs (average frustrated chumps, before they turn into pick-up artists), RAFCs (reformed AFCs, on their PUA journey), MPUAs (master pickup artists, the top 1% of the PUA community), WBAFCs (well-below AFCs, who have to work harder than average), and AMOGs (alpha males of the group, an obstacle for PUAs). Strauss said the “lay guide” (PUA doctrine) changed his life “more than the Bible, Crime and Punishment, or any other book combined”. The architecture of the lay guide would suggest that it’s closer to cult than religion.
Approach and Open
When Strauss first joined the PUA community, he was told “it’s not lying, it’s flirting.” PUAs use what they call “technology”, tried and true tactics to get women. The most simple (and widely-known) PUA tactic is “negging.” Negging is when you insult a woman, but disguise it as a compliment. For example “Nice hair, are your roots your natural colour?” Negging works because it lowers the self-esteem of “the target”, giving the PUA power, while simultaneously relinquish-
ing the PUA of responsibility for cruelty.
Negging is just the start. PUAs have multiple tactics and tests to open conversations. PUAs perform pseudo-psychological tests on women because “women love feedback”.
A staple is “the best friends test” where a PUA approaches two women, inquires as to whether they’re best friends, and then asks if they want to be tested. The PUA will ask something like “What is your friend’s astrological sign?” As all pairs of people do, they will look at each other when attempting to answer. The PUA will then reveal that it wasn’t whether they got the answer correct, but that they looked at each other.
Aspiring PUAs have a plethora of such tactics. Strauss’s mentor, Mystery, likes magic tricks and sham psychic readings. When Strauss begins his journey, he’s sent out with a bag containing materials to make beer bottles float and cigarettes disappear. He also brings wooden runes (for rune readings), a blacklight (to wave over women to expose stains, for negging), dryer lint (to plant on women and then remove, to lower their self-esteem), a notebook and pen (for handwriting analysis and a tactic cheat-sheet), and about fifteen other props.
Another school of PUA thought is neuro-linguistic programming
(NLP). This borrows from hypnosis, and was pioneered by Ross Jeffries the “godfather” of the modern PUA community.
PUAs across the board, however, believe that interactions with women should be over 95% tactics.
Demonstrate Value
Aspiring PUAs are told to change everything about their identities.
“Nobody wants to sleep with a writer.” Strauss was told that in order to become a PUA he had to acknowledge defeat, inferiority and inadequacy with women. Abandon completely. “All your emotions are going to try to fuck you up.” PUAs say women are attracted to “high value men.” The book advises that if you don’t have high value, fake it.
Erik agreed. He told me pickup artistry is all on dating apps now.
“A lot of these techniques have become mainstream, so women are more aware and less willing to deal with the bullshit approaches.”
Demonstrating higher value is all online. “The best angles, the best pictures, you’re creating a version of yourself that only exists in theory.” Erik’s technology borrowed from the community (upon actually meeting up with women from apps), but included opening messages with “high conversion rates.”
“You showcase the best 1% of yourself, then it’s a numbers game.” He called dating app meetups “pickup-relevent” and mostly scripted
in advance.
“The beauty of the date is you’ve already isolated by definition, and its already clear it’s a romantic interaction.” I asked him “IOI?” (indication of interest, PUA term) and he laughed hard. “You know!” Disarm the Obstacles About 200 pages into the book, I had to set it aside for a few days. I started thinking every comment was a neg, I was being maliciously hypnotized with slights of hand, and all the men in my life were sex-obsessed schemers. So begs the question, what kind of person is a PUA?
There are three loose rules: Men who are unsuccessful with women. Erik told me “you cannot imagine the lionisation of success with women among men.” The Game and Erik both say that men who are not conventionally attractive, successful, or charming, can easily get caught up.
Men who are highly analytical and logical. Erik explained being a PUA means rigidly abiding to a code, measuring outcomes with numbers, and employing the scientific method. Strauss says “I began as a small boy obsessed with taking things apart.” It’s the kind of cliche you might hear in a documentary about an astronaut or a chess player.
Men who have been victimised. Strauss casually quotes MPUA Ross Jeffries saying “I think 20% of my students have been abused.” He does not go into further detail. Isolate the Target The mood of The Game rapidly oscillates and swerves between scary, interesting, sad, and weird. In that mess, you start to get the picture: being a PUA is more about men than women. By the time Strauss has a foothold in the community, you start seeing one-off thoughts like “it didn’t even matter when I got laid or not, because this was the game artfully played.”
An analysis of Neil Strauss’s The Game, an interview with a reformed pick up artist, and my ensuing, crippling, paranoia.
portant that just belief is enough. Strauss writes in a moment of reflection “I still wasn’t above shallow validation-seeking. None of us were. That’s why we were in the game. Sex wasn’t about getting our rocks off; it was about being accepted.”
Create an Emotional Connection I asked Erik how many first dates he’d go on monthly over his five years of activity in the PUA community. He asked “On average?” I said “Yeah. Ballpark it.”
He paused, “Harper.”
I replied, “Yes?”
Erik: “You have to promise not to judge me”
Me: “I won’t. I promise.”
Erik: “Pinky promise?”
Me: “I pinky promise.”
Erik: “Well, okay, no judgment?”
Me: “No judgment.”
Erik: “Okay just don’t react”
Me: “I won’t.”
Erik: “About 15 per month.”
Me: “Okay.”
And while I withheld judgment as per my pinky promise, I could not prevent mental maths. 15 dates x 12 months x 5 years. 900 women. Extract to a Seduction Location It is worth noting that most of these men, Strauss, Erik, and PUA interlocutors in The Game are successful. Before The Game, Strauss was already an accomplished journalist and Erik maintains a lucrative finance job. Both say that they learned charisma from pickup artistry, and the optimisation-oriented approach was actually a helpful tool.
you like women?” Herbal responds “I wasn’t a misogynist when started this [...] but you get good and you start sleeping with all these women who have boyfriends, and
to deceit, perversion, and cynical views about “all women”, neither would call himself sexist. The PUA community is an online community of men that Strauss himself re-
duces the “Our world” conspiracy. PUA circles are tight. Their world, while dogmatic and unyielding, is theirs alone.
Strauss started with pickup artist-
Both Erik and Strauss used the exact same words, “something was missing.”
In his own words, he“saw the matrix.” Within the community (and outside) it seems success with women is so glorified and so im-
Talking to Erik about being a PUA (surprisingly) gave me the impression that he was intelligent. He explained why and how available single people have shifted to dating apps with percentages and studies off the cuff, alongside differing accounts and narratives as to why certain groups (like “single women in their early 20s, 7/10+” and “single men making €x per year”) have grown or shrunk. Even his system for rating the attractiveness of women is rigorous, meticulous, and scientific - and equal parts nauseating. Strauss thinks everything is pickup artistry. “Religion is pickup. Politics is pickup. Life is pickup.” He could be right. If pickup artistry is considered without its goal (sleeping with women), it’s rigorously developing oneself and achieving some aim through machiavellian means armed with data, repeated confirmation, and rigorous methodologies. The PUA may be capitalism’s strongest soldier.
Pump Buying Temperature Women are, however, inextricable from this equation. To PUAs, women are a means to an end, and the deeper you go, the worse it gets. Hole singer Courtney Love asks Herbal, a PUA in the mansion Strauss shared with Mystery “Do
you stop trusting women.” Erik parroted this sentiment “Women blur together [...] when you do the same thing over and over again, and women react the same way [...] it’s rare these interactions aren’t basically identical.” Though, Erik added “It’s just people meeting other people, and I was the one being fake.” Strauss and Erik both said “Some [PUAs] become misogynistic.” The finger-pointing at other men’s flaws is disturbing. While Strauss and Erik could both readily admit
fers to as a “cabal” with the explicit goal of lying and manipulating women. How could they not see it? PUAs are incels who have sex: chatrooms, coded language, and unquestioned premises about “how women are.” Being a PUA stems from being unsuccessful with women, highly logical, and traumatised. This familiar cocktail of traits seems to leave modern men of this kind at a crossroads: Tinder or 4chan.
Make a Physical Connection
As the book closes, Strauss intro-
Strauss laments that PUA almost ruined him. Reflecting on his longgone mentor Mystery, he noted “He’d been so neglected as a child that the withdrawal of love [an actual long term relationship gone wrong] pulled all his emotional triggers, exploding the carapace of narcissism built by his childhood escapism.” Strauss’s diagnosis is eerily specific. When I asked Erik about that missing thing, he didn’t hesitate for a second. “Yes, 100%. I needed PUA to feel okay about myself. I needed it.”
Manage Expectations By the end of The Game, Strauss likens the life of pickup artistry to “filling a bucket with a hole in it”. He believes that the lifestyle breeds an acutely rational and utility-maximising mindset. Everything can be manipulated. He comes to this conclusion after finally meeting a woman who can “match him” (Lisa Leveridge, the guitarist for Courtney Love's allgirl band, The Chelsea).
ry as a journalist, and ended after a three year bender. Erik started as a Tinder finance bro, and got to year five. When I read The Game, I found myself remembering and reiterating. Desperately discussing with friends “do you know about pickup artistry? It’s crazy, can’t explain it. The layers. The terms.”
And that’s the thing, it is incomprehensibly what it is. A vortex of language, doctrine, and ploys, so abundant and engrossing – a car crash you can’t look away from.
Blast Last-Minute Resistance
Erik echoed these sentiments. By the end of his stint, he was miserable. The preconditions of its end for him were: His cynicism about human behaviour after going on hundreds of identical dates with identical outcomes, and That it bled into the rest of his life. “Friends, family, you drink too much […] it’s almost like an addiction. People in my life have called it an addiction. say almost”. Like Strauss, Erik said “But really, you have to meet someone who is special. That’s a necessity. The rest is a precursor.” I was curious about Erik’s person (now his wife) and her thoughts on what could only call “the whole thing.” Erik said “I have to give her a lot of credit. She at least tells me she doesn’t judge me for my past and she’s proud of me for overcoming it. I think she’s telling the truth. She’s a very forgiving woman. I’m very lucky.” Erik, however, maintains he wouldn’t have met and charmed his wife without everything he learned. Strauss agrees, saying “the only way to win the game is to leave it”. But you still have to play. These days, Strauss has abandoned pickup artistry. In 2015, he published The Truth, a sequel to The Game where he admits being a PUA was wrong. Sex addiction, uncontrollable erratic behaviour, and a mental state verging on sociopathy line the pages. Today, he has a son and a divorce. I asked Erik if he missed the game, and he quickly said no. “My wife is perfect” he beamed - “why would you ever miss it?”
Reads
WRONG WOMEN:
SELLING SEX IN MONTO, DUBLIN'S FORGOTTEN RED LIGHT DISTRICT
Caroline West
BONNIER BOOKS LTD
Hiking through a storm: Lacken was Slack’n
2025 Academy Awards: Defying Expectations
Maia Drohan
Tips to Making Campus Couture
Dr Caroline West’s feminist history looks at what was once the largest red-district district in Europe, Monto, and the lives of the women and the girls within the brothels. The newly released book explores the period of 1860-1925 through oral histories and historical records while bringing themes of sexual violence, class, and colonialism. West, who has her PhD in sexuality studies, brings an investigative humanity to the book and weaves a well-researched and poignant tale that sheds light on an often forgotten part of Dublin’s history.
NESTING
Roisín O’Donnell
SCRIBNI UK
O’Donnell’s debut about starting over, motherhood, and resilience. The novel examines the consequences of Dublin’s housing market through the lens of a mother fleeing an abusive marriage with her children.
O’Donnell, who has previously published short stories, writes with heart-wrenching emotion and a strong narrative voice, making Nesting a relevant and harrowing read.
OUR LONDON LIVES
Christine Dwyer-Hickey ATLANTIC BOOKS
Our London Lives spans four decades and examines the lives and friendships of two Irish people who find comfort and relief in one another while living in London. The narrative follows runaway teenager Milly and boxer Pip and how their paths separate and intersect throughout their lives. The complex story is an expansive portrait of city life, loneliness, and love.
Kath Gornall
The Trinity Hiking Society is no stranger to the unconventional—after all, they have been known to hold committee meetings in the Trinity sauna. Their latest escapade: hiking straight into a storm.
On Sunday, 26th January, the society set off on a ten-kilometre “moderate to hard” hike in Lacken, County Wicklow, with 461 metres of elevation—despite a yellow weather warning for Storm Herminia issued the night before.
In true Trinity Hiking Society fashion, the group reflected on the experience with their characteristic humour in the weekly newsletter: “Okay… no, it was a good hike, we are just a bit colour-blind when it comes to weather warnings” and “For those of you who were there with us yesterday—just because Lacken was slacken, pleeeezzz don’t be scared of the Irish weather. promise it doesn’t usually act out like that.”
But the storm was no laughing matter.
Speaking to The University Times, the committee shared that they were forced to cut the hike short by two hours. The 34 hikers initially walked under the shelter
of trees, but once they emerged into open ground, the reality of 100km/h winds set in. “It was very intense,” they admitted. “We had to turn back.”
Despite their Instagram caption conceding that “the yellow warning might’ve won this time,” the society remains undeterred. Their next adventure? An ambitious international hike in Gran Canaria.
This trip is not for the faint-hearted, with tough ten-hour days carrying heavy packs over challenging trails. Over several days, members will tackle five peaks, including a hike to Tejeda in the central highlands, an ascent of Pico de Nieves—the highest point on the island—and a coastal route from Tasartico to Agaete, sandwiched between two well-earned beach days in Las Palmas and Agaete.
While hiking is the society’s primary focus, they are also avid sea swimmers. With up to two swims per week and a 206-member “sea swim” WhatsApp group, they regularly take the DART to the Forty Foot or Vico Baths. To ensure that everyone feels welcome, they often schedule swims at low tide, making
the activities beginner-friendly. As they remind participants in their newsletter, “Please don’t feel intimidated!”
Beyond outdoor adventures, the society also finds creative ways to give back, recently appearing as the month of May in the Trinity Cancer Society’s charity naked calendar, tastefully posing with maps, backpack straps, and strategically placed greenery to keep things PG!
The society is also teasing weekend camping trips, giving members the chance to stay overnight in the Irish countryside without the rush back to Dublin in a single day. These trips will be accessible to all, as the society offers a collection of tents for members to borrow. “Camping might feel old-school, but it’s one of the best ways to have fun on a student budget,” said hike coordinator Declan. “We’re bringing it back—nothing beats a campfire and the great outdoors.”
The Trinity Hiking Society has earned its 1,300 members with this adventurous spirit, and with new challenges ahead, there’s no slowing them down.
Dead Poets Live – Éanna Hardwicke is Louis MacNeice in the Gate Theatre’s Autumn Journal
At the end of January, production company Dead Poets Live came to the Gate Theatre, as part of the ‘Gatecrashers’ series. The final show of three was a performance of Louis MacNeice’s long poem Autumn Journal. The full poem was performed in just over ninety minutes by Irish actor Éanna Hardwicke, known for roles in The Sixth Commandment, Normal People and the upcoming 2002 World Cup film Saipan. The performance saw Hardwicke dash about the stage holding a copy of the poem, his performance ebbing and flowing with the many peaks and troughs of the poem. The poem itself was written at the end of 1938, and was borne out of the anxiety of pre-World War II Britain. It frantically moves from topic to topic, from topos to topos and from question to question. I was myself left with a number of questions, too, after the final bow, with the most pressing one being; why don’t we see more dramatic performances of poetic works? Why is this ‘niche’ reserved only for one particular theatre company? And why is it a ‘niche’ at all?
In truth, if other such performances are directed in such a standard manner as Autumn Journal was, I don’t see them ‘taking off’.
Louis MacNeice was a Northern Irish poet who came of age during the
inter-war period in Britain. One of Irish literature’s most enigmatic and complicated figures (and that is saying something, considering the rest), MacNeice was born in Belfast to a southern Protestant Unionist father. He transcends the binary understanding of the North and his poetry too, he contains multitudes, he is more complex than any box that any reader will try to shove him into. As he says in ‘Snow’; ‘World is crazier and more of it than we think, / Incorrigibly plural’. Autumn Journal, too, contains multitudes and natural contradictions that occur in such a wide scope. Over the ninety-seven minute runtime, Hardwicke, as MacNeice, embodies the love, the grief, the despair and the passionate intensity that comes at the audience in a flurry. Though the lighting and sound shift with the flow of the performance, the production feels like it lacks something. Hardwicke seems very isolated, and so, feels distant from the audience. For a piece that the director. introduced to us as being ‘of all time’, the isolation of Hardwicke through singular and standard direction places the poem firmly in a time other than ours. This isolation was exacerbated by the choice to sit around a dozen people on stage to watch Hardwicke as a second audience. It felt as if Hardwicke was closed in and
restricted.
The poem, formatted as a journal, follows MacNeice as he attempts to go about his days in London during the autumn and winter of 1938, as tensions rise on the continent and the poet’s thoughts are interrupted. by memories of Spain, memories of France and memories of a past love. As his love is lost, so too is his beloved Spain lost to war, as the rest of Europe soon will be. These anxieties are delivered in a frantic and phrenetic manner by Hardwicke. There is no clear shape to his performance, he lets MacNeice’s words dictate his actions rather than attempting to impose an interpretation that would bring cohesion to a poem that decidedly rejects cohesion. This allows Hardwicke to accentuate the moments of clarity that do appear in the poem. These are few and far between, but they are sweet. The best thing about the show was the poem itself and Hardwicke’s performance of it. Though the overall production may have left me wanting more, I can still greatly appreciate what Dead Poets Live achieves, and I would love to see more of their work in Dublin. Additionally funds from the show went to The Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin City: a great cause, no doubt.
This year’s Academy Award nominees feature a set of particularly topical films exploring stories of fascism, corruption, the immigrant experience in the U.S. and the horrors of today’s beauty standards. They all remind us of the significance of the film industry as a commentary on our contemporary culture. With concerns and controversy over queer and Mexican representation in Emilia Perez (Jacques Audiard, 2024), the use of AI in The Brutalist (Brady Corbet, 2024) and the prominence of musicals across awards categories, will the 2025 Academy Awards break boundaries or be the most controversial year yet?
The most nominations this season have been awarded to Anora (Sean Baker, 2024), A Complete Unknown (James Mangold, 2024), Conclave (Edward Berger, 2024), The Brutalist, and notably Emilia Pérez, and Wicked (Jon M. Chu, 2024). This year marks the first time since 1968 that more than one musical has been nominated in the Best Picture category. Has the academy finally decided to celebrate the often less acknowledged genre of Musical Theatre? The celebration of musical films this year may be as telling of our contemporary culture as the films which deal directly with themes of identity and politics. The increasing popularity of fantastical stories that imagine worlds very different from our own suggests a societal desire for escapism. Evidently, this year escapism was worthy of recognition at the Academy Awards.
Additionally, the celebration of immigrant stories as seen in Anora, The Brutalist and Emilia Perez may be a response to the increasingly restrictive immigration policies in the U.S. Let's take a look at how these nominations represent the constantly changing industry and how this year's awards will differ from what we have seen over the last few decades.
In an era where the promotion of plastic surgery and unhealthy body images are inescapable, The Substance has been credited as an epic and vulnerable horror story critiquing the industry which has celebrated it. The Substance (Coralie Fargeat, 2024), explores beauty standards and celebrity, following Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) a recently fired Academy Award-winning actress who goes to extreme lengths to regain her youth. The film received five Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Makeup and Hairstyling as well as Lead Actress, for first-time nominee Demi Moore. Another first time nominee, Sebas-
tian Stan, has been nominated for Best Actor for playing recently inaugurated President Donald Trump in The Apprentice (Ali Abassi, 2024). The biographical drama has been heavily criticised by Trump. The U.S. president has referred to the picture as a "defamatory, politically disgusting hatchet job”. In spite of this, the film received two nominations with Jeremy Strong also being nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as notorious lawyer and Trump’s mentor Roy Cohn. The Brutalist received the second most nominations this year, placing in 10 categories, including Best Picture, Director, Cinematography and Screenplay. However, the use of AI in the film has reignited conversations around the employment of technology in the film industry. The film uses voice cloning to improve Felicity Jones and Adrian Brody’s Hungarian dialogue and allegedly employed generative AI to create architectural designs. Both Jones and Brody have been nominated for acting awards. Some have claimed The Brutalist has pushed the boundaries of what technology can achieve in cinema while others have reiterated concerns about the ethics around replacing human artists with AI tools. Emilia Perez received a record-breaking 13 nominations, the most awarded to any picture this year. The French made Spanish-language film, depicts the experience of a Mexican trans woman. The film has been heavily criticised by both LGBTQ+ and Mexican critics. LGBTQ+ commentators have stated that the film inaccurately represents the trans experience. Additionally, Mexican audiences panned the film for its “stereotypical” cultural representation and its use of Spanish dialogue. However, the Academy seemingly felt differently about the merits of this musical drama. The question that emerges is: if a film has been heavily criticised by the people who it supposedly represents then who does the story ultimately serve?
Some have compared Emilia Perez to I'm still here (Walter Salles, 2024) the Brazilian political biopic which explores military dictatorship in Brazil. Unlike Emilia Perez, the filmmaker and cast of I'm still Here are natives of the country they depict. Like Emilia Perez, the film earned nominations for Best Picture, International Feature Film and Best Actress for Fernanda Torres. This marks the first time a Brazilian production has been nominated for the Best Picture award. As always there are conversations about who the public feels were snubbed by this year's Academy
Awards. Notably, Challengers (Luca Gaudagnino, 2024) despite having recently been nominated for four Golden Globes, where it won Best Score, received no nominations. Additionally, Ireland's streak of recognition at the Academy Awards has ceased for this season. Kneecap (Rich Peppiatt, 2024), Ireland’s highly celebrated entry for Best International Feature, failed to receive an Academy Award nomination. Additionally, Saoirse Ronan’s moving portrayal of addiction in The Outrun (Nora Fingscheidt, 2024), failed to get a nod for the four time Academy Award nominee. The 2025 Academy Awards will take place on the 3rd of March with Conan O’Brien hosting the show for the first time. It will be interesting to see how and if the Academy takes this moment to respond to the unique socio-political landscape we find ourselves in today. This year, complex questions around whether art should be separated from politics will likely be at the forefront of discussion. Is film as a medium intrinsically political ? Would the film industry be neglecting its social responsibility by not challenging and examining the cultural context in which these films are made and consumed?
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang recently reflected on the significance of the Academy stating that it “has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship”. Between shifting political spheres in the U.S. and the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, the choices the Academy makes at this year’s show has the opportunity to make significant political statements regarding matters in the U.S. and globally. We will have to wait and see what this year’s Academy Awards have in store.
Lily Scanlan sits down with Clara Devlin, Trinity College Fashion Society’s Social Media Officer (the be-all-end-all choice maker of Campus Couture) to discuss how to make the final cut.
1. Scarves
It’s probably best to address the elephant in the room. That is the dainty detailed red scarf, loosely tied around Devlin’s head. I’ll give it to her, it works.
“Yeah. The scarf thing is definitely my fault”
Nonsense-but I make a conspicuous note of it regardless.
2. You know you can just email your submissions? No really.
This was certainly news to me, as I’m sure it was for many others who were also stuck in their ways believing making the cut was either an inside job or being in right place at the right time. Apparently not.
“People aren’t doing this, but we encourage it. We’ve only received about four or five this year.”
Feel like you’ve wasted another perfectly curated outfit because Campus Couture weren’t ready for your innovation?
Well now you can tell them (I apologise in advance for the flood of emails).
3. An inside job? Yes and no
It’s no secret that fashion soc receive a lot of criticism in the nepotism department, but is it warranted? Devlin points out here that she’s never featured herself-the curse of always being the one behind the camera.
“It’s a job that involves going up to random strangers. That’s part of the fun, but it can also be very awkward: people say no and then you’re back to square one. Sometimes it is just easier to go up to friends, but try to be as inclusive as possible.”
It’s easy to forget that while making Campus Couture would be a dream come true for some, not everyone wants to have their photo taken. guess some die of thirst, others drown.
4. Pretend not to care
Just be super cool and nonchalant.
“The best submissions are always the ones when they’re not even aware of how stylish they are.”
5. Optimise the days of the week
Like all of us, Devlin is also just a student with a tendency to procrastinate, except there’s no professor who will listen to her sob story if she doesn’t get her
couture photos in on time. This usually results in an end of week scramble to get photos, so if you’re planning on going all out on an outfit, Thursday’s a good day to do it.
6. Keep it constantly changing
Repetition may still have a sense of taboo in the world of fashion, but this doesn’t mean outfits can never be repeated. In fact, Devlin herself is a
“proud outfit repeater”. With that in mind, she’s conscious of creating diversity.
“We don’t just want to feature art students all the time. We want to include a wider range of ages. Mature students are actually incredibly stylish and they really add to the posts. Just drop out of college and come back in five years. Six if you really want to improve your chances.
7. It’s not just about scarves.
It’s how you style the scarves. Detail is often more important than the outfit as a whole.
Clara doesn’t just want to see that you’re wearing a nice scarf. She wants to see how you layered that scarf with other scarves and then glue gunned rhinestones onto it.
8. Themed events are key Balls or other themed nights out are the perfect opportunity to show that you can work with a theme. One downside however is that alcohol consumption can sometimes make for questionable camera quality.
“It happens so often where I’ll take what think is the perfect campus couture photo on a night out, but the photo quality is too bad to use. People get really annoyed when that happens.”
9. Don’t overspend Investing in your style is important, but it’s also important to be smart with how you spend. Vintage shopping and charity stores are the perfect way to find unique clothes without burning a hole in your wallet. Devlin also shares her personal favourite place to shop:
“Oh my god. Vinted. I have given them way too much money.”
She’s one of many, fear.
10. Write an article about it and hope for the best
“Ok just one last question”
“Fire away”
“When this article comes out, can I make Campus Couture?” “But of course!”
Gavin Jennings
Why Students are Choosing Sobriety
Kathryn Watts
‘Dry January’ has come to an end, leaving many of us with a difficult decision to make. For those of us who took part, and found themselves enjoying the sober-curious lifestyle, the idea of extending their alcohol-free streak into the rest of the semester might sound appealing. In fact, more students than you might expect are choosing to skip the booze, swapping pints for zero percent Coronas or opting for low-key hangouts instead of pre-drinks. As someone who loves a Spoons’ pitcher as much as the next person, I’ll admit that cutting back on alcohol can be a challenge, but is ultimately a rewarding choice. For many sober students, the decision to cut out alcohol from their lives isn’t just about self-discipline; there are also several practical reasons behind it.
The average age to start drinking alcohol in Ireland is 15.5 years old, so by the time we reach fresher’s week, there’s usually at least a year and a half of heavy drinking on our resumes. As a result, Ireland is possessed by a strong drink-
ing culture with a grip difficult to break free from. However, the devastating impact alcohol has on our long-term health is enough to be a major factor playing into students’ decision to quit alcohol. For some, suffering a deathly hangover in a stuffy seminar at 9 am the morning after a night out is enough to question whether heavy drinking is the activity for them (throwing up in a TBSI toilet is not a pretty scene). The headaches and nausea that accompany a hangover are an enemy to education, and not usually worthwhile. Mental health is also affected by drinking, especially in university, where we are inevitably surrounded by pressure and stress. Large and regular alcohol intake can lead to concentration difficulties and memory problems, as well as anxiety and depression. Good grades, a priority for students, and detrimental drinking habits just simply don’t go hand in hand. The benefits of cutting down on alcohol intake include weight loss, better sleep, an improvement of skin conditions and lower blood
pressure. Additionally, students today have grown up exposed to online health influencers, and are of a generation that prioritises a healthy body and future. If alcohol has to be cut out of the mix to achieve a healthy body and mindset, so be it. As the old Irish saying goes, “a man takes a drink, the drink takes a drink, the drink takes the man.”
Another contributing factor to the decision of many to stay sober is the outrageous cost of alcohol in the city. Long gone are the days where we could casually go into a bar and order a pint for a few pennies. Today, the reality is far different, in fact, the HSE found that a third of Irish people spend between €30 to €75 a week on alcohol, a figure which quickly adds up and can determine whether a sweet treat is a possible purchase. With the cost of living in Dublin rapidly rising, the financial strain is proving harder to ignore, making each of us think twice before handing over €10 for a vodka-coke. Pair this with the cost of a club ticket, and
suddenly a night out on the town turns into a luxurious indulgence. What was once a spontaneous way to catch up with friends might now require careful planning and budgeting. Due to this many people are rethinking their social habits, in particular students who are already on a tight budget. With this in mind, perhaps it’s time swap the chaos of the club for something a little more chill. However, whether you’re sober-curious or still upholding your confirmation promise to never consume alcohol, navigating an alcohol-free night in Dublin can be tricky. Dublin is famous for its vibrant pub scene and deep-rooted drinking culture, and sometimes it can feel like alcohol will always be at the centre of a night out. Luckily, Dublin is beginning to offer a variety of venues where a sober night out is being encouraged, with plenty of fun still guaranteed. One popular establishment is Board in Harold’s Cross, Dublin 8. Board blends the lively atmosphere of your local pub with a vast selection of non-al-
coholic drinks, delicious pizza and a lengthy list of puzzles and board games to get the night going. Another recommendation is the Back Page, a brilliant bar in Phibsborough that provides its customers with ping-pong and pool alongside a mean mojito mocktail, as well as other alcohol-free drinks. In general, most non-alcoholic options are becoming more and more accessible throughout the city. With mocktail menus becoming the norm in most venues, you can be sure that a successful sober night out is completely possible. Overall, the decision to go sober as a student is well justified. Since 2001 the average amount of alcohol consumed per adult has decreased by 31%. Whether this decrease is due to the health benefits or that the cost of a drink is beyond our means, it is safe to say that the decision to go sober is not uncommon among students. Is the tradition of drinking in Dublin declining, or is this decrease simply a trademark of this generation?
Go With Your Gut: The Untapped Potential of Diet in the Treatment of Mental Illness
The pillars of late-twentieth-century and early-twenty-first-century psychiatric treatment have been psychotropic drugs — any substance which alters the functioning of the brain, such as antidepressants and mood stabilisers — and various forms of psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT).
Yet there are definitive indicators that these approaches alone are inadequate. In 2017, the Cambridge University Press published an online article suggesting that medication and psychotherapy avert less than half of the disease burden of mental illness. What if there was another way to mitigate the impacts of these disorders? Research points to a new starting point — what we put on our plate. The newly-emergent field of nutritional psychiatry is not intended to eradicate the use of existing psychotropic drugs, but to supplement them. These medications themselves are a modern phenomenon — the first successful pharmacological compound for major depression was iproniazid, marketed as an antitubercular substance in 1958 and used by psychiatrists off-label. Nutritional psychiatry is potentially of particular importance to modern medicine given the comorbidity of mood disorders and eating disorders: data collated for the Australian National Eating Disorders
Research and Translation Strategy found that 58% of ED patients had comorbid psychiatric diagnoses. The concept of there being a connection between gut and brain is not a new one. The first tentative links between colon and cranium were made as far back as Ancient Greece and the Dong-Jin dynasty, with more concrete evidence emerging in eighteenth-century France. Today, we know that the enteric nervous system consists of over one hundred million nerve cells lining pathways from oesophagus to rectum. The gut-brain axis is comprised of bidirectional communication between the enteric and central nervous systems, thereby constituting a direct pathway between gut and brain. The reality of this link has even crept into our vernacular: we’ve all gone with our gut when faced with a particularly obscure multiple choice question, or experienced butterflies in our stomach opening the ominously innocuous results tab on my.tcd.ie.
Researchers propose that the so-called Mediterranean diet is of particular benefit to mental health. One study notes that, ‘Such diets are characterised by the high intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds and fish, with limited processed foods.’ The benefits of such eating habits are attributed to their association with lower levels of inflammatory markers, while chronic low-grade
inflammation has been tied to the onset of de novo depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. The ongoing challenge for scientists now is to identify specific correlations between disease and nutrient. At present, it can only be said that the healthy diet fundamentals touted in SPHE classrooms across the country have validity in the treatment of mental illness, provided that they are packaged in a scientifically-grounded way, rather than the it’s a sin to have a chocolate bar impression that many students depart with.
This is of particular importance to college students given the notoriously suboptimal food sources that many of us exist on. That is not to say that procuring such a diet is easy. Safefood, a public body which raises consumer awareness of nutrition in Ireland, estimated in 2023 that a single adult working full-time and earning the National Minimum Wage must spend 14% of their weekly income to purchase a nutritionally adequate food basket. Breads, cereals, fruit, and vegetables — all of the foods which are beneficial to mental health — account for the highest proportion of this cost burden. For many, this is not affordable, nor is the eye-watering cost of private psychology and psychiatry services. Moreover, the time required to prepare a nutritionally-adequate meal is significant. It demands far
more mental and physical exertion than tossing something into the microwave, an understandable reflex after coming home from a long shift or a day of panic attacks at the doorway to every classroom.
There is, however, a certain unwillingness within the field of psychiatry to acknowledge the inherent environmental and dietary factors which are leading to the proliferation of mental illness within society today. This is unsurprising given that a study conducted in 2021 found that in 2016, 55.7% of active psychiatrists in the United States received some form of payment from pharmaceutical manufacturers. The very term ‘nutritional psychiatry’ is itself ethically problematic. It endorses the engorging of the field of psychiatry to include dietary recommendations which could be circulated and implemented — at least for milder forms of illness — in low-cost, accessible ways, if only the data was readily provided.
In 2021, The Irish Times published an interview with Dr. Georgia Ede, a psychiatrist pioneering nutrition-based treatment, who observed, ‘For decades, our treatment paradigm has been the trial-and-error use of psychiatric medications intended to address neurotransmitter imbalances, without seeking to understand what might cause these imbalances in the first place.’ This is predictable when one considers
A Chat With The Mefisto
Julie Gleeson
Dublin based artist, The Mefisto, known also by his Instagram username, youngmeffy, has been making rounds on Trinity student’s Instagram and Tiktok feeds recently. With some of his Instagram reels reaching over seventy thousand views, you might recognise his highly saturated, brightly coloured setup, in which his hard-hitting, ‘rap and roll’ genre is at the forefront. Between spitting bars and playing guitar, the Mefisto, whose real name is Nian Dravidan, is a final year computer science student here at Trinity. I met with him to talk about influences, how he started making music and most importantly, what is next for the Mefisto himself.
The Mefisto is not a singular identity, Dravidan tells me, as his artistry consists of three alter egos; The Mefisto, Young Meffy and the Maverick Each alter-ego has a separate personality, different quirks, and an alternating colour when creating content for his social media. “The Mefisto is the main character, he has more of a philosophical and really, an introspective kind of vibe. He’s…nonchalant, and he doesn’t talk much, keeps to himself. He’s thinking and philosophising all the time, you know, thinking about chaos.”
based on characters like the Joker from Dark Knight, and Loki, as well as characters that are similar to them. His second alter ego, Young Meffy, is more of a modern, “contemporary type of guy, and he’s into rap and like, street-style, and rock'n'roll. He’s open and vocal about his stuff. He’s humorous, which the Mefisto is not.” Each character applies to a different aspect of Dravidan’s personality, “Young Meffy is more of a people person, that’s me, like socialising when I’m in pubs. When I’m studying on my own, however, that’s the Mefisto.” The third alter-ego within this ‘Trinifesto’ is the Maverick, inspired by Dravidan’s past as an athlete, “I used to play tennis and all that, so I really have the kind of, athletic, sportsmanship mindset. The Maverick embodies just, a simple man, who goes to work, who goes to the gym everyday. A man that has that discipline. That’s the Maverick.”
That’s how I made them up.” Dra-
the profitable relationship forged between psychiatry and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the uncanny parallels between psychiatry and capitalism identified by Dr. Richard U’Ren, medicine graduate of McGill and former Stanford Medical Center psychiatry resident, in his 1997 essay, ‘Psychiatry and Capitalism.’ For more severe illnesses, there is the question of how to implement nutrition into existing psychiatry and psychology practices without adding additional costs to patients in the form of dietetics, in a service which is already financially inaccessible to many. Additionally, potential discrepancies arise between how these services would be implemented in public versus private care, the former being underfunded and understaffed, the latter liable to commodify these new findings. As of February 2rd, 2025, the HSE’s national waiting list website indicated that there are 547 public patients nationwide awaiting the offer of a psychiatry consultation. It is unequivocal that diet plays a pivotal role in the management of mental illness. However, how nutrition can cater to specific patients and diseases, as well as how these services can be implemented without necessitating further treatment-restricting costs, remains to be seen.
Dravidan mentions that he was inspired to create the Mefisto
The three alter-egos of Dravidan are so nuanced, “[at the start] I was only going to go with Young Meffy and the Mefisto. But I was looking into a lot of characters because want to create the Mefisto-verse, which is kind of a universe unto itself. It’s like my own universe, my own personality through all these characters. By quantising [my personality] and dividing up parts of myself, [it helped me] understand myself better through each character.
Mary of the Gaels, Brigid of the Girls
Before burning bras and The Second Sex, there was a woman in fifth-century Ireland who shattered the status quo. Lore and legend remember Brigid as a saint, with healing hands and unwavering devotion to her faith. But beneath fiery locks and a sprawling cloak lies something more radical: a rebel who staked a claim to power in a world built to deny it. Her story wasn’t just one of piety, but one of defiance a challenge to fervent patriarchal norms veiled in a guise of sanctity. More than Ireland’s beloved patron, Saint Brigid was its earliest feminist force - her legacy quietly etched into the heart of its history. Much of what we know about Brigid comes from hagiographies; early medieval bodies of literature that detail the life and reverence of saints. Written in the seventh century, one of the earliest and most significant hagiographies of Saint Brigid is Cogitosus’ Life of Saint Brigid. This text not only confirms her miracles through written record but underlines Kildare as a place of cultural and spiritual importance. These literary accounts ensure that Brigid's
story extends far beyond her time and meets many more than initially thought possible.
Born in Faughart, Co. Louth to a pagan chieftain and Christian slave, our Mary of the Gael’s origins are a melding of Celtic mythology and Christian sainthood. Saint Brigid shares a long association with the triple-goddess of poetry, healing, and smithing of the same name, with common opinion supposing that they’re two faces of the same figure. Scholars agree that whilst heavily intertwined, they are individuals who were syncretised by early missionaries in Ireland to ease the transition from paganism to Christianity. Apart from Saint Brigid's shared connections, she is perhaps best known for the altruism that defined her life. Brigid's profound compassion as a young girl proved to be a bother to her father Dubhtacht, who complained when she gave away provisions to the poor. Brigid once gave her father’s lavishly embellished sword to a leper who she took pity on, much to his dismay. While she was forgiven, he would repeatedly be reminded
vidan also emphasises the difference between the characters with his changing video set up, “Each character has a different colour scheme, pertaining to their alter-ego. set up the room so it reflects their personality, and everytime make a new video, I switch the angle to get a different vibe, each wall of my room is a different alter ego.” The significance of an engaging social media persona is known to the Mefisto, “the lighting is important, it really immerses you. The red lights will give you more of a dingy vibe, whereas blue makes it more lively. When first started doing it, I didn’t realise how it was going to look on Instagram, because I was doing it separately. But I feel Instagram is such an innovative thing, where you can click each reel and it sends you to a different type of music, so you can pick what you want [to see.]” When asked about how he started with music, Dravidan mentioned his experience as a first year college student during COVID, “It started in Trinity Halls. We were here when COVID hit, and first year was really tough for me, doing computer science. I had never played music before I came to Ireland, which is the astonishing part.” Dravidan started playing music after he failed first year and went off books. “So, picked up an acoustic guitar, the song that inspired me to start was Wish You Were Here, by Pink Floyd. I wanted to be a rock’n’roll guy, and then over time, I had always listened to hip-hop so it started evolving from rock’n’roll to rap’n’roll. I started rapping and doing this stuff separately, on my own.” Dravidan then recorded and released his first song, Desire, on October 17th, 2023. His second single, Lucy State of Mind, was released late last year. Dravidan’s musicality is inspired by multiple different musicians, “for rock’n’roll, it would be Jimmy Page, the lead guitarist in Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour. That kind of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin sound, definitely.” When honing in on the rap element of his music, he mentions, “Travis Scott, I really love him. And all the classics, obviously, Tupac, Eminem. But I also listen to a lot of underground, independent artists. I feel these days, you have to support independent artists.”
of his frustrations as her good deeds were constant. Tales of her generosity were later immortalised in poetry and prose, such as in Seamus Heaney’s ‘Crossings’, a testament to such an enduring impact.
Ultimately, Brigid remained resolute. She knew her purpose, and listening to those who considered her senseless was not a part of it. It’s said that she took her own eye out in response to her father demanding that she marry, refusing to take her aspirations to build a convent seriously.
Like all women of the time, she was born into expectancy. Expected to be good, be quiet, and marry. Considered ‘legally incompetent’, it was a fierce feat to deign to question that; but that she did, and she did it well.
Disdainful men proved to be an obstacle to the force that was Brigid, but never a hindrance. The condescending chortles and supercilious scoffs she was met with only spurred her onwards and garnered more support from God. When the King of Leinster laughed in her face at her request for land to build her monastery,
she never faltered. Her firm trust in herself and her faith rewarded her, to the surprise of a shocked king who had yet to take her seriously. In her essence, Brigid was a wilful and magnanimous woman who was loath to accept the bottom-of-the-barrel position women were given in society. As is common occurrence for women, Brigid unfailingly gave to those around her. Having left no writings of her own, we remember her as a truly selfless emblem, for we can reckon the tree still made the sound with no one around.
Tales of her healing lepers and the sick, enabling the blind to see, and feeding those that starved have trickled down resoundingly for centuries through oral tradition, poetry, and hagiographies. Despite outright denial of her proven status as bishop and claims that she was ordained accidentally, Brigid’s achievements are a reminder of her tremendous courage. Nothing short of unique for her time, her thriving convent in Kildare, where she managed thousands of nuns, was a beacon of autonomy from the bonds in which Irish women lived. Her
What is next for the Mefisto? He mentions an EP is on the way but release dates are currently unconfirmed, ‘It’s my final year in college, and it’s just so hectic. It’s such a bittersweet time for me, because I want to enjoy the last three months, even though I’m going to miss it. I don’t have release dates yet, but the music is all recorded, ready to be released and I have all the material ready.” With talks of another release, watch this space.
legacy proliferated the lives of thousands then and to this day. Brigid’s presence persists in all our lives. Crosses of woven rushes sit atop countless Irish thresholds. A multitude of hearts join on Imbolc annually to welcome Spring and remember generosity. Though Patrick prevailed for the top spot for patron saint, Brigid has more than earned her place alongside him through her remarkable feats. She was part of the beginning of an endless mill that would churn out exceptionally bold women who were unafraid to be a bother, to take what was theirs and champion the greater good. From Rosie Hackett mobilising the women of the 1913 Jacobs Factory strike, to Bernadette Devlin fiercely advocating against sectarian division, to the incredible minds that permeate everyday life now, Saint Brigid's influence survives. On February 1st we not only celebrate Brigid and the power of storytelling, but all the women whose names we know and those we don't, who fought and continue to fight. There’s no doubt that as we do, she looks on with pride.
Sophie Quinn
Lea Carroll
Regency Reimagined: Catherine Fay’s Visionary
Costume Designs in Emma
Clara Potts
When Catherine Fay set out to design costumes for the stage adaptation of Emma, her vision was nothing short of revolutionary.
Tasked with merging the elegance of Regency-era fashion with the vibrancy of contemporary aesthetics, Fay created a wardrobe that not only captures the heart of Austen’s world but also speaks to today’s fashion-forward audience. From ethereal tulle overdresses inspired by 19th-century muslin to bold, character-defining colour palletes, her designs tell a story as compelling as the characters themselves.
Through thoughtful collaboration with director Claire O’Reilly and the creative team, the costumes demonstrate the power of costume design to shape character arcs, reflect social hierarchies, and connect with modern sustainability practices. With a keen eye for detail and an inventive use of materials, Emma’s costumes blur the line between historical accuracy and theatrical expression, drawing gasps from audiences and setting a new standard for period-inspired fashion on stage.
Clara Potts sits down with Catherine Fay to find out more about her creative process and the artistry behind one of Irish theatre’s most striking costume collections. Catherine, your designs for Emma beautifully blend Regency-era aesthetics with contemporary elements.
Can you tell me about the modern fashion influences that inspired the fusion?
It was clear from initial meetings that Claire O’Reilly was keen to use the regency period with a contemporary twist. When you have that in mind you start to see where those influences are being used in modern fashion. Simone
Rocha has beautiful details in her work that reference that period with puff sleeves and empire line dresses. The Regency period used very fine muslin to create almost see through dresses so the trend for tulle overdresses in contemporary fashion felt like a direct line of influence from that period. Colour is such a powerful tool in storytelling. How did you use the palette in Emma to reflect the personalities and social standings of characters like Emma Woodhouse and Harriet Smith? Emma’s character is quite a powerhouse in the story, she’s confident, quick witted and very able. Harriet is the opposite until she eventually finds her voice. Emma’s costumes use bright colours and strong shapes, used the cropped puff sleeve top and culottes in portraying her confidence early
on. Harriet is in pastels and softer shapes, more ethereal. Her dress at the party was to show the influence Emma’s been having on her but how she’s made the wrong choices teaming the bright pink dress, lilac puff sleeves and lime green gloves to try and show herself as something she’s not. Costuming Emma in the blue and white fabric of her world was to acknowledge how trapped she is even though she appears to be totally in control.
Sustainability is such an important topic in today’s fashion industry. Were there any eco-conscious materials or practices you incorporated into the costume design for this production?
Costume tends to have a high circular turn over when you’re working somewhere like The Abbey which has a large store of costumes. I would have sourced some of the costumes from this store and when Emma is finished the costumes go back into this collection and are available for reuse. We would have tried to source high street clothing and fabrics locally to try and keep our footprint to the minimum. Unfortunately, fabric shops are sparse here so using companies outside the country is inevitable on a show of this scale, but there would be considered practices used here too, for example buying several pieces together rather than individually and including other supplies the department might need from these companies so you’re cutting down on air
miles.
Balancing historical accuracy with theatricality must be quite a challenge. How did you navigate that, ensuring the costumes remained authentic but also functional for live performance?
One of the pleasures in designing a show like Emma is being able to play with the historical silhouette of the period and create something that will work for the play and the actor.A show of this length and high energy is very hard on costume, they need to be very well made preferably with fabrics that can endure that kind of action. Keeping in mind how much of the period we wanted to convey in the shape the design then had to serve the requirements of what the actor was doing in the performance and how it will look in the context of the rest of the overall design. It all starts to fall into place.
Accessories often carry symbolic weight in fashion. Are there any pieces in Emma that hold deeper meaning or play a special role in storytelling?
Clare Barret uses a series of hats in her role as the servant that while comedic
are also there to show the role of that character. Her black jumpsuit was to define the servant as one of the ‘crew’, just as the dressers and all backstage would wear blacks. But the hats give clarity to how her character functions in scenes.
Emma undergoes so much growth throughout the story. How does her wardrobe reflect her personal journey as a character?
Emma moves through so many emotions during the production, beginning at the Weston’s wedding in her white tulle dress that reveals her top and culottes in the fabric of Hartfield to ball gowns and the oversized t-shirt with the Hartfield heart to her final frilled wedding dress with lips on the bust. Toni O’Rourke who plays Emma was a great collaborator during the process and each piece of costume reflected what Emma was going through in the story but also helped by how Toni behaves in them and manages the changes onstage. The t-shirt in the bedroom shows her reduced to something simple when things are all going wrong and she puts on a light pink robe to visit Mrs Weston and get help both items reflecting her sad state of mind, back into the burst of colour for her wedding in the finale when it’s all come good again.
Costume design is a collaborative process. How did working with Director, Claire O’Reilly and set designer, Molly O’Cathain influence your designs for this production?
There was great collaboration with Claire, Molly, Sinead McKenna (lighting designer) and Jenny O’Malley (composer and sound
designer) on this production. It was important that all the elements spoke to each other (it always is) to achieve the full effect that Claire was looking for. Obviously, Molly’s wonderful play with fabrics on the set directly influenced the costumes and by enhancing the colour of other costumes they could have the most impact on the set in certain scenes.
Were there any unconventional materials or techniques you used to bring the costumes to life? I’m curious how they might have enhanced the visual storytelling. Nothing particularly unconventional in this production. Obviously we had some fabrics printed with the Hartfield design which we did in a number of fabrics, cotton sateen for the crop tops and culottes, plush velvet for Mr.Woodhouse’s dressing gown and stretch jersey for Emma’s underwear. Mrs Elton’s costume required some clever construction from the brilliant maker Breege Fahy to achieve the oversized legs in her jumpsuit. Finally, imagine the audience’s response to the costumes can be very rewarding. Have there been any reactions that surprised or delighted you since Emma premiered? It’s always a bit nerve wracking to sit in the first preview, but the audience’s reaction to Emma has been brilliant from that first time. I’m delighted with the response Emma has had and so pleased to hear from friends and family about how much they have enjoyed it.
The Scandalous and Glamorous Edna O'Brien
Exploring Sinéad O’Shea’s 2024 documentary on the life of Irish author Edna O’Brien
Chloé Feldman
Accused of being the most scandalous woman in Ireland and publicly mocked by her home country, Edna O’Brien was an undeniably talented and trailblasing Irish writer. While her life included glamorous parties across metropolitan cities such as London and New York and friendships with members of high society, it was also marked by personal and professional struggles, as explored in Sinéad O'Shea’s 2024 documentary. Born into a newly independent Ireland marked by poverty and the dominance of the Catholic Church, O’Brien grew up in a society where purity was valued above all else. Shame operated as a controlling force for many Irish women, and the themes of vulnerability and self-exploration that O’Brien depicted in her debut novel, Country Girls, were controversial. While O’Brien herself was uncertain of the novel’s literary merit, she knew it was truthful, which was a significant achievement in an era where Irish wom-
en were largely denied the ability to express themselves honestly.
Her depiction of female sexuality and desire sparked widespread condemnation across the country, leading to book burnings in her homework of Clare and a national ban. When reading Country Girls
today, these so-called explicit scenes are seen as neither remarkable nor controversial, given that discussions of sexuality now permeate literature, film, and music. However, in mid-20th century Ireland, where women were confined to snugs in pubs and men dominated the literary landscape, O’Brien’s voice was ahead of its time.
Visually, O’Brien is often associated with glamour. Superficially, as noted by director O’Shea, she appeared frivolous, leading some to dismiss her work as mere escapism for elite housewives. In Ireland, she was publicly ridiculed, with satirical performances mocking her staged at esteemed theatres such as the Gaiety in Dublin. However, a closer look at her work reveals this is far from the truth. While she was highly regarded abroad, particularly in the United States, where she was frequently published in The New Yorker, the rejection and criticism she faced in Ireland weighed heavily on her.
The documentary reveals excerpts from O’Brien’s personal
7 Films Not to Miss This DIFF
Listen. We get it. You can barely decide what to watch on a normal day at the cinema when faced with the choice of watching Lily Rose Depp defy gravity in Nosferatu and Cynthia Erivo holding space for it in Wicked, what hope do you have to at Ireland’s largest film festival with films showing from all over the world? Fear not, the University Times has you covered. Here are seven films not to miss this year’s DIFF.
Happyend (2024)
You are eighteen and about to graduate high school. An earthquake is forecast, and you and your best friend decide to play a prank on your headmaster and your lives are changed forever.
From the son of Ryiuchi Sachamoto, Happyend is a beautiful meditation on the politics of control in
Japan, the philosophy of protest and coming of age.
22 Feb 18:30 The Light House
Bob Trevino Likes it (2024)
In search of her dead-beat dad, Lily Trevino finds a man on Facebook with the exact same name. Based on a true story, the two like each other’s posts and soon meet to form an unlikely bond. Funny and sad, the film is a heart-warming diatribe on the ways the world lets us all down, at the same time that it always has more things to offer.
22 Feb 21:00 The Light House
My Sweet Land (2024)
‘I don’t want my children to experience war,’ eleven-year-old Vrej says. ‘I may experience it, but I don’t want that for my children.’
In Sareen Hairabedian’s stunning breakout documentary, we follow
little Vrej as he navigates life in the post-soviet Caucasus mountains where war can break out at any moment. It is a poignant reflection on growing up in the shadow of national conflict that is probing, without ever losing hope.
23 Feb 15:45 The Light House
The Courageous (2024)
People always have something to say, and Jasmin Gordon’s feature debut is an answer to escaping just that. We follow an eccentric mother as she carves her own way for her children in the world.
Baked in the Swiss summer sun, The Courageous is a touching incantation on what we gain when we break the rules.
24 Feb 17:45 The Light House
Afternoons of Solitude (2024)
Have you ever felt so lonely you
diaries, in which handwritten corrections and critiques appear alongside her entries. Upon further investigation, these comments were identified as the work of her ex-husband, writer Ernest Gébler. Gébler sought to undermine and belittle her in the very space where she could truly express herself without fear of judgment. Their marriage was described as toxic, and Gébler frequently expressed jealousy toward O’Brien’s successes.
Despite socialising with figures such as Jackie Onassis, Paul McCartney, and Sean Connery, O’Brien’s later years were marked by solitude. While her circle was once surrounded by glamour, O’Brien was described as a workaholic, publishing a book each year for a point of time during her career. Despite all her work, in one of her final interviews, she describes how she does not own a house, a car, or even a bike, her only property, she claimed, is her grave. A solemn feeling was felt throughout the theatre as another interview clip captured O’Brien repeating the word “no” several times to herself when asked whether she had received sufficient help in processing her lifelong trauma, revealing the suffering that underpinned her achievements.
Though she is best known for her novels set in Ireland, O’Brien’s later work demonstrated breadth.
In addition to her memoir, Country Girl, she tackled global issues in Girl, a novel about a Nigerian teenager abducted by Boko Haram. While not always recognised as such, O’Brien was a writer that demonstrated bravery in her work. Whether intentional or not, her work challenged societal norms, giving voice to the inner lives of women in the Irish countryside, incorporating sexual frankness, and demonstrating how the inner lives of women were shaped by the men around them. Unlike many of her contemporaries, O’Brien herself had no powerful male patron. She often spoke dismissively of men, once remarking in a television interview that the only pleasure a woman could derive from a man was sexual, as anything beyond that would lead to disappointment. Her critique of gender dynamics stood in stark contrast to the conservative housewife ideal that prevailed during her formative years. Though vilified in her homeland for much of her career, Edna O’Brien’s contributions to literature and feminism remain undeniable. Her legacy is one of literary brilliance, and thanks to the reevaluation of her work and O’Shea’s 2024 documentary, she is recognised as a pioneering figure in both Irish and international literature.
could fight a bull? Andres Roca Rey has. In this striking documentary following the Peruvian star in this controversial Spanish sport, Albert Serra is interested in the delicate dance mortality. Filmed like a series of paintings, it contrasts pageantry with gore with unsettling beauty and its atmosphere is haunting. A winner of the golden shell at the San Sebastian film festival last year, this is not one to miss.
25 Feb 18:00 The Light House
On Falling (2024)
In our convenience economy, for everything to be available at the click of a button, someone must be paying a price. Laura Carreira’s striking debut feature explores this as we follow optionless warehouse worker Aurora undertake this job in zoo-like conditions. It is a quietly brilliant meditation
on the dehumanisation of latestage capitalism.
26 Feb 20:30 The Light House
Peacock (2024)
Need a date to your auntie’s wedding? A stand-in dad? X man has you covered. In this absurdist Austrian comedy, we follow Mathias in his job as a man who can be rented to impersonate anything. Snappy at the same time that it is harrowing, the film is a playful and easy on the eye exploration on the ways we try to fit in in society, and what we gain when we stand out.
28 Feb 18:00 The Light House
The Festival will run from February 20th to March 2nd in various venues across the city.
Eve Smith
PHOTO BY ROS KAVANAGH
PHOTO BY JANE MATTHEWS
The Trinitones Are More Than Just a Viral Sensation
If you study at Trinity College Dublin, it’s likely you’ve heard of the Trinitones, the all-male acapella group legendary for their snapping virality and even snappier renditions of songs ranging from Sean Kingston to the Strokes. However, despite the fact you may have seen their TikToks or perhaps even connected your phone to the television so you could stream their Christmas songs at your holiday party (guilty as charged), the Trinitones occupy a somewhat mythical sphere at Trinity. Who are these suit clad young men snapping their fingers outside of House 5? I spoke with Trinitones co-director, Aengus Gilligan to demystify the legends themselves. Gilligan, a final year of a PPEs course specialising in sociology and political science has been a part of the Trinitones since his first week of his first year. He explains to me that one of the boys that he had done choir with from ages eight to fourteen was in charge during Gilligan’s first year and suggested Gilligan to audition. Four years later, he now co-directs with final year medicine student, Johnny Henderson. One thing was particularly keen to uncover was the process of becoming a Trinitone. Gilligan describes the process to me as “chill enough” with the first round of auditions “you just go in, you sing the song of your choice. That's all there is”. There is also a bit of sight singing though Gilligan assures me it’s not a requirement. He then laughs and brings up the beatboxing of it all. He says, “sometimes, even if you've never beatboxed before, sometimes people uncover a hidden talent that they don't know about”. A score is also sent out in advance of a second round of auditions which is to
be sung with the wider group. This may seem like an arduous enough process but it's clear to me it’s completely worth it. Gilligan also sets out the rehearsal process which is twice a week in
sic. The current group like “keep a good mixture of what's current, what would be a really good sound”. An example he tells me about is Hozier’s Too Sweet, which was added to the set this past year,
had together including trips to Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Australia.
the evenings. He tells me, ““The set is always changing as well as the members”, something he finds beneficial. He also explains to me that all the arrangements of making a song acapalla are done in house. This, he says, “gives it a really nice personal touch and also kind of little inside jokes in the score”. He admits this is a “little bit self indulgent, because you're like, I want to sing this song, or want us to do this song. There's a mixture of kind of refreshing, keeping on top of old, and then also bringing in some new stuff”.
Since Gilligan is one of the longest standing members in the current group, I was also interested in learning more about how the group has evolved during his time with it. Gilligan explains, “I joined a very tight group” who he says were well into their 70’s mu-
with Gilligan explaining this as a positive addition to the set as it’s one one of the big songs this year but also works very well as acapella. This stems from, as he says, “the music taste of the group at a time kind of feeds it itself into what we sing and perform.”
Despite this evolution of sound, the close-knit nature of the group that Gilligan joined has continued in his four year tenure. When I ask him what makes the Trinitones so special, he pauses before telling me, “We’re such a good group of friends. mean, we spend so much time together” going on to say “I like how tight the group is at the moment, where everybody gets on so well where any combination of us can be brilliant together”. He explains to me that this bond is assisted through the opportunities the Trinitones have
also ask Gilligan about the single-gender aspect of the Trinitones. “I'm not a fan of the clear divide that's been there in the past” he answers. He mentions the Trinity Belles, Trinity’s all female acapella group, saying the two groups have had joint rehearsals and even recorded a few songs together. Gilligan tells me the plan is to have much more interaction with the Belles in the future, though he points out that a merit of an all male group is the sound blend with all the lower voices. Gilligan also calls the group "fundamentally unserious” when inquire about what he thinks makes the Trinitones so special. “It's a different kind of music, especially from all the other music societies in college like the more formal serious choral society” he says, adding that “it's so personal every song that we do, it's like, this feels like an arrangement done by a different generation”. Arrangements are key for the Trinitones and Gilligan shares that he recently mandated, no matter how good or bad they were, that each member of the group had to submit an arrangement of their own. would be remiss to not ask Gilligan about the viral achievements of the Trinitones who boast 135k followers on Instagram and an eye watering 292.7k on Tiktok with numerous videos gaining millions of views. Though the group was founded in 2014, Gilligan tells me the uptick in virality began in 2016/2017, when social media opened the group to “what could be and what was possible”.
Though Gilligan jokes that he is
haunted by the Trinitone’s viral Beautiful Girls rendition, he insists “it's come full circle now, it’s love, it comes from a place of love” and that the videos have “sparked incredible opportunities” for the group. Some of these opportunities include performing at weddings, places like Whelans, touring the world, and most recently a French perfume ad in Galway. The Trinitones also hold a charity gig each term, the one this past December raising over €1,300 for the Mater Foundation.
The Trinitones have much to look forward to, Gilligan tells me. They have just recorded their first full length album and hope to release it sometime this year. They had previously released an EP, the capstone project of former Trinitone Johnny Mason. They also are in the planning stages of a trip to tour America this upcoming summer. Trips like these are clear highlights of being a Trinitone, as Gilligan shares a story about performing ‘Danny Boy’ in a GAA club in Buenos Aires and “these Irish expats, they would just have a tear to their eye hearing the traditional songs”. When I ask about the legacy of the Trinitones, Gilligan says “you're always building on what came before” adding, “what I like is grounding us in the college, that people know us personally. That we’re not this kind of ethereal entity.” He also tells me, “every time we perform, we’re always the people having the most fun.” It’s clear to me how much the Trinitones mean to Gilligan and how much we have to look forward to with them filling college up with what Gilligan describes as “pure craic”. It seems uncovering the mystery of the Trinitones makes them no less alluring and perhaps makes them altogether more enchanting.
The Year of the Snake: A Look at the Lunar New Year Traditions in Trinity and Beyond
Lotta Scheffel
In late January of 2025, a round of celebrations took the world by storm. Lunar New Year celebrates the beginning of the new year according to Lunar calendars – that is, calendars that are based on the cycles of the moon. Most celebrations take place in late January to early February. This year, January 29th saw the beginning of the Year of the Snake. Naturally, Trinity‘s vibrant student body celebrated the occasion in style as well. A variety of societies honoured the Lunar New Year with themed events. The Southeast Asian Society (DUSEAS) honoured the occasion by hosting their traditional dinner party off-campus. “This year, we collaborated with RCSI Southeast Asian Society, Malaysian Student Association of Ireland (MYSAI), and Malaysian Medics International Ireland and had dinner
and karaoke in Han Yang Court” says Paul O’Brien. The secretary of the society points to the large Chinese influence on the celebration, particularly in Malaysia and Singapore.
Trinity’s Korean Society had organised a series of seven Seollal-themed events over the course of three weeks. These included a dinner and karaoke party at a Korean restaurant, as well as language workshops, a traditional dance class and performance, a hanbok try-on and collaborations such as traditional games night with DU Gamers and crocheting norigae with KnitSoc. “I felt that it was very important to collaborate with societies who have the same interests but have not been accustomed to traditional games, such as gonggi, yut nori and gostop, or seen norigae before”, says Alison Zobenko, the chairperson
of the society. Regarding the success of their events, she expresses that the society “popped off this year with providing a mixture of events and experiences by incorporating what people love as well as what they have never done before!” Seollal celebrates the beginning of the Korean new year, which typically lasts for three days. The celebration usually coincides with the Chinese New Year and incorporates numerous traditions, such as eating traditional foods and gestures honouring elders and ancestors. While the South Asian Society did not celebrate the Lunar New Year this time of the year, they honour a variety of celebrations of South Asian countries that take place all year long. “While these occur at different times of the year, they share the common themes of renewal, family, and festivity,
much like Lunar New Year”, says a spokesperson for the society. Last November, the society collaborated with DUSEAS in their Diya painting event to honour Diwali, a festivity celebrated in India and Nepal.
Beyond Trinity, there were numerous celebrations that honoured the year of the snake around Dublin. Dublin Lunar New Year is an association that aims to strengthen the understanding of Asian culture and traditions in Dublin. This year, their extensive lineup of events included a variety of film screenings, workshops and the closing celebration on Sunday the 2nd of February in Temple Bar. An exhibition on the twelve zodiac animals is still on at the Chester Beatty until the 23rd of March. “It is fantastic to see how active Dublin is in terms of the Lunar New Year celebrations
throughout the city”, says Alison Zobenko of the Korean Society. While there is no one way to celebrate the Lunar New Year, it is often used synonymously with the Chinese New Year. The Chinese Lunar Calendar assigns an animal off their zodiac calendar to each year. This year is the year of the snake (which has to mean that Reputation (Taylor’s Version) will finally drop this year). Ultimately, Lunar New Year is an umbrella term for celebrations taking place throughout Asian cultures that celebrate traditions and new beginnings. With celebrations having come to a close this year, we can look forward to welcoming the year of the horse in February of 2026!
Trinity Sustainability’s secondhand book sale, held in the Exam Hall in Front Square on February 11-13, was a huge hit. Students and staff donated books in various subjects. To make the experience as seamless as possible for visitors, the books were sorted and priced by a group of volunteers aiming to raise money for the College libraries. Tuesday’s entry fee for the sale was three euro, but Wednesday and Thursday had free admission. On Thursday, all books were sold at half price. With most books priced around 1-3 euro, the sale had
something for everyone on every budget. In addition to the sale, a rare book auction took place on Tuesday, with iconic books such as Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor and William Blake’s Song of Innocence on the block. Hundreds of students and staff were seen leaving the exam hall with large SuperValu bags or cardboard boxes filled to the brim with books. Book lovers were presented with rows of novels on every subject one could think of, whether a buyer was looking for some light reading, research material, or a new graphic novel.
Many students seemed excited to acquire new reading material in a sustainable way. The secondhand book sale is a great way to support the College sustainably that doesn’t break the bank (especially on a student budget). With the average price of a paperback book ranging from 10-20 euro, students can instead attend the book sale, also helping the environment, without going broke. In the Exam Hall, tables overflowed with gently used treasures and well-worn classics. After sorting through the stacks amid the excited murmur of fellow bar-
gain-hunters for about an hour, I managed to unearth some gems. I left with five books (only costing me eight euro), some of my favourites including a Hank Williams biography and a Behind-theScenes opus on Audrey Hepburn and the making of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. My most treasured find was an account from Irish author Helen Murray on the politics and history of women’s lingerie, entitled What Lies Beneath. Second-year Political Science and Social Policy student Isabelle Slentz also left the sale with a few of her own unique finds.
“I found one very cool book about my favourite artist, Chagall. And loved how interesting the history section was,” she noted. There was also a big focus on Irish literature and Irish fiction, with titles by James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and Seamus Heaney for sale, to name a few. If you’re into niche literary finds and aren’t inclined to spend an arm and a leg on a paperback novel at Hodges Figgis, make sure to check out the Second-Hand book sale next year.
