UO the uNiversity observer
ABOVE A PENSIVE DUCK PONDERS LIFE BY UCD’S SECRET LAKE Photo louise flANAGAN
STUDENT PARENTS NAVIGATING THE TRICKY PATH OF BEING A STUDENT AND PARENT orlA KeAveNey P5
March 28th 2017 volUMe xxiii issUe 7 UNiversityoBserver.ie
REFERENDUM APATHY DELVING INTO THE CAUSES OF STUDENT APAPTHY mAtthew hANrAhAN P11
sports clUBs see sigNificaNt fUNDiNg cUts eithNe dodd oNliNe News & feAtures editor THe uCD Athletic union Council (AuC) has stated that it can no longer fund major capital items for clubs. They claimed this was due to the fact the university has not increased the AuC grant in 8 years, in spite of increased membership numbers, activity levels and costs during that time. At an executive committee meeting held last December, the AuC decided to review grant applications received from sports clubs. The AuC stated that from 2017, sports clubs would have to complete a special grant application to the student Activities Committee (sAC). In an email sent out in December, uCD Mountaineering Club were informed that they were ineligible to receive a grant this year, in spite of the fact that they’ve been receiving a grant from the AuC since the club’s inception. Other outdoor-based sports clubs have also admitted that the grant would negatively affect their ability to hold events. However a number were worried that speaking publicly might negatively impact their standing with the AuC. For each member a club has, they pay a €5 levy to AuC, which totalled €2,180 for Mountaineering per year, for which they would receive €5,000 in return. However, they now have to pay the levy and receive
nothing in return, which leaves them down €7,180. Their treasurer, Cillian O’Corrbui, says this greatly limits their means to run events. The changes in the grant system particularly effect outdoor sports clubs that have little or no competitive aspects to them such as the Mountaineering, Caving and Potholing, and Windsurfing Clubs. The announcement was made in an email sent out to uCD sports clubs, during the semester one exam period. O’Corrbui, stated to the observer: “we replied to their email within the day to ask for [an] explanation on why our grant was cut. We instantly got an automated email in response informing us that they were on holiday until the 9th of January. Their secretary offered us a meeting on the 10th of January but…we were on holidays until the 21st if January. [We] were not to receive any news on the grant situation for 6 weeks.” “At this stage we did not anticipate not getting a grant and it’s hard to do a complete plan for all the training programmes we are going to run,” he explained. “usually when we receive a grant this is not an issue as we have enough funds to run the courses ourselves but in our current situation it looks unlikely that the club will be able to subsidise any
training programme which will price the majority of students out of the course.” In January, uCD Mountaineering Club and Caving and Potholing Club had a joint meeting with suzanne Bailey, sports Development Manager at uCD sport, to discuss the changes to their grant situation. Following this meeting the clubs received an email from the AuC executive Committee saying that on the basis of the revised application and grant award criteria, the clubs were deemed not entitled to receive annual grant funding. It was also stated that while the AuC understood that mountaineering and caving clubs needed to travel, the committee would find it difficult to quantify the number of trips allowable. “The criteria was seemingly devised for traditional sports such as rugby, football and GAA,” said O’Corrbui. “As a result [it] makes no sense for an outdoors club. It states that all travel and accommodation will not be covered unless it is for training or competition purposes. This means that sunday hikes and all club trips are not valid in the eyes of the AuC. As a mountaineering club it is absurd not to go outside,” he continued. uCD sport staff were asked for a statement but has not yet replied.
DAVID NORRIS AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SENATOR AND ACTIVIST dAvid moNAGhAN otwo P16
LOOKING FOR SUNDAY INTERVIEW WITH THE WINNER OF THE MAEVE BINCHY TRAVEL AWARD melissA ridGe otwo P5
€50,000 to Be DiverteD froM clUBhoUse Bar roisiN Guyett-NiCholsoN editor A neW fund for student activities is to be set up, following an amendment to the clubhouse constitution. The decision was made at the annual General Meeting of all members of the bar this past January. However the amendment makes no specific reference to investing the funds back into the clubhouse. There were no management committee meetings held in the first semester of this year, although this is in contradiction of the constitution on the governance of the bar. under section 3, part x, the management committee of the bar must meet at “least twice in each academic term”. The AGM was also held outside of the terms governing the structures of the bar, which states that it must be held in the first semester of the academic year. The amendment states that: “where sufficient funds allow, the committee shall have the power to establish a special fund for the benefit of uCD student activities as governed by the Athletic union
Council, societies Council and students’ union. The maximum value of this fund in any one year shall be €50,000. The committee shall decide upon the process and criteria for allocation of this fund”. The amendment to the constitution was placed in the “any other business” section of the agenda at the AGM. This is a section usually reserved for last minute additions to the minutes. This decision has received some criticism from members of the committee. uCD students’ President Conor Viscardi agreed that the manner of passing the amendment was “unusual”, though he did note it was a positive development for student activities. The change was proposed by Dominic O’Keefe, who is head of student services. O’Keefe refused to respond to requests for comment from the university observer. Chair of the bar management committee, suzanne
Bailey, explained: “although the committee now has the authority under the constitution to establish this special fund, it has not done so as the committee has not met since the AGM.” she further noted that there is currently no criteria set out as to how the fund will be distributed, it will be decided at a meeting of the committee before the end of the semester. The meeting is expected to be held in at some point in the next two weeks. Viscardi noted that “it’ll probably be at the discretion of the three different pillar entities what they spend that money on within the space of the clubhouse.” The current constitution of the bar has been in place since the clubhouse reopened in 2013. The management committee includes representatives from uCD sport, the societies Council, and the students’ union.
MADE FOR STYLE MAKE UP TRENDS FOR THE SPRING & SUMMER SEASON otwo P24
MODERN PROPAGANDA THE DANGERS OF XENOPHOBIC MEDIA oweN steiNberGer otwo P10 March 28th 2017 1
News
News in Brief Alexander Glover & Eithne Dodd
DIT Students vote to remain in USI DIT students have voted to remain affiliated with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). 2,989 ‘Yes’ votes were received leading to a 91% landslide to remain affiliated. USI Vice President for Welfare, Cian Power said “this solidarity shows how the student movement are united together and want to remain together”. Voting took place on March 14th and 15th alongside the students’ union elections. Dublin Institute of Technology Students’ Union (DITSU) holds a referendum on USI affiliation every three years to ensure every DIT student can vote on the matter. In the run-up to the vote, DITSU took a neutral stance on the referendum by distributing non-biased information. This is a second win in quick succession for USI who recently gained huge support from Maynooth University. Maynooth voted overwhelmingly (95.7%) to remain affiliated with the national students’ union. Voting for the DITSU elections was held at the same time, with four full time positions to be filled and one part-time College Officer position for each of DIT’s six campuses. The count took place on Thursday, March 16th. Current president, Boni Odoemene, ran for reelection and saw off competition from Tara O’Brien.
UCD leads Irish colleges in World University Rankings
UCDSU to attend Ratify CRPD march this Thursday
Priscilla Obilana
eithne dodd online news & features editor
THIRTEEN UCD subjects are in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings. This sees am increase from last year, when UCD had 11 subjects in the top 100. UCD now ranks in the top 100 in each of the five major faculty areas: arts & humanities; engineering & technology; life sciences & medicine; and natural sciences & social sciences and management. UCD have two subjects ranking in the top 50. Veterinary Science ranks 29th overall while English language and literature ranks at 45th. Trinity College Dublin broke the top 50 by ranking 36th in nursing. UCC moved up in two places in the top 100 for nursing and pharmacy & pharmacology. NUI Galway also scored one place in the top 100 for nursing. This ranking is executed by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds), a British company which describes itself as “the leading global career and education network”. For the last 13 years, it has been ranking world universities based on academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per faculty member, proportion of international faculty and proportion of international students.
There are eighteen subjects from Irish colleges such as NUI Galway, UCC, TCD, and UCD in total in the top 100. A total of 50 subjects offered by Irish colleges are in the top 200. This includes DCU contributing three subjects, Maynooth with two, and UL with one. Additionally, there’s a total of 107 subjects provided by various other Irish colleges in the top 300, which is an expansion from last year’s 97. This comes as western European universities have suffered a noticeable drawback in the amount of investment in higher education. President of UCD, Professor Andrew Deeks in a public statement following the announcement, addressed this: “I am gratified that these rankings appropriately reflect the standing of our subjects in the Irish context, and also indicate that the impact of our research is increasing internationally, despite the continuing funding issue and the constraints to our autonomy”. The impact of funding cuts can be seen in the results of this year’s ranking, with Ireland going from 30 places in the top 100 in 2016 to having only 18 this year.
Trinity College Dublin vote for a neutral stance on Irish Unification In a Trinity College Students’ Union’s (TCDSU) preferendum on Irish unification, 55% of voters chose to support neutrality over Irish unity. Voting closed on March 15th. As a preferendum, the result is not binding on the union. In the lead-up to the vote, it was said that if there was a resounding response for a certain position, it may lead to a fully-fledged referendum, which would be binding on TCDSU. However, 43% of voters opted for a pro-unity stance which makes a referendum unlikely to be called. The decision to hold a preferendum came in the wake of Brexit and the implications it will have for students in Northern Ireland. In February, Kevin Keane was elected president of TCDSU and has in the past expressed support for not forgetting about national politics in favour of internal issues. Keane’s core manifesto points included increased engagement, empowerment, improving college and union services and reducing union waste. In the other roles, Damien McClean (44%) was elected Welfare Officer after a close race with Laura Grady (39%). McClean, a former LGBT officer, focused his campaign on accommodation, representation and self-care. The other four positions were run uncontested with Alice MacPherson (85.4%) being elected Education Officer, Úna Harty (89%) elected as the Communications & Marketing Officer, Jonah Craig (84.9%) becoming Entertainment Officer, and Dominic McGrath (86.8%) elected editor of the University Times.
DCUSU elections DCU Students’ Union (DCUSU) elections took place between March 21st at 9am and March 23rd at 5pm and results followed on the evening of March 24th. Niall Behan was elected President with 44% of the vote. Behan received 2,201 votes, beating Eimear Maguire (1,814 votes) in a tight race. Padraig Henry won VP for Welfare and Equality in another heavily contested position. VP for Engagement & Development was won by Siobhan Mc Tague. Brendan Powers won VP for Academic Affairs after running unopposed. Caoimhe Ní Chonghaile was the only candidate running for the position of Oifigeach na Gaeilge. Ní Chonghaile would like “to use the position to make sure Irish plays a more integral role in SU campaigns”. This year’s SU elections has seen one of the highest voter turnouts in DCUSU history but the number of candidates running for SU positions in DCU decreased by 37.5% this year.
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photo credit: Camille lombard
THIS Thursday, March 30th, UCDSU will be taking part in a national demonstration outside Leinster House calling on the government to ratify the United Nations’ Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). March 30th will mark 10 years since Ireland signed CRPD and has failed to ratify it in the Dáil. UCDSU Disability Rights Coordinator Lucy Doyle is a member of the steering committee that is organising the march alongside disability rights activist Joanne O’Riordan and Stephen O’Riordan, director of “no limbs no limits”. Doyle said that the ratification of CRPD is “long past due”. Over 100 disability organisation across the country have signed up to support the event on Thursday. “The UNCRPD doesn’t ask for the government to create new rights for people with disabilities as all other human rights agreements apply to them too, it simply requires the state to promote and protect these rights they should have by taking extra measures to remove barriers that may be in the way of accessing these rights” Doyle said. The convention is a list of rights concerning people with disabilities with the aim of improving their access to society, education and employment. Some of the rights laid out in this convention include the right to an adequate standard of living, right to participate in political and public life, right to work, and right to education. The reason the government has taken so long to ratify CRPD is due to article 12 of the convention in regards to equal recognition before the law as it has contended it must pass new capacity legislation first. However there is no legal impediment to the State ratifying CRPD. Since the recession, many disability supports have been cut including mobility allowance, motorised transport grants, and medical cards. Cutting these services, with CRPD ratified, would have meant the State breaching its obligations. Ireland is the only country in the EU that has not ratified the convention. 172 countries worldwide have ratified CRPD. Doyle stated “We believe that it is time for the government to stop pushing these fundamental rights aside for those with disabilities and keep up with the times.”
Campus News in Brief martin healy deputy editor UCDSU Election Results Announced This year’s UCDSU election came to a close earlier this month on the 9th of March. The SU sabbatical team for 2017/2018 is as follows: Katie Ascough (President); Eoghan Mac Domhnail (Welfare); Barry Murphy (C&C); Rob Sweeney (Education); and Niall Torris (Graduate). The president race saw four candidates vie for the role. Ultimately president-elect Katie Ascough finished with 113 more votes than second-place Philip Weldon, who finished with 1,318 votes. The other four-way race was in Campaigns & Communication. Barry Murphy comfortably won with 1,662 votes, nearly 1,000 votes ahead of second place Vikki Banach, who ultimately finished with 659 votes. Both Mac Domhnaill and Torris were uncontested and comfortably met the quota to be deemed elected. Sweeney saw off competition from Joshua GormanClimax, to win with 2009 votes. Alongside the race for the sabbat positions, two referenda were also decided by the UCD student body. A referendum on whether the SU should support any campaigns for a United Ireland was passed, with 1,995 voting Yes. The No side was defeated and received 1,167 votes. A policy referendum on fees was also held. 1,776 students voted for the “significantly lower fees” option, which finished far ahead of the other two options. 890 voted for a continuation of the current fees, while 598 voted for an income-contingent loan system. For full coverage and a comprehensive breakdown of the elections, visit our website at universityobserver.ie.
Aisling Tully elected Auditor of L&H At their AGM earlier this month, the UCD Literature & Historical Society (L&H) elected their new auditor. Aisling Tully, a 2nd year Law with French student, was elected Auditor of the society for the academic year 2017/2018. L&H is one of the largest and longest-running societies on campus. In her campaign for the position, Tully promised to introduce debating workshops for any student looking to get into debating, as well as workshops for students who wish to debate but use English as their second language. She also wishes to hold more events on women’s issues, as well as try to make debating more accessible for students with disabilities. Speaking to the Observer after her victory, Tully declared that she was “absolutely delighted” to be elected Auditor. “I was absolutely swept away by how much people believed in me and in my message and how far people would go to help me.” Crossover training with this year’s committee is already “in its final stages” according to Tully. “I’m so honoured to be able to work for every person who went out of their way even to vote for me but also for everyone involved in either campaign,” she continued. “Everyone has been really supportive of myself, Sinead and Dara… and so we’re really grateful for all their help.”
Mind, Body and Soul set to return this week This Wednesday and Thursday, UCDSU is hosting Mind, Body, and Soul. The two days will play host to a number of events promoting wellness and student mental health. This week marks the return of the event, which last took place during the first semester of the 2015/2016 academic year. The SU promises to host a number of free activities across the two days. A number of guest speakers and artists are planned including Blindboy Boatclub of the Rubberbandits, comedian and YouTuber Davey Reilly as well as musician Jamie Duff. Aside from guest speakers, Mind, Body and Soul will also feature shisha on Wednesday afternoon, along with a number of games in the Inflatable Olympics. A petting zoo is also planned, as well as henna tattooing. The event follows on from the previous Mind, Body and Soul in terms of it’s two day structure; when the concept was originally introduced by former welfare officer Maeve DeSay, it was held for three days instead of two.
News & analysis
News Analysis: How to get a Microwave
internatioNal
News in Brief
Orla Keaveney staff writer IN her campaign for the position of UCDSU, Katie Ascough’ pledge to introduce “microwaves in every faculty’s main building” was among the most popular items on her manifesto. However, the current SU has been working on this issue throughout the semester, and it’s unclear how much more Ascough will be able to do when she takes office. In an interview with the Observer during her campaign, Ascough did not have a clear plan for overcoming Campus Service’s objections to the microwaves, simply claiming that she’d “have to talk to someone” about implementing her ideas. While the ultimate goal would be to have microwaves in each main faculty building, Ascough said that priority could be given to post-grad research students in buildings where the number of microwaves was limited. There are currently a limited number of microwaves available to students on campus, most of which are owned and maintained by individual faculties or societies. Some usage restrictions apply – for instance, the Veterinary Science microwaves are only accessible between 5pm and 7am. Other buildings have a disproportionately small number, in unsuitable locations – for example, the Newman Building, only has microwaves in the Seomra Caidrimh, which is far from the main seating areas. Until last February, other microwaves had been placed in Newman without permission. These
Niamh O’Regan Eagarthóir Gaeilge microwaves were domestic appliances, unsuitable to withstand daily use by hundreds of students. Since the building manager would be liable for any damages caused by unhygienic or potentially dangerous microwaves, they removed the machines, listing “maintenance, ownership, and health & safety” as their areas of concern. UCD does not stand to profit from these microwaves, and could potentially lose out if a student is hurt due to faults or misuse. UCD Students’ Union Campaigns and Communications Officer Luke Fitzpatrick has been leading the efforts to prove that the benefit to the student community can outweigh these risks. In the Newman Building, Arts College Officer Liam Brady has been conducting a survey to find suitable locations for authorised microwaves. In terms of health & safety, a number of requirements must be met, including suitable ventilation, sockets, fire safety equipment, queuing space, and insurance coverage. While Brady’s survey isn’t yet complete, he has identified four possible locations within Newman. Regarding maintenance and ownership, the main difficulty has been finding someone to take responsibility for cleaning the microwaves. There have been staff complaints that students leave the microwave areas messy and unhygienic. “Realistically, the microwaves are going to have
to be cleaned out once a day to be kept in prime condition”, says Brady. The most viable options are getting a society or class reps to take responsibility for cleaning. When the number of microwaves is small, this is more manageable – for example, Arch Soc members clean the microwaves in the Richview kitchenette. However, it will be a challenge to recruit enough volunteers if the number of microwaves is increased. Brady acknowledges that students who “lose interest will not clean the microwaves when it’s their turn to... because let’s face it, who really looks forward to microwave cleaning?” Ascough is in favour of recruiting student volunteers to take responsibility for the microwaves, though she has not specified how these volunteers would be found. Despite these challenges, the SU have made significant progress towards getting microwaves for student use, and will likely be in the final stages of obtaining Campus Service’s approval by the end of the semester. If widespread microwaves are introduced during Ascough’s term as president, this will be mostly to the credit of Luke Fitzpatrick and SU reps from the current academic year. Ascough’s victory in the presidential elections was controversial due to her views on abortion rights, meaning it is possible that the delivery of her microwave promise will be a factor in maintaining the support of the student body when in office.
News Analysis: Katie Ascough as President place for three years, yet nothing substantial was done on it last year. However, Ascough has already taken a public stance on abortion before being elected, in a way previous incumbents have never done. As a result, the primary issue Ascough will need to address as Union President is that even on her days off she could be considered to represent the union. For example, if she were to attend campaigns to save the 8th on her days off or when not officially working, Ascough could easily be interviewed as UCDSU President by national media. UCD students, regardless of their stance on repeal, could see her canvassing for a pro-life organisation. As a pro-choice union, if Ascough campaigns at all to save the 8th during her year as President, she could be seen as undermining what the students have voted for. This would inevitably create an element of distrust and lack of faith in Ascough’s ability to lead a union. Ascough has stated repeatedly that she does not intend to take part in any of the union’s actions
Milo Yiannopoulous was nominated among 11 others to stand for election for the position of Rector of the University of Glasgow, which until now was held by Edward Snowden. The nomination caused much controversy, with a petition circulating to have Yiannopoulous removed from the ballot. Speaking to the student newspaper for the university, the Glasgow Guardian, Yiannopoulous claimed that in universities “intellectual curiosity is dead”. He also claimed he would help LGBTQ+ students feel safer on the university campus by banning the Muslim Students Association who he described as “representatives of a homophobic theocratic system”. Yiannopoulous has previously made remarks which have been degrading to all sectors of society and more recently came under intense scrutiny by suggesting that children could have perfectly consensual sexual relationships with adults. The other candidates included Lady Hazel Cosgrove a former Supreme Court Judge, Aamer Anwar, a human rights lawyer, and Sir Vince Cable, a former Government minister. Aamer Anwar subsequently won the election with 4,500 votes, Mr. Yiannopoulous received 533 votes. After his victory, Anwar stated that the students of the university had “sent a message of unity against hatred and bigotry. They want their voices to be heard they’ve fought for far too long and have been ignored.”
Fees announced for international students in Norway Norway’s Education Minister has said that the Conservative Party will introduce a proposal that would charge international students university tuition fees. State university education in Norway is currently free, not just for students from the European Economic Area, but further afield as well. Subject to particular prerequisites, some students may also be eligible for financial support to cover living costs. Free fee are also applicable to Master’s and PhD programmes. The only fee students must pay is an exam fee each semester, which also grants them access to the student welfare organisation, giving them a student card and reduced public transport costs, enabling them to use campus health services and so on. The proposal has not been welcomed by the National Union of Students in Norway, for fear that it will create a “payment fence”. There are fears that the amount of students studying in Norway will drop and that it will be a deterrent to those applying from outside of Europe who provide different perspectives and experiences, which contribute to the learning environment. The proposal is supported by the agrarian Centre Party.
Roisin Guyett-Nicholson Editor on repeal next year, with plans to “delegate” it to the Welfare and C&C officers. If Ascough intends to uphold this plan, she cannot then campaign for any pro-life positions during her year as President. However the campaign to repeal the 8th only highlights the wider issue that Ascough will face. Her ties to prominent conservative Catholic organisations mean its difficult for some students to see how she will represent them in a varied and liberal campus. The new President has never gone on the record as being against same-sex marriage, which had been seen as a focus of the church’s discrimination of LGBTQ+ people. Yet, writing for the magazine Alive! -- which has published articles against same-sex marriage -- ties her indefinitely to this stance in the eyes of many students. In her acceptance speech upon being elected, Ascough noted that she wanted to represent all students. It is hard to see how she can do this without renouncing her connections or work with groups that hold views that oppose the general student body.
Global clearinghouse for refugees Photo credit: louise flanagan
THE election of Katie Ascough as UCD Students’ Union President this month came as a surprise to many. As recently as last November, UCDSU voted to support a mandate to repeal the 8th amendment. This appears to be completely at odds to the position Ascough has publicly taken in the past. A noted pro-life campaigner, she previously participated in campaigns to save the 8th amendment. Ascough also writes for the catholic magazine Alive! and has worked with the online streaming service iCatholic. Her election sparked a significant and varied reaction on social media. There have already been calls for impeachment. However, this is not only impossible but also improbable. Ascough may have been elected, but she hasn’t taken office yet. As such she has done nothing that could warrant impeachment, because she hasn’t done anything yet in her capacity as SU President. It also undermines the number of students who voted for Ascough. She was elected fairly, with the highest number of votes, eventually receiving 1,431 to Philip Weldon’s 1,318. More people voted for President in 2017 (3,350) than in 2016 (2,085) or 2014 (2,431). This reaction does however highlight a significant issue that Ascough will face during her tenure. There are still a number of UCD students that feel utterly unrepresented by Ascough than they would have with any of the other candidates. This is a gap she will never be able to bridge unless she renounces her previous stances on abortion and her religious faith. This is something Ascough has already stated she will not do. This is not to say that a religious candidate cannot represent students. The issue here is that Ascough has herself previously opposed, or been connected to a number of different organisation that oppose, particular stances that the wider student body had already voted on and affirmed their stance. The union does have a mandate to support repealing the 8th, but it does not necessarily mean Ascough can’t uphold this mandate. Most of the work on this mandate this year was carried out by the Welfare and C&C officers and the full-time staff of the union. The mandate has also been in
Milo Yiannopoulous nominated Rector of Glasgow Univeristy
The Institute of International Education (IIE) alongside the Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education have launched an initiative to help reconnect displaced students with their education, through an online clearinghouse. The Platform for Education in Emergencies Response (PEER) will aim to help students resume their studies by providing students with over 600 scholarships, language learning opportunities and online courses. Eight other organisations are part of the initiative including the German Academic Exchange Service, Universities UK, and the British Council, with calls for more governments and organisations to get involved in securing this human right for students displaced by conflict. While there is a particular focus on Syrian Students, the IIE-PEER wishes to help students in all areas of conflict. Education emergencies are an extremely underfunded part of humanitarian aid, according to IIE, while education is also a crucial part of economic and personal development. The IIE has worked in Syria since the beginning of the conflict in 2011, and hopes that this new initiative can help further their cause.
UCDSU President Elect speaking at SU Hustings in the run up to the election
March 28th 2017 3
oxforD research shows iNterNatioNal stUDeNts coNtriBUte £25 BillioN to Uk ecoNoMy orlA KeAvNey stAff writer OXFORD economics, a financial advisory firm partnered with Oxford university, has released the results of a study on the impact of international students in the uK. In the 2014-15 academic year, the direct and indirect contribution of these students is estimated to have been £25.8 billion (€29.7 billion). This figure averages at approximately £56,000 per capita. It is also estimated that up to 206,000 British jobs depend on international students. The report was commissioned by universities uK, an advocacy organisation for third-level institutions. Tuition fees only account for one-fifth of the £25 billion, as international students, numbering 437,000 and making up one-fifth of all third level students, also spend substantial sums on accommodation and other living costs. not only do
they as individuals contribute to the economy, but visiting families significantly contribute to tourist numbers, particularly families of eu students. The economic benefits brought by international students is not confined to London alone, instead being distributed across university towns throughout the uK. eu students make up 28% of all international students and currently pay the same fees as uK natives. Following last year’s Brexit referendum, political analysts expect that most eu students will still be allowed into the uK, but will be required to pay the higher non-eu fees. Half of the uK’s third-level institutions have already seen drops in international students of up to 50% under the current Conservative government since they first came into power in 2010. The Home Office has actively sought to tighten visa restrictions for incoming non-eu students, which will be extended to all students from outside the uK. There are also fears that the perceived anti-immigration atmosphere in the uK will dissuade international students from considering British universities, having a knock-on effect to the country’s economy. Dame Julia Goodfellow, president of universities uK, stated that “we must present a welcoming climate for international students and ensure that visa and immigration rules are proportionate and communicated appropriately”.
UNiversity of JohaNNesBUrg criticiseD over private secUrity firMs ross wAlsh stAff writer THe university of Johannesburg has come under pressure from the student Right2Know campaign to disclose information relating to the surveillance of students engaged in protests. under south Africa’s Promotion of Access to Information Act (2000), the university has until the beginning of April to respond to the request for the information. A statement from Right2Know claimed “it is outrageous that basic information about the security arrangements has been kept from the university community”. The information demanded by the Right2Know campaign is confirmation of whether the university paid private security guards R300 a day to spy on students around campus and on public transport in an effort to identify and collect information on those students who took part in protests against increasing tuition fees. On the 2nd of March, enews Channel Africa (enCA) screened an account of private security firms being hired by the university of Johannesburg. They went undercover around the campus and gathered information such as the names, appearances, and conversations of any student who engaged in the #FeesMustFall protests. The information was released on enCA‘s investigative show Checkpoint. According to one guard, he was paid R300 a day to take notes while on the inter-campus buses and identify the names and faces of protesters. According to the statement released by Right2Know, they said “more and more‚ as university managements have resorted to private security to militarise campuses‚ they have become accountable only to themselves‚ while putting low-paid workers on the frontline to manage the crisis for them”.
Oxford University
stUDeNts iN Nigeria priMe targets for poNzi scheMes ClAudiA dAlby nIGeRIA has witnessed a rise in the number of Ponzi schemes in operation to lure citizens, and students in particular, to invest money using tactics of promising returns and fast, easy cash. Over 4,000 students at the Osten state university had invested money into schemes run by Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox (MMM), which announced its closure in December 2016. This has left about 3 million nigerians, including students, without their initial investments totalling us$570 million. A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment scheme that promises high rates of return with little risk – and for people in want of acquiring cash, these promises sound like the perfect idea for investment. The scheme itself, similar to that of a pyramid scheme, is based on consistently including new investors in order to pay the earlier bankers. However, at some point, the system is bound to fail as there won’t be enough money to go around. In nigeria, students are amongst those most likely to be targeted by Ponzi scheme operators. An ailing economy with a large unemployment rate for many people means a struggle to make ends meet. A problem for students worldwide is balancing time in university between academic, economic and social needs. A tactic used by the MMM was to recruit from
4 March 28th 2017
and network with student organisations, who would then advertise the investment to students. using video sharing to boast huge returns, word spread rapidly throughout the campus. Many students borrowed money from relatives and convinced parents to help them invest. However, the cancellation of the scheme by MMM in December 2016 took a huge toll on students who had invested – it emerged on social media that many had had nervous breakdowns. The university is insisting that students pay their fees in three instalments, or else they will be unable to take their exams, receive results, and graduate. The nigerian government has been accused by academics of not taking greater action against widespread harmful investment schemes. Professor Kizito Foloruno, provost of Arts and Humanities at the affected university, insisted that the government should outlaw these types of schemes, as students simply saw the scheme as an “alternative means of escaping from penury and poverty”. The nigerian national Assembly convened a series of public hearings on the matter and recommended that the economic and Financial Crimes Commission immediately arrest and prosecute the principal staff of MMM, outlaw their operations and have all monies reimbursed.
The #FeesMustFall protests, which started in October 2015, briefly ended in 2016 when fee increases were cancelled, before resurging after increases for 2017 were announced by the Minister for Higher education. The movement lost momentum in late 2016 after being accused of sabotage by those connected to the south African government and internal divisions. An increase had been announced in funding for higher education to the sum of R17 billion over a period of three years. Property damage incurred during the protests was estimated at a cost of R600 million. Right2Know insists that the covert surveillance is only part of the problem, complaining that it is connected to reports of assaults, threats and intimidation of the student body by the private security firms hired by the university. The lack of democratic accountability for these firms is hindering investigation of the reports, according to the campaign.
University of Johannesburg
News aNalysis: sexUal harassMeNt ‘epiDeMic’ levels iN Uk colleges JuliA CANNey
On 5th of March, the Guardian released a lengthy investigative piece that discovered ‘sexual harassment, misconduct and gender violence by university staff are at epidemic levels’ throughout third-level institutions in the uK. A series of Freedom of Information (FoI) requests made by the Guardian revealed that at least 169 allegations of sexual harassment, misconduct and gender violence were made against staff at 120 universities between 2011 and 2017. However experts of university sexual assault warn that the real numbers could be much higher. The investigation looked at survivors and victims who told the Guardian that they had been discouraged by the administration from making complaints, and that too often the perpetrators had been allowed to switch departments or jobs after an allegation, rather than face a hearing. For many survivors and victims of sexual harassment, misconduct and gender violence, the reporting process can be harrowing and rife with retaliation from fellow students, other members of staff, or administrators protecting the universities. While the work done by the Guardian has brought much needed attention to the issues of university cover-ups or ignorance, it remains to be seen whether or not their claims of ‘epidemic levels’ are in fact as
ground-breaking as they state they are. sceptics have highlighted that allegations must not be reiterated as fact and have the potential to be false, despite the fact that national rape services put the number of false allegations somewhere between only 2% and 8%, the same as other crimes. Critics have also cautioned against using the term ‘epidemic’, pointing out that while 169 allegations over the course of 6 years is a definite problem, it is not the crisis that the Guardian claims. Regardless of the headline used by the Guardian, it remains clear that the issues of sexual harassment, misconduct and gender violence on university campuses across the uK is an issue that needs a serious and concrete solution. Following an increase in attention surrounding the issue of sexual assault on American and uK universities, many have taken steps to increase education and awareness for students, emphasising that sexual assault and harassment of any kind has no place on a university campus. While statements, issued by the likes of the university of Oxford and the university of edinburgh, signal a potential shift in the attitudes of administrations, concrete changes to policy and reporting systems need to occur to ensure that all students are enjoying their right to an education.
Comment Is UCD doing enough for student parents? Juggling third level education with parenthood is demanding. Orla Keaveney asks whether UCD is providing enough support.
“The cost of childcare is the greatest factor blocking young parents from progressing beyond the Leaving Cert.” dependent children are in particular need of means to improve their employment prospects, yet they face the greatest challenges in completing a university course. According to the Higher Education Authority, 15% of undergraduates are mature students, and those with children are forced to cover the costs of both tuition fees and childcare. While parenthood is normally associated exclusively with the older generation, childcare also affects some younger students – in 2015, the Irish Teen Parents Support Programme (TPSP) helped almost 1000 parents under the age of 20 to continue their education, and acknowledges that there may be many more young parents who never access these services. Despite the supposedly “free fees” available to school-leavers entering third-level, the TPSP reports that the cost of childcare is the greatest factor blocking young parents from progressing beyond the Leaving Cert. This is a major issue that demands more attention to be solved.
After rent, utilities and transport, childcare is the fourth-biggest reason for dependency on the Student Assistance Fund, an emergency financial support for third-level students. Considering that this ranking does not account for the parents who never even start a course due to the financial strain, it is clear that the current system is failing to support all those in need. To help student-parents, UCD has an on-campus childcare service, Oakmount Crèche, located near the Clonskeagh entrance. However, the crèche only has the capacity for 120 children under eight years old, 30% of which are students’ children – the rest are staff members’ kids. Places for students’ children are means tested, as the combined income of both parents must be under €39,000. For those that get in, UCD only covers up to 50% of childcare costs, and the full price is charged outside of term. For parents that do not qualify for a place, or whose children are over the age of eight, no support is provided by the university. Despite needing to earn at least €400 a month to cover this subsidised childcare, student-parents are expected to meet the same deadlines as their
only parents who can make this difficult situation work are the ones with external help. Unsupported parents who have the more urgent need to reskill, are the ones who face the greatest obstacles. Compared with other universities in Ireland, UCD is doing the bare minimum to help its students with children: Trinity and DIT both offer funding programmes towards childcare, and TCD SU has a dedicated Student Parent Officer, unlike UCD. While the obvious solution would be to put more money towards child-care schemes, this seems unlikely as there are already so many demands on the UCD budget. Student parents are in a minority compared to other groups in need of funding, and when it comes to taking responsibility for other people’s children, the risks and liabilities involved make childcare a particularly thorny issue to get involved in. A low-cost option could be a society for student parents. Students have more flexible hours than a 9-to-5 worker, so could potentially form a network
to help each other with childcare. However, the vast majority of student-parents would be unavailable to organise a society with so much responsibility, especially when they are juggling studies and raising a child. There may also be reluctance to accept these measures, feeling that UCD would consider their problems “solved”, and cut the existing child-care supports. UCD would need to help out with the establishment of this society, and reassure parents that their needs would not be ignored. While the newly-elected Welfare Officer Eoghan Mac Domhnaill does not mention a stance specifically regarding student-parents in his manifesto, his “engagement policy” indicates that he will be open to hearing the concerns of anyone affected by this issue. The UCD SU Welfare Office can be contacted by emailing welfare@ucdsu.ie, by ringing 01 716 3112, or by dropping into the SU offices in the old Student Centre from 9:30 to 5:30, Monday to Friday.
“Compared with other universities in Ireland, UCD is doing the bare minimum to help its students with children: Trinity and DIT both offer funding programmes towards childcare, and TCD SU has a dedicated Student Parent Officer, unlike UCD.” childless colleagues. Many parent-students have to rule out the possibility of getting an honours degree because they simply cannot keep up with the readings and assignments, and any involvement in societies, clubs or volunteering is unimaginable. The
photo credit: Camille lombard
WHILE getting through university is a challenge for most students, few can imagine the difficulties faced by those who have to raise their own children while completing their studies. A third-level course is as demanding as a full-time job, except it costs money rather than providing it. On top of this, studentparents have to deal with the same childcare costs that overwhelm many dual-income households. The Irish employment market places a disproportionate emphasis on third-level qualification, and having a degree is one of the only ways to earn above the minimum wage. Parents with
Oakmount Crèche, UCD
Attack of the Memes With the growth of the Alt-Right, Michael Richardson discusses the political influence of memes.
or idea. They usually take the form of captioned images that are intended to be funny. In 2016, many of the most popular memes were focused on the US
“By regarding Pepe the Frog as a hate symbol, the Anti-Defamation League acknowledged the power of memes.”
THAT moment when… memes forego scrutiny. Memes have developed in recent years to become an influential and mainstream medium. However, they have for the most part been responded to in a way that is passive and uncritical. Their power and influence is not widely acknowledged. Many define memes by their silliness and disregard the entire medium. However, this is not the whole truth. The
“The viral nature of memes has been exploited by various internet fringes and they have been transformed into political tools.” reality is that we are living in a world where memes are a useful tool in the game of politics. A meme is a virally-transmitted cultural symbol
presidential elections and the rise of Donald Trump. The funny imagery of memes becomes potent when they carry a message. While there are no statistics for the number of people whose political views are informed by viral images that, for example, depict refugees as terrorists, the numbers of likes and shares suggest that the effect is significant. Over the last year, the viral nature of memes has been exploited by various internet fringes and they have been transformed into political tools. “Meme magic” is a term that originated on 4Chan, referring to memes that rise from the internet to have real-life consequences. To quote the message of one user on the website, “We actually elected a meme as president.” Although it seems a ridiculous notion to suggest that Trump was carried to victory on the shoulders of millions of slick meme-imbibers, it is certainly true that they played a part. The left’s mockery of Trump through memes gave him a great deal of attention at the start of his campaign, and when the right responded with their own memes, what will go down in history as “The Great Meme War” began. By regarding Pepe the Frog as a hate symbol, the Anti-Defamation League acknowledged the power of memes. The events of 2016 transformed memes into
a valid political weapon. The fighters in the Great Meme War engineered Pro-Trump and anti-Clinton memes to gain as much mainstream traction as possible. They used platforms like Reddit and networks of fake accounts on Twitter to push the memes in front of as many viewers as possible. Users of 4Chan believe their efforts ‘memed’ Trump’s presidency from a farfetched fantasy to reality. Although the lifecycle of many memes begins and ends within the forums that create them, that does not render their effects void. This is often the case with 4Chan, which has always had an outsider bent. During the early 2000s, vehemently anti-George W. Bush, it became a hub for 9/11 truthers and for trolling religious conservatives. The leftist hacking collective Anonymous group was born from these Bush-era boards. The boards also developed a culture of hardcore racist language; bigotry at first motivated by a desire to get a rise out of “normies”, but eventually fostering an environment where genuine racists felt at home. Former users have spoken out about how they were radicalised by the forums, how engaging with hatred and misogyny quickly made them more racist and misogynistic: like Pepe the Frogs boiling alive in slowly heating water. This may explain its support for a destructive outsider like Trump. This radicalisation of the vulnerable has effects in the political world. Perhaps 4Chan users overstate their influence on the election, and Trump’s victory is in a correlative, rather than a causal relation to their efforts. However, one should keep in mind that a guiding force in Trump’s campaign was Steve Bannon, who brought a great deal of knowledge about the power of internet subculture from Breitbart News. Former officials with the Trump campaign even reported that a team dedicated to monitoring social
media trends were in contact with prominent users of r/The_Donald subreddit, a conduit from 4Chan to the mainstream internet. Trump encouraged the culture, at one point even sharing on Twitter an image of a Trump-like Pepe the Frog positioned behind a presidential lectern. The media’s handling of memes has also been
“Former officials with the Trump campaign even reported that a team dedicated to monitoring social media trends were in contact with prominent users of The_Donald subreddit, a conduit from 4Chan to the mainstream internet.” premature. By taking ironic memes too seriously, and declaring Pepe a “white supremacist” symbol, alt-right meme-creators were granted legitimacy. They were also given something to laugh about, inciting a storm of #NotAllPepes in response. The premature response gave memes an undeserved status, and the trolls won. Memes have become an influential political presence that has real-world consequences, but the deep-seated irony and destructive, outsider impulse makes them a difficult force to grapple with. Treat them too seriously and the internet responds with laughter. The media must discover an effective way to fight the influence of memes, so that the trolls do not win.
March 28th 2017 5
Comment
Head-to-Head:
Should there be limits on freedom of speech? To what extent free speech should be limited is a highly contentious issue. Julia O’Reilly and Ross Walsh debate this topic head-to-head.
No
Yes Julia O’Reilly argues that certain limits on free speech are necessary in any society. A WORLD with truly unlimited free speech would be chaos. Consider this; should a prospective employer be free to ask the religion and sexuality of an interviewee? Should advertisers be allowed to make fantastical claims about the products they are hawking, regardless of the risks involved in doing so? Should psychiatrists publicise information about their clientele? The answer, of course, is no. Certain limits of free speech exist in most societies for good reason. The concept of free speech is one most stand behind, but very few believe it should be wholly unrestricted. It’s not workable. In any productive society certain lines must be drawn; be that in relation to peace or politeness. A claim that we need unbridled free speech for debate is most untrue. Supporting limits to free speech in no way means you are anti-debate or pro censorship. A fine example is Milo Yiannopoulos,
“Supporting limits to free speech in no way means you are anti-debate.” supposed champion of free speech/internet troll. Watching him on a debate panel is a masterclass in steamrolling and avoidance. He is thoroughly inept at engaging in any sort of real conversation and the reason is simple: hate speech is not workable with debate. Hate speech has no rationality. Does it not seem wholly unlikely that any individual who candidly possesses their extreme hateful views will engage in level headed debate on the topic? The wishful sentiment that their emotive claims can be overcome through rational discussion is naïve at best. The most important point on this topic is that hate speech should not be up for debate. Why should anyone ‘debate’ that women are just as intelligent as men? This is not a discussion. And yet, with the ever prominent alt-right, topics as such are becoming more and more prevalent. Furthermore, it is within the power of the state to put restrictions on the destructive actions of its citizens. We drive at certain speeds, we don’t smoke in restaurants and we do things specifically to avoid harming others. Those that do face punishment. How different, in terms of consequences, are the actions
we conduct to the words we say? Professing hate can incite violence. It is often said that the pen is mightier than the sword. Death threats, bomb threats and relentless online abuse that leads some to suicide are hard to defend in the name of free speech. We are all entitled to do and say as we please so long as we are not invading the freedom of others in doing so. Not so extreme, right? How can you defend unbridled freedom of expression when it is clear that this practice breaches the rights of others? The internet is a case study in total free speech gone wrong. The incredible platform we have been given, an opportunity for rousing productive debate and discussion, has been abused. Claims that totally free speech is the answer to debate, discussion and change need look no further than the comments under any article. Intended to be an extension of the conversation an article began, instead this section is often a hate filled mess. In response, multiple media outlets have removed their comment sections altogether. Like many of the sites, Vice cited the spew of “racist, misogynistic maelstroms where the loudest, most offensive, and stupidest opinions get pushed to the top” as their reason for opting out. Moreover, the Guardian recently reported that, on looking at their own comments section, there is a major correlation between how many blocked comments an article has
“Death threats, bomb threats and relentless online abuse that leads some to suicide are wildly hard to defend in the name of free speech.” and the sexuality, gender or religion of the journalist. There is no rationale behind this but hate. Here, lack of regulation hinders rational conversation and instead breeds more hate. Indeed, in some circumstances free speech must be limited. Intolerance should not be tolerated. Free speech as a human right should not be a guarantee if it undermines the human rights of another.
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ARTICLE 40.6.1 of Bunreacht na hÉireann acknowledges “the right of the citizens to express freely their convictions and opinions”. Although the Irish Constitution also contains ridiculously outdated clauses on blasphemy that impede on this fundamental right, the basic principle behind it still stands. For any individual to be unable to freely express their beliefs, provided that the expression of those beliefs does not conflict with the laws of the state as in cases of libel or slander, is a crime against that person. Freedom of speech is an integral part of the foundation for democratic society. After all, how can the people hold the power if they can’t even hold a debate? University campuses are fast becoming arenas for a battle between the right to freedom of speech and a perceived right to not be offended. According to the 2017 Free Speech University Rankings, 94% of third-level institutions in the UK restrict freedom of speech on campus, with 63.5% of them having
“After all, freedom of speech does not mean speech free from criticism or rebuttal” significant restrictions. This is made more worrying by the fact that universities are, at their core, places where ideas should be shared, explored, and above all challenged. When an individual holds opinions that are deemed offensive by the rest of society, silencing them will never work as well as challenging them. When you make them explain themselves, make them actually work through the intricacies of the conviction they hold, you can expose the weaknesses and holes in that conviction. When a university, or a government, tells them that they cannot express their opinion, the only result is that the individual retreats away from a debate and gravitates towards anonymously posting in newspaper comment sections. Refusing to place restrictions on free speech does not set the stage for a constant, unrefuted barrage of racism, sexism, homophobia, and so on, or prevent us from being able to fight back against such vitriol. After all, freedom of speech does not mean speech free from criticism or rebuttal. When someone
uses their right to express an outdated, offensive, or outright bigoted view, we cannot simply say that they should not do so. Rather, as citizens of a democratic country, or as students pursuing the expansion of our knowledge, we have a duty to use our own right to freedom of speech to call out and challenge those we disagree with. There have been attempts to frame the issue of free speech as a left versus right argument. The left are portrayed as radicals, silencing critics who don’t completely conform to acceptable worldviews while the right portray themselves as an oppressed demographic in society, unable to speak their mind on issues that matter to them for fear of aggressive backlash. In truth, both sides want restriction on what opinions can be spoken. Ask a Trump supporter if they believe climate scientists should be able to publicly discuss their work, or if a Muslim should be able to pray in a public space, and you will soon see that universal freedom of speech is not quite as important to them as they would like you to believe. Our universities, and society at large, could learn a lot from examining Hegelian Dialectics. German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel discussed the relationship between a triad of ideas called the Thesis, Antithesis, and Synthesis. In this school of thought, we begin with a proposition (the Thesis). Then, a conflicting or negating concept is introduced (the Antithesis). From the conflict between these two ideas, a new reconciliatory proposition is born (the Synthesis). Applying this logic to free speech, even when a controversial debate flares up, both sides will benefit, as even the winning opinion will be changed and reformed for the better through being challenged.
“In truth, both sides want restriction on what opinions can be spoken” When we restrict freedom of speech, we do ourselves a disservice by denying ourselves the opportunity to refine and improve our own viewpoints through challenging, and being challenged, by the opposing worldviews of others.
Rebuttal
Rebuttal DESPITE what those on the right and alt-right seem to believe, free speech does not equal speech free from consequences. When you utilise your right to freedom of speech you implicitly agree that the results of that speech are your responsibility, whether they are positive or negative, and you should be held accountable for them. However, if you truly believe something to be true you should have a right to express that opinion, and
Ross Walsh examines why freedom of speech should be unrestricted in universities and across society.
allow it to be proven or disproven in the arena of public discourse. Will the ignorant always change their minds when challenged? Probably not. But they will never change their minds if left alone to stew in their own bigotry. In honour of the late Martin McGuinness, we as a society should strive to live by his words of wisdom: “In fact, I would defend to the death their right to express a different point of view”.
WHILE it is indeed true that free speech is crucial in any democracy, placing limits are just as important. We need certain restrictions on free speech in order for our society to avoid chaos. Limited free speech is, of course, not an eradication of free speech. While we live in a world with such limits this debate is taking place, opposing opinions are being shared and viewpoints challenged. In order to fairly curtail free speech the restriction
must be justified. Having an opposing opinion or taking offence is not a valid reason. If the opinion of one coaxes others to cause harm then limits are of course necessary. Those with hateful outlooks on the likes of race, sex or sexuality are wholly unlikely to sway in the face of criticism. Yet, when freely discussed these ideas gain legitimacy and grow power, thus, this causes far more harm than good.
CommeNt passioN versUs profit The job market is changing. Aileen McGrath questions whether we still must choose between our passions and financial prospects. sHOuLD we live to work or work to live? should our choice of course reflect our passion or our career prospects? Very few have the luxury of the two coinciding and so ensues the age old battle of whether to follow your mind over your heart. straying from the more traditional view, this topic truly is a millennial debate. The majority of our parents were raised to go out and earn. Often to the detriment of personal fulfilment, the priority was to provide for the family. After countless
“Qualifications almost come second to this with a fast paced and ever changing job market constantly altering the applicability of your skillset.” generations being brought up with this practice instilled within them, the Celtic Tiger brought with it a newfound sense of comfort and stability. The question then became: would millennials opt to continue to strive for the lifestyle they had become accustomed to, or would they be the first generation to use stories of their parents’ hardships as compasses to guide them away from precedent? It is undeniable that this shift has come alongside a wider acceptance of studying more creative subjects, as well as a heightened appreciation for the arts and their career prospects. With the astronomical rise of the internet and social media, the scope and very nature of traditional careers are broadening. The result of this is that there appears to be less of a risk involved in following your dreams and, in turn, success in areas that traditionally weren’t viewed as substantial is more attainable than ever before. A revolutionary example of this can be seen
in the likes of those with careers as full-time YouTubers. While the idea of someone making a living off posting a video of their holiday to spain may seem foreign and incomprehensible to older generations, this just shows the extent to which jobs change with evolution of technology. not only are these innovators following their passion they are also making a healthy living from it. forbes recently named gamer PewDiePie as the highest paid YouTuber of 2016, with a $15 million pay cheque to prove it. networking has always played an important role in cultivating a career and today’s world is no exception. In reality, who you know and how you market yourself is more valuable than ever before. Qualifications almost come second to this with a fast paced and ever-changing job market constantly altering the applicability of your skillset. With heightened diversity in the workplace, many employers will look for employees who know how to make themselves adaptable and flexible, not just because of but also in spite of their experience. This idea of company culture outranking a more outdated work ethic has been identified
“While the significance of financial profit obviously bears substantial weight, it is not the be all and end all.” by forbes as one of the main methods companies are now using to lure in talent. It would certainly appear as though a passion for what you are doing would be in line with this method of forwardthinking. In an article posted by the Guardian, a winning argument for a focus on career prospects is that your college education should be seen as an investment for which you need a return. However, this is only really taking into account financial
profit and, more objectively, success. Does this investment at all consider mental health, investment in self-care or laying down the foundations for a happy and rewarding life, regardless of career or the earning potentials attached to it? While the significance of financial profit obviously bears substantial weight, it is not the be all and end all. As the cliché goes: money can’t buy happiness. Let’s consider the facts. A study conducted on the participation of mature students in Irish higher education rose substantially from 1998 to 2011. Mature students went from being a meagre 4.5% of part-time undergraduates to being a colossal 92%. It could be argued that an explanation for this sizeable jump could only be the desires of older generations to now return to college to follow
passions they neglected in favour of a so-called sustainable and steady career. Perhaps we are only now beginning to see that what used to measure success is no longer the same, and this rigid view should not hold us back from doing what we love. ultimately, success is attainable through hard work, drive, desire, and passion. Once this translates into your work, no matter what field, more times than not you will achieve this. Of course it would be highly idealistic to assume that everyone will end up with the ideal situation of both passion along with a shed load of money. However, the outcome that can be drawn from the above is that there is no better time than the present to take this risk. As the Bible says: “for what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
March 28th 2017 7
Business
Student Start-ups on the rise Ciaran Busby examines the bubbling student start-up scene in UCD.
IN TODAY’S business environment, many start-ups begin as student ventures, and there are many programmes around Ireland that help to support these budding enterprises. Here in UCD, resources such as the Innovation Academy, are offered to all undergraduates, post-graduates and PhD students as well as professionals independent of the university from across all sectors of business. The Innovation Academy; launched in 2013, is a branch of UCD, in association with Trinity College Dublin, which offers courses to foster the
“The Innovation Academy… offers courses to foster the entrepreneurial spirit of students across campus.” entrepreneurial spirit of students across campus. Its programmes aim to connect students from all disciplines to become more universal thinkers. In turn, their objective is to provide a practical and real-world context for academic effort. Although this programme was not available for the founders of DropOff, an on-demand alcohol delivery start-up launched last winter, there are innumerable other options to pursue for those who are nurturing the seeds of commerce, as Fiachra Fallon Verbruggen discussed with the University Observer. “Instead [of using the UCD Innovation Academy] we went through a number of other programs, such as Enterprise Ireland’s Competitive Start Fund (where we made the national final), AIB StartUp Academy, Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE), where we were Dublin City finalist, as well as securing loans from AIB, private individuals and grants from Dublin City LEO.” Of course in UCD, not only does the university offer these directly as an aid for start-ups, but it also helps to get businesses off the ground in the form of
the many societies recognised on campus. Belfield FM for example, the UCD radio station, gives students an outlet to express themselves on air about their specific interests, while also encouraging hosts to advertise and run their show as though they were a small business. Another more business focused society, the Investors and Entrepreneurs (I&E) Society, actively promotes entrepreneurship and hosts events on campus, training students to establish businesses. I&E also promotes business learning, by inviting in guest speakers who have established their own enterprises. Students can learn from the experiences of successful and determined professionals. Start-up businesses, in general, have a 66% failure rate in their first five years. This is a staggering figure, which may be combated by learning as much as possible from consultants and experts in the start-up field. One area that Isaac Aderogba, a UCD Business and Law student of BreakBeyond, a ‘rule-breaking lifestyle brand,’ discussed as being a challenge to
“The plethora of information at our finger tips has desensitised us to things such as advertising and media campaigns… the biggest challenge is inspiring engagement in an overcrowded market” fledgling businesses was that of gaining attention in an overcrowded market. “The plethora of information at our finger tips has desensitised us to things such as advertising and media campaigns, so, as a result, the biggest chal-
lenge is inspiring engagement in an overcrowded market. In overcoming this, naturally we have to evolve to people’s interests and we must remain dynamic.” For start-up businesses, then, it seems as though one must reach for outside help in order to rise off the ground and to be distinguished from other competitors in the market. Aderogba explained how “since the start, we’ve been gunning at it alone and after a period of time, we actually realised that things had started to stagnate. We were also very lucky at this time to meet the person who would become our fourth member; Dermot Kenny”. Gaining an additional member to the team helped to bring a fresh voice to the start-up and propelled the business further. However, when it gets down to the nitty-gritty,
Aderogba believes wholeheartedly that the main source of his success is from that of determination, resilience, and confidence. “I think it mainly comes down to self-belief. You’ve really got to believe that you have a winning idea, and I’ve been saying that to myself more and more recently. From that point, it’s a matter of hard work and consistency.” In his final tips to hopeful entrepreneurs, Aderogba recommends that the most important step in setting up a business is “just getting started. I know a lot of people say that so I’d like to differentiate myself a little. Take a meaningful first step. Although this may be difficult for most people, if you have an idea, act on it, before somebody else does. If that means seeking help from a programme or telling all your friends about your idea to get feedback, then at least it’s a start.”
The Imposter Brían Donnelly examines imposter syndrome and what can cause feelings of inadequacy with achievements. 1996, put it succinctly: “there is something about the very nature of achievement which makes achievers destined never to reach the top of the mountain.” For some, the dread of being exposed as a fraud is a double-edged sword, reporting that they achieve more to avoid the accusation that they are in over their head. However, as Ian McClean, a leadership consultant, notes, success can often exacerbate the problem. The more achievements notched up, or the
“Imposter syndrome is the dismissing of one’s own achievements as luck, or fluke, combined with the fear of being exposed before your peers”
WHEN paying tribute to the late singer-songwriter, Leonard Cohen, on his Newstalk show, Tom Dunne received a call from a listener, who recounted their story of sneaking backstage after a Cohen gig, only to find themselves standing before the very man. Flummoxed and awe-struck, the fan could summon no more to say to Cohen than “I shouldn’t be here.” Cohen deftly replied: “Should any of us?” Cohen may not have intended any more than an on-the-spot attempt at layman’s philosophy, but the anecdote is indicative of a repressive mental process which afflicts innumerable dedicated, intelligent, and successful people. Feelings of inadequacy, incompetence, or an uneasy expectation that you will be ‘found out’ are the characteristics of imposter syndrome. Thoughts of ‘perceived fraudulence’ are more than transient feelings of doubt during periods of heightened stress. Imposter syndrome is the dismissing of one’s own achievements as luck, or fluke, combined with the fear of being exposed before your
8 March 28th 2017
peers as unable to handle your job, studies, or general responsibilities. Recognise the feeling? It is far from uncommon. The term was coined in a 1978 study by two academics at Georgia State University who concluded that, among ‘successful’ people, 40% considered themselves to be frauds, while up to 70% of people experience feelings of inadequacy in relation to their careers at some point. It is an irrationally entrenched belief that you are not only fundamentally incompetent, but that you are also incapable of developing, professionally and personally, and overcoming your perceived weaknesses. Those affected tend to avoid long-term planning and goals and don’t adapt as well to new working conditions. Despite having, perhaps, won the praise of others for noble achievements and independent work, those experiencing the imposter syndrome may feel like a passenger in their own life. Kathryn Holmquist, in an Irish Times article from
more important the role, the greater the feeling becomes that you may slip up and your ‘success’ will come crashing down around you. Furthermore, the derogatory effects can weigh heavily on a sufferer. A study reported in the Journal of Personality Assessment in 1991 suggested that ‘imposter syndrome’ in young adults was associated with ‘depressive tendencies, self criticism, social anxiety,’ and ‘achievement pressure.’ Many of us deal with these emotions by ‘fronting it out’, however, this can easily leave sufferers detached from themselves, and convinced of their fraudulence, despite obvious evidence to the contrary. In 2008 then-postdoctoral fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Zachary Lippman, described feeling, while giving a seminar, “as if the sentences coming out of my mouth weren’t mine. And the brain controlling that mouth didn’t seem to be mine either.” While the condition affects all types of people, it has been suggested that women tend to suffer in greater numbers, and to a further degree than men, often leading many to ignore, decline, or avoid taking on new responsibilities and opportunities. Science Magazine has reported that, by 6 years old, girls begin to believe that boys are smarter -
seemingly a result of genius being culturally identified as a male characteristic. The issue permeates all cycles of life, not merely those in professional careers, and it is all too relevant across the student body. The incoming UCDSU team has a single woman, and across all 12 candidates for sabbatical positions, only 3 were women. Imposter syndrome is detrimental to people’s career progressions, academics, and assimilation in university. Students may avoid modules, society roles, or competitions in which they are interested because they do not feel they are capable. Graduates may not attempt to switch jobs, apply for their ‘dream job,’ or return to attempt a postgraduate degree, fearing affirmation of their perceived inabilities. In a classic twist, sufferers are said to develop the condition in response to how they were treated by their parents - where parents equate affection with success, and belittle any achievements which are not
“In a classic twist, sufferers are said to develop the condition in response to how they were treated by their parents” wholly and exclusively perfect, it is not difficult to determine the root of the continuous pulse of anxiety. In the Irish Times article quoted above, Dr Ciaran O’Boyle, then-Professor of Psychology at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, stated that people need regular feedback on their work, and personal communication from supervisors in order to tackle these feelings. Some sufferers have found that simply identifying the feelings as imposter syndrome helps to reassure them. Speaking to family and friends about these thoughts, and recognising the value of past achievements and efforts can be cathartic. It’s important to keep everything in perspective, and understand that your achievements are down to efforts and not just luck.
GAeilGe toghchÁiN agUs toDhchaÍ Na heorpa Tar éis gluaiseacht na Riocht Aonataithe agus na stát Aontaithe níos cóngaraí don eite dheis, an leanfaidh mór-roinn na heorpa a sampla? NiAmh o’reGAN eAGArthóir GAeilGe Le naoi mhí anuas tá an cuma ar an scéal go bhfuil nós polaitíochta domhan ag luascadh go dtí taobh na heite deise den speictream polaitíochta. Toradh Brexit, Trump sa tigh Bhán, agus anois toghcháin na heorpa. In olltoghchán 2015 sna Ríocht Aontaithe, bhuaigh uKIP 12.7% curtha i gcomparáid le toghchán 2010 nuair a fuair siad 3.1% den vóta. Cé nár ghnóthaigh siad ach suíochán amháin san olltoghchán is déanaí, méadaíodh a sciar den vóta
fá ceathar. Ba iad uKIP an páirtí ba mhó a bhí i bhfábhar an Aontas eorapach a fhágaint (ba é sin an cúis gur bunaíodh an páirtí sa chéad dul síos) ach ní hiad na t-aon “euro-sceptics” atá ann san eoraip. Le déanaí bhí olltoghchán na hÍsiltíre ann agus tá olltoghchán na Fraince ag teacht. Is leis an Ísiltír agus an Fhrainc beirt de na euro-sceptics is mó in Iarthat na heorapa, Geert Wilders, ceannaire an Partij voor de Vrijheid (PVV) agus Marine Le Pen ceannaire an Front national (Fn). Comh maith lena gcomhpháirtithe sna Riocht Aontaithe, tá tacaíocht do na páirtithe polaitíochta seo tar éis fás le roinnt blianta anuas. Ó thaobh olltoghchán na hIsiltíre de, bhí eagla ann go dtiocfadh méadú mór ar a sciar den vóta, ach níor tháinig,
“Tá na casaoide céanna acu vsa Fhrainc agus atá sa Bhreatain agus san Ísiltír maidir le teifigh agus inimirce cé go bhfuil cúlra an scéil difriúil ann, tá an meon agus an teachtaireacht céanna á chur amach ag an FN is atá ag an PVV agus UKIP”
ghnóthaigh siad 13% den vóta, ardú de beagnach trí faoingcéad ón olltoghchán deirneach, ach níl an méadú comh mór sin is a d’fhéadfadh a bheith. As an 28 páirtí a ghlac páirt san toghchán, gnóthaigh 13 acu suíochán. Chaill na Lucht Oibre níos mó ná 19% de sciar an vóta ó 2012. Fuair mórán de páirtithe taobh na heite deise ardú ina gcuid tacaíochta, mar aon leis an Bhreatain dhá bhliain ó shin. Rud suimiúil faoin dtoghchán ná gur gnóthaigh DenK 2.1% den vóta agus trí shuíochán, páirtí nua atá iontu. Bunaithe ag beirt polaiteoir Ollanach-Turcach a thréig páirtí na Lucht Oibre i 2015. Deireann an irisleabhar “The economist” go bhfuil cineál nua de pholaitíocht na féiniúlachta atá le feiscint anseo; rud mór ar clár an pháirtí ná imirce agus cearta imircigh, agus de réir staitisticí an toghchán. Tá sé ráite faoin bpáirtí gur cosantóir é don Tuirc, agus tá sé mar aidhm acu leasa na Tuirc a chur chun cinn. Taispeáineann torthaí seo nach bhfuil an cumhacht ar fad ag taobh na heite deise, agus go bhfuil laghdú cumhachta ag na páirtithe móra lárnacha. Cad is féidir linn a rá anois, faoin gcuid eile den eoraip? Castar go dtí an Fhrainc, agus toghchán na huachtarántachta agus i ndiadh sin an toghchán reachtach. Faoi láthair is é Francois Hollande ón bpáirtí sóisialach atá i bPálás an elysée, ach cé a bheidh ann ina dhiadh? Tá na casaoide céanna acu vsa Fhrainc agus atá sa Bhreatain agus san Ísiltír maidir le teifigh agus inimirce cé go bhfuil cúlra an scéil difriúil ann, tá an meon agus an teachtaireacht céanna á chur amach ag an Fn is atá ag an PVV agus uKIP. Tá aon dhuine dhéag ar tóir na huachtarántachta i mbliana agus de réir na bpollaí, is idir Le Pen ón Fn, agus Macron, lena pháirtí en Marche! Tá tacaíocht do pháirtí an Fn tar éis fás go mór ó am a bhunú. Tá an páirtí go mór i gcoinne an Ae agus suite go mór ar thaobh na heite dheise. Cé go bhfuil an páirtí tar éis éirí níos measartha
ina gcuid tuairimí, tá sé ráite futhu go bhfuil siad frith Moslamach agus go nascann siad an Ioslam leis an sceimhlitheoireacht. Cé nach bhfuil ach dhá suíochán acu sa Tionól náisiúnta faoi láthair, le toghchán regiúnaigh 2015, ghnóthaigh siad 28% den vóta, agus le ardú in san sceimhlitheoireacht agus an ghéarchéim teifí, tá tacaíocht dóibh ag ardú comh maith. Ar an lámh eile, tá Macron. Bhí Macron mar bhall den pháirtí sóisialach, ach d’éirigh sé as chun bheith ina pholaiteoir neamhspléach agus tar éis éirí as a phost mar Aire eacnamaíochta, bhunaigh a pháirtí féin; le aidhmeanna atá go mór i bhfábhar an Aontas eorapach agus a dheireann nach mbaineann sé le ceachtar eite. Tá sé i bhfábhar polasaí imirce mar atá curtha i bhfeidhm ag Angela Merkel sa Ghearmáin de “fáilte roimh cách”. Beirt fíor dhifriúil is ea iad agus is suimiúil a bheidh an toradh. É sin ar fad ráite, is rud neamh cinnte iad na pobalbhreith, tá seans fós ann go tiocfadh biseach ar fheachtas Fillon. Faoi mar atá fecithe san Ísiltír agus sa Bhreatian, le fás i dtreo amháin bíonn fás in san treo eile agus bíonn roinnt i bhfábhar páirtithe níos lú comh maith. Is dócha go mbeidh trothaí an dara bhabhta níos fuarsta réamhfhaisnéis a thabhairt orhtu, ach don chéad bhabhta, ní bheifí ag tabhairt tuairim daingean ar an gcás.
Gluais
Eite deis- right wing olltoghchán- general election polaitíocht na féiniúlachta- identity politics na casaoide céanna- the same grievances AE-eU
caiDriMh tachta Tarlaíonn a leithéid de drochíde baile laistigh de caidrimh collaí ag aois na hollscoile, ach ní labhraítear faoi, roineann Niamh O Regan a cuid tuairimí ar an ábhar. TOsAÍODH feachtas le déanaí ag leagadh an béim ar an tábhacht a bhaineann leo siúd a bhíonn i láthair agus drochíde baile ar siúl, ach nach bhfuil siad bainteach leis go díreach. Leagadh an béim ar na daoine seo, de bharr go mbíonn deis agus fiú dualgas orthu rud éigin a rá le duine éigin nó eagraíocht ar leith. Is leannán pósta a bhíonn i gceist iontu ar fad, ceann dóibh cloiseann an duine atá ag tabhairt cúram do na leanaí an troid agus an drochíde ag tosú. ní bhíonn an drochíde teoranta do leannán pósta nó leannán óg nó meán aosta, ach is cinnte go mbíonn baint aici le muintir na hollscoile agus na caidrimh sin comh maith. Tá eolas faoi na hacmhainní cúnamh ar fáil éasca a dhóthain, ní gá ach cuardach ar líne agus bíonn an eolas ar fáil, ach ní bhíonn nós an eolas a chur i mbéal an phobal, nó fiú géilleadh go dtarlaíonn a leithéid de rud i measc daoine óga agus muintir na hollscoile. De réir suirbhé Coiriúlachta na Breataine, is iad daoine óga idir na haoiseanna 16-24, aois na hollscoile. Bíonn
breis shoghontacht ann comh maith le dhaoine ag freastal ar an ollscoil agus iad siar ó bhaile. Bíonn baol ann nuair a ngach mbíonn daoine fhiosach ar cad atá i gceist le caidrimh míshláintiúil acu. nuair a smaoiníonn daoine ar chaidrimh míshláintiúil, nó drochíde idir leannán, bíonn an tuairmíocht ann don chuid is mó go mbíonn fadhbanna móra acu, go bhfuil an íde le feiscint go rí-shoiléir. ní gá ach an oiread go mbeadh drochíde fisiciúla i gceist, bíonn a leithéid de rud ann is drochíde tochtach comh maith le drochíde gnéis, drochíde ó bhéil agus anois, drochíde teicneolaíochta comh maith. Is féidir leis na rudaí seo ar fad tarlú i slí ciúin, agus doiléir, ní bhíonn sé i gcónaí soiléir go bhfuil rud éigin mícheart ar bun. nuair a luaitear “drochíde baile” is minic go smaoiníonn daoine ar bhallbhrúanna agus ar shúile dhubha, ón uair gur shiúil an duine istigh i ndoras, nó cófra a fhágadh ar oscailt. Ach ní hé an drochíde fisiciúla an drochíde is minicí, is minic go dtagann drochíde fisiciúla tar éis drochíde tochtach agus drochíde meabhrach,
agus is orthu seo go gcaithfimid faire orthu agus go gá dúinn eolas a leagadh. Is annamh an duine a ceapann nach bhfuil fadhb ann le duine ag tabhairt buile dá bpáirtí, agus is minic go mbíonn fianaise de le feiscint. I measc na feachtais a mbíonn ar bun faoi sláinte agus folláine an duine agus iad dírithe ar mhicléinn ollscoile, ní bhíonn mórán de bhéime ar cad is caidreamh sláintiúil ann. Bíonn feachtais dírithe ar an sláinte meabhrach, ar drugaí, ar alcól, ar toiliú agus ar itheachán sláintiúil, ach ní ar chaidrimh pearsanta. Is in san ollscoil, nó i mblianta deiridh an mheánscoil go mbíonn an chéad nó an dara caidreamh seasmhach dáiríre ag mórán daoine agus mar sin is am rí-thábhachtach é seo ó thaobh cuir le chéile an íomhá de gnáth caidrimh folláine, trí féachaint ort féin nó ar cairde. Is cinnte go féidir imeacht chuig na seirbhísí comhairleoireachta, ach tá gá do tuilleadh eolais a scaipeadh, ionas go mbeadh daoine ar an eolas ar cad is caidreamh shláintiúil ann. níl barraíocht éad sláintiúil, níl an nós de bheith i bhfeighil ar gach atá ar siúil ag do pháirtí, sláintiúil. níl sé sláintiúil bheith ag magadh agus ag maslú de dhíth, nó ag lorg go mbeadh a gcomhghleacaithe ina sclábhaithe orthu. nuair a lorgaítear fíricí agus cás staideár bainteach le micléinn ollscoile, is in sna stát Aontaithe go bhfuil an cuid is mó den eolas bunaithe,
“Is in san ollscoil, nó i mblianta deiridh an mheánscoil go mbíonn an chéad nó an dara caidreamh seasmhach dáiríre ag mórán daoine agus mar sin is am ríthábhachtach é seo ó thaobh cuir le chéile an íomhá de gnáth caidrimh folláine” ní hé sin le rá nach dtarlaíonn a leithéid de rudaí ar an dtaobh seo den Atlantaigh, déanann, ach ní labhraítear faoi, agus caithfimid an comhrá seo a
thabhairt chun cinn. nuair a lorgaítear suíomhanna cabhrach faoin ábhar, is iad mná, go háirithe mná le páistí atá an aire dírithe, ar orthu siúd atá ina gcónaí leis an té atá thíos leis an drochíde. ní hé nach bhfuil sé seo tábhachtach, ach d’fhéadfadh go gcuireadh sé as daoine, cabhair a lorg ó na suíomhanna seo de bharr nach gcloíonn siad leis
“Ní hé an drochíde fisiciúla an drochíde is minicí, is minic go dtagann drochíde fisiciúla tar éis drochíde tochtach agus drochíde meabhrach, agus is orthu seo go gcaithfimid faire orthu” an íomhá an atá á chur amach. Ach Is féidir le drochíde tarlú in aon áit, ag aon am do aon duine ar bith. Tá sé de dhualgas orainn aire a thabhairt agus eolas a scaipeadh chun cosaint a thabhairt dúinn féin agus dár gcomhscoláirí agus ba cheart dúinn an cosaint agus an eolas seo a lorg.
Gluais
drochíde baile- domestic abuse Géilleadh- surrender soghontacht drochíde tochtachemotional abuse caidrimh míshláintiúil- unhealthy relationships ballbhrúanna- bruises sláinte agus folláine- health and wellbeing éad- jealously maslú-insulting íobartach- victim
March 28th 2017 9
features Making Sense of the Ascough Upset Billy Vaughan explores some of the factors behind Katie Ascough’s unexpected victory. KATIE Ascough’s victory was, to say the least, unexpected by many. UCD had its very own “Trump/ Brexit” style upset and like those events, it has prompted much soul searching about many things studets took for granted. Trinity’s University Times was quick to proclaim that the election was the “direct result of a student population who have lost interest in the world of student politics and have forgotten its potential significance”. This, of course, may certainly be a factor. But as with any unexpected outcome, it is unwise to pre-emptively put the result down to one reason. Specifically, issues over the 8th amendment featured prominently in this election cycle. But did it really ultimately affect the average voter’s intentions? There are reasons to think that it both did and didn’t, and unpacking this fully can help us to understand what the average UCD student thinks about the abortion issue, and its place in campus politics. Some have said that there is a larger pro-life support base on campus than thought, while others have said that many pro-choice students didn’t see it as a relevant issue this year. It is important not to stress factors like campaign success too much in what seemed to be a Presidential race like no other. There were four candidates this year, each with varied experience. The choices ranged from SU insiders (Hart), to sitting auditors (Weldon), and wild-card outsiders (Ascough and Bartley). Ascough’s policy promises were also somewhat uncontroversial, and yet if we look at transfer patterns, we can see that voters had largely divided into “Ascough supporters” and “everyone else”. By the end of the fourth count, Weldon had come close to matching her, rising from a very distant second in the early rounds. This shows that Hart and Bartley supporters flocked to Weldon in much greater numbers than they did to Ascough. The three schools where the Ascough vote was highest were also the three schools where the proneutral “yes” vote was highest during the abortion stance referendum last year. Support (or lack thereof)
“Ascough’s policy promises were also somewhat uncontroversial” for Ascough seems to be strongly correlated with each school’s vote percentage in the abortion referendum. This could suggest that a prominent issue for students was abortion. Another possibility is that certain schools are consistently filing protest votes to try and draw the SU’s attention to specific problems, either faced by their own schools specifically or that they feel UCD
is facing. While a certain measure of disagreement between faculties is healthy for any campus, the fact that Ag, Health Science, and Quinn consistently differ by large margins is a sign that more dialogue may be needed between the SU and individual schools. On a related note, another possible factor to consider is whether we, as a campus, are becoming a “college of faculties”, separated by outlook on issues such as the 8th amendment. Katie Ascough’s vote was certainly not spread evenly throughout the schools. Her vote share went from as high as 54% in Agricultural Science, to around 28% in Engineering and Arts. Ag Science, Quinn (Business), and Health Sciences proved to be major hubs of Ascough support. Is there a divide between schools in UCD that we are not paying attention to? Ruth Murphy, a final year English student, didn’t give any preference vote to Ascough. She says that a certain “outcast” ethos in Ag may explain why it bucked the trend: “Ag students get stereotyped a lot and many are not surprised that Ascough got votes there”. Kevin O’Leary, a 2nd year politics student, agrees; he voted for Ascough first, and Weldon second. He mentions Ag’s different student make-up compared to other schools. “By the very nature of Ag, it is made up almost entirely of people from outside of Dublin. This is where the Repeal the 8th campaign could ultimately fail: a pro-choice viewpoint appears
“An election that should’ve focused on a raft of issues essentially became a battleground over abortion.” popular in Dublin, but people from outside the capital are largely pro-life, and many are strongly opposed to the very concept of abortion”. He believes that the correlation between school election results and the abortion referendum shows that “an election that should’ve focused on a raft of issues essentially became a battleground over abortion, and this time pro-life won”. One thing that seems to have surprised nearly everyone is Ascough’s unexpectedly high showing in Arts. While it was still one of her lowest poll centres in terms of vote share, many would see the arts school as stereotypically more liberal. O’Leary was shocked at the arts result. “The Arts block is staunchly prochoice, as evidenced by the abortion referendum results, and I was flabbergasted that Ascough won there. The obvious excuse would be that Arts students didn’t know Ascough was pro-life, but that’s a bit hard to take seriously, since the results in other
schools all seem to correlate with the results of the abortion referendum”. Murphy focuses more on the fact that Arts was one of the least supportive of Ascough in absolute terms: “She had support in every building, though little in
“I don’t know however where Ascough stands on LGBT issues and that scares me.” Arts, so maybe more Arts students care about Repeal the 8th. Arts can be a less socially conservative space”. Another influence could have been the skill and efforts of the presidential candidates’ campaigns. Was this year a case of, as in other years, simply the most impressive candidate with the best-run campaign rightfully earning elected office for their efforts? Emer O’Hara, a final year English and History student, seems to agree. She gave Ascough her second preference after Philip Weldon. She says that Ascough seemed to benefit from keeping discussion of controversial issues to a minimum. “I think she ran a solid campaign which in large [part] shied away from controversial issues. She was shrewd and well-spoken and promised basic realistic solutions to everyday student issues. I respected her throughout the campaign. While I do not agree with her views I felt she handled herself with great dignity.” Murphy was also impressed with how certain aspects of Ascough’s background were not discussed as much. “I was impressed with how they could promote her as a charismatic sweet candidate as opposed to what she was so known for, which was being pro-life.” Those who say that it was simply a case of the best candidate winning argue that the abortion issue was not as important to the “silent majority” of voters. “It’s easy to focus solely on the abortion arc to this election, but it should be remembered that a lot of people still don’t care about the issue, and that Ascough ran on a comprehensive campaign that addressed every student and their needs in at least some way,” said O’Leary. “Students’ general perception of Ascough as the best candidate was what got her through in the end.” There was a general sense amongst some that the abortion issue had been “settled” last year, and that students had voted in the confidence that any potential candidate would have to work within a pro-choice framework regardless. O’Leary says that “to vote on an external issue would’ve been a waste of time when the SU is already pro-choice. If I voted for Ascough because she was pro-life, I would hardly have given Weldon my second preference. These two
candidates in particular, were of a calibre that could prove extremely effective as our president.” O’Hara also had no problem voting for both Ascough and Weldon. “I do feel some of the other candidates offered quality alternatives, especially in the case of Philip Weldon. Philip was articulate and showed promise as someone who had experience working with the university on issues already.” Murphy adds, however, that abortion was not the only contentious issue, and Ascough’s stance on LGBT issues also remains a worry. “Right now we know, ok, she’s probably not going to march for repeal but there are other sabbats, campaigns coordinators, and students that will. I don’t know however where Ascough stands on LGBT issues and that scares me.” Many people are saying in the aftermath that student apathy is simply the main factor. Since Ascough supporters were more committed, and the rest of the student body didn’t care about elections, she was supposedly able to win through complacency. UCD has indeed suffered from traditionally low turnout rates, with turnout for this election being about half that of Trinity’s recent SU election.
“It’s easy to focus solely on the abortion arc to this election, but it should be remembered that a lot of people still don’t care about the issue.” Turnout was also much lower than the abortion referendum of last year. “People were not worried that she’d win and so didn’t bother to vote,” says Murphy. “Many struck for Repeal and did not worry about the vote. I think many students thought that with three openly pro-choice candidates there was little chance of Ascough winning”. The electorate’s possible lack of knowledge on Katie Ascough’s stance on the 8th Amendment has also been a contentious issue, both during and after the election result. Many tie this in with the apathy issue, and say that people weren’t aware of Ascough’s 8th amendment views because they simply didn’t bother too much to find out. “I was very aware of her support for the 8th amendment,” says Murphy. “I felt it was the main thing I heard about her before the campaign but I know that this may have been just among the people who I spend time with. I know the College Tribune labelled her as the “Pro-Life candidate” and she was asked on multiple occasions by the Observer if she would march for repeal, but not everyone reads student newspapers.” If the 8th amendment issue didn’t feature as prominently as some might have hoped, it may indeed have been the age-old problem of student apathy. Murphy acknowledges that “a lot of people just don’t
“The Arts block is staunchly pro-choice… I was flabbergasted that Ascough won there.”
Photo credit: louise flanagan
vote. They may not care or they may not know enough about the candidates to make an informed decision.” No matter what side of the debate you are on, it is difficult to argue that the result was simply down to student apathy and nothing else. While low numbers did indeed turn out, this is not unusual for UCD elections. What is more extraordinary about this election was the increasing polarisation between schools, and student’s increasing differentiation between “the abortion issue” and “student issues”. In terms of the differences between schools, it seems the SU needs to do more this year to scope out the general atmosphere and specific problems that some schools face, and give more of a platform to classlevel SU reps. If this is the way campus is moving, it will be interesting to see whether the SU responds by focussing more on non-national, campus focussed issues. Ascough’s signature promise for more microwaves was derided by many, but it seems that it was a message that certainly resonated with students who voted. Ascough has, with a microwave in one hand and a ballot box in the other, made many of us question where the values and priorities of UCD students lie.
UCDSU President Elect Katie Ascough, speaking after her win at the recent election
10 March 28th 2017
features The Perennial Problem of Referendum Apathy Matthew Hanrahan looks for the root causes of UCD’s apathy towards campus referenda. what it would entail prior to this referendum”. Evidence for this goes beyond the anecdotal. In comparison to the last referendum campaign on whether the SU should adopt a neutral stance on repealing the 8th, the social media engagement was lower. The “UCD Vote Yes for Neutral” Page garnered 451 likes, while the “UCD for Choice” page, which supports the unions’ mandate on repeal, received 1057 likes. By comparison in the Unity referendum, Brogan points out that “UCDForUnity” “got over 550 likes Photo credit: louise flanagan
“We need to tell the students that the referenda are happening and when it’s happening”
Polling in Newman for the recent SU elections and referenda IN conjunction with the sabbatical election, UCD Students’ Union held referenda to decide its position on two issues: the first relating to the fees that the SU should lobby for and a second on whether the Student’s Union should lobby for a United Ireland. In the first case, 54% of students voted for the SU to fight for significantly lower fees, with a further 28% voting for current fees and 19% voting for income-based loans. Simultaneously, in the other referendum, 63% of students voted for the SU to take a stance in favour of a United Ireland with the remaining 37% voting against such a stance. However, many were not aware that the referenda were taking place and others weren’t clear of the reasons they should vote one way or another, in either case. Fourth year Law student Ause Abdelhaq said “I had a vague idea that the unity referendum was
happening, but that’s only because it seemed like a bit of a novelty. I didn’t find out about the fees referendum until the day of the elections.” According to Education officer, Lexi Kilmartin “a
“I didn’t find out about the fees referendum until the day of the elections” lot of people saw [the United Ireland] referendum as a bit of a joke and a laugh rather than setting the stance of the biggest single Students’ Union in the country.” On the other hand, UCD for Unity campaigner, Ryan Brogan, disagrees, saying “many students were at least partially tuned into the issue and have at least a fair idea of a United Ireland and
in about two weeks.” There was no official campaign or social media presence for an opposition. Brogan contests the idea that there was lower engagement. “We were not aware that we had a lower engagement rate than previous referenda campaigns,” he said. “On some of our Facebook posts, for example, we had over 1,000 engagements, with over 8,000 being the highest. […] We also have over 200 followers on Twitter, although this could be improved.” A satirical opposition page, “UCD For UK” was set up, and received 51 likes. According to a post on the UCD For UK page, it emerged “out of frustration with the vague, unsupported claims of the UCD For Unity campaign, as well as the attitude of the United Ireland movement in general.” On the issue of student fees there was no social media presence advocating any option. While social media engagement is an imperfect barometer for wider engagement, it is certainly at least a partial reflection of lack of information and discussion around the issues in these two votes. What role does the SU itself play in referenda however? Kilmartin feels the role of the SU is “to promote that referenda are happening, as the SU, we need to tell the students that the referenda is happening and when it’s happening.” Beyond that
the difficulty of the position of the SU is that they cannot advocate for any position in a referendum. “It’s a bit of a tricky one because in a way we should be providing the information but in another way we can’t […] so we did a bit of an information campaign through an e-mail, and we also put in a lot of time and effort explaining it to class reps so they could explain it to their classes.” The root of the problem according to Fionnán Long, a volunteer for the No to USI campaign, is “the constitutional procedure to initiate referenda.” Article 6 of the UCD Students’ Union constitution outlines that a referendum must be held 14 to 28 days after the Returning Office receives a petition of more than 3.5% of the student body. Brogan agrees that this might have been a problem surrounding the Unity referendum as “most students knew what they were voting for, although [there could have been] greater awareness […] through meaningful debate and discussion, which may have
“It’s a difficult line to tow and we need to be completely impartial in the referenda” materialised if there had been a bit more time and an organised opposition campaign.” Long also feels that this short notice period potentially “allows stealth campaigns” to take place. The sentiment overall, is that the operation of referenda are fair – according to Long “UCD referenda are very fairly administered - campaign funding, expenditure caps and [the] professionalism of returning office staff are fantastic.” On whether another body needs to be established to provide information about referenda, people have mixed feelings. Long feels that “an independent body would be great if it could be truly independent.” Kilmartin points out that “the difficulty with running a large scale campaign is people start crying bias if you start giving out information […] it’s a difficult line to tow and we need to be completely impartial in the referenda.”
Sexual Offences Act – The Sex Worker’s Perspective As the “Nordic Model” becomes law in Ireland, Rosemarie Gibbons looks at both sides of a contentious debate. THE Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 was passed in the Dáil on the 15th of February of this year. The Act aims to crack down on an extensive list of sexual offences against children and other vulnerable people. When presented by the current Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, for its second reading in the Dáil in October 2016, she labelled the act “the most comprehensive and wide ranging piece of sexual offences legislation to be introduced in almost a decade”. Part Four (Purchase of Sexual Services) of the Act has elicited perhaps the most debate between Irish activist groups, NGOs and TDs themselves. Coalition groups such as the ‘Turn Off the Red Light’ campaign have long pushed for the Act’s publication; whereas some sex workers’ rights groups, such as Sex Workers Alliance Ireland, have questioned the act’s attention to the welfare of the women the act will impact. The Observer spoke to Sarah Benson of the Irish NGO, Ruhama (who are also a part of the ‘Turn Off the Red Light’ coalition), about the question of safety for current sex workers in Ireland in the Act. “The legislation’s aim itself is not specifically about safety, though of course that’s a by-product of it, because if you reduce the numbers who are either exploited in the trade, and you ensure that resources are put in place to support people to end [their involvement] if that’s what they want to do, then you will de facto reduce it”. She added further: “it is something that we believe will make it safer, but we know that it [the sex trade] will never be made safe”. The ‘criminalise the buyer, decriminalise the seller’ ethos in the Act shows ambitions within the recent Irish legislation to follow ‘the Nordic model’ of sex work legislation. The Nordic model aims to decriminalise the sex worker and prosecute the buyer in order to ‘protect the worker’, by making it increasingly difficult for people to purchase sexual services, therefore decreasing demand. Benson sees the law as focusing on equality: “it’s about recognising the intrinsic exploitation of
prostitution, that [people who are] in prostitution are overwhelmingly women and girls… the ones who maybe have no support system, who are vulnerable through the care system, who don’t have other people looking out for them, who don’t have educational opportunities”. Critics of the Nordic Model, such as the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) and TDs such as Brid Smith, claim the legislative model makes those working within the sex trade “more at risk”. Smith proposed a now-defeated amendment to the Act on February 1st, arguing that “the reporting of violence, aggression and attacks has decreased among sex workers because they find complaints they make to the police often result in their being more harassed. There is no evidence that the criminalisation of the purchaser reduces the discrimination, stigma and violence experienced by sex workers. In reality, the Nordic model has increased the danger for sex workers”. There is still a somewhat evident grey area as far as how protected sex workers are by the new legislation. A controversial ‘public order’ clause added to the initial 2015 Act retained that loitering for the purposes of selling sexual services was illegal, whilst the Act aimed to decriminalise the sex workers themselves. This created a paradoxical law where Gardaí cannot arrest someone for prostituting themselves, but can ‘move along’ someone suspected of soliciting. Minister Fitzgerald initially defended the inclusion of the rule during the Dáil debates of the Act, saying “Gardaí will still have the power to move persons offering sexual services on from a public place, when necessary”. Benson says of the public order Act: “when the public order thing came up, we would have not only met with the Tánaiste about it, but we also [have] met with the Gardaí at the highest level to argue the point that this was a pointless legislative burden to put on the person [involved in] prostitution, and they accepted it.”
“It is something that we believe will make it safer, but we know that it [the sex trade] will never be made safe”.
“There is still a somewhat evident grey area as far as how protected sex workers are by the new legislation.”
illustration: Aisling mcguire
It was later removed by the Department of Justice during the committee stages of the Act. Benson remarks that the clause had “contradicted the initial spirit of the law, so I’m very pleased to tell you that that’s gone”. The issue of the now-removed public order, in addition to the legislation’s supposed parallels to the Nordic Model, has seemingly done little to placate its critics. An official statement by the SWAI on the passing of the Act (released on their Facebook page) described the Government’s push on criminalising the purchase of sexual services “a thinly veiled moral crusade”.
They further condemn the Act’s criminalisation of purchasing sex for the effects it may have on, and lack of alternative options for, “the migrants, trans people, single parents and others who turn to sex work in order to survive”. They further added that “the Tánaiste’s act contains absolutely no provisions to create viable alternatives to working in the industry: it is an empty gesture which will cause harm to the most marginalised in society”. With such different opinions on the act, it is still unclear how it will actually impact sex workers in Ireland.
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Features Pro-Choice Around the World As the debate over the 8th amendment intensifies, Emer O’Hara speaks to a Polish pro-choice activist and looks at similar movements across the globe. Abortion wasn’t always illegal in Poland: from 1959 to 1993 abortion was available on request, but in 1993 the law changed, primarily as a result of pressure from the Catholic Church. When pressed on whether or not she thought the government would move forward with proposed legislation at a later date, she added “society reacted so strongly, because the legislation was absurd, but the church will defend the unborn life until the last drop of blood.” The proposed legislation was subsequently rejected by parliament. An attempt to change abortion legislation in Spain was met by protests in 2014. Abortion in the country was first legalised in 1985 in certain cases such as rape and if the mother’s life was in danger. By 2010 the scope was widened significantly to allow abortion at 22 weeks in the case of foetal abnormalities. The new bill proposed abortion only
“The legislation was absurd, but the church will defend the unborn life until the last drop of blood” in the case of rape or if the mother’s health was in danger. While the government subsequently backed down on this legislation, a further bill was presented in 2015, which would prevent women under the age of eighteen from procuring abortions without parental consent. This was subsequently passed. In Angola, an upcoming parliamentary vote proposes to jail women for up to ten years for procuring an abortion alongside the individuals that performed the procedure. Abortion is currently illegal in Angola, but the proposed legislation incurs a harsher punishment. On the 18th of March, around
200 protesters attended a march in the capital of Luanda, carrying pro-abortion signs, and the protest passed peacefully. The proposed vote was scheduled for the 23rd of March but has been postponed. In São Paulo, Brazil, protests over a woman’s right to abortion were held in December 2016. A Supreme Court ruling in November 2016 decided
“An upcoming parliamentary vote proposes to jail women for up to ten years for procuring an abortion” to decriminalise first trimester abortions in certain cases, which set a precedent for wider availability of abortions. At the moment, however, the Brazilian criminal code states that a woman could receive up to three years in prison should she procure an abortion illegally. Abortion in Brazil is only legal in the case of rape, where a mother’s life is at risk, or in the case of anencephaly – a condition where the baby would be born with part of the brain and skull missing. On September 28th last year, women took to the streets of several cities across Latin America to protest for their right to bodily autonomy. South America is a primarily Roman Catholic continent and has very strict abortion laws in many regions. In the United States of America, abortion has been legal since 1973, however it is severely restricted in several states such as Texas, Ohio, North Dakota, and Arkansas. The Women’s March in Washington DC saw many pro-choice activists take to the streets to protest. The pro-choice campaign in the US have concerns that President Trump will seek to dismantle current abortion
legislation during his tenure in office. Back in February, protesters from both sides of the abortion debate attended marches in more than twelve cities, with anti-abortion campaigners calling for the federal government to stop providing ‘Planned Parenthood’ with funding, while the pro-choice activists gathered to express their support for the organisation, which provides many reproductive health services, such as pregnancy testing, breast exams and contraceptives. According to UN statistics in 2013, the most restrictive areas geographically are Oceania, followed by Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Europe by contrast, is one of the most liberal areas of the world on abortion laws.
Photo credit: zewrestler via wikimedia commons
IN the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, abortion is currently illegal unless the mother’s life is in jeopardy. The ‘Repeal the 8th’ campaign seeks to overturn one of the most restrictive abortion regulations in Irish law. On the 8th of March, a ‘Strike for Repeal’ march was held in Dublin and in various towns around Ireland, where women were encouraged to refrain from all work and attend the planned protests. Protesters were also encouraged to wear black in solidarity. It is not just in the Republic of Ireland, however, where protest movements have developed as a result of restrictions on access to abortion. In Poland, abortion is illegal except in cases of rape, incest, when the mother’s life is in jeopardy or if the pregnancy is not viable. In October 2016, around 100,000 women took to the streets in sixty Polish cities to protest against proposed legislation that would have made virtually all abortions illegal. The legislation was proposed by the conservative ‘Law and Justice’ party and was strongly supported by the Catholic Church. During the ‘Black Monday’ protest, Polish women boycotted work and classes and many dressed in black, as they held pro-abortion signs and chanted outside various parliament buildings. “Lena” is a Polish student, who wishes to remain anonymous, has been involved in the protest movement against the government’s proposals. She explained: “In Poland, we were fighting for the law to remain the same. Many people who protested believed that the legislation that is already in place is a good compromise”. “The Catholic Church plays a very important part in social and political life, and you are taught at school that abortion is murder,” she continued, “myself and my friends attended the protests and wore black.”
NEW MSc in Clinical Neuroscience Knowledge derived from neuroscience research in mental health, psychology, neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration is revolutionizing how we think about and treat mental disorders. A thorough grounding in neuroscience is fast becoming an essential step for a career in academic and clinical psychology, psychiatry, and careers in neuroscience more broadly. The MSc in Clinical Neuroscience is aimed at students with backgrounds in psychology, medicine, pharmacology, and other biomedical and neuroscience related disciplines. Students will have opportunities to learn through practical hands-on experience. This programme is offered at full-time at present and students can apply online via www.pac.ie/nuigalway / PAC Code GYA58. For further information please see http:// www.nuigalway.ie/clinical-neuroscience/ Places are limited, therefore it is advisable to apply early. Enquiries to: Dr David Mothersill, School of Psychology, T +353 91 49 3457 E omar.mothersill@nuigalway.ie
www.pac.ie/nuigalway NUIG284 255x310 12 March 28th 2017
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science The Bee’s Needs George Merrin tells us about the secret life of bees, and their many fascinating talents. BEES have been in media recently, and not just in Bee Movie memes. Studies have come to light showing us that they have incredible mental ability. Recently a video surfaced on Facebook of bees playing their version of football. The research was completed by the Queen Mary University in London, who trained bees to initially put yellow balls into a goal to receive syrup. They then used already trained bees to train other bees using three balls, two of which were closer to the goal but glued to the surface. The bee which
“Bees are cognitively flexible” observed this was given the same scenario, except none of the balls were glued. In most cases the bee chose the ball which was closest to the goal, i.e. a different ball to that which was demonstrated for them. This showed that bees are cognitively flexible. Bees are also social learners as they were 99% successful when trained by a fellow bee, which is significantly higher than if they were not. Bees are incredibly skilled at mapping out routes and are the only animals known to be able to solve the “travelling salesman problem”. This is basically where a person must go to six different places in the
“Flowers which contain caffeine are more memorable to bees than flowers without caffeine” same day in the shortest distance possible. Bees have also been used to create algorithms used by police forces to capture serial killers. Serial killers choose their victims in a similar manner to how bees choose flowers. Bees choose flowers that
illustration: rebecca kelly
are close enough to be convenient, but not so close as to alert predators to their hives. Serial killers tend to kill people far enough away to be convenient, but not close enough to tip off their neighbours and police. Bee venom, apitoxin, contains melittin. Melittin is a twenty-six-amino acid peptide, which erodes cell membranes. Because of this, it is believed that it could be used as a cancer drug as it could remove tumours. Nanobots, called nanobees could potentially deliver melittin to the desired cells. Melittin can also be used for the treatment of HIV as it can destroy the double-layered envelope that surrounds the virus. There are two main treatments currently being explored. The first is a vaginal gel
“Bees have also been used to create algorithms used by police forces to capture serial killers” that would kill the virus during intercourse, the other is as an intravenous drug. Bees have also been shown to be addicts. Flowers that contain caffeine are more memorable to bees than flowers without caffeine. Cocaine also affects bees. It causes them to over-exaggerate their “wiggledance” indicating that there is more food than there is. This makes more bees visit that plant and then pollinate it more. Bees have also been shown to exhibit withdrawal symptoms if they have been feeding from these flowers for a long period. But bees are under threat, and have been announced as an endangered species for the first time. This is because of various reasons such as pesticide use and the ever-looming threat of global warming. Global warming is advancing the pollination period meaning that plants come into
bloom before bees are fully capable of collecting all the pollen. Varroa destructor is also contributing to the decline of honey bees, especially across Northern America. This mite causes varroosis due to the mite sucking the haemolymph of the bee. Haemolymph is like blood and is found in organisms with open circulatory system. This can lead to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which is a major problem. This
is where most of the mature worker bees abandon the hive, leaving behind the queen and the juvenile workers with a large supply of both pollen and honey. This is becoming an issue. In the six years before 2013, ten million hives were lost to CCD, double the normal rate. We must do more to protect this species which is so important to us, for both food and flower production, and other aspects of our lives.
this phenomenon is laborious, as it is difficult to replicate high-pressure environments in which to study samples from the deep sea. An incredible ability to withstand pressure is only one of the interesting adaptions of deep-sea life. Hydrothermal vents provide valuable minerals used by humans and aquatic creatures alike, but these vents can reach temperatures of 400°C – just right for certain species of shrimp. Elsewhere, deep-sea life survives at 0-3°C, in depths untouched by light. The biological processes that allow life to thrive in such dark conditions are also fascinating. Deep-sea creatures produce bioluminescence from light-producing ‘photophores’. Species such as aquatic worms and squids release glowing particles to attract a mate, and certain fish species use their photophores to eradicate their silhouettes, hiding them from predators. Fish such as the anglerfish, also use their bioluminescence to light a small, flesh ‘lantern’ before them, attracting prey in the dark abysses of the deepest seas. We’ve only scratched the surface
behind wherever they go, and our forays into the deep sea are no exception. We have over-fished our surface waters to such an extent that we must harvest the fish of the deep sea – how long will it be until we have plundered its depths of all it has to offer? Fish stocks, valuable substances, even scientific samples – we steal from the deep
Into The Abyss The deep sea is the last unexplored place on earth. Ellen Nugent takes the plunge. A LITTLE under 150 years ago, the HMS Challenger set out on a voyage that would set in motion a time of global deep-sea discovery. This expedition gathered evidence of life in the deepest ocean regions, and research continues today in order to fully understand the biodiversity and adaptions of deep-sea life. The deep sea begins 200 metres below the surface of the ocean. Extending to depths of over 10,000 metres in areas such as the Mariana Trench, the deep sea forms the largest environment on earth. This domain is immense, but what has prompted the flood of research into its depths since the Challenger’s travels? The deep sea contains numerous unique habitats and life forms, providing an unparalleled
opportunity for research and use of deep-sea resources. The use of deep-water fishing has become more widespread with the improvement of fishing technology, allowing us to compensate for
“Scientists don’t yet fully understand the adaptions of deep-sea creatures that allow them to withstand such pressure” declines in shallow-water fish populations. The deep sea also contains valuable mineral deposits: mining operations are in place to supply metals such as nickel, copper and cobalt, which are required in developing countries. Deep-sea oil and gas reserves would contribute to the global fossil fuel demand: frozen methane, a potential energy source, is present in the deep sea in vast quantities. It’s clear from these few examples alone that deep-sea resources pose countless advantages to human activity. This is not including the scientific research into the unique geological structures, or biological and chemical features of deep-sea life and environments. For every 10 metres we descend below the ocean surface, pressure increases by 14.5 pounds per square inch (psi). At its most shallow, life in the deep sea must survive the crushing weight of 290 psi. In the Mariana Trench, life exists despite the crippling stress of more than 15,000 psi. Creatures in the deepest reaches of the ocean have somehow adapted to survive, and flourish, in these unimaginable conditions. Scientists don’t yet fully understand the adaptions of deep-sea creatures that allow them to withstand such pressure. It is thought that chemical stabilizers in the cells of these creatures prevent high pressure from affecting their body structure, such as trimethylamine oxide – which is also responsible for the distinctive smell of fish. Research into
“Hydrothermal vents provide valuable minerals used by humans and aquatic creatures alike” of the many amazing features of undersea life – glowing sharks hunt near sea squirts concealing cancer-killing bacteria, while miniscule plankton float in total darkness, serene in one of the least inhabitable conditions on earth. The deep sea, and all its wonderful (and often incredibly hideous) inhabitants are in danger, however. You’ve heard all the dangers of climate change to our oceans mentioned before, and the dangers posed by increasing oceanic temperatures and acidity. It should be mentioned, however, that the current decrease in deep-sea oxygen due to climate change would do serious damage to the amazing creatures mentioned above. Very few of them would benefit from a decrease in oxygen, and those species that thrive would be mostly jellyfish. Humans tend to leave a trail of destruction
“Glowing sharks hunt near sea squirts concealing cancer-killing bacteria, while miniscule plankton float in total darkness, serene in one of the least inhabitable conditions on earth” ocean without restraint, often using destructive and wasteful techniques. Humans have so many inventive ways of polluting the deep sea, including the millions of tonnes of waste we dump into the ocean every year. What can we do to remedy the problem? Is it already too late? The deep sea has so much potential for scientific discovery and research, and so many resources that we can make use of. It’s been established that humankind isn’t very careful about how it gets these resources, but perhaps there is the opportunity to make use of different technologies? There is opportunity for restoration in certain areas: deep-sea fish stocks will increase over time if overfishing is prevented, but resources such as valuable minerals were formed over many thousands of years. Efforts to repair the damage we have already done will be costly, and will likely be slow and face much resistance. It is important that efforts to protect and repair deep-sea environments are supported and understood. We must also continue our fight against climate change, and humankind’s neglectful attitude towards the world we live in, on a local and global scale. If nothing else, do it for a future where the deep sea is more than an exclusive jellyfish club.
illustration: rebecca kelly
March 28th 2017 13
SCience
Do Not Try This At Home Music on the Brain
Orla Sherwood uncovers the world’s most extreme chemistry.
WHEN we consider chemicals, we imagine a wide group composed of liquids, powders, medicines and poisons. Chemicals in our lives range from the acetic acid (vinegar) on our chips to household bleach. The necessity of these substances in every facet of our lives makes it imperative to learn more about them. We all know that too much acetic acid will make our chips bitter, but what about too much fluoroantimonic acid? This acid is the strongest known acid in the world, meaning that an innocent spill will melt everything in sight…. even fingers if you are the unlucky researcher. So how do we study the most extreme and dangerous chemicals in the world and what are they? Fluoroantimonic acid is the mystery member of the acids. We know very little about it apart from its reluctance to be studied. It melts glass, any safety equipment designed to date and can melt
“It melts glass, any safety equipment designed to date and can melt through bones” through bones, making researchers understandably reluctant to put themselves in the line of fire. Mentioning the line of fire, let us not forget the wonderful world of explosives. Extreme explosives are those which explode following the slightest pressure; exposure to water, sunlight or just doing absolutely nothing. Azidoazide azide is a member of this group and
Music is a huge part of our lives. Emmet Feerick explores how it affects us.
is composed predominantly of nitrogen atoms. Nitrogen atoms usually travel in pairs joined by an immensely stable triple bond. Nitrogens joined by this bond are separated only when struck by lightning. However the chemical azidoazide azide has zero triple bonds and relentlessly seeks to react with another compound to form a nitrogen-nitrogen triple bond. Following their discovery of this frightening compound, the Klapötke lab stated that “[the] sensitivity of C2N14 is beyond our capabilities of measurement”. It is unlikely that other laboratories will step up to the plate to study one of the most dangerous substances known to man. Armies and military groups of the world are the predominant researchers of these unpredictable chemicals and perhaps the only individuals brave (or foolhardy) enough. The desire to find the most efficient and reactive explosive as a weapon is the driving force for this research. In the case of Nazi Germany, as the Second
“The sensitivity of C2N14 is beyond our capabilities of measurement” World War was getting underway, substance N (chlorine trifluoride) was investigated as a method of chemical warfare. Unfortunately, this chemical is highly reactive with air, water and induces death if inhaled. Its use is limited to a role as the world’s most extreme cleaning method as it burns at a toasty 2400°C. What about dangerous elements? Certain members of the periodic table such as cadmium and fluorine are central components of the Earth’s crust, making an encounter with them unavoidable in our lives. However, these elements are often highly toxic, causing cancer and damage to the unborn child. Fluorine itself is highly toxic in large volumes, but 3 mg is absolutely essential for our survival as human beings. Clearly the world of chemistry is an exciting one. Who doesn’t crave a change from the dull, dreary, repetitive work days? However, I’m not sure I’d swap my life for a day in the life of an extreme chemist. Erich Krause, a German chemist, died by toxic inhalation in his lab. I think I’ll take too much vinegar with my chips instead.
WE as a species have been making and listening to music since prehistoric times. Indeed, the oldest wooden instruments ever discovered were found in Greystones back in 2004, and were dated as being over 4,000 years old. Simple flutes and whistles made of bone have even been found dating back over 100,000 years. Like language, music is found in all cultures, and has existed throughout modern human history. Its ubiquity suggests a deep embedding within our psyche. So, it seems natural to ask what music does to us as individuals: what are the psychological effects of music? Research over the last few decades has shown that beyond merely providing enjoyment, music has some unusual and subtle effects on our psyche. That chill-up-the-spine feeling known as frisson is felt by about two thirds of people, and is more commonly triggered by music than other art forms. In particular, it is triggered when musical passages include unexpected harmonies or sudden changes in volume, as they violate listeners’ expectations in a positive way. Neurological links have been proposed between these unexpected musical changes, and
“That chill-up-the-spine feeling known as frisson is felt by about two thirds of people, and is more commonly triggered by music than other art forms.” the unexpected appearance of predators in the environment, as being the source of the goose bumps that go with frisson. Our ancestors had more body hair than we do, so goose bumps had the effect of increasing their apparent size to predators, making them less inviting of conflict. It is thought that a musical frisson may simply be a holdover from the days of our ancestors. There is a particular type of person who is especially prone to experiencing this phenomenon too. Numerous studies have shown that those who score highly on personality tests for the trait “openness to experience” reported a greater number of frisson moments than those who scored lower for this trait. Openness to experience has an emotional component (love of variety, appreciation of beauty) and a cognitive component (imagination, and intellectual curiosity). Reddit even has a section dedicated to this feeling, with various recommendations for songs which are particularly frisson-inducing.
The euphoria that music can cause has been studied by neuroscientists, who found that the brain’s reward system responds to it in a similar way to which it responds to drugs and exercise. Two areas of the brain have been found to be separately involved in the pleasure we gain from music – one in the anticipation of the abstract reward that music brings, and the other in the direct reward of the music itself. If you are familiar with the neurotransmitter dopamine and its role in addiction, you will see a parallel here. Dopamine can be characterised as the pleasure neurotransmitter, and it is released even in the absence of the reward itself. This is why gamblers continue to gamble even when they don’t win, and why there is fun in “the chase”. Yes, we enjoy winning games, but we enjoy playing them too. Music gives us both the chase and the reward. On the less extreme end, there is much to be said for the power of music in its ability to evoke some of the more mundane emotions, as well. Much evidence now suggests that music has the ability to transfer emotion across the senses (a process known as Crossmodal Transfer). Researchers have found that listening to happy music enhanced the perceived happiness of a face irrespective of facial emotion, and conversely for sad music. Another study has shown that olfactory stimuli (such as the smell of coffee) were rated as more pleasant when paired with congruent sounds (like when listening to the sound of drinking coffee). So, it seems that these effects of music have their basis in some of the brains more fundamental workings which deal with congruence and unity. The unifying, and yes, harmonising nature of music, is something we see at both the individual and societal level. It has a wide range of powerful effects on our psyche. Perhaps this goes towards explaining its staying power across cultures and over the millennia.
Run For Your Life You’ve heard people going on and on about the physical effects of exercise, but what about the mental effects? Áife McHugh looks at the neuroscience behind exercise.
“Aerobic exercise is literally the most effective stress management tool known to science”
MY housemate and I have started this “running” thing recently. We go out at dusk, listen to music or podcasts or the others’ cajoling for about half an hour as we go as fast as we can for as long as we can. It’s fun. It hasn’t been life changing so far. Some of the physical effects are noticeable straight away; your heart rate increases, breathing becomes more rapid. Muscles pushed past their normal usage level start to ache, and when you stop you may keep breathing heavily for a minute as your body repays the oxygen debt to these areas. Oh, and depending on your personal biology, you might get sweaty and gross. Like I said, fun.
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Over time, your body adapts. Muscles grow and strengthen with regular use. Aerobic exercise, like running, makes your heart and lungs stronger too. In the long term regular exercise reduces your risk of heart disease, bone disorders, and even some cancers. Most of us know something about these physical effects. But what really keeps all those fitness freaks going are the psychological effects. They’re not as immediately noticeable as breathlessness, but they’re far more interesting. The moment your body is doing more exertion than it usually handles, your endocrine system starts pumping out cortisol, AKA “the stress hormone”.
Stress narrows and sharpens your focus to the task at hand. The combination of stress and activity then make your brain light up with glutamate, serotonin, and norepinephrine - which gives you that ‘buzz’ which sticks around for a while. Most times you feel stress, you don’t get a fun buzz alongside it. That’s because most stressors in our modern lives aren’t physical challenges, whereas most stressors in the EEA, or Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (where modern humans evolved) were. Stress is meant to be something we switch on for a few minutes when there’s a lion chasing us. The act of exertion is the “off” switch. As our modern stressors are more likely to be stuff like essays and taxes, we can be stuck in a high stress state for most of the day, because your body doesn’t realise that this problem doesn’t need a fight or flight response (the autonomic nervous system can be a little dumb sometimes). This is why aerobic exercise is literally the most effective stress management tool known to science. It’s like a reset button. The more you exercise, the more your body gets used to dealing with stress as a short lived, positive, and manageable thing. And that ‘buzz’ I mentioned up there? It helps regulate your mood, sleep cycle, and neurotransmitter activity. Thirty minutes of intense exercise a day strengthens your memory, focus, creativity, processing speed, self-control, problem solving skills ... and so on. We’ve known for a while that exercise is extremely effective in the treatment of anxiety and mild to moderate depression (this doesn’t mean you should tell your mentally ill friends to throw out the
pills and climb a mountain. Please don’t do that). It also helps alleviate the symptoms of ADHD and might also be helpful in the treatment of substance addiction, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. It’s not all sunshine and roses, though. Exercise addiction, for one thing, is a serious disorder, which tends to coincide with eating disorders. You can imagine how dangerous that can be. Too much aerobic exercise does weird things to your heart,
“Exercise addiction, for one thing, is a serious disorder, which tends to coincide with eating disorders” which makes you susceptible to circulation issues and stroke. Joints and muscles can be damaged by exercises which use ‘jarring’ motions, and lack of proper rest periods between exercise can cause muscles to weaken. All in all, exercise is a very weird concept in the context of humans, bodies, and evolution. For most of human existence, physical activity was something that just happened, as we dodged predators and found food. The idea of taking time out of your day specifically to exercise is very new, and very local. Exercise seems very weird to people living in hunter-gatherer, or even unmechanised agricultural societies. But you know what? Getting your 30-60 minutes a day really seems to be worth it. Even if you have to make your housemates join you...
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March 28th 2017 15
Student voices What the new Union President means for the LGBTQ+ community With Katie Ascough’s views on abortion widely known, Shauna Gavin looks at what her win means for LGBTQ+ people. “Trump is sending anti-LGBT activists to UN Women’s Rights conference,” “Two Tunisian men to be imprisoned for 8 months for ‘looking gay’,” “LGBT community centre vandalised and staff member is assaulted.” These are all recent headlines from PinkNews.co.uk who describe themselves as the “premier LGBT news outlet in the UK and beyond.” “Anti-abortion activist Katie Ascough elected UCD students’ union president” is a headline from the Irish Times. Do all of these headlines represent bad news for LGBTQ+ people, or just the first three? On Thursday, the 9th March, Katie Ascough was elected SU president here in UCD. When I first heard the results, I was upset, I was angry, and I was disappointed in the student body. I really took it to heart. I felt like each and every person who voted for Katie voted against me personally. Let me explain why I was angry. Katie Ascough writes for a homophobic, catholic magazine called Alive. She also has connections to the Iona Institute, who funded the campaign against Marriage Equality
“She also has connections to the Iona Institute, who funded the campaign against Marriage Equality in 2015.” in 2015. The Iona Institute is a registered charity, in the category of “advancement of religion.” However, due to its involvement in the “No” side campaign in 2015, it was required to register with the Standards in Public Office Commission, which monitors political donations.
The “No” campaign in the 2015 referendum had a very serious negative effect on the mental wellbeing of many LGBTQ+ people. Due to the fact that these are organisations that Katie has connections
“She said she does, “feel strongly about the UCDSU maintaining their relationship with the LGBTQ+ society for the upcoming year.” with, I felt that to support her would be to support these. Since my initial reaction to the election results however, I have been slow to label every student who voted for her as homophobic. During the elections, there was a lot of talk about Katie’s pro-life stance and her staunch religious views. At hustings people were eager to question her on how she would manage being the head of a prochoice union. They wanted to know would she march with us and furthermore would she represent the views of the student body? No one asked, however, how she felt about gender neutral bathrooms. No one enquired about whether she would be implementing the trans policy that is being put together by members of the current SU. Whilst Katie is most definitely pro-life and people probably knew that before the election, I have my doubts about how many voters knew her opinions on same-sex marriage and the rights of LGBTQ+ people. I contacted Katie Ascough with questions regarding her personal views on some LGBTQ+ issues. She said she does, “feel strongly about the UCDSU main-
taining their relationship with the LGBTQ+ society for the upcoming year” but didn’t “think it would be appropriate to answer questions about the Union’s specific direction just yet”. Three out of five of the questions put to Katie did not mention the SU, and answering them would not have been commenting on the “Union’s specific direction”. Whilst this vague and dispassionate answer is not surprising, I was disappointed she couldn’t answer questions such as ‘do you support marriage equality?’ and ‘what’s your opinion on gender neutral bathrooms?’ With that said, it is good that she intends to work with the LGBTQ+ society during the upcoming year. We cannot despair. Katie’s views do not represent the views of the majority of people in UCD. We have to remember that no matter how hard the Iona Institute and other religious organisations fought against us in 2015, we still won. At the end of the day the people that surround you, in classes and on campus did support our right to marry whoever we may choose. Ireland supported us, and will hope-
news about Pride 2016 and the Marriage Equality referendum. We also have our own society on campus. I think all of these things point towards an SU that is going to fight for our rights and keep the existing ones in place, regardless of who the president is. I’m not trying to say that it doesn’t matter that she was elected. I don’t agree with Katie Ascough’s personal views, in any way shape or form. I don’t think she should have been chosen to lead a student union that has voted three times in the last four years to campaign for something she appears to stand against. I will not, however, lose faith in the student body. I know that together we will not allow anyone to stop the SU from supporting, and fighting for the rights of all of its members. Even if the president elect doesn’t march in Pride 2017, the rest of us will.
“Katie’s views do not represent the views of the majority of people in UCD.” fully continue to do so as we slowly become a more progressive and accepting society. No other member of the sabbatical team has any homophobic connections. There is an LGBTQ+ rights co-ordinator on the Student Union Council. The Student Union website has a ‘How Your Union Works For You’ page that has nothing on it except
Call for applications for editorial team 2017-18 Looking to get involved in Journalism or Design? Applications are invited for positions on the editorial team of the University Observer for the academic year 2017/2018.
Editor
Deputy Editor
The Position: The Editor of the University Observer is responsible for all aspects of the newspaper. The Editor is responsible for the management of the newspaper, the publication and distribution of the newspaper, the content of the newspaper and is responsible for the co-ordination of the newspaper’s writers. The Editor is responsible for all internal appointments (with the exception of the Deputy Editor and the Designer) within the newspaper as well as any disciplinary matters that may arise (with the exception of the Deputy Editor and the Designer). The position of Editor of the University Observer is an extremely demanding one and applicants for the position should be aware that the role involves working unsocial hours in a highly pressurised environment. The Editor is responsible for all deadlines being met by the newspaper. The position includes working alternate weekends. The University Observer is editorially independent from the Students’ Union, as enshrined in the Union constitution. The Editor has complete authority over the content of the newspaper, proviso to the standard regulations governing newspaper content (e.g. defamation etc). The Editor is appointed for the full academic year, 2017/2018.
The Position: The Deputy Editor of the University Observer, upon direction from the Editor, is responsible for all aspects of the newspaper. The Deputy Editor, subject in all matters concerning the newspaper to the direction of the Editor, shall be responsible, with the Editor, for the management of the newspaper, the publication and distribution of the newspaper, the content of the newspaper and is responsible for the co-ordination of the newspaper’s writers. The position of Deputy Editor of the University Observer is an extremely demanding one and applicants for the position should be aware that the role involves working unsocial hours in a highly pressurised environment. The Deputy Editor is responsible for all deadlines being met by the newspaper. The position includes working alternate weekends. The University Observer is editorially independent from the Students’ Union, as enshrined in the Union constitution. The Deputy Editor has authority over the content of the newspaper, subject to the standard regulations governing newspaper content (e.g. defamation etc). The Deputy Editor is appointed for the full academic year, 2017/2018.
Remuneration: Wages currently stand at €650 per issue minus taxes (eight editions of the paper are normally published) and some expenses incurred during production of the newspaper may be reclaimed.
Remuneration: Wages currently stand at €610 per issue minus taxes (eight editions of the paper are expected to be published) and some expenses incurred during production of the newspaper may be reclaimed Application Procedure: Applicants for the above positions must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae and a detailed proposal, outlining how the candidate intends to operate and manage the University Observer. Specifics areas where the newspaper can be improved should be dealt with in some detail. Short-listed candidates will be called for an interview.
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Note: • Applicants are only permitted to enter this competition individually. Joint applications will not be accepted. • Canvassing members of the interview panel is forbidden. Candidates who canvass members of the interview panel may be disqualified from consideration. • No formal training is offered to successful candidates. • Applicants should make it clear in their cover letter whether or not they would like to be considered for the role of Deputy Editor as well as Editor. •Applications should be no longer than 5,000 words. Closing date for applications is 5pm, 1st May, 2017. Applications should be sent as a pdf file to editor@ universityobserver.ie or to the following address: Roisin Guyett-Nicholson, The University Observer, Student Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4. Applicants with further queries should contact Roisin Guyett-Nicholson, at 01 716 3835, weekdays during business hours, or at the above email address.
Art & design Editor The Position: You will be responsible for the design and layout of the newspaper, working in conjunction with the editors and contributors in producing and sourcing high-quality imagery and related media. The position requires an understanding of visual culture, and the integral role it plays in journalism. The position will require work at alternate weekends, whilst working hours during the week are flexible. Although this work is highly demanding it is also highly rewarding. The successful candidate would be expected to constantly strive to improve the overall design of the newspaper. The Art & Design Editor reports to the Editor and Deputy Editor. Remuneration: Wages currently stand at €610 per issue minus taxes (eight editions of the paper are normally published). Application Procedure: Candidates should submit a cover letter and CV. Applications should be sent as a pdf file to editor@ universityobserver.ie or to the following address: Roisin Guyett-Nicholson, The University Observer, Student Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4. Note: • Applicants may be required to present a portfolio of work upon request. • Interviews may be conducted using modern communications media for candidates who are not able to attend in person. • Canvassing members of the interview panel is forbidden. Candidates who canvass members of the interview panel may be disqualified from consideration. • No formal training is offered to successful candidates. Closing date for applications is 5pm, 19th May 2017. For more information contact editor@universityobserver.ie or see a more detailed description at www.universityobserver.ie/jointheteam/
editoriAl
eDitorial BeFORe the break, uCDsu saw the election of its new sabbatical team and the results of two referenda. While there were a number of surprising and controversial results, this union team now needs to focus on how they want their year to develop. While not everybody may be 100% satisfied with the new officers, they have been fairly elected and must be given the chance to fulfil the role. As the union emerges from debt, it has to seriously consider its future aims and implement a long-term strategic plan. Many of the newly elected officers, including Katie Ascough and Rob sweeney, ran on broad, populist manifestos. However, in the wider scheme of things, you hope that the people who run for these positions ultimately have the best intentions of the students at heart. Regardless of what their actual campaign promises are, you believe that ultimately the union’s sabbatical officers want to focus on making life better for students, in whatever way they can. For the last number of years this seems to have largely resulted in information campaigns and a ‘softly-softly’ approach with the university. This has seen some well-run campaigns on consent and repeal over the last number of years. However
there has been a large focus on these campaigns and not much pressure on the university. As a result, the approach the union has taken to the university has seen a somewhat unequal relationship develop. A clear priority of the union in the last five years or so has been to maintain a good rapport with uCD. As one sabbatical officer put it recently, if the union does not have a good relationship with the university, then they’re not invited to the working groups of management committees. As a result the union loses out on the opportunity to effect any change within these decision-making bodies. The union is not, however, affecting changes to these bodies, or if they are it is only very rarely. The union is not a member of the university Management Team, the highest decision-making body in the university. This group often makes decisions, which are then just rubber-stamped by sub-committees, the ones that usually have union members on them. However, even here the union is out of the loop, as it does not have a vote on all of these influential committees. If the uCDsu expects to affect change on behalf of students and to make student life better within
the uNiversity observer editor Roisin Guyett-nicholson uCD, then how does it do this when it is cut off from the main decision-making bodies? Granted, the union can maintain a relationship with the university and be involved in certain boards and working groups. But often there is very little achieved from this position. If there is something pressing that’s under review, the union should question it in detail. When there is proposed increases to fines, to campus rent, to resit fees, the union should be fighting these in whatever way possible. To simply say, “oh the decision was made by the university but at least we were there when they did it” is not good enough. not only does it undermine the very purpose of the union, it also hurts students. This new team need to look at their election as coming at a particularly poignant time. There is uncertainty over many things in student life: funding for higher education, accommodation, job prospects and many others. As uCD remains outside of usI, the union needs to focus on how to improve things for students at a basic level here on campus. They need to pick a strategy and a direction for the union and stick to it. Otherwise the union is just a waste of time.
dePuty editor Martin Healy Art & desiGN editor Louise Flanagan Chief of PhotoGrAPhy Camille Lombard News editors Alanna O’shea eithne Dodd dePuty/iNterNAtioNAl News editor Rory Geoghegan CommeNt editor Julia O’Reilly feAtures editor Billy Vaughan eAGArthóir GAeilGe niamh O’Regan sCieNCe editor Danielle Crowley
talleyraND
Co-sPorts editors Conall Cahill & David Kent busiNess editor Brian Donnelly broAdsheet oNliNe editors Ruth Murphy eithne Dodd
TIOCFAIDH ÁR LÁ, PLeBs! Talley has noticed a sudden change over the dull expanse of Belfield. What’s that smell? Well the eternal stench of newman will never cease, so there’s that. But what’s this? That appears to be the smell of republicanism wafting through the walls of university College Downtrodden. Get the rifles and starbucks mugs at the ready, the student Revolution hath begun and it has anger in its eyes. Apparently my dear mouth-breathing reader, the populace of this fine establishment have taken it upon themselves to throw the baby out with the bath water since we last spoke. The national anthem is being sung out across campus, flags are being burned and… hold on, Ask-For-Microwaves was elected president? Bravo to the hordes of Belfield, and by hordes Talley means the seven or eight creatures who actually voted. That half-dozen strong army put their foot down for their love of microwaves and their hate of women’s reproductive rights. Right on, Talley says. And like the world’s shittest basketball team, there’s a new five-person team of su Hacks on the horizon. Without further delay, here’s your TeAM su 2018 sTARTInG LIne-uP up first we have Katie Ask-For-Microwaves, the LeBron James of the team; well a LeBron that doesn’t believe in the “gays”. she loves cartwheels, jumping, socialising, deeply concerning and problematic organisations that supress the nation’s LGBTQ population, and doggies! she has a nice smile and can string together a coherent sentence, which is certainly more than enough for the keys to the su Kingdom. Talley just can’t wait
to see how she manages to combine “sport” and “Chill”. no doubt the combination will be one for the ages. elsewhere on Team su we have the shining light, “Mr. Charisma” himself: Bobby sweeney. He’s slicker than an oil spill that one. The pleb hoards couldn’t resist the winning smile, sassy demeanour, and cool attitude that says “hey baby, I just got off early from my shift at supermac’s, want a spin in the Prius?” Bobby battled in a tough campaign, climaxing in a verbal tête-à-tête at Hustings with Mr er… Climax that will forever go down in Belfield folklore. sunglasses were distributed around the lecture hall, for Bobby shone so bright. The yin to Bobby’s ever-so-cool yang has to be eoghan Mac AhsureIsntHeLovely. A pure sweetheart that one. He also loves gaeilge and is a maybe-former-but-maybe-active-Talley-isn’t-certain member of sinn Féin. He is the ideal welfare hack for this new radical era of uCDull. Rumour has it that Mac AhsureIsntHeLovely will be renaming Belfield to the Bogside, to keep those who are unwelcome out. But again, he is lovely though isn’t he? up next is Big Baz Murphy, the tree hugger of the group. Indeed, Big Baz loves the environment, which it has to be said, is a major improvement over our current officer Fitzsnapback and his love of posting pics of his feet to Instagram. Last, and certainly least, is neil Morris. Borris is taking over the mantle of the Phantom sabbat, AKA the role of Graduate Officer, who’s primary
letters to the eDitor
role is to make sure his office light stays on all night so he can pretend like he’s actually working. Good luck to you, nell Dorris. Wait, hold on, are the current gaggle of hacks still about the place? They’re not just hiding in a bush until June? Indeed, the gears are still grinding away at su HQ. Coke and Barcadi has been pounding the pavement as it were, joining the students at the protest outside RTÉ regarding their lack of Repeal coverage. not that Barcadi seemed to know what he was protesting about at the time. Bless ‘em, he loves a good protest that lad, even when he doesn’t know what’s going on. Besides, it’s not like the su to piggyback on the idea of the more resourceful students or anything. Plus there’s another battle taking place on this campus. Which one is that you ask? Well it’s Roisin O’QuickGetTheAbortionsInBeforeJune and her battle against the five day working week. A full FIVe DAYs of Mind, Body and soul you ask? not at all, says she. It would be renamed Mind, Body Bags and Lost souls if an su week-long event actually lasted, you know, a week. either way it’s a chance for the su to continue their favourite activity, which is apparently scaring the living shit out of defenceless animals. Fresh off the puppy cuddling from February comes the petting zoo. A least a fresh intake of livestock means that farmer-at-heart Cian “POsITIOn_nOT_ FOunD” Casey will finally be of use.
stAff writers Matthew Hanrahan Orla Keaveney George Merrin Jessica Quinn Ross Walsh broAdsheet CoNtributors Ciaran Busby Julia Canney Claudia Dalby emmet Feerick shauna Gavin Rosemarie Gibbons Alexander Glover Aileen McGrath Áife McHugh Ian Moore ellen nugent Priscilla Obilana emer O’Hara Michael Richardson Orla sherwood Talleyrand visuAl CoNteNt CoNtributors Aisling McGuire Rebecca Kelly Joanna O’Malley
TALLeY OuT. sPeCiAl thANKs Webprint Paige from Manchester eithne Dodd
Letters, corrections and clarifications pertaining to articles published in this newspaper and online are welcome and encouraged. Letters should be addressed to: The editor, university Observer, uCD student Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4. Correspondence may also be sent to editor@universityobserver.ie.
March 28th 2017 17
Sport
Club Focus: UCD Sub-Aqua photo credit: UCD Sub-aqua
UCD Sub-Aqua are undoubtedly one of the college’s more adventurous societies, as Conall Cahill found out.
IN one photograph the sun sets in the background, the water shimmering underneath the silhouetted boat as it makes its way across the sea. In another, Fungie the dolphin leaps playfully over three beaming swimmers, readying himself to plunge back into Dingle’s famous waters. A third photo shows four divers moving between continental plates in Iceland, explorers on a mission of discovery. Then there is the underwater hockey team at a tournament at the National Aquatic Centre, satisfied beams shining on each player’s face. This is UCD’s Sub-Aqua Club, the largest of its kind in Ireland and now entering its twenty-fourth year of existence. One of the great things about college - and UCD in particular - is that one gets the opportunity to try new things, be it with a sports club or a society, alongside other beginners who are normally the same age - and usually these experiences come at a fraction of the normal cost. The Sub-Aqua Club definitely represents an exciting opportunity for anyone looking for adventure and something different to take the mind away from exams and coursework.
The club’s activities include not just snorkelling and scuba diving, but also - for all of you competitors out there - underwater hockey, a sport in which the club competes both nationally and internationally. The club’s secretary Ellen Casey informs us that the club is planning a trip to Slovenia this summer for a competition in an open-air pool by the beach (the Observer’s planned summer working in Belfast seems rather mundane, suddenly). Indeed, you can join the club just for the underwater hockey if you like the sound of that but don’t quite fancy the scuba aspect of the club. What is underwater hockey? (or ‘Octopush’, as it is otherwise known) Well, picture ordinary hockey - just with a snorkel, a mask, fins and a puck instead of a ball. Holding your breath is an essential skill! As well as sounding like terrific fun,
The Badger
REMEMBER how the Badger’s esteemed colleague David Kent complained about how the Six Nations was pointless given Ireland’s competitive record from last year? Well, this year we did slightly better! We didn’t win of course, not even coming near it, and the tournament was over before England’s visit to the Aviva two weeks ago. Which was hilarious, because all the narrative was about stopping the English Grand Slam. Not about finishing higher in the table. Not about putting in a good performance to climb/consolidate the world ranking. About beating England. What is it with our obsession with our neighbours? You couldn’t switch on RTÉ on Saturday night for the insufferability of pundits and fans alike. Any outbreak of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” was drowned out by whistles from Ireland fans. No such reaction from the English when the Fields of Athenry were pumped out a couple of minutes later. And then even on Sunday, when the Badger settled down to keep an eye on his county in the Allianz League highlights – Colm O’Rourke couldn’t
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resist mentioning the match during his analysis of Cork vs Meath. You can be sure that no one is talking today about how important the result on Friday was because the Welsh are Welsh and we simply couldn’t be losing to the Welsh. It’s all about results and points in the world of football. The unbearable wave of upper classism that filled the Aviva for the dead rubber against England was sickening to behold live. The raw passion and atmosphere that followed it last Friday was something to admire. This isn’t just in soccer or rugby though. Take a look at the relationship between Sky, the GAA and various sports sites. We can’t go through a Championship weekend without seeing a ‘British Viewers React To Hurling’ piece. Some websites are so desperate for the hits that it’s just wall to wall click bait about the Brits. Hands up who knows or cares about the Prestbury Cup? FYI, it’s a competition held at Cheltenham every year to see which nation trains more winners, Ireland, or England. The winning jockey of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Robbie Power, was interviewed by RTÉ in Moone, Kildare after arriving back with Sizing John and the Harrington entourage. What was the most important part of the festival for the GOLD CUP WINNING JOCKEY? Beating England in the Prestbury Cup. ‘We gave them a hammering, 19-9’. You’ve just won one of the biggest races in the sport’s calendar, and the thing you’re most concerned about is beating England? Give me a break.
the sport is also a great way to get started in the Sub-Aqua Club, as Mairead O’Byrne - in her first year in the club - found out. Initially apprehensive about joining after a bad experience snorkelling on holiday, underwater hockey was something she immediately loved. And she is keen to emphasize how helpful the club’s more experienced members were in easing her into things: “I always wanted to do the diving, but I’m afraid of water a little bit. They (the club) were like, ‘Have a go at the underwater hockey’ - so I went along and signed up. I’d never actually managed to get down to the bottom of the pool before, but everyone spent loads of time doing it with me and when I got down, it was such a good feeling.” While Mairead came into UCD wanting to try out snorkelling and scuba diving, Omar Coughlin had never even considered it until the Sub-Aqua Club’s ‘Freshers Week’ stand caught his eye in his first year at UCD. He decided to go along to a trial
“UCD Sub-Aqua Club represents an exciting opportunity for anyone looking for adventure and something different to take the mind away from exams and coursework.” dive session the club were holding the following week and, as he says, “it just kind of clicked with me, so I stuck around!” Ask Omar about experiences he’s enjoyed and he mentions the annual trip to Malin Beg in Donegal around the time of St Patrick’s Day, weekends down to Wexford, and dives off the west coast, where he says that (due to the unpredictable Irish weather) “good diving isn’t guaranteed, but good craic always is! It happens the odd time that
we might have to stay in for a day, but there’s still always something happening”. The club also takes in trips to places like Malin Head in Donegal, Inishbofin in Galway and the Blasket Islands in Kerry, where last year instruments replaced phones each evening and, after days spent diving, sing-songs accompanied by
‘Good diving isn’t guaranteed, but good craic always is!’ candlelight would run into the small hours. Away from Ireland, UCD Sub-Aqua has visited destinations like Egypt, Normandy and even Ibiza. Whether it’s tropical fish or World War II wrecks you’re after, UCD Sub-Aqua has you covered Omar recalls on one occasion swimming alongside a wreck off the coast of Dublin and seeing “a set of bunk beds from nearly one hundred years ago... when you get to do things like that you come away with a smile on your face”. What’s more, through the club you can become better qualified to explore anywhere around the world. With the club offering training in all aspects of diving, you can obtain internationally recognised diving qualifications and learn how to plan or lead dives (a skill that would perhaps come in handy for anyone seeking an interesting way to spend a summer abroad). UCD Sub-Aqua provides a chance for travel, adventure, friendship, new experiences and great craic... sure, isn’t that what college is all about? The next big event for UCD Sub-Aqua is the annual Dublin Sub-Aqua Ball on April 8th alongside DCU, DIT and Trinity, which UCD are hosting and which promises to be a great night (wetsuits are optional). Membership of UCD Sub-Aqua is open to students, staff and alumni. Anyone seeking to join the club can drop Ellen an email at subaqua@ucd.ie or message the club’s Facebook page (‘UCD Sub-Aqua Club’).
Sports Digest A round up of the rest of the sports news in UCD. Ladies Soccer: UCD Waves’ player Karen Duggan picked up the FAI Women’s International Player of the Year award at the Irish Football awards held last weekend. Boat Club: UCD’s boat clubs had an excellent month. The men’s and women’s teams managed to topple Trinity in the Colours races, thus winning the Gannon Cup and the Corcoran Cup
lyea on St Patrick’s Day. Cian O’Callaghan lined out at fullback with his brother Con grabbing two points from full forward. Colm Cronin and Jake Malone grabbed a goal apiece as the Dalkey club ran out 2-19 to 1-10 against their Clare opposition. Men’s Soccer: UCD AFC players Georgie Kelly, Jason McLelland, Gary O’Neil and Daire O’Connor helped the Irish Colleges & Universities side to defeat the Irish Defence Forces. Kelly got the opening goal to help the colleges on their way.
Ladies GAA: UCD headed for the O’Connor Cup weekend in high spirits and despite the senior side failing to retain their title, the Moynihan Cup team Hockey: The Irish Men’s international side recently won the Hockey World League 2 series beat ITB by 1-9 to 0-11 to win the trophy. after beating France in a penalty shoot out. Jeremy Duncan is an Ad Astra athlete and featured promiFencing: Sorcha Mellon-Whelan and Gerda nently throughout the tournament. The victory Ziemala both had second placed finishes at the meant that Ireland qualified for the World League Belfast Open. Mellon-Whelan picked up a silver 3 series, the winners of which will be able to repin the women’s epee, with Ziemala matching that resent their country at the 2018 World Cup finals. in the sabre. Sailing: The sailing Intervarsities were held over the weekend of the 10th March, with UCD Rugby: UCD student Garry Ringrose has been in charge of organising the event. While Trinity nominated for the European Rugby player of the managed to come out on top overall, the college year were presented with the IUSA award for Event of GAA: UCD had four students involved in Cuala’s the Year. The 2017 Colours March between Trinity and UCD will take place on the 1st of April at the All Ireland Club Hurling Final victory over BalGrand Canal Dock. The race will double as the qualifiers for the Student Yachting World Cup.
UCD Boat Club winning men’s and women’s teams with the Gannon and Corcoran Cups
sport Five Reasons Why The GAA National League Hasn’t Lost Its Appeal With the GAA’s National League coming to an end, Conall Cahill gets down on his knees and worships at its altar. Antrim in Thurles. But there were 16,231 at Cavan v Dublin on the same weekend and over 8,500 turned up on a wet Saturday (on the same evening as Ireland v England) to watch Donegal v Tyrone a few weeks later 8,793 watched Waterford beat Kilkenny by a point at Nowlan Park and over 5000 watched Cork dispatch Clare. Within relatively medium-sized stadiums, either side of the pitch being fairly well packed out, this allows players (in the top leagues, at least) and supporters alike to enjoy a fine atmosphere - one to whet the appetite for Championship.
“Ah, sure ‘tis only the League”. “Ya, a good win, but have they peaked too early?” Consolation and caution - two major sentiments at this stage of the GAA year. The National Leagues in both football and hurling are nearing their conclusions, and fans of all counties, whether it has been a disastrous spring or a plentiful one, are perhaps still wary of rushing to judgment. Yes, Mayo were walloped by Dublin - but surely with the O’Sheas to come back and the proper focus they’ll put it up to them in August or September? And sure, Wexford are flying under Davy Fitz, but will all that really matter if things go to pot in the summer? Ah, to hell with the doubts, we say. The League is great, whatever its overall importance - and here are a few reasons why: The Talented Youngfellas Under less pressure for results than in the Championship, but yet playing at a higher intensity than in pre-season tournaments like the O’Byrne Cup, the League gives managers a chance to really
see what the talented youngsters in their squads are made of. The end result has been that we have seen the likes of Ciaran Thompson and UCD’s own Jack Barry starring for Donegal and Kerry respectively in football, while hurlers Conor Gleeson of Waterford and Cork’s Shane Kingston (back after serious
“Watching the League is so exciting because of the different and novel matchups that we might not otherwise get the chance to see until late in summer” injury) have imprinted themselves onto the national consciousness with stellar performances. The Atmospheres Yes, so only 722 fans turned up to see Tipperary v
The Cracking Games Watching the League is so exciting because of the sheer variety of games on display, the different and novel match-ups that we might not otherwise get the chance to see until late in summer - and with the added edge of being a ‘home game’ for one of the teams rather than in the neutral venue of Croke Park. Anyone who saw the aforementioned clash between the Déise and the Cats, Dublin v Kerry in Tralee or (in the Observer’s totally unbiased view) Antrim’s fine win over Laois in Belfast will testify to this. Now, if only we had some way in which we could incorporate this brilliant ‘home and away’ format into the Championship... Eir Sport’s Groundbreaking Coverage We live in heady times as far as coverage of GAA is concerned. Online streaming services allow us to watch club football at all levels, and videographers like Jerome Quinn capture moments from ladies’, colleges and schools GAA that would previously have been undocumented. While TG4 and RTÉ still cover the League with fine live/deferred games and highlights shows respectively, eir Sport have consistently shown two games (on both of its channels) with the introduction of a ‘double screen’ effect if one is watching one game but drama is unfolding in the other - as well as brilliant all-round coverage and insightful punditry from the likes of Martin Clarke and Billy Joe Padden. Oul Lads/Ladies In Pubs and Post Offices,
Young Lads/Ladies In The UCD Clubhouse and Lectures For every minute of Gaelic football or hurling that actually gets played, many more are spent discussing in great and exhaustive detail a
“Generally there is a certain correlation between the number of rounds bought in the pub and the closer a conversation gets to either solving the county’s problems or condemning an entire generation altogether” team’s strengths and weaknesses, the manager’s cluelessness/genius, any problems within the county ‘structures’, how many attended the most recent game (and whether this shows ‘apathy’ or ‘enthusiasm’ within the county) and ‘that (insert term of choice) Brolly’. Generally there is a certain correlation between the number of rounds bought in the pub and the closer the conversation gets to either solving the county’s problems or condemning an entire generation altogether. The ‘old days’ are invariably a feature of such talk - unless (as is the case with most UCD students) one is too young to have experienced any ‘old days’. And invariably some form of gossip is relayed with unrelenting certainty and conviction, the teller revelling in their position as the one ‘in the know’. Now, given how important these conversations are - in sport in general, not just GAA - what better to fuel such talk than the League? While still leaving uncertainty as to where a county truly lies, it nevertheless gives a decent indicator - and matches are regular enough to provide plentiful matter for conversation. The League is the perfect fuel for the chatter that is so vital for raising anticipation levels ahead of the Championship. Roll on Championship, you say? We’re already counting down the days until League 2018...
Three Of The Greatest Irish Sporting Weekends Of All Time After a bumper three days of sport surrounding St Patrick’s Day, Ian Moore looks at three other weekends when Irish sports fans were in dreamland. THERE’S never any shortage of entertainment around St Patrick’s Day, but this year our sporting heroes gave us something extra to cheer about on our national holiday. There was something on show for sports fans of every hue and while Saturday’s famous Grand Slam-halting victory against England stands out, we also had Michael Conlan’s professional debut at Madison Square Garden, the All-Ireland Club Finals at Croke Park and the conclusion of the Cheltenham Festival - to name but a few. Ireland is no stranger to great sporting weekends so the Observer decided to cast his eye back through the annals to see if anything can match 2017’s sporting smorgasbord. September 22nd-24th, 2006 The 2006 Ryder Cup in Kildare was arguably one of the most important sporting events in Irish history. Not only did our home-grown golfers contribute to a
“The 2006 Ryder Cup in Kildare was arguably one of the most important sporting events in Irish history” record nine-point winning margin over the USA, but it proved that Ireland could hold its own and host an international sporting event. Sure, there wasn’t much else on that weekend, but there didn’t need to be. Everything you could have
wanted in a sporting event was on show in the K Club, from the pageantry of the opening ceremony to Paul Casey’s foursome-winning hole-in-one to Henrik Stenson’s title-clinching putt. The highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly the performance of Darren Clarke, who contributed three points to Europe’s cause a matter of weeks after his wife Heather’s untimely passing. The images of the reception he received on the first tee and the raw emotion he displayed on the sixteenth green as he dispatched Zach Johnson on the final day will live long in the memory of Irish sports fans. March 21st, 2009 The island’s sporting anoraks enjoyed an actionpacked twenty-four hours as two titles found their way into Irish hands by day’s end. Progressing from the 2007 victory against England and recent Triple Crowns, it was a swipe of Ronan O’Gara’s boot that ended sixty-one years of hurt as Ireland finally got their hands on not only the Six Nations title, but also the coveted Grand Slam. After narrowly overcoming Wales in a bruising encounter at the Millennium Stadium, a generation of genuinely world-class players like O’Gara, Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell were given their just rewards after many years of falling short. Later that evening at Dublin’s O2 Arena, Bernard Dunne seized the WBA super-bantamweight title, knocking out Ricardo Cordoba in a match-up that was later dubbed ‘Fight of the Year’ by ESPN. In a brutal contest that featured six knockdowns, Cordoba
grew tired - and after ten rounds of punishing left hands from Dunne, the Panamanian fell three times in the eleventh, which led to the referee calling a halt to proceedings as Cordoba was stretchered to hospital. The Dubliner’s reign as champion was shortlived as he lost his crown to Thai fighter Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym in September of that same year. November 12th -13th, 2016 Only a matter of days after Ireland’s historic triumph over the All Blacks at Chicago’s Soldier Field, Irish sports fans were treated to another weekend of top class sporting action. In football, Martin O’Neill’s senior side finished a successful 2016 with a 1-0 win against Austria in Vienna, leaving the ‘Boys in Green’ atop Group D
“A generation of genuinely world-class players like O’Gara, O’Driscoll and O’Connell were given their just rewards after many years of falling short” by two points heading into the next round of World Cup qualifiers later this week. Scoring for the second game in succession, James McClean latched onto a
pinpoint through ball from Wes Hoolahan and slotted past a helpless Ramazan Ozcan, sealing a hardfought win against one of Ireland’s “bogey teams” in their own back yard. The early hours of Sunday morning saw thousands on these shores endure another late night in wait for the arrival of Conor McGregor into the UFC octagon, and the ‘Notorious’ one didn’t disappoint. McGregor defeated Eddie Alvarez in front of a packed at the first ever UFC event in the Madison Square Garden to become the first two-weight world champion in UFC history. Thirty two year-old Alvarez proved no match for the Crumlin native, the American repeatedly leaving himself open to McGregor’s jabs which ultimately led to a facile second-round stoppage win for McGregor. To finish off the weekend’s entertainment we were then treated to a (now infamous) post-fight interview, McGregor demanding UFC shares and taking the chance “to apologise... to absolutely nobody!”
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Sport The Rise of the Fighting Irish The Irish wrestling scene has exploded in popularity the last few years. David Kent speaks to some of the figures behind the massively popular Over the Top Wrestling.
THERE’s something about Irish people and combat sports. Maybe it’s playing into the stereotype. Maybe we just really love to punch each other in the face. Maybe it’s how we’re inspired by the men who have gone before us. Regardless, we’re really good at it. Over the Top Wrestling (OTT) is the case in point. This time last year, they were celebrating selling 650 tickets to their ‘Ah Ted’ event in the Tivoli Theatre. The Francis Street venue has seen many occasions during it’s time, but up until last month it was the permanent home of Over the Top. But with popularity comes demand. On March 4th, they packed out the theatre again. But what follows now in a couple of weeks time is the biggest show in the promotion’s, and Irish wrestling’s, history. The National Stadium will play host to worldwide stars Kenny Omega, Matt and Nick Jackson, and Ricochet. Two thousand people have sold out the venue. At one stage, tickets were going at a rate of one per second for ‘Scrappermania 3’. The promotion’s first show took place in October 2014 and there’s strong rumours that their shows could soon be broadcast or backlogged on the WWE Network - the American wrestling titan’s streaming service, which boasts over a million and half subscribers. To put that into a little bit of context, OTT’s current streaming channel on Vimeo has 202 followers. This highlights the absolute explosion in popularity for OTT in the last six months or so. Damien Corvin and Justin Shape have both been there from the start. Corvin — real name Colin Samson — is a qualified personal trainer from Belfast and spoke to the Observer about how proud he is to have been a part of the rise.
“At one stage, tickets were going at a rate of one per second for ‘Scrappermania 3’.
photo credit: Over the top wrestling via facebook
“I’m very excited to be a part of the Scrappermania show, a lot of work has gone into getting Irish wrestling this far and I’m humbled and proud to be one of the guys that helped get it here. There’s going to be some massive matches and MOTY (Match of the Year) contenders.’’ Joe Cabray is the man behind the success. He spent some time in WWE’s developmental system
20 March 28th 2017
as Luther Ward, but ultimately returned to Ireland and helped found the promotion. Corvin is quick to praise Cabray. “Joe had a clear direction of where he wanted OTT, and still does. He’s very hands on with everything and always available to talk to about feedback, ideas and more. He has selected the best talent from the UK and Ireland and created a fantastic working environment as well as bringing in some of the best overseas talent. The success of OTT is a testament to his hard work and dedication to the promotion.” The viewpoint is shared by Shape (Peter Farrell). Cabray is ‘the driving force’ behind the whole Irish scene according to the former tag team champ. But it’s Darragh Moran (Angel Cruz) who speaks best of Cabray: “It’s interesting to look at the wrestling scene in Ireland before, and after, Joe came back from NXT in 2014. The difference is night and day. Wrestling was primarily aimed at children, and took place in GAA halls. A lot of promoters in Ireland had even tried to run ‘over-18’s’ shows too, but they never really resonated.” Now three years later, an Irish wrestling promotion is selling out the National Stadium. I think that says a lot about Joe.” It’s not just behind the scenes where the owner is loved. His alter ego Ward hadn’t been seen in a Dublin ring since dropping the promotions’ main championship at the Fringe Festival last September. A dedicated group of fans of Ward, entitled the Ward Section, had been among the hundreds inside the Tivoli at the start of March. The Social Elite (the biggest ‘bad guys’ or heels in the promotion) were in the ring and had a live microphone, challenging anyone to come out and stop them. A familiar flute sound rang through the venue, followed by an explosion of noise. If you didn’t know, you’d probably have guessed a celebrity had walked through the door. The list of overseas talent is not to be sniffed at. To add to the Young Bucks, Omega and Ricochet you’ve got the likes of Ring of Honor’s Marty Scurll and Zack Sabre Jr. The trio which are collectively known as British Strong Style – Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate and Trent Seven - have all appeared in the Tivoli in the last year. Bate is a current champion in WWE (who boasts one of the greatest moustaches
on the planet according to Moran) with Dunne and Seven making weekly TV appearances on WWE’s development brand NXT. Then you bring in the home grown talent. The Gymnasties, Rocky Mac and Session Moth Martina all travel Europe nowadays fighting but they’re bred in the Tivoli Corvin himself is a coach in Belfast with new promotion, Uprising Wrestling. But does he see a new Finn Balor or Sheamus within the Uprising ranks? “The future is very bright. We have a lot of talented lads who are just starting to make their marks. Keep an eye out for all of them. You can see them at Uprising shows if you want to see them for yourself.” The show in March took place on the same weekend as Uprising’s debut in Belfast. Two of the Uprising trainees were given spots on the OTT show the night before and impressed massively with both getting racous reactions from the crowd. But what about the ‘F’ word? ‘’I used to get frustrated when people describe wrestling as fake,’’ said Farrell. ‘I’ve had serious injuries from wrestling but these days I honestly don’t mind. Wrestling has some of the most dedicated and loyal fans in any form of entertainment so I focus on what they think rather than the begrudgers.” It’s also interesting to take a look at a picture of Farrell’s chest after his match at the last OTT show,
“A lot of promoters in Ireland had even tried to run ‘over18’s’ shows too, but they never really resonated.” when he took over 60 slaps and chops to his chest. Ever take a slap to bare skin? Remember how red it was? Multiply that by infinity and you’ve the idea of what his chest looked like following Eddie Kingston’s attacks. After the immediate success ahead of the Scrappermania sales, the sky appears to be the limit for OTT. But with the April show being marketed as all-ages, and OTT having made two appearances at the family-friendly Tiger Fringe Festival at the Spiegeltent, is there a shift in focus towards a more family-friendly environment? Characters such as
the Session Moth and the Lads from De Flats may have to be toned down. Farrell, who also made an appearance at the first show in October 2014, doesn’t believe that to be the case though. “I personally enjoy the art and comedy festival
“It wouldn’t be far fetched to suggest that Over the Top could do the same (head to America) in five years time.” appearances and am looking forward to the differences an all ages show will bring. In saying that, for the most part though, I can see OTT staying true to it’s edgier, adult orientated style.” Moran calls the atmosphere that OTT generates “infectious”. “The people will be pleasantly surprised about how little will have to change should it become all ages.” Samson believes that the focus has “always been on wrestling and entertainment” (which Moran backs up) and that the April sell-out shows that OTT can continue to grow. The rise of OTT is down to a mixture of the talent in and outside the ring. The behind the scenes work is clear to see from designers, to cameramen for it’s streaming service, to the people that set up the ring at the beginning of the show. Their poster designer has featured on WWE Raw, their photographers have been nominated for awards and that’s before you get to the wrestlers themselves. Key to any streamed sports show is commentary, and OTT is no different. During 2016, they introduced commentary onto their Vimeo service for the first time. Aonghus Óg McNally provides the playby-play, while Domhnall Marnell gives analysis. Both have extremely impressive CVs. McNally is a graduate of both the Samuel Beckett Centre and Trinity College and regularly appears on stage across Ireland, while Marnell is an award winning Guinness Ambassador – which doesn’t seem to have much to do with commentary, but he also holds a BA in Media Arts from DIT and has worked for years at a number of radio stations in Dublin. Commentary is an underrated discipline. It’s a lot harder than it sounds (pun intended) but the pair make it seem effortless. There is however, a potential sticking point for OTT. The Tivoli’s owner stated in January that he wanted to transform the venue into an aparthotel. Where this will leave the promotion is uncertain at this point. Having held successful shows in Belfast and Galway, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a further branching out of OTT in 2017. Similar companies like Insane Championship Wrestling in Scotland and Revolution Pro in England started out small and rapidly grew. ICW recently completed their first tour of Ireland, while RevPro are heading to America on the biggest weekend in the wrestling calendar: WrestleMania. It wouldn’t be far fetched to suggest that Over the Top could do the same in five years time. They’ve conquered the Irish scene so far. A new permanent home is next up on the list, and then perhaps taking it’s talent continental. When asked to sum up the promotions incredible growth, Farrell and Moran give the same answer – strength to strength. Samson goes for the absolute best. It’s hard to argue with the latter, as the fighting Irish continue to rise.