Irish Student Newspaper of the Year 2008

SCIENCE 19 WORLD REVIEW 10 Is it possible that The lustre of diamonds we are still fades quickly in the evolving? PAGES 12 & 13 arms trade Every candidate profi led ELECTION Bacik recalls her presidency PREVIEW HUMAN EVOLUTION Our readers’ biggest issues TRADING IN DEATH Tuesday 10 February 2009 www.trinitynews.ie Issue 8, Volume 55

TRINITY IS a sheltered enviroment, to be sure, with College Security ever vigilant against any unpleasant elements that might SU defends cause disquiet in the cloistered halls of academia. High up on the hit list are students, an irritating distraction from the vital functions of research, administration and attracting tourists that constitute the real business of a Modern campaigning University. The men in the yellow jackets were however powerless to prevent the snow that malingered around campus all week. Loitering on the inviolate lawns and scaling the roof with no fear of man or rule changes Junior Dean, it ensured that even to nip across to the Buttery for a cup of coffee and a three-hour » Credit system introduced chat was to run a gauntlet of ceasless intimidation. » Campaign orders must now go through SU The student body made the best of it, wrapping up warm and » Objections at SU Council Meeting teaching Erasmus students how to talk about the weather. Or was it » Sullivan apologies for “cheating” comment the current economic climate...? Photo: Martin McKenna

By Lisa Byrne not been set, however, candidates must Deputy College News Editor keep within their €600 spending limit. Candidates are permitted to use hand- THE ELECTORAL Commission, the made clothing but must keep within the Student Union’s governing body for the budget and all clothing must be stamped Ambassador gives secret lecture Sabbatical Elections, has introduced new by the EC before use. The EC has rules to regulate this year’s election. In promised to ensure that all campaign a bid to combat what Education Offi cer designs will be kept in the strictest of By David Molloy at Dr Hayden’s SS lecture minutes Hugh Sullivan, deemed the “falsifying confi dence before the campaigns begin. beforehand, and described the content of expenditure”, candidates must now Stunts, a common feature of previous of the Ambassador’s address as “a order all campaign materials through election campaigns, will also be subjected A RECENT visit to the college by Israeli one-sided account of the Arab-Israeli the EC. Candidates will also be subject to this strict budget. While the EC have Ambassador Zion Evrony was kept confl ict, from the foundation of the to a budget of €600. said that they encourage “inventive and secret from students at the request of Israeli state to the modern fl are-ups in In previous years, candidates were the Israeli embassy, it emerged last Gaza”. allowed to order their own materials ‘2 or 3 days of week. Booth estimated that there were but had to provide receipts showing campaigning The visit took place at 3pm on more than two hundred students in adherence to the budget. However, could make all Thursday the 29th of January, in the form attendance. He also provided details according to Mr Sullivan, receipts were the difference’ of an address given to a Junior Freshman of the security at the event, reporting often falsifi ed in a bid to ‘enhance’ their Hillary Allen class in the Department of Political there there to be approximately eleven budgets. In an attempt to prevent this Science. The visit had been organised by members of the Israeli embassy security practise, which can see candidates’ original stunts”, they have warned that staff in the department, according to the staff present, in addition to at least one names struck off the ballot, all material these stunts must be in accordance with college communications offi ce. “It was member of the Garda Síochana and and clothing must be ordered through the election regulations and must be agreed by Prof Kenneth Benoit, Head of members of college security. the Electoral Commission. pre-approved by the EC. the Department of Political Science and Booth also claimed the Israeli Flyers, manifestos and posters will Another new addition sees the arranged by the lecturer responsible for Israeli Ambassador Evrony in the Edmund Burke. Photo: Andrew Booth security staff had used a device to scan be subject to the previous stringent introduction of a credit system, which the ‘Introduction to Politics’ course, Dr. the lecture theatre for security risks. limits and conditions. Flyers may be abolishes the previous fi ne system. Jacqueline Hayden,” a spokesperson would have wanted security checks in biased coverage”. He further reiterated Chief Steward Pat Morey declined a maximum size of A6 and are limited Instead of paying a fi ne as result of said. place at the entrance to the Burke and his previously expressed opinions that to comment on the visit, though the to 4,000 per candidate, with posters breaking the election rules, candidates Professor Benoit confi rmed that the we did not feel this was either desirable Israel’s recent operation in the Gaza communications offi ce confi rmed the printed on A3 with a maximum of 2,000 will now be subject to a credit system, visit had not been announced at the or even feasible.” strip was a “war of self defence” and that presence of Israeli security staff. Mr per candidate. Manifestos, setting which sees them begin the campaign insistence of the Israeli embassy. “We During the course of his address, “Hamas has cynically used the civilian Evrony made his entrance and departed out candidate’s campaign pledges, are with 60 credits. Should a candidate were asked by the ambassador, indeed Mr Evrony asked students to “forget population as human shields”. through the access door at the rear of limited to 2,000 per candidate and must be in breach of any rule, the EC will this was a condition of his visit, not about what you have read and listen to Andrew Booth, SS Philosophy the Arts Building lower concourse. be size A4. to announce it beforehand. If we had another point of view,” citing “a lot of and Political Science, was one of the The Israeli embassy was unreachable The quantity of printed clothing has continued on page 2 announced it beforehand, the embassy misinformation in the Irish media and attendees. He had learned of the visit for comment at the time of writing. Students march on Dáil Exemptions

Kasia Mychajlowycz International News Editor 15,000 STUDENTS marched on the abolished government buildings in Merrion Square, according to Garda estimates, By Conor Sullivan This is a big departure from the present last Wednesday to protest the re- - BESS students currently sit 7 papers introduction of fees for third-level over 21 hours. The review found wide education, which has become a real STUDENTS TAKING Schols this year variations across College in the exams possibility in the present economic will be the last to enjoy exemptions themselves and the proportions of crisis. Students from many colleges in from their Annual examinations, under students being successful in getting the Dublin area and beyond marched changes that will be introduced from Schol - 44% of students in the Faculty from the Garden of Remembrance next year. At present, students who of Health Science who sat the exams to Leinster House, where they were score a II.1(60%) are exempt from their got Schol in 2004-2006, compared to addressed from a platform by Brian annual exams, effectively a six month only 16% of students in Engineering or Hayes and Ruairí Quinn, the Fine Gael summer holiday from April to October. Science. Last year there were 5 Scholars and Labour spokesmen on education, Lecturers from across College have in the School of Law, with about 120 SF Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty, Left: Marchers on O’Connell Street. Photo: Andrew Booth. Above: The Trinity complained that the current system students, while there were 7 Scholars in former Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins contingent leave Front Square. Photo: Andrew Holohan leads to students sitting the exam just Theoretical Physics, with 35 students. and the general secretary of the Irish to get exemptions, and these students Each course will now have to Federation of University Teachers Mike where they chanted slogans, demanded, break-off march had been planned in college’s students. A TCD security guard rarely attend lectures in Trinity Term, prepare statements justifying how the Jennings. at one point, for Brian Cowen to come the event that “there was a suffi cient estimated that there were “well over a as they are supposed to. This has led to examinations they set are consistent Not all students were willing to listen out and speak to them, and gave speeches mood to go a little further than USI.” In thousand” Trinity students gathered problems as Trinity term coursework is with the institution of Scholarship, and to the speakers however. One group through the megaphone to the crowd. regards to FEE’s relationship with the in Front Square, taking up about half neglected. a College committee will oversee this. broke off from the rest, marched against The gates of the Daíl were protected by USI, Mr. Beatty said: “We’ve met with the square and making a racket with The change follows a review of Schols There was concern that talented traffi c down Leinster St., turn on to at least a dozen Gardaí on foot, and two Dave Curren a number of times, there’s the whistles handed out by members that has been ongoing since 2005. students do not enter Schol but Kildare St. and staged a sit-in in front on horseback. The student halted traffi c defi nitely a difference of opinion, we are of the Student’s Union. Many were Under the new academic year structure acheive First Class honours and Gold of the Daíl. The group was lead by Free from Kildare and Molesworth St. all members of USI and our position is to clad in either Trinity Student’s Union there will no longer be a break in March Medals in their Final exams. It was Education for Everyone (FEE), who Aiden Beatty, a fourth-year Law push USI in a more activist direction.” or USI anti-fees T-shirts, and still more between Hilary and Trinity Term, where proposed to integrate Schols with the have been present at USI and Student student at Trinity, is one of the co- Students from Trinity marched were holding the “No to Fees!” posters the exams are usually held. Instead they Annual exams in the SF year. This Union rallies across the country. Armed organisers of FEE in Trinity, and one from Front Square at around 1 p.m., that were given out, while some had will be held over the Christmas break. met with much resistance, however, as with a megaphone and a sound system of the two delegates from Trinity on on to Westmoreland St., up O’Connell fashioned their own placards. The exam itself is also to be many see voluntarily opting to sit the on wheels pumping electro music, FEE FEE’s national council. He explained St., and west around Parnell Square, ‘signifi cantly shortened’ to around 3-4 demanding exam a central element of lead about 100 students to the Daíl, that the group had decided that the where they met up with the rest of the continued on page 2 papers over 8-9 hours of examination. the institution. “I would start by brushing “The EC is there not to fi ne people or kick people “I can assure you that civilians my teeth”. off the ballot, we are there to make sure that where not directly targeted.” Musician Pete Doherty’s THIS FORTNIGHT each candidate participates in fair election Israeli Ambassador, Zion Evrony response when asked what he campaigning process.” again defending Israel’s recent would do differently in life if Nikolai Trigoub-Rotnem, chair of the Electoral attacks on Gaza. given the choice. THEY SAID... Commission, defending the introduction of new rules “Get charmed by India!” governing the upcoming SU “This initiative is really about empowering more The tagline for the College’s elections. people to use the ‘cupla focal’ in what is the newest society, the Indian Society. communication age.” “Misinfomation in the Ferdie Mac an Fhailigh, CEO of Foras na Gaeilge, on “The traditional safety wave of emigration is Irish media and biased a new initiative to make Irish language text messaging effectively closed”. Compiled by Lisa Byrne coverage” possible. The Provost, Dr. John Hegarty, speaking recently on the Israeli Ambassador, Zion post-education options available to Irish students Evrony, condeming the “Madness? THIS… IS… COLOURS!” media coverge of the The reply that came from UCD when DUHC players “They want on cheating” “How come they’re allowed on the pitch?” attacks on Gaza , at his questioned the ability to play in the weather conditions. Education Offi cer Hugh Sullivan objecting to the An unknown student’s reaction to the sight of the recent visit to the College. protesters against the new SU Election rules. French rugby team training in College Park, otherwise out of bounds to students untill the spring NUMEROLOGY 15,000 students protest

Compiled by Lisa Byrne front of the crowd at Parnell St. During continued from page 1 the delay, Trinity News overheard one guard tell another that “there’s no one At one point, the Trinity procession in charge here, it’s an embarrassment”. stretched from the Front Gate to the When Trinity News photographer Dave Liffey. The vast majority of on-lookers Malloy asked the guard what he meant, seemed to support the protest, and he declined to comment. 15,000 many cars and buses beeped approval Also during the delay, a disagreement at the students. Two older men were between USI education offi cer Bartley » The estimated number of students who attended last Wednesday’s jumping up and down, applauding the Rock and TCD student Dillan Haskins fees protest students; “Education is a benefi t to all of broke out over an email allegedly sent to society, I support them 100%. Education the National College of Art and Design shouldn’t just be for the rich”, one of (NCAD), telling their Student’s Union to them said. make sure that no joke signs were taken Another woman waiting for a bus to the protest (Trinity News was unable €600 on O’Connell St. said the government to obtain a copy of the email). Mr. were “ruining this country” with the Haskins was visibly upset, saying that » The entire budget that candidates running in this years SU elections cutbacks. As for her bus, which would “the USI have no right to tell students cannot exceed. be quite delayed by the procession, she what they can have on their signs, it’s said good-naturedly, “what the hell, our protest”. Despite this, humourous as long as they get their rights. It’s a signs abounded: “Biffo don’t be acting disgrace”. the maggot”, “Shove your fees up yer As the Trinity students passed the Gees”, “Careful Now” and “Down with 60 Rotunda Hospital on Parnell Square that Sort of Thing” (of Father Ted fame) West, one woman dressed in scrubs ran Scenes at last week’s protest. Photo: Andrew Holohan were among the more inventive signs. » The number of credits each candidate has at the beginning of the out of the front doors of the hospital, fi st When the march did get going, it campaign. pumping in the air, screaming “Power The noise was deafening at the with rumours that the representatives proceeded swiftly down Parnell and to the people!” She said she was very Garden of Remembrance, as the from fi rst University College Cork, O’Connell St., around Trinity and happy to see the students marching, students were packed thickly on one then National University Ireland, towards Merrion Square to Leinster and that she had a vested interest in the street, as the traffi c had not yet been Galway, were late because of traffi c House. Despite being described by some protest as a post-graduate student at blocked at Parnell St. The march was (Trinity News saw students from each media as “the student army” and “an 44% the Royal College of Students in Ireland, held up for about half an hour after institution in the march). There were emotional crowd”, the march was non- before running back into work. the Trinity contingent joined the rest, approximately two dozen Gardaí at the violent, and no arrests were made. » The percantage of Health Science students who got Schol in 2004- 2006. 16% Provost requests pay freeze » The percentage of Engineering and Science students who got Schol in the same period. By Seamus Donnelly Hegarty convened a special meeting of senior academics on Tuesday 27th January. During the meeting, he put WHILE COLLEGE departments are forward a proposal that lecturers being forced to make large cutbacks forego the pay rise at least until issues 11 to balance their books, it emerged last regarding unsanctioned payments have week that a pay increase for up to 300 been resolved. » At least, the number of security guards seen by a witness at the visit of of the country’s leading professors is However reports suggest that this the Israeli Ambassador to the College. imminent. proposal was rejected by those present. The Department for Education and One academic source has stated that Science, is reported to have sanctioned the pay increase is an embarrassment the €3 million increases. The pay rises coming as it does at a time when some of 7.5- 8% come at a time when some lecturers are not having their contracts senior college staff have been asked to renewed and others non academic staff take cuts of as much as 10%. If the pay are seeing their pay cut. INFORMATION rise were to materialise, it would be The Irish Federation of University backdated to September 2007. Teachers, the representative body for Editor: Martin McKenna Professors salaries start at €123,449 University lecturers in Ireland, has Deputy Editor: Anna Stein and can rise to €158,644, which means stated that they do not believe that all Website: Stuart Martin many professors can expect as much lecturers should be punished as a result Business Manager: Lia Prendergast as €10,000 extra. These rises came of those that have received unauthorised Copy Editors: Tom Lowe about as a result of the last national payments. Eleanor Friel pay agreement which agreed a 2.5% Michael Jennings of IFUT stated, Kara Furr pay rise and the O’Brien Review Group “it’s one thing to impose collective Kiera Healy on Higher Renumeration in the Public punishment on people for almost 18 Ruth Mahony Sector which recommended a 5- 5.5% months but it is appalling to expect that Sarah-Kate Geraghty increase. However, while other groups kind of collective self-sacrifi ce”. Photographs: Rachel Kennedy within the public sector have received The IFUT general secretary went College News: Deirdre Robertson this payment, the delay in awarding on to state “appeals to the spirit of National News: Una Geary this increase to lecturers is due to the collegiality have to be met with a wry International News: Kasia Mychajlowycz unauthorised allowances paid to some smile, especially when they come from News Features: Deirdre Lennon leading academics. people who push the corporate agenda Features: Emily Monk It is understood Provost John in the university”. Provost John Hegarty. Photo: Caroline O’Leary Opinion: Aoife Crowley World Review: Aaron Mulvihill Travel: Derek Larney Business: Grace Walsh Science: Luke Maishman College Sport: Conor James McKinney TN2 Editor: Hugh McCafferty Michael Armstrong Objections raised at SU council Film: Music: Catriona Gray Fashion: Patrice Murphy EC, has defended the EC saying it “is Books: Jean Morley continued from page 1 there not to fi ne people or kick people Theatre: Kathy Clarke off the ballot, we are there to make sure Art: Caroline O’Leary determine its severity and in accordance that each candidate participates in Food and Drink: Melanie O’Reilly will deduct credits. Should a candidate fair election campaigning process.” reach zero points before the end of the The purpose of these new rules, All Trinity News staff can be contacted at election, the candidates name will be he believes, is to enhance the quality fi [email protected]. struck off the ballot paper. According of the campaigns. “With the focus on the Mr. Sullivan, candidates can appeal people using their resources to the max Trinity News is funded by a grant from DU Publications Committee. This an EC decision “if they have been potential will create a better election publication claims no special rights or privileges. Serious complaints struck from the ballot as a result of the where people will actually interact with should be addressed to: The Editor, Trinity News, 6 Trinity College, Dub- decision.” the student body and their campaign lin 2. Appeals may be directed to the Press Council of Ireland. While the EC believes these new Education Offi cer Hugh Sullivan announces this year’s SU election candidates team rather than relying on having a measures to be necessary, the new rules last Friday evening. Photo: Martin McKenna massive number of t shirt and fl yers to Trinity News is a full participating member of the have been met with criticisms which win an election.” Press Council of Ireland and supports the Offi ce of were voiced at the most recent Council “confi dent that everything will run of the EC, the removal of the candidate Campaigning offi cially begins at the Press Ombudsman. This scheme in addition to meeting. The objections, however, smoothly.” from the ballot once they reach zero 11pm on Sunday February 15th and runs defending the freedom of the press, offers readers were met with some hostility, with Hilary Allen, who ran for Education credits is not. According to Ms. Allen, until 4pm on Thursday 26th. Results will a quick, fair and free method of dealing with com- Education Offi cer Hugh Sullivan saying Offi cer last year, was one of those who “the candidate can go to the appeals be released on the night of the 26th. plaints that they may have in relation to articles that that those who objected did so because voiced their objections, believing the board, but they may not campaign appear on our pages. To contact the Offi ce of the they “want on cheating”. Sullivan has removal of the “with discretion of during the time for the appeal. 2 or 3 Full election preview inside on Press Ombudsman go to www.pressombudsman.ie since apologised to those he branded the EC” clause to be one of the most days of campaigning could make all the pages 12 & 13: Every candidate as cheaters and has met with all of dangerous. While the amounts of difference.” profi led; Senator Ivana Bacik recalls the potential candidates, saying he is credit deducted will be at the discretion Nikolai Trigoub-Rotnem, chair of the her time; plus your biggest issues TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 NEWS 3 SHORT Staff warn against Trinity welcomes CUTS suspicious exhibit Indian Society SCHOLARSHIP BOI OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS BANK OF Ireland are offering aid to students facing fi nancial diffi culties in the form of its £12.5m scholarship scheme. BOI’s Millennium Scholars Trust is an initiative providing access to third level education for disadvantaged students. The scheme is reaching its fi nal year, with up to 100 scholarships worth up to £40,000 available for the next academic year. As the deadline of 2nd March 2009 approaches, Provost, Dr John Hegarty, Indian Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency, P. S Raghavan and the Trust is encouraging founding member of the society, Shyam S. Sathyanarayana applications from those who face signifi cant barriers to Trinity has advised students to “consider the ethical implications” of the Bodies exhibit By Lisa Byrne continued by saying that he hoped that the society achieving their educational Deputy College News Editor would add to Trinity’s goal of being the centre of potential, such as disability or By Brian Barry interest so they were all taken up. The Students’ South Eastern studies in Ireland. economic circumstances. Union didn’t have a stance on it. We were simply THE COLLEGE’S newest society, the Indian Mr. Raghavan, Indian Ambassador to Ireland, Students should contact BOI given the tickets to distribute and we did. I’m not Society, was offi cially launched last week in the welcomed the renewal of links with India and Millennium Scholars Trust offi ce THE HEAD of Medicine has issued a warning to going myself”. Mr. Reilly also claimed that some Provost House by the Provost Dr. John Hegarty believed Trinity’s Indian student body to be too on (01) 4498500. students and staff in Trinity to consider the ethical medicine students were in fact having specifi c and his excellency, P.S. Raghavan, the Indian low, hoping it would increase to 500 in the coming Kate Palmer implications of attending the controversial ‘Bodies’ lectures about anatomy in the exhibition itself. Ambassador to Ireland. years. exhibition which opened recently in Dublin. Trinity is not the only educational instution to The society, which was set up by student Shyam Having been presented with the ‘Royal Baton’ Meanwhile medicine, physiology, and express concern with the exhibition. The Joint Sathyanarayana, aims to increase interest and by Bollywood Screenplay writer Atul Tiwari, the ASTRONOMY occupational therapy students have snapped up Managerial Body for Secondary Schools in Ireland knowledge in Indian culture. It is hoped that Provost promised to walk around the college free tickets to the exhibition from the Students’ urged “schools not to support such a questionable through this society, social and educational links yielding this ‘symbol of power.’ NEW ASTRONOMY Union. SU President Cathal Reilly admitted that commercial activity”. will also be formed between Ireland and India. Speaking to the Trinity News, the Provost 120 tickets were freely distributed to the students. Professor Peter Dockery, Head of the Anatomy Aware of the absence of any Indian society when emphasised the importance of understanding OBSERVATORY It emerged last year that some of the bodies Department in Galway also expressed his concerns he fi rst entered the College, Mr. Sathyanarayana culture both ways. He spoke of his delight at used at the exhibition - which has attracted on the exhibit. “Professional anatomists train became determined to create a forum where having received an honourary life membership to THE SCHOOL of Physics some 11 million visitors - were unidentifi ed and people in the medical and allied health sciences Indian students could meet while also teaching the society and said he was looking forward to the is continuing to celebrate unclaimed. An investigation carried out by the and have a duty to instill respect for the human Irish students about some of the more popular cooking lessons. Student Union President Cathal the “International Year of New York Attorney General stopped this practice. body. Anatomically prepared material is not, and aspects of Indian culture. Reilly, who also attended the event, said he was Astronomy 2009”, having just During the investigation, allegations made by should not, be treated as mere entertainment nor Mr. Sathyanarayana, an Erasmus student delighted to see another worthwhile society joining opened its new astronomy advocacy groups and media reports had suggested as a source of private income.” studying for a Masters of Science in Mechanical the College and he was personally most looking observatory. Astrophysicist that some of the bodies on exhibit were Chinese However, Cheryl Mure, director of education Engineering, vowed not to let the society go down forward to the Bollywood nights. Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, prisoners who were executed. The exhibition for the show’s operator Premier Exhibitions as a by-gone in Trinity’s history books but to make Robert Kearns of the Central Societies who received an honourary still includes the remains of foetuses which were defended the educational and ethical merit of the it “stand out as one of the best”. He also hoped Committee welcomed the new society saying it Doctorate for Science in obtained without the consent of the next-of-kin. exhibition. “We’ve done due diligence, working that by creating the society he would ‘open India “will be very advantageous for both Indian students December, was invited Professor Dermot Kelleher, Head of of Medicine closely with our partners, and we stand fi rm and to the world’. who are trying to keep a strong connection to their to offi cially open the new and Dr Paul Glacken, Head of Anatomy, sent an are 100 per cent comfortable with the origins of Mr. Sathyanarayana also acknowledged the hard culture and those around college who have an observatory. email to all students and staff in Trinity’s Faculty of the specimens”. work done by Dr. Helen Kelly of the International interest in Indian culture”. Dr. Brian Espey, Senior Health Sciences asking professionals and students Jelena Ivanovic, a Masters Neuroscience Offi ce, who was a key member in the establishment Among the future events planned, the society Lecturer in Physics and to “refl ect on the ethical implications of attending student said “I personally won’t be attending. I’m of the society. hopes to have a ‘Bollywood Gala’ towards the end Astrophysics Course Director this exhibition”. The email states “the company all for body exploration and fully acknowledge the Speaking at the event, the Provost noted “Trinity of March and will be offering classes in Indian welcomed the new observatory running it could not demonstrate the causes of important role that anatomy has in physiological- trained large numbers of doctors and engineers cooking along with Bollywood movie nights. The and was keen to stress the death of the individuals dissected nor establish based sciences. However, consent is fundamental who played important roles in the Indian colonial society also hopes to invite speakers from the benefi ts of such a telescope. that they consented to their remains being used in in all scientifi c research, and in this day and age, services, including the geological survey of India entertainment, educational and political sector of The observatory can be this manner”. The email also contains links to two where ethics are ever infl uencing how scientists and the medical services”. Indian society to come to address the society. found on the roof of the articles strongly criticising the exhibition. conduct themselves, I question how condoning Dr. Hegarty also spoke of the importance of The society is open to both members of the staff College’s Fitzgerald Building. The SU were given tickets for Natural Sciences an exhibition like this is justifi ed. I personally maintaining and re-energising the current links and student body in the College. Anyone interested Lisa Byrne students by the promoters in advance of the event. question how Ireland, as an EU member can agree between the College and India, calling the society in joining should get in contact with the Central Cathal Reilly said “there was a very high level of to host this.” a “good mechanism” for doing so. The Provost Societies Committee.

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By Jelena Ivanovic with the Christmas break remaining at of the new timetable on postgraduate REALITY TV four weeks. NEW TIMETABLE FOR THE 2009-10 ACADEMIC YEAR students should be minor.” ‘THE HUNT’ Hilary term will also consist of 12 Roughly 10,500 undergraduate A NEW academic year structure has taught weeks and will begin slightly Week Date Event students in Trinity take BESS or BEGINS IN TCD been approved by the Council and Board later than usual, with no break in TSM courses at the Faculty of Arts, and will take effect from autumn 2009. March. Two ‘revision weeks’ have been 1 & 2 31st Aug-7th Sept Supplemental Exams Humanities and Social Sciences. In TRINITY’S FIRST reality Anyone planning extended holidays allotted as opposed to the usual one preparing for the transition, Director television show, ‘The Hunt’ over the summer break will need to between the start of the Trinity term of the TSM programme, Prof Johnnie 4 21st-25th Sept Freshers Week was launched for the media on rethink their plans as Michaelmas term and the exam period, which will run Gratton told Trinity News that “all in Friday 30th January. will now begin two weeks earlier than through weeks three to six of this term. all, it’s been a hectic term. Most of us 28th September- Michaelmas Term The show, created by JS usual. This third 12-week term then will host 5-16 feel we’re getting there, but some of us 18th December (12 weeks in total) English student, Ian Kinane, The announcement reached students annual examinations, research, and aren’t so sure.” involves 10 contestants on the 4th of February by means of a supervisory contact with postgraduate He added that “All departments competing to win a €5,000 joint email from Vice-Provost Patrick students. 17-20 19th Dec-17th Jan Christmas Break (4 weeks) contributing to the TSM programme prize that was donated Prendergast and Chief Academic Offi cer Some students have expressed have been working hard to prepare for by several anonymous Chris Lyons. concern at the changes, from losing two 21-32 18th Jan-9th April Hilary Term (12 weeks) semesterisation, including many who benefactors. The decision follows a long weeks from the summer break to only have taken the opportunity to rethink The contestants are all consultation process with staff and having two weeks to revise the whole and restructure their undergraduate students or ex-students of students and was fi nalised at a Board year before exams begin. The timetable 33 & 34 12th-25th April ‘Revision’ week and Trinity Week curriculum.” Trinity. meeting on 28th January 2009. The suggests the end-of-year exams will Among some problems associated The fi rst episode was shown recommendations were based on “the cover both teaching blocks, but Board 26th April- with the move, Prof Gratton said the in Filmbase, Temple Bar. need for coherence in the timing of meeting minutes imply that there may 35-38 Examinations 22nd May most diffi cult have been coping with the One student was voted out the College’s academic activities and be scope for supplemental examinations implications of the Schol exams taking in the fi rst round following a the effi cient use of college resources,” but only subject to Council approval. place the week before the start of the 24th May- competition between the two according to Board meeting minutes. In addition, departments may choose 39-42 Marking/Results second semester, reaching agreement teams. The new structure will see the to include a reading week during each 18th June on a common reading week with other All fi lming has now been current teaching system replaced with term, but such arrangements and big programmes such as BESS and the completed but the winner has two 12 week teaching terms and an exam those for fi eld trips and professional 43 21st-25th June Academic Appeals Science Course, and trying to get it been warned that they will be term. Michaelmas term will begin on placements should be determined by across to departments not to “freeload” liable if they reveal themselves 31st August with teaching commencing individual schools in advance to ensure Professor Carol O’Sullivan, told “we are moving towards international the fi rst term, that semesterisation before the last episode is from 28th September through to 18th no timetable clashes with teaching Trinity News the move was “a very standards with the new semester requires an even balance between the shown. December 2009, a slightly earlier start requirements. positive development for postgraduate structure - thus enhancing student two teaching blocks in terms of student The same episode was due and later fi nish for most students, but Dean of Postgraduate Studies, education in the university,” adding mobility.” She stated that “any impact workload and module credit value. to be shown to the general public on Wednesday evening but due to technical diffi culties it had to be cancelled. It will now be shown this Wednesday, 11th February at 7pm in the Doherty meets his people at Phil event Robert Emmet Theatre in the Arts Building Deirdre Robertson By Meadhbh McHugh spoke of ‘Arcadia’ as a place of liberty and freedom, ‘where no one infringes on you and you infringe on no one.’ CHILDRENS BOOKS CONTROVERSIAL PETE Doherty This personal philosophy was in his certainly didn’t disappoint when words ‘why I’m here today’ and asked NEW CHILDREN’S he visited the Dublin University if it were truly possible replied ‘Yeah, it Philosophical society last week. Doherty has to be. Otherwise it’s all for nothing’ BOOK INITIATIVE arrived at Trinity on Friday 6th February adding that in dark and troubled times in suitable rock-star fashion over two ‘you have to believe in goodness.’ His TRINITY ACCESS Programme and a quarter hours late to rapturous message of hope concluded with ‘it has teamed up the Ark, the applause from the 300 or more patient takes guts to be gentle and kind’; a Cultural Centre for Children, fans and media that awaited him at the quotation from I Know it’s Over by The for the Annual Bookmarks Phil’s memorial chamber. Smiths. Programme. Even more students waited outside, Audience members questioned Three schools that were despite the cold, to catch a glimpse of Doherty about his time in the Libertines, deemed disadvantaged were the notorious musician’s arrival with in Babyshambles and his new album chosen to take part in the Phil council members describing ‘a Grace/Wastelands. He discussed programme, which aims to scrum’ as he made his way up the steps previous collaborations with various help encourage children to and into the GMB, surrounded by the artists, his management, his infl uences read and create their own screams of music fans and the glare of and musical highlights. He mentioned stories. 63 students from the paparazzi fl ash. The Libertines Don’t Look Back into Scoil Cholmcille National Donning his trademark black hat he the Sun and Babyshambles Down in School, Ballybrack, Our Lady also wore a white shirt, grey waistcoat, Albion as the two songs he returns to of Lourdes National School, skinny jeans and a splattering of silver again and again for inspiration and Goldenbridge and Marist jewellery. Accessories included a Jack enjoyment and recalled a rehearsal National School, Crumlin. will Daniels acoustic guitar, a bottle of with Elton John for their Live 8 2005 learn how to write, illustrate Bavaria and a cigarette in hand, one collaboration as a musical highlight. and bookbinding at the Ark in he would later light up illegally mid- When asked, Doherty described Temple Bar. interview, with no opposition. Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell as ‘a white The programme was The star’s popularity was evident jeans wearing ponce’ but acknowledged offi cially launched in the as crowd numbers were only second Borrell’s ‘amazing’ songwriting ability College on January 30th by to those experienced when Al Pacino and hoped he would return to his children’s author Aubrey Flegg. visited the Philosophical society in ‘bluesy’ guitar style someday. Having taken a tour around 2007, according to Hot Press journalist Doherty played a selection of songs the College, the students were and interviewer at the event, Stuart at spontaneous intervals, including his encouraged to gain some Clark. At an almost inaudible volume, new single Last of the English Roses inspiration from the Book of the softly spoken musician answered and fi nished up with Down in Albion Kell’s. This inspiration will questions posed to him by Clark and to a captivated audience. He lovingly then be chanelled in February audience alike on - as the Phil had held his guitar against his torso puffi ng when artists from the Ark visit promised - ‘life, love and much more.’ Pete Doherty at the Philosophical Society with Orla Marnell, Phil Steward. Photo: Anna Laine almost rhythmically on a cigarette all the three schools to help the With a loose posture, Doherty the while. students create their own charmed the audience at the Phil spoke of his ‘dead friends, friends he that is evidently a diffi cult topic for the past four or fi ve months. His well- Earlier in the interview the subject of stories. chamber with stories from his life has known for hundreds of years’ in an him. He said he ‘doesn’t spend enough publicised previous relationship with romanticising certain poverty-stricken The students will get the coupled with occasional musical elusive, poetic statement that reinstated time with him or do enough for him’ Kate Moss was not brought up but fans London districts arose and likewise it chance to showcase their new interludes and one liners. He spoke of his artistic sensibility, if not his narcotic but the visible tattoo of Astille’s name were delighted to hear that he is still is almost impossible not to romanticise art in March, when it goes on his friendship with Shane McGowan habits. Asked what he would do on his neck was a ‘symbol’ of his love single and invitations and pleas for an Doherty himself. He spoke of the display in the College’s Long who once called him ‘the most differently in life if given the choice, he for him. He didn’t speak about any after party or guerrilla gig were thrown ‘evil twin’ that is his distorted media Room situated in the Old obnoxious man in pop’ and got a laugh responded ‘I would start brushing my other personal relationships other than up excitedly from the fl oor. portrayal, as he sees it. If there is a dual Library. saying ‘I’m not name-dropping am I?’ teeth.’ former libertines partner Carl Barat, a At his most passionate, Doherty personality or double-sided character Lisa Byrne Doherty covered a range of topics Asked about fatherhood, Doherty relationship that ended on bad terms stood up from his chair as he spoke to the fi gure of Pete Doherty, he had including his twelve cats that he admits was visibly reluctant to talk about his last time they met when Carl arrived of his vision of a utopian place called his good side on display at the Phil on actually disliking and his intention relationship with his son Astille, by drunk at his doorstep in Paris, a city ‘Arcadia’; a constant theme in his this cold February evening; Elusive, to invest in a ‘toastie’ machine. He ex-girlfriend Lisa Moorish, something in which Doherty has decamped for music, visual arts and notebooks. He erroneous and utterly entrancing.

YOUR VIEW

WOULD YOU DO JESSIE GURR BRIAN STORRS SARAH DONOGHUE MATTHEW SMYTH KEITH HENNIGAN JF FRENCH AND FILM SS CSLL SS NURSING SF BESS JS MUSIC SCHOLS IF THERE WAS NO CHANCE No because exemptions are I think it’s a bad idea to abolish I wouldn’t do them anyway I think I would. I think the big Well I did them last year and I such an incentive. The rest are exemptions because you put so but if I was doing them, I’d like issue with the new system is got exemptions but not Schols OF EXEMPTIONS? amazing too but not having to much into Schols that the risk is to have a bit longer off in the that they’re over the Christmas so I probably wouldn’t do them worry about your end of year too high without them. summer if i had put all that work holidays which will stop a lot if there were no exemptions. exams after all that work is in. The exemptions are pretty of people from doing them. important. important. Exemptions are really just a pat on the back. TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 NATIONAL NEWS 5

SHORT Security stop gay kiss in UCD bar CUTS By Lillian O’ Sullivan “wasn’t under the instruction of any of transgender people have attempted Launching the report last week, the bar staff”. He affi rmed that “male- suicide and almost all saw this as Minister for Health Mary Harney said LGBT FACTS female or gay couples are treated related to their sexual identity and the she hoped the fi ndings would help UCD’S LITERARY and Historical equally, if a heterosexual couple were experiences of being abused and feeling provide an evidence-base for the kind of » 2- 7% of the human popula- TECHNOLOGY Society (L&H) are to lodge a complaint behaving in a certain way they may be isolated. services needed to help people in distress tion is homosexual. with Pulse Security after a homosexual asked to tone it down also”. Mr. Hyland The research conducted by the over issues such as sexual identity. But IPHONE STORE IS couple was ordered to stop kissing. deemed the actions of the security as Children’s Research Centre in TCD she also stressed that the wider society » In Ireland homosexuality was The incident took place last month at a understandable, believing that the man and the School of Education at UCD has a crucial role to play in tackling decriminalised in 1993. Dis- A “GOLDMINE” Literary and Historical Society function in question “was being overcautious”. It is the biggest study carried out in the discrimination against members of crimination based on sexual held on campus in the Forum bar. The is unclear as to what hazard or risk the Republic into the mental health of gay, the LGBT community. She highlighted orientation is now outlawed. DCU STUDENT Steven male couple was confronted by a member security guard felt he was averting. lesbian and transgender people. Some the importance of the support and Troughton-Smith has hit it of Pulse Security, who demanded that Ian Hastings, Auditor of the L&H 80 per cent of respondents say they understanding of family members for » Ireland is the only country in big with his recent business they stop being intimate. society described the incident as have been verbally abused, while 40 those faced with discrimination. the EU that refuses to legally venture, designing applications A disturbance erupted between the “thoroughly, thoroughly unacceptable”. per cent say they have been punched, One attempt to foster a more positive recognise gender change. for Apple’s iPhone. The fi rst security member and several students Speaking of the complaint to be lodged, kicked or beaten. Most bullying or approach to diversity in universities is year student of Digital Media attending the function, but the situation Mr. Hastings said “it is probably going verbal abuse was experienced in the the Challenging Stereotypes intervarsity » Studies have found same-sex Engineering has created was soon brought under control without to be a joint [complaint] from the L&H, education system, with almost 60 per competition. The creative competition and opposite-sex couples to a number of applications aggravated altercation. and the university”. cent reporting homophobic bullying in highlights the continued need to be equivalent to each other which can be bought on the The students involved are not UCD News of this incident comes as a their schools. Equally alarming, almost challenge stereotyping. It is being run by on measures of relationship computer giant’s “App Store”, students but were on the Belfi eld campus study, Supporting LGBT Lives: A Study one-third of respondents had self- the 7 Irish universities and is now open satisfaction and commitment. an online system which allows attending a debating competition hosted of the Mental Health of Lesbian, Gay, harmed at least once. to entries, which are accepted in the owners of the iPhone or iPod by the L&H. Bisexual and Transgender People was The study also found the majority (81 form of art, photography and written » Trinity’s own LGBT was Touch to download games and Manager of the Forum Bar, Declan published by Minister for Health Mary per cent) of the gay community are now pieces. The equality project aims to founded in 1982 making it the other programmes onto their Hyland was adamant that the security Harney. comfortable with their identity, with combat discrimination in relation to the oldest LGBT college society in personal devices. member involved was not part of the The report found that almost 20 over two-thirds of respondents coming nine equality grounds, one of which is Ireland. One such programme Forum bar staff and insisted that he per cent of gay, lesbian, bisexual and out to all their immediate families. sexual orientation. called “Speed”, which was designed by Troughton-Smith, can be purchased online for €0.79. The programme uses the iPhone’s GPS to calculate the speed at which one is travelling. In the fi rst six days it was available, the programme Text ‘as was downloaded 36,000 times, contributing to Troughton- Smith’s $1000 a day revenue. Troughton-Smith claims it is the power of the iPhone which has led to the success of App Store “It is a very powerful device gaeilge’ because it is the same system that runs on Apple desktops” James Arthurs venture POLITICAL ARCHIVES DONATION OF PD ARCHIVES A joint initiative by Vodafone and Foras na IT APPEARS the competition between the University of Gaeilge has developed software making tex- Limerick and University College Dublin exists not only ting as Gaeilge possible, writes Kate O’Regan, on the sports fi eld but in the Oisín, a 1 year-old Irish Wolfhound helps launch the new service with native Irish speakers Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabhán political arena too. Since the Deputy National News Editor. and All Ireland winning Kerry football captain Dara Ó Cinnéide. Photo: Maxwells Dublin Progressive Democrat party’s decision to dissolve, both WHETHER YOU are a fl uent Irish company has collaborated with Foras Gaeilge, has already inspired further Echoing the sentiments of Foras na course will be facilitated by staff from universities have delivered speaker, frustrated by the inability na Gaeilge, an organisation responsible research and advances for the third- Gaeilge, he maintains that it is important both LYIT and NUI Galway. presentations to the party to text in your native tongue, or an for the promotion of the Irish language level sector. A Kerry-based linguist, Dr. to tap into youth culture. The aim of the degree is to provide national executive in the hopes occasional user of the cupla focal you in Ireland. Muiris O’Laoire began compiling a list of While technology-based advances in bilingual graduates with the practical of receiving the donation of picked up at school, it is now possible to The launch of the sms service has the most commonly shortened phrases Irish have been welcomed by the Irish and analytical skills necessary to the party’s archives. The fi nal send text messages in Irish. been the result of a joint scheme lasting in order to promote the language and speaking community, huge advances work effectively in a business and decision will be made by the The service has been further several years. Ferdie Mac an Fhailigh, make its use more practical for the have also been made in the academic administration environment in which party’s four founding members, enhanced by a Tralee Institute of CEO of Foras na Gaeilge, stated that his mobile-phone generation. fi eld. Irish and English are used. one of whom hails from Co. Technology academic who has set company’s approach to the development As the project is only in its infancy, Dr. NUI Galway and Letterkenny The programme will involve a Limerick as Prof McCutcheon, about compiling a database of the most of the language is to encourage access Muiris, of Tralee Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology recently outlined combination of academic studies and deliverer of UL’s presentation, commonly used phrases. to and usage of the language. proposals for future collaborations training, with the prospect of developing touched upon. UCD however The predictive text service means “This initiative is really about Dr. O’Laoire between the two institutions. well educated and highly trained young has the archives of FF, FG and that Irish has joined the elite group empowering more people to use of Tralee I.T. The anticipated partnership is the graduates, who are capable of aspiring the papers of Eamon de Valera of fewer than 80 of the world’s 7,000 the ‘cupla focal’ in what is the is compiling a outcome of three years work, involving a to professional level in Irish and and others to put into the ring. languages which are available at the communication age”. database of Irish multi-disciplinary task-force. The work English. Both universities are eagerly user’s fi ngertips. Indeed the new software, comprising text phrases between staff and management of both The outlook for the future of the Irish awaiting the announcement Vodafone customers can now over 25,000 Irish language words and colleges was aimed at identifying ways language looks positive, as signifi cant expected later this month. download the texting software directly phrases will be a welcome resource to has indicated that a research post may in which the relative strengths of each steps are taken to integrate its use In other archive news 350 to their handsets. The service is available the country’s growing number of Irish also be offered for a student to record institution could be used for the benefi t into the daily and professional life of boxes of private papers and across all networks by downloading speakers. TCD’s Cumann Gaelach how people text in the Gaeltacht areas. of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht 21st century Ireland. However Trinity’s correspondence of former Téacs from http://wap.teacs.ie. representative, James Pelow, pointed Those already familiar with text- community. Cumann na Gaelach representative, Taoiseach Charles Haughey Launched on January 26th in Dublin out that Vodafone’s new software is a speak have become accustomed to The product of this joint initiative was James Pelow, claims that more were donated to DCU last by native Irish speakers Aoibhinn Ní necessary response to a generation more code-like abbreviated phrases, and Irish announced last week, when Presidents organisations need to adapt their Tuesday by members of the Shúilleabhán and Kerry football team familiar with our native language thanks words can now be used in more concise of both institutes signed a Memorandum services to Irish speakers. Haughey family. Under state captain Dara Ó Cinnéide, the new to the Irish language television channel spellings. For example GRMA = Go of Understanding, paving the way for a “The plethora of services ‘as Gaeilge’ regulation however the papers service has been described by consumer TG4 and the increasingly popular Gael raibh maith agat = Thankyou. joint-degree programme in Irish. that have come on stream in recent will remain unavailable until director at Vodafone Ireland, Carolann Scoileanna. “As we are now seeing, Irish texters will also be able to It is hoped that the new degree times are very welcome, but we need 2022. Lennon, as making a hugely positive the children who were fi rst infl uenced suggest phrases online. By logging onto programme will meet the recognized more and more companies to wake up Aine Pennello impact on the language. by TG4 have reached maturity and are a British-based website suggestions need and increased demand for highly- to the Irish language.” Speaking at the launch, Ms Lennon entering college and the workforce and for ‘txt spk’ can be submitted to www. trained, professional services in Irish. In When asked if he saw texting in expressed hope that the new software, collectively pushing enthusiastically for mutones.co.uk. recent years, there has been a signifi cant Irish as a threat to the purity of the MUSIC available free of charge to all Vodafone more and more things in Irish”. Dr. O’Laoire points out that the increase in positions for third level language, Mr. Pelow was adamant that users, will be of particular benefi t to Pelow also indicated the growing evolving use of Irish can only have a graduates who can function effectively such modern advances are far from QUB MUSICAL young people who use texting as their popularity of Irish on campus, referring positive infl uence on the survival of in a bilingual environment. damaging. “Using short-hand in Irish primary means of communication. to a surge in membership of Cumainn the language. However criticism is The new BA Riarachán Gnó is nothing new and can be seen in even INVENTION Vodafone is one of Ireland’s leading Ghaelacha around the country. Trinity inevitable from those who regard text (Business Administration) is a four the earliest manuscripts where space mobile phone service providers, with College now has the largest Irish speak as disfi guring the language. year degree programme, which will be on velum was at a premium. In SMS A VIDEO of a new musical a customer base of over 2.3 million, speaking student society in the country, In response Dr. O’Laoire insists that taught through the medium of Irish we only get 160 characters, txt speak instrument invented by a including business and personal and the enthusiastic reaction to the the project is creative and is an effort at NUI Galway’s external campus in is a practicality, not an attack on the Queen’s student has received subscribers. The mobile phone predictive text service, or Téacs as to make the language more vibrant. Ghaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. The language!” over one million hits on YouTube. Peter Bennett (26) from Stevenage, England, created the BeatBearing as part of his PhD project at the Sonic Arts Research Centre. Kerouac manuscript on display in UCD He is investigating the use of ‘tangible interfaces’ for new musical instruments. The By Fearghus Roulston own alteration in pencil. Owned by a American Dream and the possibilities it said that it was “a historic occasion BeatBearing is an electronic private collector, the scroll has toured offered- the archetypal ‘road-trip’ novel. ON THE ROAD insofar as the exposure of an authentic instrument that uses ball around US colleges since 2004. This is Infl uenced by the rhythms of jazz and work of art is of any great moment in bearings to produce a “I fi rst met Dean not long after my the fi rst opportunity to see it in Ireland, by Buddhist philosophy, it contains vivid » The physical effort required any age”. Not all reviews were so kind; variety of drum patterns. It wife and I split up. I had just gotten over where it will be displayed along with portraits of many of Kerouac’s friends, to write On The Road in three Kerouac struggled to cope with the is constructed from chrome, a serious illness that I won’t bother to multiple original editions of the novel, including the poet Allen Ginsberg and weeks was such that Kerouac glare of the media attention suddenly transparent Perspex and talk about, except that it had something maps, photographs, records books and the writer William Burroughs. Although sweated his way through sev- focused on him and the vicious critical computer graphics. It operates to do with the miserable weary split- other memorabilia exploring the novel’s the edited version of the novel replaces eral t-shirts a day. attacks on his work. Truman Capote as a rhythm sequencer; a red up and my feeling that everything was creation and context. these names with pseudonyms, they reportedly sneered that composing a line sweeps across a grid and dead.” So begins Jack Kerouac’s second Kerouac reputedly composed the remain intact in the manuscript version, » Before becoming a writer he novel in three weeks was merely typing, emits a sound whenever a ball novel On The Road, one of the most novel over twenty drug-fuelled days of showing the autobiographical intensity held several jobs, including not writing. Although Kerouac never bearing is encountered. famous American books of the twentieth continuous typing, attempting to move of Kerouac’s most popular novel. It merchant seaman, rail-road stopped writing, a lifetime of heavy Mr. Bennett described the century. The original manuscript of this away from the stilted, clichéd prose of became synonymous with the so-called brakeman, and personal drinking took its toll and he died in 1969 instrument as similar to “an hugely infl uential novel will be on display his early literary efforts. He explained ‘beat’ generation, a group of artists secretary. at just 49. updated version of the old in UCD from the 4th - 27th of February. It in an interview with the Paris Review coexisting in the 1950s subculture of Kerouac has had a huge infl uence piano-roll”. He added, “It is composed of eight twenty-foot strips that “I spent my entire youth writing urban America, although Kerouac » The novel was inspired by a on popular culture, cited by fi gures as started out as a weekend of teletype paper, taped together to slowly with revisions and endless himself rejected the notion of such a forty-thousand word letter diverse as Bob Dylan and the Japanese project when one of my form a continuous scroll. rehashing, speculation and deleting cohesive group. He dismissed the ‘beat’ written to Kerouac by Neal novelist Haruki Murakami. His reaction colleagues left ball bearings Using a manual typewriter in the loft and got so I was writing one sentence a generation as “just a phrase I used in Cassady which they later lost against the conservative materialism of lying around the lab and I of his New York home, Kerouac spent day and the sentence had no FEELING. the 1951 written manuscript of On The on a houseboat. 1950s culture remains clearly relevant, wondered how you could three physically exhausting weeks in the Goddamn it, FEELING is what I like in Road to describe guys like Moriarty who and the electric zest and enthusiasm for make music with them.” His spring of 1951 composing the work. It art, not CRAFTINESS and the hiding of run around the country in cars looking » It is often seen as the prose life he displays have inspired generations ‘make-your-own BeatBearing’ was to become one of the seminal novels feelings.” for odd jobs, girlfriends, kicks.” accompaniment to Allen of readers. The manuscript is to stop guide is soon to be published of the era and propel him to unwanted The novel, based on the adventures of The novel’s eventual publication Ginsberg’s era-defi ning poem, touring in 2009. This could be a fi nal in US magazine Make. fame and notoriety. The typed text is Kerouac’s lifelong friend Neal Cassady, in 1957, six years after its completion, Howl. chance to see the genesis of a vital and Una Geary single-spaced and contains the author’s can be read as an exploration of the attracted huge interest- Gilbert Milstein exuberant novel. TRINITY NEWS 6 INTERNATIONAL NEWS February 10, 2009 Campus gossip site shut down

By Richard Oviatt Her heart dropped for good reason. somebody who is physically stronger bullying “Everyone I talk to says it’s jealousy, which The Lantern, Ohio State Univeristy The attacks came quickly and viciously. the other person. Whereas in cyber bullying, sounds conceited so I don’t like to say that, Occasionally someone would defend her, it can be anyone, it has leveled the playing but I really can’t fi gure out what I have done “JACKIE KINGSTON is the biggest s--- but the majority of the more than 100 posts fi eld,” he said. that is so horrible,” she said. EVER.” criticize her character, appearance and The nature of the attacks bother Kingston While the attacks clearly bother her, “I know for a fact she got implants, she morality. so much that she actually prefers the rare Kingston has learned to deal with them. told me about them.” “I fi nd it so cowardly of these anonymous face-to-face confrontation. “Luckily I was raised to be confi dent, and “The way she dresses when she goes out posters to sit behind their computers and “The closest thing I have come to any sort early on learned to not let people get to me,” make me nauseous. Honestly hunny, are you write terrible things, but refuse to say a word of confrontation was having a glass of eggnog she said. “I know what I have done and what that desperate? People see you as a sex icon to me when they see me,” Kingston said. poured on my head and a pumpkin thrown at I have not done. I have no regrets … It’s just and nothing else. keep [sic] snorting that coke, While most Internet message boards are me by members of a female sports team here obnoxious reading the slander and constant you’ll get far. F--- you, you’re worthless.” anonymous, Kingston said Juicy Campus’ at OSU,” she said. “But hey, at least they made defamation of my character.” While slander Global Global Campus All of these comments come from me aware they had a problem with me rather and defamation of character are strong terms anonymous sources posted on Juicy Campus, Jackie Kingston, than writing about me online.” to throw around, Cicchirillo says the claim a Web site marketed toward college students a sophomore at The Internet attacks have hurt Kingston isn’t unreasonable. who want to gossip about their campus. The OSU, has been far worse than any fl ying pumpkin could “The potential for lawsuits is defi nitely ZIMBABWE site encourages students to “spill the juice the target of have. there. It’s just a matter of fi nding out the about all the crazy stuff going on at your constant abuse “I feel like my life is under a microscope. source and how our own justice system is UNI DEMANDS U.S DOLLARS campus,” and ensures anonymity - there is Everything I do is discussed, everything about going to regulate it in terms of laws and no registration, login or e-mail verifi cation encouragement to gossip anonymously has me is insulted. When I walk into public places regulations,” he said. ON TUESDAY February 3rd, hundreds of students required. caused most of her problems. and people look at me, I feel self-conscious When Kingston tried to contact Juicy from the University of Zimbabwe in Harare and Juicy Campus was created less than a “It was just disappointing to know and automatically assume I’m being gossiped Campus administrators about her bullying, Midlands State University in Gweru took to the year-and-a-half ago, but already supports 505 how cruel people can be when given the about,” she said. she initially got no response. But her answer streets in protest against the ‘Dollarization of campuses. One of the most popular sections opportunity to say things anonymously and After the deluge of criticism, Kingston came Wednesday afternoon when CEO Education’. Students marched outside the Vice- on the site is the Ohio State section, and one not have to deal with the repercussions of simply wants to know why people care about and Founder of Juicy Campus Matt Ivester Chancellor’s offi ce on the UZ campus, where of the most popular topics, with more than their words,” she said. what she does. It’s a question many would announced in an e-mail that the site will close armed riot police intervened with dogs and tear 2,700 views, is simply titled “Jackie.” The Vincent Cicchirillo, a graduate teaching likely ask. Kingston is not an athlete, nor is today.He cited decreased advertisement gas, arresting sixty protesters and injuring at least title refers to Jackie Kingston, a sophomore associate in the School of Communication, she a student organization president; she revenue and failed funding as primary reasons fi ve. Their demands seem relatively simple: that in arts at OSU. has studied and researched the topic of cyber doesn’t even belong to a sorority. But she is for the shut-down. He acknowledged that they be able to pay their university fees in their “I fi rst heard I was on Juicy Campus from bullying. He says anonymity has helped cause more talked about than any other individual there are aspects of Juicy Campus that no one own currency. a friend,” Kingston said. “She called me and the surge in online menacing. or entity on Juicy Campus. Unfortunately, she will miss, but insisted that his side “provided Since January 1st, old Zimbabwean dollars have was like, ‘Hey did you see that post about you?’ “There is a lack of fear from retribution on doesn’t have an answer for why she has taken a platform that students found interesting, not been legal tender. This is the culmination And at that moment my heart dropped.” the Internet. In traditional bullying, it’s been on a pseudo-celebrity status at OSU. entertaining and fun.” of an offi cial directive by the Zimbabwean government, released in August 2008, to re- denominate the currency so that 10 000 000 000 old Zimbabwean dollars(ZWD) equals 1 new ZWD. However, no new currency has yet been issued so Zimbabweans are still paid in old ZWD and currently, one ZWD is only worth 0.04 U.S Dollars. This has presented problems for third level Court case for students who were told at the start of January, via a communication on a university notice board, that in order to sit their exams, they would have to pay a fee of US$400. Furthermore, they would be required to pay upwards of US$1000 to return to college for the second term. Midlands State Pro-life group University has also advised fi rst year students that fees paid last year are no longer legitimate and that they will be required to pay the revised fees By Monica Urbanski It is not the fi rst time that a controversy has in full. Staff Writer arisen because of the protest run by the GAP. The move has been described as ‘academic The project is produced and managed by the genocide’ by the Zimbabwe National Students A GROUP of pro-life student activists Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR), which is Union(ZINASU). The country is currently in the are heading to court this month after the working to establish prenatal justice and the midst of an economic catastrophe with reports of University of Calgary, Canada, charged them right to life for the unborn and is a privately unemployment reaching 90%. The situation has with trespassing. According to the Canadian funded, non-profi t educational corporation been exacerbated by the ruling government’s National Post, over the past few weeks Calgary that was founded in the early 1990s. The refusal to accept its own currency. All offi cial police have been turning up at homes of anti- GAP is a travelling photo-mural exhibit monetary transactions, including university fees, abortion university students. The University which compares the abortion procedure to are required to be paid in foreign currency - administrators and the student group have historically recognized forms of genocide. It One of the displays from the controversial GAP exhibit that has upset many students typically US Dollars. Along with the sharp increase been locked in an ongoing dispute over the has been temporarily installed on multiple in fees, students are now required to fund their biannual protests that feature billboards university campuses in the United States to the University of Calgary Gauntlet, Kat Pro-Life supporters also have to face huge education with a currency which neither they showing violent images of genocide victims and Canada since 1997. The GAP homepage Lord, the President of Feminist Initiative political changes with the election of President nor their parents, are paid in. According to next to graphic depictions of aborted explains how they want to place their images Recognizing Equality (FIRE), said that while Obama, who signed an executive order in Clever Bere, President of the ZINASU, the Union foetuses. Last week, members of Campus in the public square for all the people who the group understands that the University January reversing the ban that prohibits has launched the National Campaign Against Pro-Life visited the University of Calgary once will not take the time to be educated about has its “hands tied”, they would have liked to funding to international family planning Dollarization of Education(NACADEZ), so that more, announcing that the charges would abortion themselves. “By placing abortion see more done. “You can’t speak rationally groups that provide abortions, as reported by Zimbabwe can avoid ‘a situation where we are not stop them from continuing their abortion images among traditionally recognized forms to irrational people,” she said. “We’ll have ABC News. Under the hotly debated “Mexico forced to pay for our studies in United States awareness campaign and calling the charges of genocide we are expanding the context in a petition signing happening throughout City Policy,” the U.S. government could not Dollars when most of our parents are not getting a “blatant attack on free speech”. which people think about abortion.” the entire semester which will be given to provide funding for family planning services that as salaries’. The union is afraid ‘dollarization’ Before the fi rst controversial anti-abortion The organizers maintain that the display the university at the end of the semester in to clinics or groups that offered abortion- will make education a pursuit of the wealthy as the display, called the Genocide Awareness stimulates dialogue among students and hopes that next year GAP won’t be allowed related services overseas. The new order will exorbitant fees are well out of reach for much of Project (GAP), was put up last November others who ordinarily would ignore the on campus.” likely draw heavy criticism from Republicans Zimbabwe’s population. the University warned students that if they abortion issue. Nevertheless the controversy Apart from the opposition arising in and anti-abortion groups. But Obama It would seem that the only option for young held their protest without turning billboards around the project is very high. The posters Calgary, Pro-Life supporters and the GAP “remains committed to protecting a woman’s Zimbabweans seeking tertiary education would inward, so people could choose whether they were described as discriminatory and inciting had to face a lot of protest from many other right to choose and government should not be to go abroad. This is generally the preferred wanted to view the images, group members contempt towards women. Others say that organisations. The Women’s Center, a intrude on our most private family matters”. course for children of senior Zanu-PF members - could face legal action. “We issued our own to compare women who have an abortion to non-partisan organisation, denounced the Pro-Life students in Calgary see the President Mugabe’s daughter is a student at the warning at that time that if they were to Nazis and terrorists is hateful and offensive. GAP and its use of the term “genocide” to charges they have been threatened with as University of Hong Kong. Other Zimbabweans violate any University policy, we would not In many places students protested the alleged describe abortion. Furthermore the displays, an attack on free speech. Why wouldn’t they have been availing of scholarships in neighboring be defending them and would be putting abuse of the words genocide and Holocaust including posters showing aborted foetuses be able to display their opinion on abortion? African countries. However, this number in some sort of sanctions” Students’ Union in this context. At the University of Maryland alongside victims of the Holocaust and Why not challenge the students? But with this seems likely to dwindle as the government has President Dalmy Baez said. Now, more over 500 students signed a petition “I am September 11th, outraged Shelley Shapiro, argument another question arises which was introduced new prices for passports, the required then two months later, some of the students insulted by the Exploitation of the Holocaust Director of Community Relations for the put by a reader comment in the National Post: document for obtaining a student visa. Previously, behind the project have been charged with for Political Gain.” United Jewish Federation of Northeastern “I do not understand how pro lifers became the listed price for a passport was approximately trespassing and received summonses to court During the last couple of months, Pro-life New York: “We’re horrifi ed at such a huge so distorted away from reality… pro-abortion US$200, a diffi cult but not insurmountable sum. on February 27th. “It’s surprising, to say the members at the University of Calgary faced display which basically incites hatred. Some does not mean you’re Hitler. In fact abortion But this fee ha risen without warning to US$670 least, as well as disappointing,” said Campus a lot of opposition to their graphic posters. extremist group has decided to exploit the is the best way to stop women from going to and applicants are now required to pay a further Pro-Life President Leah Hallmann. “I agree University administration has received memory of all genocides, including holocaust a back alley abortionist and dying. Seriously, US$20 just for the application form. This has we were warned. But we had a lot of hope, complaints from students and staff the last fi ve and racism for purpose of inciting hatred if you are using the free speech argument… caused massive problems for students such as now a lot of that hope has been crushed.” times the display was on campus. According against women.” what about the free choice?” Golden Gutu, who is unable to pay for a passport and therefore cannot be issued a student visa. Gutu, a recipient of a scholarship to the University of South Africa, claims that due to the price increase, he is only able to procure a temporary passport which means he will not be allowed study in South Africa. Unis drop Russell Athletics contracts Jennifer Doyle

By Gabriele O’Connor Krugman wrote that despite terrible working CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY, UK Staff writer conditions in impoverished countries, “the growth of manufacturing -- and of the CLUB ‘DEGRADES’ DWARFISM BACKLASH AGAINST Russell Athletics penumbra of other jobs that the new export amidst allegations of labour rights violations sector creates – has a ripple effect throughout A NIGHTCLUB in Cambridge which used dwarfs has culminated in several American the economy.” to promote a ‘Willy Wonka’ themed student night universities severing ties with their former “The pressure on the land becomes less has come under fi re, accused of ‘degrading’ apparel provider. intense, so rural wages rise; the pool of dwarfi sm. The club, which dressed the two dwarfs Such universities as Georgetown, unemployed urban dwellers always anxious up to look like Oompa-Loompas, defended their University of Wisconsin-Madison, Rutgers, for work shrinks, so factories start to compete actions by saying that the men ‘had been happy University of Miami and University of with each other for workers, and urban wages to pose for pictures’ and were paid for the job. Houston have withdrawn their respective also begin to rise.” However many of the students of Cambridge contracts with the company, citing a Why then, Krugman asks, does the idea University for whom the ‘Willy Wonka’ night was violation of their codes of conduct, with calls Protests against Russell Athletics. of the sweatshop provoke so much more organised, criticised the club, stating that they had for other universities to join. The action outrage than the image of a family scrabbling been offended. Steve Burdus, the coordinator of came as universities responded to Student by the Fair Labor Association, was deemed ideals as “self-righteous” and “not having for subsistence on a garbage dump or tiny the event, denied this, stating that only “one girl Unions’ protests against the provider, after acceptable if not entirely forthright. thought the matter through”. farm? The main answer, he postulates, “is a said she thought it was degrading, but she hadn’t extensive evidence of abuse of workers rights “Russell has denied incorrect assertions In a recent article for the New York sort of fastidiousness”. even spoken to them”. He also defended himself emerged in a report by The Worker’s Rights alleging unfair worker rights at the Jerzees Times, Nicholas Kristof cautioned against “Women and children in the sneaker by saying that “if we hadn’t had dwarfs, who could Consortium (WRC). de Honduras facility,” said Russell in an Barack Obama and his team’s talk of labour factory are working at slave wages for our we have had as Oompa-Loompas?” Human rights groups alleged that the e-mail statement. “Within the past year, the standards in trade agreements, offering them benefi t – and this makes us feel unclean. Burdus also seemed to believe that the dwarfs closure of a Honduran factory, in which company announced the closure of seven a tour of the “vast garbage dump here in And so there are self-righteous demands for had increased the success of the night, claiming 1,800 jobs were lost, was retaliation by facilities in response to declining demand in Phnom Penh”. international labour standards”. that 700 people turned up, an increase on Russell Athletics against workers’ efforts the market. Of the seven affected facilities, For many Cambodians, working in Yet insisting that impoverished workers’ previous years . He takes the fi gure to mean that to unionize. The report by the WRC ,an all but one were non-union. Russell Athletic sweatshops is a “cherished dream, an wages be raised may actually make their lives people liked the Oompa-Loompas. independent monitoring agency, stated is committed to the fair treatment of its escalator out of poverty” in a country where worse, by removing their opportunity to work This is not the fi rst time the use of dwarfs at fi ndings of “substantial credible evidence workers.” the alternative is often prostitution or in factories at all. student events has come under fi re. Robinson that animus against workers’ exercise of their Student action has, for many years, been scavenging toxic-smoke-choked garbage As Krugman points out, “the only reason College attempted to cancel a performance of associational rights was a signifi cant factor integral in prompting universities to adopt dumps for old plastic cups that will bring in developing countries have been able to ‘Captain Dan the Devilish Dwarf’ during a Fresher’s in Russell’s decision to close the Jerzees de and enforce codes of conduct for their apparel fi ve cents a pound. compete with those industries is their ability week programme, fearing it would offend a Honduras plant”. licensees, supporting the improvement Sweatshops, Kristof writes, are “only a to offer employers cheap labour. A policy of student who suffered from dwarfi sm. Russell Athletics has contended that the of working conditions and eradication of symptom of poverty, not a cause, and banning good jobs in principle, but no jobs in practice, Caitriona Murphy closure was due to strictly economic factors, sweatshops. However certain prominent them closes off one route out of poverty”. might assuage our consciences, but it is no a claim that, in an independent investigation economists and journalists have labeled such Ten years earlier, economist Paul favour to its alleged benefi ciaries.” TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 NEWS FEATURES 7 Post-graduation: Where do we go from here? This year will see the graduation of fi nal year students in a time of a recession. Is the outlook as gloomy as it seems or can we retain some of the positivity to sustain our fu- ture plans, asks Deirdre Lennon?

RADUATES OF the Celtic many students expressing a desire to Tiger era are no doubt remain in college for as long as possible, breathing a sigh of relief and the media urging us to stay in our that they are not this year’s studious microcosm for as long as university graduates. possible. ThisG is the time of year where fi nal As for emigration, we are hearing year students begin to consider their confl icting views on the benefi ts of future away from the cloistered realm skilled workers leaving to enter into of Trinity, but what are the prospects countries with more stable economies, for this year’s graduates in time of only to fi nd that the country may have recession? Undoubtedly, this worsening an excess of such workers. economic situation will lead to greater The Provost’s e-mail message of last diffi culties in fi nding jobs. What are week indicates that this may not be as the options that students can expect easy a route to take as it was in previous to fi nd besides postgraduate studies? years. He stated: “the traditional safety Emigration? A year out before pursuing valve of emigration is effectively closed”. further study? Moreover, this will be an The emigration of skilled workers and issue for not only the Senior Sophisters young professionals from Ireland is around college, but for the subsequent called, in modern parlance, “the brain graduating years, who will also be drain,” going back to a time in the 80s, leaving college in time of economic when Ireland lost many of its bright hardship. minds as they went to search for work In Michaelmas Term, Trinity News abroad. reported on the how graduate careers It emerged in a report from the would be affected by the continually Higher Education Authority in 1987 shrinking economy, but said that the that half of all engineering students and atmosphere was not as gloomy as it 70% of architecture students emigrated seemed, with companies willing to take within six months of leaving college. It on as many graduates as in 2007-2008. was also reported at the time that foreign Indeed, the graduates of specifi c schools, companies set up recruitment drives for such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Law or prospective graduates, ensuring that Engineering are trained for a particular they had employment early on in their profession and will need to form a fi nal year. THOMAS BROE EOGHAN KEEGAN concrete plan to ensure they can utilise Might this be the case for some of their skills. Arts graduates may emerge this year’s graduates? In interviewing JS PHARMACY SS ECONOMICS as the more adaptable, but this is not to students from different faculties, all say that fi nding a masters or deciding have stressed the importance of trying to Although Thomas is not in fi nal year, he is well aware of both the EOGHAN HAS been studying the options available to him with an to take a year out won’t take a great upskill in this phenomenally competitive challenges and potential merits that his Pharmacy degree will pose Economics degree, and has settled on taking the postgraduate route amount of careful planning. Demand year, and of how crucial it is not to leave after he graduates. Thomas outlines that once Pharmacy students by applying for two masters and the HDip, rather than embarking on for those applying for postgraduate any blanks on a CV when applying for graduate, they must complete a pre-registration year before they can a graduate programme. Among the jobs that appeal to Economics programmes will undoubtedly rise, with jobs, internships or masters degrees. register with their respective regulatory bodies. Despite the fact that students are posts in consultancy fi rms, accountancy and tax fi rms and traditionally there has been an excess of places for this pre-reg year, banks, but Eoghan believes that the most common route for himself it remains to be seen if this will continue next year. “Due to uncertain and his contemporaries is to take a year out or pursue a masters, as he CAREERS ADVISORY SERVICE economic times, many pre-reg places associated with chains and plans to. He acknowledges the gravity of the potentially jobless Ireland The Careers Advisory Service (CAS) Director Seán Gannon urges stu- independent pharmacies may go when the pharmacy changes hands.” that this year’s graduates will face. He told Trinity News: “It’s hard to dents to remain positive and confi dent when it comes to making plans Competition for these places is set to become quite fi erce, and places know exactly because we’re the fi rst bunch out in the thick of it, but it are usually obtained on the strength of experience and enthusiasm, not seems, from glancing at a newspaper or any of the predictions, that for next year, despite the fact that the market is diffi cult for upcomg on the basis of grades. Thomas is keen to stress the difference a year 2009 will be a pretty tough year for everyone.” The process of moving graduates. There are still employers actively recruiting graduates in dis- makes, all of last year’s School of Pharmacy graduates attained pre-reg abroad isn’t as accessible as it once was, and he echoes the words of ciplines that one might fi nd unthinkable for any recruitment to be taking places, but many newly qualifi ed pharmacists fi nd themselves having to the Provost by saying that it will not relieve the current pressures of place at all, such as banking jobs and engineering jobs. “Students have wait twelve months for a job. He asserts that this is down to an increase the Irish social system. The countries that were once seen as places to make the most of the opportunities that are there and make their in competition following registration, and thus makes performance in to escape, such as Australia and New Zealand, are beginning to show degree as fl exible as possible.” He acknowledges that competition will the pre-registration year all the more important. “The current students signs of strain due to the slowing of the Chinese economy and large be fi ercer for postgraduate courses, stating that roughly 30% of students in the school will fi nd a correlation between how hard they apply migration infl ows. Eoghan believes that his degree gave him a good apply for them. 40% of jobs that are on offer are available to graduates themselves during pre-reg, and the length of time they sit on the side deal of fl exibility and provided a good deal of career prospects so that and there are organisations who are willing to take people on and train lines waiting for a job.” In addition, he believes that students may he can apply the skills he has learned to potential masters courses. them as long as they meet recruitment requirements. The facilities of the have to work voluntarily to gain the necessary experience to make Economics as a subject at university level is easily adapted as Eoghan CAS are avaliable to students after the exams in June, and for two years themselves more employable for this pre-reg year. This will not be as says: “The fact that economics is a subject taught and discussed under after they graduate. The postgraduate fair will take place on February readily available as in previous years, as the government is intent on the same assumptions across the world, it means that it is relatively easy 18th in the RDS, with a broad range of exhibitors from all over the world. cutting the health budget. to travel with it.”

PAULA MCNAMARA NICOLA O’ CONNELL NIALL WALSH SS LAW SS PSYCHOLOGY SS ENGLISH STUDIES

SENIOR SOPHISTER Law student Paula McNamara decided that she NICOLA IS certain about the necessity of doing further study after her AS THERE are endless possibilities for an English graduate, Niall didn’t wish to pursue Law any longer, and is set to take up a position Psychology degree. “If you’re a psychology student, you need to go believes that it is benefi cial to have a plan in place for the few years with KPMG in auditing, having completed a placement there over and do a postgrad, in that sense nothing has really changed and they after leaving college. Although unsure of what he wanted to do at the the summer. She is hopeful that it will still be around next year. Paula haven’t reduced the number of places for it this year, just decreased beginning of his fi nal year, he is currently heading in the direction of realized that Law wasn’t what she wanted to do, and believes that research grants.” Nicola attended the Eddie Hobbs talk and mentions social entrepreneurship and development, thus gearing his future jobs in the sector will become increasingly competitive, more so now the CRAB programme, where there is potential to emigrate to Canada, plans towards his own interests. “If you get one of those graduate than in previous years. She alluded to the fact that there are waiting Russia, Australia and Brazil. She is interested in the research aspect of training programmes you’re really going to pick up a lot.” Niall plans lists to get into the various Law related postgrads: “No one is taking psychology and would hope to enter into this fi eld after her year out, to travel, learning Spanish in Barcelona and then moving to Buenos anyone on”. She says that many of her friends will be applying for in which she will plan a research proposal to compete with those who Aires to teach. In Barcelona, there’s actually more work than there is these postgraduate courses, and some will pursue the King’s Inn are in similar situation. She plans to work for the year and on fi nishing TEFL teachers, so that potentially seems like a starting point. With the route, which takes about two years to complete. Before pursuing this proposal, to apply for a masters course afterwards. It is too early to economy as it is, Niall feels that broadening out his English degree to this route, it is necessary to sit exams. Paula thinks that getting a job specialize in a particular brand of Psychology, she says, unless you’re encompass learning a language and working on the TEFL programme may be dependent on who one can connect with in the world of law really driven and know that you want to go into the education aspect would be a way of sustaining himself and improving his prospects. itself, claiming “you need as many contacts as possible”. Not only or the forensic aspect of it. Disagreeing with the policies that the British Niall says: “An area you can always get work in is TEFL, and the idea are Law graduates competing for places and jobs with their college government have regarding new college graduates, she believes they would be to upskill yourself in this increasingly competitive time,” He contemporaries, but they are competing with many other Law faculties merely urge them to enter into masters courses without any fi nancial has gained some previous experience teaching English, and plans to around the country. She believes that competition is worse this year, aid, thus they accrue more debt on top of tuition fees. Nicola feels that do this for at least a year. Niall believes that doing a masters is a way of seeing a change in the level of jobs offered from previous years, but the country has too many skilled graduates, with a limited supply of consolidating everything one has learnt over the course of a degree, acknowledges that next year may be even tougher. Referring to the work: “It’s really a dog-eat-dog world out there; the market is just too thus making it more applicable to the real world. He thinks those who importance of internships as a worthwhile way of gaining experience full. I did psychology because I thought at the end of the day that I’d are planning on taking a year out should monitor the situation, as within the fi eld of Law, Paula says that with applications, the candidate have a proper skill.” Nicola likens the current economic situation to a you never know what way the jobs market will go. As for himself, he with the best grades may not gain a position, rather, it is other house of cards which has fallen to our detriment, and that something is attempting to increase his skills base and hopefully enter into the attributes making up a form that stand out from the rest of the fi eld. needs to be done to fi nd a solution to this boom-bust cycle. development sector. TRINITY NEWS 8 FEATURES February 10, 2009 Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is? THE PSYCHOANALYST human development which he called as I (the subjective know-er) and the representation of it. Jaques Lacan proposed ‘The Mirror Stage,’ a stage in between Clare Hammond questions how well we can self as me, (the object that is known to a theory about the Real and the Symbolic. A baby others) is strengthened by the constant one of the aged six months begins to recognise know our self from mere refl ection and asks linking of the two through mirrors and stages itself as a separate entity, even before photographs. i n it is able to co-ordinate its own body. what does your face really mean to you? This all seems utterly illogical in It identifi es with the image because it view of the fact that we are ourselves, feel threatened by it, and gradually as of others as well as how they imagine similar to the following: Look at the girl and will never know anything more it becomes older, it begins to recognise how they must appear to others. in the mirror. The shadows beneath her intimately than our own selves for the its refl ection as being of itself, even The ‘face to meet the faces that we eyes mirror her eyebrows. What colour entire duration of our lives. We are though the image in the mirror is an meet,’ that is presented before us in a is she? Red and white and brown. The tip constantly surrounded by faces of all illusion. Lacan believed that one’s mirror or the camera, differs from our of her nose is shiny, and her expression shapes and sizes, and grow to know fi rst encounter with a mirror is one own faces when, for example, we are is solemn. If she bares her teeth, her every detail of the faces of those of the most important events in overcome by intense emotions such as face wrinkles outwards. Stretchy. She whom we love, without being able one’s life, as it is the fi rst time an pain, sadness, or laughter. We can never is stretchy. As I continued to look at my to see ourselves as they see us. infant recognises itself as a whole see ourselves as we sleep, for example, refl ection, I began to run through all Therefore it is natural that being, acquiring self-awareness. Up or know what we look like from the back, the facial expressions I could think of; everyone should go through (at until that point, a child only sees or doing any of the millions of everyday pushing and pulling and kneading my least) a period of being fascinated itself as an extension of its mother, or things that we are so used to watching face into every contortion imaginable. with the mirror refl ection of their as a fragmented body. other people doing. Even when we are By this point, the face which ought to be own face. Babies and animals are Without refl ections or caught unaware, and photographed so familiar, looked entirely foreign, and both intrigued by mirror refl ections photographs, it would be behaving naturally, we are only shown eventually a bizarre conversation with of themselves, and looking in the impossible to know what your a glimpse of one moment, one frozen my own refl ection ensued. mirror is an integral part of own face looks like. It has snapshot of the face that others see There is probably a link between the our day-to-day lives, and in been suggested that people liberal amounts of every day. In addition time spent looking at our own refl ections, some cases can even begin who were born blind but to this, the face we perceive in a mirror and the degree to which we like what to become obsessive. have had their sight restored, is a simplifi ed, limited form of the self, we see. Narcissus famously fell in love It is an age-old question when presented with a mirror devoid of chaotic perceptions, feelings with his twin sister, and by extension, as to whether the self we image of their face, would and other confusing additions that with the refl ection of himself he saw in know can ever be the same as initially view the refl ection as make up our self. the water, and he spent all of his time the self as seen by others. As if it were of another, different The moment of realisation that gazing into the mirror image of his own we develop, we aim to lessen person. Similarly, Rudyard the person standing before you in the face. But it is not beauty alone which the gap between our ideal Kipling’s Mowgli believed mirror is you, is a perplexing, frustrating can lead to self-obsession with regards self and our actual self. If it himself to be a wolf-cub until yet pivotal moment. As we grow to mirrors, it is also the development of were possible to make the two he saw that his refl ection older, we become more aware of the self consciousness. As we become more synonymous then it is possible differed from the wolves who discord between the ideal mirror self in aware of ourselves, and arrive at the that there would be no need for had brought him up. And even for refl ections, the self as seen by others and realisation that, whether we like it or mirrors at all. those who have been in possession of the self as an ego or conscience. When I not, how we look is the key to how the Our culture has become obsessed their sight all their lives (or have not was set a self-portraiture project by one rest of the world views us, we tend to with its own refl ection, when perhaps been brought up by jungle animals), of my art teachers, I stood in front of spend more time checking that our faces we ought to focus more on developing the self that they have defi ned has been the mirror, and looking at myself with look exactly as we wish and as we expect the actual self rather than on a two- partly developed through the judgment a pencil in my hand, my thoughts ran them to look. The link between the self dimensional airbrushed, idealised Tintin: not a gay over 80 Recent critics have suggested our favourite fresh-faced explorer was homosexual. Domhnall O Sullivan asks whether we can ever really know and does it really matter?

S A child, how many of twenty-four editions to display any more you fell asleep with Tintin romantic urge than a doorknob, mean by your side? Despite our that nothing is or can be proven. fresh-faced hero never So why the now commonplace becoming quite as popular rumours that everybody’s favourite boy Ain Ireland as mainland Europe, I’m sure scout was attracted to men? Indeed, that plenty of you are guilty as charged. does it even matter what the chap Yet would you be as free to admit it liked to do in his spare time, or are we if you discovered that the intrepid just nit-picking at what should remain Belgian explorer was in fact also an a timelessly asexual character? As a appearance as a quiffed and slighty combined with the dry cynicism and mundane as Brian Cowen making a intrepid homosexual? Probably not, birthday tribute(?) to Tintin and his foppish reporter dressed in three- alcoholism of Haddock creates quite the cup of tea. Tintin’s sexual preferences, although don’t go phoning the student sexual legacy, I decided to explore these quarter length pants does nothing for matrimonial situation. Love interests? in addition to never being explicitly counselling service to get over this questions and to examine whether you his heterosexuality, and though it might None, apart from Haddock and Chang revealed, are not in the least important childhood trauma just yet. The really should be worried about sharing be prejudicial to discuss his fl imsy Chong Chen, the young Chinese boy to the unfolding of the stories. death of Tintin creator and a bed with this octogenarian... physique he’s not exactly Jason Bourne. who (apart from having a borderline Plus, they validly claim, if Tintin is comic-book legend I n fact, when one And perhaps it would have been more racist name) has appeared in Tintin’s gay then what about the inseperable Hervé in 1983, considers the ‘evidence’ advisable to have bought a rottweiler dreams and has been rescued by the Asterix and Obelix, the spandex-wearing coupled with suggesting that or a boxer in the local pet store, rather reporter on at least two occasions. Batman and Robin, and the Teletubbies? the character’s Tintin (an than a fox terrier with the unfortunate Suspect character origins? Again check, Even poor Spongebob Squarepants, the unwillingness alliterative title of Snowy. In addition Tintin is as Tintin was based on an earlier character college student’s favourite afternoon throughout m o n i k e r youthful looking at 80 as he was back of Hergé’s, Todor, who was leader of character, has been labeled a man- h i s w h i c h in his debut days, an impressive feat the brilliantly named “Cockchafer” boy sponge-lover by some elements of the h a r d l y which nevertheless points towards scout patrol. No joke. US media. Unfortunately, no longer is conjures careful moisturising and rigourous spa Nevertheless, many Tintin fans have any cartoon exempt from the sexual i m a g e s treatments. come running to their idol’s defence, inquisition. of uber- But as we all know appearances can be although the material they have to So what is Tintin? Straight, gay? masculinity, deceptive, so we read on in the hope that work with is much less damning. Stray? We can never know. He himself bad start) Tintin’s forceful and unaccommodating was actually a detective’s personality will redeem homosexual, the his pansy-esque demeanour. Sadly “Take a step back from the over analytical and fi rst thing that not. Again not wishing to impose any comes to mind stereotypical group of mannerisms prying mentality of the modern world and just is baffl ement at onto the gay community, Tintin is how more people disappointingly unconfrontational, revel in Tintin’s travels to exotic foreign lands, havn’t picked up sickeningly optimistic and basically his often death-defying adventures and yes, his on it before. The a big girl’s blouse. Despite one character’s saving grace overwhelmingly out-of-character metrosexual habit of wearing a fetching scarf.” is perhaps the innocence moment in his fi rst edition (Tintin in of youth that can cloud later the land of the Soviets) in which our True, Hergé never actually depicted never admits anything, his creator judgements, because hero manages to somehow beat off the character in any comprisingly and artist is dead, and Snowy, the one to an inquisitive a bear with his bare hands, Tintin homosexual positions, but then again character whom we could depend on to adult he appears to be lacks the chauvinistic and aggressive the not exactly child-friendly Tintin in tell us all the sordid details, is a mute dog. as gay as Christmas. masculinity of contemporary Thailand would never had made it past Anyway, does it even matter? Perhaps it From page investigator James Bond, while when the censors in any case. Plus, we never would be better to simply view Tintin as one, his in Tibet he refuses to label the Yeti saw Tintin brushing his teeth, but that the asexual and romantically detatched which he encounters as ‘abominable’, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Indeed, character that we loved reading about instead preferring to take pity on the perhaps the best claim the character as kids. misunderstood creature on the grounds can make to heterosexuality is that in a Take a step back from the over of its lonliness. Ahem. world increasingly similar to that seen analytical and prying mentality of the If his character isn’t argument in Will and Grace, not having many modern world and just revel in Tintin’s enough, one only has to examine the female friends is probably evidence that travels to exotic foreign lands, his often facts of the Tintin series to reinforce the he’s not gay. As for his androgynous death-defying adventures and yes, his image. Female characters? Next to character, the members of Motley Crue Metrosexual habit of wearing a fetching none, the lad’s friends are all single all looked like women. And tales of their scarf. males except for an ebullient Italian heterosexual promiscuity are all-too On his 80th birthday, lets remember opera singer, Bianca Castafi ore. graphically legendary. Tintin not as that guy who goes to the Living situation? Dodgy to say the least, Tintin’s defenders have also pointed George every thursday, but as that Tintin lives with retired sailor Captain out the increasing unwillingess of the legendary investigative reporter who Haddock in the lush, inherited country modern, internet-driven world to simply inspired a curiosity for travel and a lust home of the latter, where the idealistic accept things at face value and its ability for adventure in generations of young and implausible heroism of Tintin to look for conspiracies in affairs as readers. And try to sleep well. TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 FEATURES 9 Harry Hallowes: slumdog millionaire Your rights as

hedges” in the fi ve acres of landscaped a consumer A tramp has been offered rights and £4 million for garden inspired by the palace at Versailles. I was struck by his knowledge of his landplot. He talks to Emily Monk about apple the world, eloquent conversation and particularly his avid interest in gardening expressed trees, Monty Python and why he will never sell it and nature. I listened to a story of hitch- hiking to the Isle of Wight with his “very FOR ALMOST everyone worldwide, times been valued at up to £4 million but Hallowes good architect friend”. A very good architect were better before the crunching of credit; says he has no desire to sell . ”Why would or a very good friend? I decided better not and many were undeterred by a falling housing I want to leave all this?” he said, casting a to question. They found several apple and market and the then meek predictions of a bare, weather beaten arm across his home, cherry trees, “at a very reasonable price”, disintegrating world economy. ”I have everything that I need .” and so bought them back and planted Four years ago a mystery Middle Eastern Taken aback by the lucidity of his Above: Harry Hallowes them. What about the garden centre on the explained businessman bought Athlone House for over expression and well-spoken English accent corner? “No no no, these ones are special”, £16 million; a large 19th - century building fringed with a hint of his Irish roots, I mumbled with a grunt whilst bending over he stressed, appalled at my suggestion. majestically shadowing a western corner followed his gaze and outstretched arm. to weed his orchard. I showed him an artist’s To get food, a little money and water, of Hampstead Heath in North London. All this? All this consists of two tents, a impression of the planned developments and Hallowes gardens for two of the families in He has never lived there but the planned washing line, a small orchard comprised of asked what he thought. Highgate during the week and spends the embellishments have an estimated value about twelve apple trees fetched from the A little whistle and raised eyebrows rest of his time “wandering around” or just of £130 million, thus making it the world’s Isle of Wight , a huge 8 feet high heap of immediately preceded a smile. “I didn’t know “being with nature… I like to keep myself By Claire Cregan most expensive home. rubbish, six or seven wheelbarrows rusted to it was going to be a palace, I thought it was busy you see”. Free Legal Advice Centre Neighbours include the cream of the the base so that only handlebars remain, and going to be a conventional concrete block”. More time passed, conversation fl owed, world’s super rich: Russian oil billionaires, a blue tarpaulin mat delicately hitched up to He added that he was looking forward ebbed, continued, paused. The sun began A CONSUMER by defi nition is a person who African former dictators, Middle Eastern some trees, under which hovers a decrepit to getting to know his new neighbour, to dip slowly, behind the tree-embossed buys goods and services for personal use. When royalty. And at the end of its beautifully camping stove, a saucepan and a very complaining that most of the other houses horizon and I felt absolutely and completely a consumer purchases goods from a retailer, a manicured gardens, beyond the sweeping old calor gas can. Admittedly, more than in the area were too far away to strike up content. Here I was perching in the contract is formed. The formation of the contract is staircases, abstract phallic shaped fountains most vagrants, but most vagrants haven t friendship but insisted that he “gets on shadows of a vast oak tree on dusty, stoney an agreement between the retailer and consumer and bizarre, apparently impressive, been offered £4 million pounds for their very well with the people who pass by on ground, fl ints piercing into my now-numb for the provision of goods or services at a certain sculptures will be Athlone House’s most dwellings. Hampstead Heath” and the Monty Python legs, debating the importance of keeping price. Most consumers’ rights and obligations extraordinary feature: Britain’s wealthiest I nodded and smiled, in the same way star, Terry Gilliam, has been a friend for oneself entertained with a septuagenarian under such contracts are contained in the Sale of tramp. one might respond if asked in a full lecture years. vagabond, in one of the most hectic, busiest Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980. Under this Harry Hallowes, originally from County hall whether you understand the complex We talked about the plans for the house, cities in the world. And he was right, what Act, anything purchased by a consumer must be of Sligo is now 71, but looks debatably younger. formulas on the projector and blatantly comparing it to Blenheim Palace and as would he do with 4 million pounds? He merchantable quality, fi t for its normal purpose and In 2007 he was awarded squatters rights don’t. “I’ve lived here for 21 years, and it’s one critic described it, “a cross between wants to live amongst nature, watch the reasonably durable and as described, whether the to a 60ft x 20ft plot of land at the southern very pleasant”, he said defensively. He a Stalinist palace and a Victorian Lunatic birds, feel the wind, plant his trees, but one description is part of the advertising or wrapping, boundary of Athlone House, merging wasn’t too happy about being interrupted asylum”. Harry was beginning to soften, thing is missing he said. “All I want, all I on a label or something said by a salesperson. into the beautifully disguised juxtaposed on a Friday afternoon, especially not by laughing about the possibilities of using the need in the whole world, well it would be Furthermore, under the Liability for Defective countryside of the heath and Highgate s “another bloody journalist”. “I can’t see underground swimming pool, tennis courts nice at least, is to have some running water. Products Act 1991, producers are liable for injury affl uent concrete residences. The plot has what all the fuss is about, to be honest,” he (plural) or hiding in the “ridiculous looking Then I’ll have it all.” or damage caused by their defective products or defective components, irrespective of whether the manufacturing process was in any way negligent or otherwise. It is necessary to demonstrate that an injury was sustained as a result of a defective component of the product or the product itself.

» What can I do if goods I have purchased are Art? Drama? Performance defective? The retailer, not the manufacturer, is responsible and is obliged to deal with any complaints. You are entitled to a refund, repair or a replacement. Shop notices such as “No refunds” or “No Exchange” cannot diminish the consumer’s statutory rights if the complaint is genuine and concerns defective goods. However, you have no remedies if the defect is due to the misuse of the product after purchase or if the defect should have been noticed on examination or was pointed out at the time of purchase.

» I bought an item but I no longer like it - What are my rights?

The consumer has no rights under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980 in this instance. The retailer is under no obligation to accept the return of goods that are not in some way defective.

» I received gifts that I wish to return. Can I do this?

The person who purchases goods from a retailer is the party to the contract and is therefore the person with whom the legislation is concerned. However, most retailers will let you return the product.

» I wish to return an item I purchased but I’ve lost the receipt?

The main purpose of a receipt is to prove you bought the goods from a particular store so it is reasonable for a retailer to ensure that they were responsible for selling the goods before rectifying your complaint. If you don’t have a receipt; you may have another proof of purchase such as a cheque or In Buenos Aires street performance is Above: street cal activists who want to promote debate a credit card statement. If you can’t produce any There is a plethora on Grafton Street, indeed everywhere- street corners, shopping performance about the issues of the day. The Mischief proof of purchase you won’t be able to return the centers, market squares. From Charlie on Grafton Makers are a group of activists and art- item. in every city in the world, but what is the Chaplin impersonators to tango danc- StreetPhoto by ists based in Nottingham, England, ers, crowds of tourists form in small Daniel Ryan. who develop creative responses to so- » I want to buy an item in the sales but there are point of street performance? Victoria Nellis antique markets as a couple switch on Below, A “living cial, political and environmental issues signs in the shop that claim “Sale goods will some seductive tango music and begin statue”photo by and then take to the streets to promote not be exchanged” and “Goods on sale cannot describes the derivation, drama and delights to perform the traditional Argentinean Daragh Owens their cause. The group aims to “inspire be tried on”. Can the retailers do this? dance. people and empower them to identify VERY SHOPPER or stroll- years. Dick Finkel, who set it up and It could be argued that a lot of street challenges and take action in their local The consumer’s right when buying in the sales are er, at some point in their still produces it, believes the mission of performance represents the city or environment”. Invisible Theatre- origi- the same as at any other time. Your legal right is to life has been drawn to the festival is to “present and celebrate country in which it is performed. Tango nally developed by Augusto Boal- an a replacement or refund in the case of a defective watch a street performer- street performance as an art form”. The dancing in Argentina is going to attract infl uential Brazilian theatrical Theatre item, therefore it is an offence for retailers to pulled in by their unusual heart of the festival still remains in the a huge number of tourists- guide books director, writer and politician- is most display notices which say “No cash refunds”, “Credit Eskills, costume or movement. Their old traditions of busking- performers even suggest places to go to capture often performed without the knowledge notes only” or “Sale goods not exchanged”. Such performances include anything from doing all they can to enchant and en- some of this seductive dance. Yet street of the “audience”, which in such a sce- signs cannot affect your statutory rights. traditional street acts, dancers, mime tertain, so that when the hat is passed performance is increasingly cosmopoli- nario would consist of whoever happens Unfortunately there is no obligation on the artists, character actors, puppeteers, spectators will give generously. Dublin tan- on occasion a man with a large to pass by. This enables actors to make retailer to take back goods that are not defective. musicians and performance artists of is also host to the Street Performance female pup- pet can even a point publicly in much the same Many retailers will still exchange an item once you every kind. Impromptu crowds, chil- World Championship. For the past three be seen doing the tango on motivational vein as graffi ti or have a receipt but they don’t have to. Likewise, dren and adults alike, circle round them years, for one weekend in June, Merrion Grafton Street and Native political demonstrations retailers are not required to provide facilities for to marvel at their bizarre and wondrous Square has hosted the event in which A m e r i c a n s can be found can provoke reactions trying on clothes. However, where possible insist in talents. Some performers simply busk the bizarre and the talented battle it p e r f o r m i n g their tradi- in those that see them. order to detect any possible defects. to make a living; others are part of or- out for the most coveted title in street tional songs from Croatia This type of theatre is ganised companies. Sometimes they are performance. It draws performers from to Scotland. performed in public on » What rights do I have when buying from an commissioned- particularly for street all corners of the world demonstrating Street per- formance is unexpected bystanders, overseas website? festivals, children’s shows or parades. their wacky talents- sword swallowing, not just en- tertainment. whom the actors will try The Edinburgh Festival is a perfect contortionists and magicians- wowing Performance can be used to make complicit in When making a purchase in Ireland or another example of such - the city full of street the audience. as a means to promote a mes- the scene. EU member state, a consumer buying from an performers advertising shows that are The success of a street performance sage not just to give people a Street per- overseas website is protected by EU Consumer taking place- offering a taster of what often depends on the creative use of taster of ‘legiti- mate theatre’. formance makes legislation. The European Directive on Distance can be seen. However, most street per- the human body. Living statues- mime It is available to everyone who shopping a more Selling and the EC Regulations 2001 aim to formers are unpaid and gather some artists who pose like statues or manne- wants to watch it and can be convivial business. We ensure that consumers receive a certain minimum income through the dropping of a coin quins- are a common feature in the world afforded by all. So it appeals to expect to fi nd these standard of protection whether a supplier is based in a hat by an audience member. of street performance. They stand for preachers who want to tell people on our streets in the European Union, European Economic Although street performance is not hours- frozen- mesmerizing audiences the crowd that Jesus is com- now. Their colorful Area (EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) or a new phenomenon - it dates back to by their stillness and their imagination. ing again theatricality Switzerland. the medieval times when mime artists, Some pose as imitation bronze statues, and also might amuse Under the legislation a supplier is liable if the bards, storytellers, and jugglers traveled even as the Statue of Liberty. The great- to politi- us or make goods in question are not genuine. If the goods are in search of new audiences and fi nancial er the creativity the bigger audience they us think not of an acceptable standard, you may be entitled support. It is now becoming recognised draw in. There are hundreds of places but either to a replacement, repair or a refund. as a modern art form. Festivals and across the world where street perform- way they championships are held around the word ers can be seen. You can’t escape them e n r i c h This is the third in a series of columns provided celebrating street performance. The on The Ramblas in Barcelona. Each one our lives. by the Free Legal Advice Centre. Edmonton Street Performers Festival does something different- whether still in Canada has been running for fi fteen or moving, your eyes wander over them. TRINITY NEWS 10 WORLD REVIEW February 10, 2009 UP IN ARMS: TRADING IN DEATH

AROUND IN THE WORLD IN ARMS

The four countries that profi t most from the international trade of arms are all permanent members of the UN Security Council—the USA, UK, France and Russia. Together, they are Guns and responsible for 76% of global conventional arms exports. Here’s a rundown of what the industry is worth to each of them. by Sean Doyle

gems clash M16 U.S.A. Famas The U.S.A. pips Russia to pole position, supplying in the region FRANCE of 38% of the world’s arms and The world’s 3rd largest exporter. weaponry. It provides Asian and France sells a marginally higher in DR Congo Latin American countries with the percentage of its arms to bulk of their arms. In 2007 the industrialised countries than Arms for diamonds: Alison Spillane U.S. sold developing countries any other member of the top 5. weaponry and military ordnance Between the years 2000 and 2007 examines the cost of Israeli interests in the to the value of $12.2 billion. the French economy earned $32 Between the years 2000-2007 U.S. billion from the sale of weapons DR Congo, and the unrelenting spectre of based fi rms made agreements to systems. Weapons production the value of $132 billion dollars is seen as a key industry by the the Rwandan genocide. Employment: The arms industry is French government. A recent spurt w a g e s one of the most highly subsidized of growth in arms production has HE SECOND Congo War Zaire. Among the refugees a n d sectors of the American economy even been put down to President in the Democratic Republic were members of the and employees up to 2.4 million Sarkozy’s personal involvement in of Congo (DRC) may have Interhamwe and government corruption people in the U.S. the development of the sector. offi cially ended in 2002 offi cials who carried out the w h i c h Supplies: Air Force, Land Force, Employment: Estimated at but this has done little to genocide. However, identifying diamonds from b e n e f i t e d Navy. 166.000 -250,000 sources differ. Tdamage the traffi cking of arms and the perpetrators was an intensely t h e DRC. In 2003, state- only their Flag bearer: Lockheed Martin Supplies: Everything, but with an munitions into the country, due in no diffi cult task as many of the refugees owned mining company MIBA signed a s u p e r i o r s . Main Customers: Saudi Arabia, emphasis on fi ghter planes and small part to the presence of arms-for- were Hutus fl eeing from the Rwandan deal with Emaxon, and Israel’s Foreign Returning to Egypt, and Colombia among helicopters. diamonds agreements between the Patriotic Front (RPF), the group Defence Assistance and Defence their old ways, others. Flag bearer: EADS (Franco- Congolese government and companies responsible for ending the genocide. Export Organisation (SIBAT) was a they joined German fi rm, based in the in Eastern Europe and Israel. Despite Humanitarian aid agencies left the major player in the agreement. Emaxon the estimated Netherlands) the presence of a UN arms embargo, area in their droves with Médecins itself is a bit of an enigma, a Canadian- 70,000 armed Main Customers: EU nations fi rst imposed on the country’s most Sans Frontières (MSF) labelling the registered company that doesn’t leave m i l i t i a who declined the (including Britain), North African unstable regions in 2003 and widened situation a “total ethical disaster.” much of a paper trail; it no doubt offer of integration, preferring to make states. to include the whole country in 2005, Since then, Rwanda has backed the consists of a myriad of subsidiaries and their own laws with the barrel of a gun. it is estimated that between thirty and predominately Tutsi group CNDP holds numerous offshore bank accounts With the confl ict over in offi cial terms, forty thousand illegal arms are still in (National Congress in Defence of the designed to protect “businessmen” many of the rebel commanders were AK-47 circulation in the DRC. An Amnesty People) in the area fi ghting against heavily involved in the illegal arms trade, absorbed into the new government RUSSIA International report, published in 2005, Hutu militia with arms from Europe and money-laundering, and the funding of leaving their units with no leaders, no claims companies from as far apart as elsewhere. The Congolese government terrorism. So how dirty are Dan Gertler’s direction, and no one to answer to – Russia is the world’s second Albania, Israel, Rwanda, South Africa, in turn has been held responsible for hands? He may have the mining rights rebels as young as seven became a law largest producer and exporter and the United Kingdom among others backing the Hutu FDLR (Democratic to some of the richest diamond deposits unto themselves. of arms and weaponry. Together, are responsible for arming rebel groups Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda). in the Democratic Republic of Congo Tens of thousands of children have Russia and the USA account in the east of the country. In 2006, Both governments stand accused of but the majority of these are located in been abducted, subjected to rapes and for more than half of world L85A1 bullets from Greece, Russia, China, supplying the rebel groups with arms rebel-controlled regions such as North beatings and forced to fi ght in a confl ict armaments transfers annually. Automatic and the United States were also found and ammunition in an ostensibly ethnic Kivu and Katanga province in the south. where gross human rights violations Russia completed $9.7 billion U.K. in the possession of rebels. However, war but one which is, in reality, a power However, as a general rule, most rebel are a daily occurrence. Hundreds of worth of contracts with developing the UN embargo does not apply to struggle for control of the country’s groups are easily pacifi ed by the supply thousands of people have been displaced countries in 2007 (down from $14 While Britain is overall 4th, it military supplies purportedly intended vast mineral resources including cobalt, of arms and necessary provisions. and entire villages devastated. The billion in 2006) is second only to the U.S in its for the national army and police of the copper, and diamonds. Dirty diamond deals, military situation in the DRC may very well be Employment: As in the U.S, the exports to Developing Nations. DRC and so the government has been With regard to diamonds, one name assistance, illegal arms, and an ongoing the worst humanitarian crisis since the Russian arms industry is heavily The U.K made $9 billion worth of importing vast quantities of arms and comes to the fore again and again – that of confl ict. All this begs the question: Second World War. In terms of human supported by the government, arms agreements in 2007. From munitions, mainly from Eastern Europe. Israeli-American Dan Gertler, President how do the Congolese people fair in lives it has certainly been the deadliest, and income from exports 2000-2007 U.K based fi rms made Neighbouring Rwanda, with which the of DGI (Dan Gertler International) this kind of environment? The answer, yet big businesses such as Emaxon are signifi cantly adds to state coffers. agreements to the value of $27 DR Congo has had, until recently, an Diamonds. In 2000, then-President of unsurprisingly, is not very well. Armed thriving as diamond revenues from The arms industry also accounts billion. extremely volatile relationship, has also the DR Congo, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, to the teeth, gangs of deserters-turned- the DRC provide it with around $US 1 for the direct employment of Employment: Between 49,000 imported large supplies of ammunition, negotiated a deal with Gertler offering bandits, as well as members of the rebel billion annually. Essentially, companies between 800,000 and 900,000 and 90,000, depending on the as well as grenades and rocket launchers control of the country’s diamond mines groups themselves, roam freely in the like Emaxon reap a huge profi t from a people. source. from Albania. to Emaxon Finance Corporation (a east of the country, looting at will and country where crimes against humanity Supplies: Everything including Supplies: Aerospace equipment A genocide fi fteen years ago in a company controlled by Gertler and his extorting money from civilians. More are commonplace. Should Dan Gertler guns, tanks, fi ghter planes. accounts for over 80 per cent bordering country may seem all but close associate and spiritual advisor than fi ve million people are thought and others have to answer for this? From 2000-2007 Russia made of total UK military exports. irrelevant to the current situation in Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Leibovitch) in to have died since the outbreak of the Or are they simply astute, if ruthless, agreements to the value of $67 Conventional arms sales also take the Democratic Republic of Congo but exchange for Israeli military assistance. war in August 1998. The killings did not opportunists? While it may be true billion. place, but in lower numbers. the mass killing of Tutsis carried out Though Kabila was assassinated before end with the peace agreements signed that the confl ict would continue if Flag bearer: RosOboronExport Flag bearer: BAE Systems by Hutu militia in Rwanda in 1994 is he could reap the benefi ts of such a deal, in 2002; on the contrary, one could Gertler was not a player, the links Main Customers: India, China, Main Customers: Saudi Arabia, a spectre the DRC just cannot shake. Gertler was not to be dissuaded in his almost argue that things got worse. between Dan the diamond man, Israeli Venezuela. India. Millions of Rwandans fl ed the country quest for power by the trifl ing matter Former militia were legitimised by their military assistance, and the Congolese as the horror unfolded, the majority of of presidential murder, and by 2002 his integration into the Congolese army but government are just a little too close for which headed for the DRC, then called company was the biggest exporter of they soon became frustrated with low comfort. Meet Viktor Bout, Merchant of Death

moved to South Africa. cargo holds with frozen chickens and This was all a little too much for Geographic, he told the New York Times American DEA agents last year announced The young fi rst lieutenant turned a pencils as well as his staple fl owers. Bout to handle, and he promptly fl ed in an interview. page on his military career and began His enterprise quickly ballooned into a to his native Russia, whose constitution So far, so evil? At least most the capture of the world’s most feared inter- to put his skills to use in business. His global airline network, with a chartering protects its citizens from extradition to governments agree on the basic facts. mastery of languages, knowledge of company in Florida, an aircraft repair a foreign country. While charges against He was a major in the KGB (or a national arms dealer. But Russia claims its Africa and experience with aircraft gave depot in Dubai, and a fl eet of aircraft Bout mounted abroad, he lived in a plush lieutenant in the Air Force) who was him a good grounding for a career in large enough to make Michael O’ Leary apartment in Moscow, from where he discharged (or quit) after the breakup citizen was framed, writes Aaron Mulvihill the aviation industry. The venture was hot under his check shirt collar. continued to protest his innocence. In of the USSR. He bought a ramshackle perfectly timed: after the Soviet Union Bout’s fl oral dreams were shattered, an interview with the radio station Echo old Soviet plane (or was given a military “THERE ARE over 550 million otherwise, would dare go near the place. crumbled, thousands of rickety aircraft however, when in 2001 Human Rights Moskva, which introduced their guest cargo jet) which he used to transport fi rearms in worldwide circulation. In 2006, four planes carrying 200,000 with ‘CCCP’ printed in big red letters Watch, seemingly out of the blue, as a “businessman”, Bout laughed at guns (or Dutch tulips) anywhere in the That’s one fi rearm for every twelve assault rifl es bound for Coalition forces on the fuselage were going cheap. accused him of providing Liberian the “ridiculous situation” and said that, world for a price. people on the planet. The only question in Iraq mysteriously disappeared Apparently he began his empire with warlord-cum-despot Charles Taylor with far from the numerous aliases and false He fuelled bloody West African is: how do we arm the other 11?” asks after taking off from a Bosnia airstrip the purchase of a single An-12 ‘Antonov’ a planeload of AK-47s to prop up his documents that the UN accused him diamond wars (or the War on Terror) a cynical Nicholas Cage in the 2005 - it later transpired that one of the turboprop transport aircraft. new dictatorship. Taylor’s presidential of keeping, he had “never hid anything which led to thousands of civilians being blockbuster Lord of War. Cage plays carriers involved was owned by Viktor As Bout himself likes to recall in campaign slogan was “He killed my Ma, from anyone, and never been a citizen killed (or protected by peacekeepers) in an astute Ukrainian immigrant to the Bout. Meanwhile, allege American interviews, his fi rst regular trades were he killed my Pa, but I will vote for him.” of any country other than the Russian the calculating pursuit of profi t. Well, United States who works his way up prosecutors, he was supplying insurgent in the lucrative African and Middle No, really. Federation.” at least everyone is on the same page from selling Uzis to local gangs in New forces with economy versions of the Eastern fl ower industry. He bought Then the Americans accused Bout of In the same interview in 2002 he said about his motivations. York’s Brighton Beach to running a same weaponry. Even the Brits were left frozen fl owers in the Persian Gulf and keeping the Democratic Republic of the “As far the accusations of having dealt The gun runner, or, if you prefer, global arms empire with his knife-sharp red-faced when it emerged in 2005 that fl ew them to markets in Europe. When Congo (see above article) supplied with with Osama Bin Laden are concerned, successful fl orist, was lured to business acumen that leaves no room Bout had been operating RAF charter he had saved up enough capital, he arms in exchange for precious minerals. it sounds more like a Hollywood action Thailand in early 2008 by American for politics or prejudice. The shrewd, fl ights for the Ministry of Defence. built a refrigerated storage facility in His detractors in the United States movie!” In fact he had to wait a full Drug Enforcement Administration smooth broker buys up ammunition left The hardy former KGB offi cer was South Africa and began transporting would have you believe that Bout, far three years before he could see the Con (DEA) offi cers posing as high-roller to rust after the fall of the Soviet Union christened the “Merchant of Death” by tulips from there to Nigeria, and then from transporting tulips, was actually Air star give a stylised rendition of his customers. Nobody outside the DEA and lands it on the shores of warring Peter Hain. The nom de guerre stuck, as expanded further afi eld. Like any fl ying guns to Africa and loading up the career. Meanwhile he was making plans had knowledge of the sting – the CIA, African nations, and peppers every newspapers reported on his shady sales good businessman, he realised the plane with diamonds for the return trip. to buy a helicopter and make nature which usually handles cases like this, negotiation with his warlord clients of helicopters, tanks and all manner need to diversify, and was soon packing Absurd, right? fi lms in the Siberian Arctic for National was apparently reluctant to pursue with pithy quips like “I sell guns to every of smaller weapons to terrorists and Bout because of his embarrassing army but the Salvation Army”. The fi lm, warring factions in Angola, DR Congo, dealings with the American military, which was was commended by Amnesty Liberia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Colombia so they were effectively shut out. The International for highlighting the global and other bad neighbourhoods. Bangkok meeting was the culmination arms trade, is apparently a loose – like a Meanwhile, the Kremlin defended his of a series of negotiations which began freshman nursing student – adaptation innocence. And Russia had an altogether on the Caribbean island of Curacao in of the life and career of Viktor Bout, an different take on Bout - more ‘Driving the Dutch Antilles, moving to Denmark, overweight Tajik-born former Soviet Miss Daisy’ than ‘Lord of War’... then Romania. Army interpreter currently languishing Viktor Bout was born in Dushanbe, In Bangkok, Bout was taken into in a Bangkok jail. the capital of the Tajik Soviet Republic custody by local police and the United Tracking down the elusive (now Tajikistan) to Russian parents in States has since charged him with entrepreneur took years of work and 1967. He graduated from the Military crimes ranging from terrorism to thousands of frequent traveller miles, as Institute of Foreign Languages in murder in an effort to extradite him to he was trailed from country to country Moscow and joined the elite 339th face trial in the U.S. Almost one year on, by Interpol agents and the intelligence regiment of the Soviet Union Air Viktor Bout maintains he never carried services of many of its 186 member Force as a translator. His regiment so much as a fl are gun on his planes. He nations. It didn’t help matters that his was based out of Vitebsk, Belarus and still gives occasional interviews from his hunters occasionally also happened to operated in Angola as part of a UN Bangkok jail cell, and still claims he was be his best clients. Bout fl ew munitions peacekeeping contingent until 1991. simply a successful businessman who into Baghdad for American troops in When the regiment was disbanded after was framed by foreign governments to 2003 when no other dealers, illegal or the collapse of the Soviet Union, Bout Nicholas Cage in ‘Lord of War’, left, plays an arms dealer likened to Viktor Bout, right. hide their own illegal arms deals. TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 WORLD REVIEW 11 Trapped in Sri Lanka crossfi re Sri Lanka’s assault on the Tamil Tiger rebels threatens the lives of 250,000 civilians caught up in the fi ghting, reports Sinead Walsh

HE ISLAND of Sri Lanka a disproportionate amount of the Tamil was once known as Ceylon. minority held good, stable civil service It’s smaller than Ireland, jobs. In 1951, a party called the Sri Lanka but with over fi ve times the Freedom Party, preaching nationalist population, and less than an slogans to the Sinhala majority, began its Teighth of the GDP. The average yearly campaign to make Sinhalese the offi cial Funeral procession of a Tamil Tiger commander killed before this month’s fi ghting began temperature is 29 degrees Celsius, state language. The “Sinhala Only” but the island is prone to cyclones and Act was passed in 1956, prompting a 300,000 people have been displaced by its presence, some NGO workers remain under strict police supervision. whole thing hasn’t sparked more of a fl ooding, and is still recovering from the peaceful protest by Federal (Tamil) the fi ghting in the north of the island. as offi cial government volunteers, and The alternative – in many cases a propaganda war. You’ve got to admit 2004 tsunami. It achieved independence MPs. Government authorities failed to The fi rst reason it’s so hard to get an food convoys are reaching the region, forced alternative – is to retreat into the that compared to other long-running from Britain in 1948, trailing India by a prevent this protest from being broken exact fi gure is that no one knows how but the government alone does not jungles with the Tamil Tiger rebels, who confl icts on the Asian land mass, when year, but unlike its bigger neighbour up by a nationalist mob. And there many people may have been counted have the capacity to cope with the have by now lost control of all the major it comes to Western media attention, it failed to win a single medal at the you have the beginnings of a politics twice by offi cials, because so many of sheer numbers of Internally Displaced towns in the Vanni. The LTTE has long- Sri Lanka doesn’t get a look in. Maybe Commonwealth Games between 1954 of physical confrontation which has them have had to fl ee their homes – Persons (IDPs) on its hands. standing policy of forced recruitment the press does not care about a terrorist (when it won three) and 1994. It’s famous haunted Sri Lanka ever since. homes in this instance could mean a The escalating IDP problem was in the region, and while it was once movement that is not threatening to for producing most of the world’s tea, The Liberation Tigers of Tamil temporary shelter made from palm matched by the government in March understood that each family would unleash Islamic jihad on the world at and infamous for giving the world its Eelam (LTTE) came onto the scene leafs - more than once in the time that 2008, when a series of new camps send one of its members to the rebel large. Maybe it just cannot take another fi rst ever suicide bombers. And it’s in in 1976, the same year that the Tamil the count has been going on. Natural were established for those fl eeing from ranks, in the past year they have begun round of genocide accusations and war the headlines again because of another disasters have played their part in this as crime intrigue after last month’s war outbreak of violence between the Sri Tamil Tigers well, forcing the relocation of upwards on Gaza. Or maybe the Sri Lankan Lankan government and the deceptively chief Vellupillai of 60,000 people in the aftermath of Though the problem of child soldiers has government’s ban on journalists in the cutely named Liberation Tigers of Tamil Prabakharan is Cyclone Nisha, which hit the region last Vanni region, which came into force Eelam, who are fi ghting tooth and claw thought to have November, as ruthlessly as any military diminished, the Tamil Tigers still stage rallies in well over a year ago, has simply been to retain a grip on the northern part of fl ed Sri Lanka campaign. The second reason why more effective than its Israeli equivalent the island, where they’ve been trying reliable sources are hard to come by towns and schools to attract the 14-17 age group was. to create an independent republic by United Liberation Front voiced the fi rst is the media blackout imposed in mid- Perhaps it’s the casual way in which means of a civil war which celebrated its demand for a fully independent Tamil 2007 and a similar ban on humanitarian the shelling and bombing of the Vanni demanding two or more recruits per a newspaper editor could be shot dead twenty-fi fth anniversary last July. Eelam. On July 23, 1983, the Tamil agencies since September 2008. region. Any and every one leaving the family. Although the problem of child while driving to work in the peaceful This is a war that has been going Tigers ambushed a Sri Lankan military The UN and other international aid Vanni is considered to be a “security soldiers has been reduced in recent capital of Colombo on the morning of the on for longer than most of us can convoy, leaving 13 dead. This sparked a organizations didn’t waste time leaving threat” and detained in these camps, years, the LTTE continue to stage eighth of January, having written in his remember. In fact, it began before most wave of brutal anti-Tamil riots in which the Vanni region when they received including even the most harmless rallies in towns and schools which are fi nal editorial “When fi nally I am killed, of us were even thought of, and maybe hundreds of Tamils were murdered, their marching orders from Defense civilians and children. On the one hand, aimed at attracting the 14-17 age group. it will be the government that kills me,” that’s why we so rarely think of it. For and from then on Sri Lanka is widely Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa, this prevents Tamil Tiger fi ghters from And in September of last year, the LTTE that puts people off. Maybe it’s just that the thousands of Tamils and Sinhalese considered to have been in a state of younger brother of President Mahinda entering the government controlled announced that for every person who the idea of a quarter of a million citizens born into the confl ict, the impact it has on-and-off civil war. On July 24, 2001, in Rajapaksa. They still remember the area. On the other, it prevents the extra- attempted to fl ee recruitment, up to ten caught in the crossfi re in the Sri Lankan on everyday life means everything. We an attack on the international airport, executions of 17 Sri Lankan aid workers judicial killing, enforced disappearance members of that person’s family would jungle is less appealing to us bloody- have the privilege of a historical view, LTTE suicide bombers destroyed half from the NGO Action Contre La Faim, and long-term detention which may be used for forced labour on the front thirsty news junkies of the West than which is good, because we need it. What the Sri Lankan Airlines fl eet. Norway who remained in the town of Mutur face those who are caught escaping lines. were the hundreds of souls who had to happened, roughly, was this: during managed to broker a peace deal between despite pressure to leave it in 2006. So from the LTTE-controlled area without The Sri Lankan government likes to die in Gaza before we paid attention to Ceylon’s stint as a British colony, English the two sides in 2002, but tensions too does Rajapaksa, and in his warning passing through one of the camps. portray its handling of the Tamil Tigers the fate of Palestinians. Whatever it is, was the offi cial language of the island. remained high, and lip-service stopped to the international aid community in “Passing through” is a little optimistic as a “war on terror”, and given that this the world is turning a blind eye to the A disproportionate amount of schools being paid to the ceasefi re from August the Vanni he said that these measures a term, however, seeing as how the vast is the organization which gave Hamas confl ict in Sri Lanka, and hundreds of were built in the north of the island, i.e. 2006 onwards. were being taken to avoid a repeat majority of entrants since the opening and Al-Qaeda the idea of the suicide thousands of lives are left hanging in the part inhabited by the Tamils. And so By now, an estimated 230,000- incident. The Red Cross has maintained of the camps remain there even now, bomb, it’s perhaps surprising that the the balance. Bolivians welcome popular constitution

American leaders had led to American president to enjoy permanent re-elec- on the decisions of Barack Obama will in the short term, but is now jeopar- 62% of Bolivians voted for the new document opposition increasing. tion (if actually re-elected), Morales take as U.S. president. He may wish dising them. Miners are being laid off This came to a head last year when agreed during negotiations with the to distance himself from the legacy of because of plunging mineral prices. The which promises greater freedoms for indig- the Americans worked so openly with opposition that the constitution would George W. Bush and the relative quies- price of gas exports has fallen too, while the opposition behind the scenes that require presidents to stand down after cence of the Bolivian opposition since Brazil (the main market) has cut imports enous minorities, writes Andrew McKenzie Morales was obliged to expel the U.S. two terms. Although as an indigenous the Pando massacre suggests that they by a third because of a slowing economy ambassador and Drug Enforcement candidate representing the majority are unsure what future assistance they and plentiful rainfall for hydroelectric- Agency offi cials, accusing them of espi- population he will almost certainly win will get from Washington. The tradi- ity. The public fi nances are set to go into HE RECENT ratifi cation of a in many cities and rising to a violent cre- onage, a gesture that was immediately a second term in elections later this tional allies of Bolivia’s white minority defi cit this year. Commodity prices that new constitution in the Latin scendo in September, when 18 people, imitated by Chavez. Morales played the year, extending his rule to 2014. - their close Latin American neighbours have been high since Morales took of- American country of Bolivia mostly indigenous famers, were killed same card this year when he expelled American opinion has been harsh. Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay– are on fi ce have begun to fi zzle. And to make Tmay not strengthen Evo and many more wounded by opposi- the Israeli ambassador from La Paz USA Today likened Morales to a “ci- a leftist path and have all expressed their matters worse, Bolivian migrants are Morales and his country’s fraught rela- tion supporters in the northern town of during the Israeli assault on Gaza in the gar-chomping, camoufl age-clad, Latin support and solidarity for Morales. returning from recession-hit Spain, cut- tionship with the U.S.A, but there are Pando. wake of a similar move by Venezuela. American dictator”. A hark back to The new constitution allows even ting remittances. All of which will test reasons to persuade many his victory is Many feel the attack led to Bolivia’s Chavez organized the re-writing of Latin American caudillos or strong- greater control of the economy, with Morales’ ability to maintain his popular- one to savour. right wing losing legitimacy and sup- the Venezuelan constitution shortly af- men who seek to hold onto power for as articles that could forbid foreign fi rms ity. The new constitution granted sweep- port. Manfred Reyes Villa, an opponent ter his election in 1998, and used it as a long as possible. They point to Morales’ from repatriating profi ts or resorting Some Catholic and evangelical cler- ing rights to the indigenous majority of of Morales and an ex-governor of springboard for reformist measures in original intention to be eligible for per- to international arbitration to resolve ics have also opposed the ratifi cation the country as well as restructured the Cochabamba, told the Washington Post: many areas of national life. The reforms manent re-election, only changed on at nationalization disputes. Bolivia’s eco- of the new constitution. They fear that judiciary to ensure judges are elected “Today, there is not a serious opposi- proposed by Morales are comparably the behest of opposition in negotiations nomic outlook is dark. Mr Morales the articles prohibiting discrimination rather than chosen. Government con- tion in the country”, highlighting the radical, yet many people would argue following the massacre at Pando in scared off investment by nationalising on sexual orientation and guaranteeing trol of natural resources was reinforced impact the attack had on support. The that they are long overdue. Unlike October. the natural-gas industry, telecoms and freedom of religion will pave the way for and rules to prohibit discrimination opposition, led by state governors in Chavez, who seeks a constitutional re- However, like the rest of America’s parts of mining. abortion rights and gay marriage. were introduced. Limited autonomy the country’s more prosperous east, are form in February that would permit a future foreign policy, everything rests That boosted government revenues The constitution also gives offi cial was extended to state assemblies that concerned by Morales’ leftist ideals and recognition to “community justice” control local issues and tribal punish- fear he is taking Bolivia into the orbit imparted by elders, and introduces the ments were allowed on tribal lands. of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s president CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS popular election of judges and members On referendum day, when the news and vocal critic of the U.S.A. of a judicial council. These measures are spread that the constitution had been Many of these people are descen- » Indigenous rights: Recogni- intended to clean up a corrupt judiciary. approved, fi reworks, cheers and horns dants of white settlers to the country tion of self-determination of However opponents say they will politi- sounded off sporadically across La Paz, and have a racist and fascist mentality. 36 ‘nations’ and sets aside cise justice, and legitimise mob justice the capital. By evening, Morales was al- After centuries in control they appear seats in Congress in the form of lynchings and stonings, ready giving his victory speech: “I want to dislike the prospect of their future be- » Natural resources: State con- which have become more common over you to know something, the colonial ing dominated by a formerly suppressed trol for all gas, oil and mineral the past two years. state ends here. Internal colonialism indigenous majority. Many others how- reserves Whatever the eventual outcome of and external colonialism ends here. ever just fear the further economic ruin » Local autonomy: Gives Morales’ reforms, the newly approved Sisters and brothers, neoliberalism of South America’s poorest state with authority to state assem- constitution is a major landmark in ends here too.” ineffi cient state nationalizations. blies that control local issues Bolivian history, providing for the long- While the new constitution is a move Close ties with Venezuela’s Hugo and self-rule for indigenous needed re-shaping of the judiciary and toward giving the indigenous majority Chavez have strained relations with groups on traditional lands more importantly the strengthening of of the population the ability to partici- America. The Bush administration had » Justice: High court judges the rights of the country’s indigenous pate more comprehensively in Bolivian long been opposed to Morales, even be- to be elected rather than ap- peoples. The empowerment of a native politics, it does not mark the healing of fore he was fi rst elected, regarding the pointed people is not something to shrug at, the country’s deep political and ethnic former leader of the coca-growers’ union » Equality: Prohibits discrimi- but Morales must be wary that he does divisions. During the course of last year as a political fi rebrand and not much nation on sexual orientation not set his country on a path of chaotic the country tumbled towards an unde- better than a drug baron, but fears of a and guarantees freedom of confl ict, government paralysis and con- clared civil war, with violence erupting growing number of anti American Latin religion tinuing economic backwardness. Under the new laws President Evo Morales could remain in power until 2014 We want your take on the burning global issues Write for Trinity News: [email protected] TRINITY NEWS 12 ELECTIONS 2009! February 10, 2009

FOURTH YEAR theoretical physics Committee. student, Ashley Cooke, is the only Cooke is aware of the candidate for Education offi cer. challenges he faces if elected. A member of the Students His main issue of concern will Every candidate Union for the past two years, he be ensuring the semester changes started off as class representative, resulting from modularisation run progressing to school convenor as smoothly as possible. where he became interested in Another worry is the dramatic educational issues. change to the scholarship He was convenor for the SU examinations, in particular the Education committee in 07/08 and proposed removal of exemptions. in profi le sat on the education committee He will ensure students are not Ashley Cooke again this year. He also holds the discouraged from attempting By Lisa Byrne, Meadhbh McHugh, Martin McKenna, CJ McKinney, SS THEORETICAL PHYSICS position of Environmental offi cer the scholarship examinations or EDUCATION with the SU and was elected overworked by the new structure. Kasia Mychajlowycz, Naomi O’Leary, Kate O’Regan & Thomas Raftery to the Undergraduate Studies M McH

DANIEL CURRY describes himself and that other groups employ THIS CANDIDATE for SU President He would like every student as a “Union outsider”. Though he professional lobbyists – something is a mother tongue Gaelgoir from to feel they can seek assistance has sat on the Hist committee, he would consider for the Clondalkin. His well-planned from the SU, no matter what their he has never been a class rep, a Students’ Union. campaign has identifi ed four problem is. position that he claims gives him Curry would also consider major thrusts; opposing the He is most passionate when a “fresh perspective”. He claims abolishing the University Record. reintroduction of fees, supporting asked about the reintroduction of the union has never done a good “The Record is a waste of money students during the crossover third level fees. “The government job and says, “Now it’s time to put when Trinity News is here”. If into semesterization, making is looking for a soft target to pay my money where my mouth is and elected, he will put the matter to a the SU more approachable, and for its own mistakes. We cannot improve the union.” referendum. improving the running of Trinity’s let ourselves be that soft target.” Fees are the major issue for “I see the Union not sportssp clubs. Marching, he says, is fantastic as Curry.C He is “strongly against accomplishing what it could. The As former head of Trinity GAA, a demonstration of discontent. Daniel Curry fees”fe and claims recent marches Union cannot expect students to Conan O Broin sportsp is a subject close to Ó Broin’s But it can only go so far. Ó Broin SS BESS “haven’t“h been very effective”, He come to it: The Union must go to SS BESS heart.h He wants to bring the heads wants to call on students, and their pointsp out that the Government students and make them care.” ofo all the sports clubs together to families, not to vote for a party that PRESIDENT PRESIDENT intendsin to make extensive cuts, M McK brainstormb on improvements. would bring in fees. N O’L

DAVE PRESTON is a Junior is causing. CATHAL HORAN has been If elected, Horan hopes to Sophister student of Philosophy Preston is also keen to highlight involved in student politics get information to the students and Classics. His fi rst priority his credentials in safeguarding since fi rst year, when he was quicker, citing the delay in “when, not if” he is elected is clear: the welfare of the student body, class Representative and School releasing information about rid Trinity of ghosts. having only last week “fought a Convenor. semesterisation. He points out that several dinosaur that was attacking Trinity”. He is currently the CSC’s He would also push for more buildings have been left in a With further commitments to Amenities Offi cer, and assistant consultation with students on haunted state for many years, turn the Provost’s house into a faculty convenor for the EMS academic issues, claiming not adding “the Provost is aware of this giant game of Screwball Scramble faculty. He was also in charge of enough students were asked but he hasn’t done anything”. and install a Crazy Golf course on the Science Ball at Clontarf, which for their opinion about the He says that “if I get elected, College Park (“no-one really plays he rated as “ a huge success” that introduction of turnitin.com as a I want to exorcise the necessary cricket, fuck cricket”) marking exceeded his expectations. way of submitting essays. Dave Preston buildings”, citing an acquantaince him out from his “extremely Cathal Horan Last year he was general offi cer As President, he would not JS PHILOSOPHY AND CLASSICS who was forced to drop out and goodlooking” rivals for offi ce, JS THEORETICAL PHYSICS for the DU Comedy Society rule by decree, rather act upon do Arts in UCD as an example of Preston’s campaign looks set to be, and chair of the SU Council and decisions handed down from the PRESIDENT the huge problems this infestation as promised, “a lot of fun”. CJ McK PRESIDENT Electoral Commission. Student’s Union. K M

HAILING FROM Killaloe in Co. “It’s not just about The Record” she ROB DONOHOE, a fourth year Society Committee member, and Clare, Emma Keaveney is running says, but The Record is part of her Law student, claims his six years is a regular columnist for The for Deputy President. She has scheme; Keaveney would like to in college have given him a real Record. As President he would spent the last two years getting to see the content of the publication advantage. “I’ve been in trouble like to do more to inform students grips with the Student Union, as refl ect the student line, and with the Junior Dean, I’ve had to of their rights concerning labour, class rep and as a part-time offi cer themed according to the initiatives do supplemental exams, super- accommodation, and consumer at the SU Executive Committee. of the moment. supplemental exams…I know how issues. He says “life doesn’t begin A student of TSM Film She’d like to see a more to sort out these problems.” and end at the Front Arch”, and Studies and English, she cut her integrated college community, Through managing the the SU should be helping students administrative teeth as secretary of and hopes to realise the potential Junior Common Room, he has outside of College. theth Filmmakers society. of The Record in promoting Ents experience of dealing with college He has successfully taken If elected, Keaveney would events. She hopes to receive good fi nances. He maintains each Tommy Hilfi ger to task for not Emma Keaveney tackleta a communication gap she news about her campaign in time Rob Donohoe campaign run by the SU should paying him time and a half on SF FILM STUDIES AND ENGLISH perceivesp between the SU and the for her mother’s birthday, which SS LAW have targets or goals, which, if not Sundays, and he hopes to channel DEPUTY PRESIDENT studentst body, making full use of falls the day after votes will be DEPUTY PRESIDENT met, need to be examined. that energy into fi ghting for the theth SU website and increasing hits. counted. N O’L Donohoe has been a Comedy rights of the student body. K M

AS A fourth year mature student, services on campus, believing that CORMAC CASHMAN is a third would rent a room, and have staff Simone Cameron-Coen feels she students need to be made more year BESS student and has in it for 2 or 3 hours a week. has the necessary experience aware of the services available been involved in every welfare As for accommodation, and motivation to run for Welfare to them: from help with student campaign in the last two years, Cormac feels students need more Offi cer. fi nances to LGBT, sexual and including SHAG Week, Mental support when searching for a Since entering college through mental health awareness. She Health Week, and Rainbow Week, room. “Letting a student fi nd a the Trinity Access Programme, intends to tackle these issues in which he ran last year. fl at on their own is irresponsible this fi lm studies student has been a practical manner and is keen to He has also been in charge of especially if they don’t know involved in welfare issues. She underline the fact that college is establishing a student-to-student Dublin, and don’t know if they’re has been working on the welfare “not just about academics”. counseling service, resulting from getting ripped off.” He proposes committeeco for the past two years Cameron-Coen believes the the LGBT buddy-to-buddy system a more effi cient Accommodation andan is an active member of the SU Welfare position is vital to the he helped establish. offi ce that would do more than Simone Cameron-Coen (as(a Mature Student Offi cer) and well-being of students. She aims Cormac Cashman If elected, Cormac’s aim is to simply provide students with a list SS FILM STUDIES classcl representative. to campaign as a candidate who is JS BESS establish an offi ce in the Hamilton, of websites that have postings for WELFARE Cameron-Coen aims to approachable and understanding. WELFARE since “the science end of College accommodation. promotep and develop welfare K O’R has zero Welfare presence”. He K M

MICK HAS been involved with the number of class parties. FRANZI HENSEL is a fourth more students out at events by College Ents since 2006. He acted Other proposals include year TSM student, majoring in Ents; “I don’t just want to focus on as Ents crew coordinator last year summer barbeques at the Pav, Theology. She’s been working with single nights out at night clubs. I and organised the 2007 Ents monthly Casino nights and the the Ents crew the whole year. “I’ve want more pub-oriented events… Mystery Tour, the Freshers’ Week creation of a series of Electro Ents come to the position of second I want to have more gigs, more Silent Disco as well as being a key nights. in command for Nick [Longworth, student gigs, to help student organiser of this years Snow Trip Mick has already set up his current Ents Offi cer], and I think bands out. I want to do a lot more with DUSSC. own weekly night MUZIK in the that qualifi es me uniquely for the cinema screenings, I think that’s Currently Ents Offi cer with the Button Factory and has worked position. I’ve learnt from Nick’s an untapped resource, because Comedy Soc he is responsible for closely with the music industry. He successes and failure, and I think people want to see up-to-date- booking comedians. is confi dent he can secure bigger, that gives me an extra advantage.” movies. With regards to nights His many aims for the offi ce better and more diverse acts to Her goals for next year, if she’s out, I don’t just want the same old Mick Birmingham of Ents include increasing the play in College having previously Franziska Hensel elected Ents Offi cer, would be to things, for example at clubs like JS ECONOMICS number of tickets sold for the secured the likes of Felix the SS THEOLOGY continue with the diversity she’s Purty Kitchen and Citi Bar, I want Trinity Ball, introducing a wine off- House Cat, New Young Pony Club seen in the events this year, and more themed nights so it’s not the ENTS license on campus, and increasing and Republic of Loose. L B ENTS build on it. Franzi wants to see same thing every night.” K M

AMY, FROM Mullingar in Co. entertainment scene. CANADIAN PADDY O’Mahoney polling throughout the year”, Westmeath, was elected JCR Ents Amy also wants to crack down has plenty of experience explains O’Mahoney. “It’s such a offi cer in 2007, and has since on the number of promoters who promoting nights out in venues diverse campus, you can’t cater worked hard on improving the she sees as ripping off students. like the Button Factory and for everyone but you can at least quality and value of the Trinty Halls Her quest for better value student Kennedys, and is is keen to use his try and have something for every social scene, where she’s lived for nights is motivated by growingly contacts to bring a more varied interest”. the past two years. extortionate entrance prices to offering to the student body. He also thinks that there’s a In this role, Amy has arranged clubs. None of the Hall’s nights out “I want to go against the grain… lot of talent within these walls everything from theme nights to this year have cost members more I know the importance of nights that should be encouraged, and DVD get-togethers. than 5 euro, proof of her desire to out being cheap but it shouldn’t wants to give students a chance to She is keen to run Ents in a provide better-value party ngihts. take away from originality.” he says, showcase their skills. Consistencey way that encompasses the needs Aware of the teething problems In planning a broad array of would be a priority for him: “I Amy Dunne of college’s diverse societies. By that have occurred this year, Paddy O’Mahony events, he stresses the need to want to emphasise regularity and SF LAW developing Trinity’s relationship Amy wants a more coordinated SS ENGLISH AND HISTORY gauge what students want. “I quality of gigs rather than these with other universities in Dublin, approach to increase the effi ciency want to get some more student cookie-cutter events that simply ENTS she aims to create a city-wide of the Ents set-up. T R ENTS involvement, have constant take over the calender”. CJ McK TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 !ELECTIONS 2009 13 READER SURVEY

Read by Kate O’Regan This year we asked our readers what issues are most relevant to the 2009 SU election campaign. You told us what you look for in your SU offi cers, plus how you rate the achievements of the TCDSU and USI.

N WHAT has been one of the most politically turbulent years of recent times, it is not surprising that the prevalent Cormac issue concerning TCD students is the issue of third-level Cashman, Ifees. Our survey provoked a varied response to some candidate questions, however the topic of fees was high on nearly all our for Welfare reader’s lists of big issues for this SU campaign season. Offi cer (left) The issue of proposed third-level fees permeated the squares up to entire survey, rated as a failed campaign on the part of the Cathal Horan, current administration by some, to one of this year’s SU’s running for big achievements. It was also one of the few issues that you President, on thought the SU had any infl uence on. the moonlit Other major issues concerning students included evening of the promised student centre and the recurring demand the announce- for increased library opening hours. Some participants ment from highlighted the need for extended weekend opening hours, the steps of while others suggested the library stay open 24 hours a day. House 6 of Campus accommodation, the lack of it and its perceived the candi- excessive cost was mentioned several times as an issue of dates on concern. There were also remarks on the new system of Friday. Photo: modularisation. However it seems this year’s offi cers would Martin do well to take on the cause of the much-needed student McKenna centre as a campaign issue. It and fees were the two issues that appeared most often in the survey. When asked what they are looking for in a candidate, most students emphasised the need for “genuine interest” in the intended offi ce. Experience, intelligence and “In what I deem a battle direct action were beyond our reach, also recurring From House 6 to the Seanad desired traits. TCDSU has put up a This year’s sterling fi ght”. candidates will Senator Ivana Bacik recalls her time in the SU, when she need to be realistic, hardworking and was only the second ever female elected president of the willing to work for the benefi t of every student, rather than for their own career advancement according to our survey. union, and all four offi cers were brought to court for their There appears to be a lack of support for those candidates who run simply to improve their own C.V.’s and with “careerist” campaign to educate students on sexual health issues. intentions. “Action over rhetoric” is needed, as well as leadership ACH YEAR, seeing the (1989-90) was highly charged politically. and lateral thinking in order to deal with the major issues Students’ Union election Within a month of taking offi ce, we concerning students, specifi cally fees and college funding. campaigns in full swing four Union offi cers were threatened The election survey revealed mixed responses regarding reminds me of my own SU with prison simply for handing out the current SU administration. TCD students are not immune experiences, exactly twenty SU guidebooks on campus. The books to fi nancial concerns, and considerable dissatisfaction was Eyears ago. I began my undergraduate contained information on abortion, expressed with the suggested cost in-effectiveness of this studies at the Law School here in 1985, along with information on all sorts of year’s union. The Ents offi ce was particularly singled-out on at what was a very exciting time to be other issues useful to students. SPUC this issue. a student. The Union was very active (the Society for the Protection of The unnecessary expense of class parties, alcohol for class then, with regular protests against fee Unborn Children) wanted to stop that reps and over-postering were lamented. Other responses increases, and occasional occupations information being provided anywhere were less solicitous, simply stating that TCDSU was “entirely of campus buildings. in Ireland, so they took us to court. Our irrelevant”, and “full of hacks”. Political activism was not confi ned lecturer Mary Robinson defended us, Nick Longworth (Entertainments Offi cer) was the person to the student body. Among our and we avoided being sent to jail, but most people identifi ed when asked to name as many current lecturers in Law were Mary Robinson the rest of the year was spent fi ghting sabbatical offi cers as they could. Cathal Reilly (President) and and Mary McAleese, both of whom the cases taken by SPUC, as well as Orlaith Foley (Welfare) also featured regularly. were prominently involved in national campaigning against increases in fees changing public opinion and liberalising discrimination women suffered both as Overall the SU was deemed relevant because of the politics, and were subsequently and cuts in student services. We even the laws. We fi nally won our case several staff and students right into the 1980s, important issues it campaigns for, however the dominant elected Presidents of Ireland. Another managed to fi t in a short occupation of years later, and information on abortion and agreed how greatly things had sentiment was that they had little power to exact effective inspirational fi gure, Kader Asmal, the Buildings offi ce. is now available legally to anyone who improved. change. taught Human Rights law. At the time, We made headlines frequently needs it; but unfortunately women still Since 2007, having been elected It was not all bad news for TCDSU, some students noted he was a leading light of the Irish Anti- during the year, and I fi rmly believe have to travel to England to obtain legal as a Senator for Dublin University, I that the SU did more work behind the scenes, sitting on Apartheid Movement. After the ending that our principled campaign to keep abortion. am now honoured and delighted to be various committees and representing the student population of Apartheid, he became Minister for providing information to women with Following my time as SU representing Trinity graduates in the at an administrative level. Education in the ANC government in crisis pregnancies, in the face of a President, I emigrated like many of Oireachtas. But I am also conscious of The USI received less positive remarks, with a high South Africa. So we had a wide range of vicious campaign by the anti-abortion my contemporaries and spent some the small numbers of women in both percentage of respondents claiming that they were not even role models, both women and men, and movement, played an important part in years studying and working in London. the Dáil and Seanad. Only 13% of our aware the USI existed. It rated higher than TCDSU with a healthy diversity of political viewpoints In 1995, back in Dublin, I took up a legislators are female, and we rank very regard to public image however, with some students referring represented among the staff in the Law lecturing post at Trinity Law School. It poorly in Europe and internationally to its prevalence in the Irish media, as opposed to TCDSU’s School. Some things don’t change… is great to be back here as a lecturer, but in women’s representation levels. I am lack of coverage in the media. I became involved with both the The year I spent as SU I have noticed that despite the progress always delighted to see women running Once again the fees debate was omnipresent in the survey’s Women’s Group and the Labour President (1989-90) four that has been made for women in for positions in the Students’ Union – questions on the achievements and infl uence of the SU. Society during my fi rst year, and in College, there are still obvious problems. because I know from experience that Responses ranged from favourable, noting that the SU had my fi nal year, was elected President of Union offi cers were At senior levels, men dominate student activists often become national been successful in making students aware of the fees debate, the Students’ Union on a feminist and threatened with prison disproportionately; gender equality politicians later in life, and I also know to ominous, with adjectives such as “marginal” and “terrible” socialist platform. I was only the second is a relatively recent phenomenon. that the intense experience of being being used to describe the infl uence of the SU. woman ever elected to be President - simply for handing Mary Robinson, now Chancellor of the an SU offi cer is truly invaluable in the Worth noting were several remarks against the anti-fee the fi rst had been Aine Lawlor, now University, recently returned to campus bearpit of national politics! Good luck to campaign. Some students feel a more diplomatic action on a presenter on Morning Ireland, RTÉ out SU guidebooks on for the offi cial celebration of the 50th all the candidates this year. the part of our elected offi cers would be preferable, as the radio’s fl agship morning current affairs campus. anniversary of women’s entry to the re-introduction of fees now seems inevitable. There were programme. Senior Common Room. Many of the Ivana Bacik is a Senator and Reid suggestions that the SU could negotiate a better deal for The year I spent as SU President older academics present recalled the Professor of Criminal Law, Trinity students rather than continue to fi ght a losing battle.

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IN PROFILE: SENATOR DAVID NORRIS Tell the truth and shame the devil Unlike many weak-kneed politicians, David Norris refuses to kowtow to public opinion, instead insisting on raising the issues as he sees them. Aoife Crowley fi nds out why the independent university Senate seats are so important.

MANY STEREOTYPES of politicians into the economic whirlwind was abound in the public imagination. unconscionable”. Images of brown envelopes, greasy He believes that the economic handshakes, and general incompetence climate has “provided a screen under have been etched into our minds by which the government has been able to a small amount of morally bankrupt destroy almost all the voices of advocacy people. for the underprivileged or marginalised. Senator David Norris is the antithesis They’ve abolished Combat Poverty of the grubby, grasping stereotypical Agency, they’ve spanceled the Human politician. Apart from anything else, Rights Commission, they’ve destroyed he is a genuinely nice man. Seemingly the Equality Authority, and they’ve delighted by every person he meets absorbed the National Council on on the corridors of Leinster House, he Racism and Integration.” exudes an aura of warmth and joviality. Tomorrow, Norris plans to put human He compliments Beverly Cooper Flynn rights back on the agenda, by presenting on her dress, giggles with Ivana Bacik, a Bill asking the government to affi rm and stops to discuss the new Harvey publicly its commitment to human rights Milk biopic with Eamon Ryan. both domestically and internationally. It is also clear that he will not For those whose knowledge of the compromise his views for political Oireachtas is hazy, the Seanad is made gain. “I believe in being honest, and if up of sixty members, of which three are it’s unpalatable, that’s too bad. I will elected by the graduates of Trinity, and continue to tell the truth as I see it no three are elected by graduates of NUI. matter how many votes I lose.” The Taoiseach appoints eleven directly, Norris believes that a “don’t ask, and an electorate consisting of TDs, don’t tell” policy is prevalent in politics. senators and local councillors appoint “Look at the European Union. I mean the rest. there’s a clear prima facie case of war The charges of “undemocratic crimes in Gaza. They refuse to support and elitist” are often levelled at the a move by Ireland, Cyprus, Sweden University seats, which irritates Norris. and Portugal to establish a war crimes “Balls! If you’ve any sense you’ll ignore inquiry. They don’t want to know.” that rubbish and stick out to preserve He asked also for monitoring those seats. Look at the people they’ve of human rights protocols which provided: Owen Sheehy Skeffi ngton, were attached to the external trade Mary Robinson, Noel Browne. We have agreement between the EU and Israel. made a disproportionate contribution.” It wasn’t done. “Independent university senators for by fees, and it’s always paid for by Trinity has changed hugely since his BIOGRAPHY “The European Union could have are the only independent element in somebody. It’s paid for by the taxpayer, own time as an undergraduate. Back in stopped the war like switching off a light. the whole place. We are the voice that and not entirely adequately paid for by the sixties, female students were just » Norris was born in the Belgian Congo in 1944. All they need to do is ban agricultural speaks out on issues. We are the ones the taxpayer.” about tolerated until six p.m., when produce being imported. 75 percent of that are vocal and that cause trouble. He believes that the current system they were promptly ushered off campus. » During his time in Trinity, he was elected Foundation Israel’s agricultural produce is imported That’s what we should do. Of course does not benefi t disadvantaged “They might contaminate the boys!” Scholar in English. He also edited Icarus. into the European Union. They’ve only the government would like to stifl e students. “The so-called free education he laughs. Catholics were also in short got to threaten to cut that off, and the that little voice, the way they stifl ed the system may appear to allow people supply, as Archbishop McQuaid was » Norris won his battle to decriminalise gay sex in war would stop. They didn’t do it, and I Equality Authority, the Human Rights from marginalised families in, but they enforcing a ban on their attendance, for Ireland. The European Court of Human Rights found think that’s grossly immoral.” Commission and all the rest.” don’t go because there’s no allowance fear that Trinity would corrupt them. that the Irish law was in breach of the European The constant focus on the economy Norris does not support the USI and for books. They’ve now introduced this “Of course it would!” declares Norris Convention on Human Rights, and it was repealed in is pushing human rights off the agenda. the SU’s free fees crusade. “There is an registration fee system – they’ve already gleefully, “That was the whole point 1993. “But,” as Norris points out, “we never absurd and ugly phrase “free fees”. That started charging the fees. How can of Trinity. It was established by Queen needed them more. Abolishing Combat is ungrammatical, nonsensical rubbish. someone from a marginalised, working Elizabeth I to civilise the barbarians » Norris has been a Senator since 1987, representing Poverty just when we were going Education is either free or it’s paid class area possibly afford that? And then and introduce them to the joys of Trinity. there’s the books, then there’s the food, Protestantism. It has always been then there’s the accommodation. So Trinity’s mission to open people’s minds “They roasted a venison in the Provost’s “The current economic climate has provided a you’re actually using taxpayers money to revolutionary ideas.” garden, which is now gone because they to privilege people who are already But it wasn’t just the student body built the Arts Block on it. And there screen under which the government has been privileged. I don’t think comfortable that has changed dramatically. Today’s was a note in the programme saying middle-class people should be excused Trinity Ball is notorious for many things, ‘seamstresses will be available in the able to destroy almost all the voices of advocacy for making some form of sacrifi ce for but roast venison and seamstresses are Elizabethan room in House Six to mend for the underprivileged or marginalised.” their children. People value things more not numbered among them. Norris ballgowns’. What a different world! But if they have to pay for them.” recalls his Trinity Ball experience: it was fun.” The darker side of Saint Valentine’s day

side of this otherwise romantic holiday one wants to come home on Valentine’s good post-dinner night. You get a no, All things considered Valentine’s in a new relationship on this holiday only emerges when its incidence Day (or any day for that matter) to fi nd and the rest of the dinner is going to be Day is a great holiday, but it does have and are planning anything festive, you coincides with the beginning of a new their apartment in fl ames, and the pretty awkward followed by a passive- somewhat of a barbed tip for newly- should ask yourself two important relationship. This can be very dangerous. girl they met three weeks ago sobbing aggressive walk home. It is very hard to formed couples. As I cannot sketch all questions before you commit yourself How one reacts in such a situation can outside, clad in lingerie that looks like bounce back after a public Valentine’s the possible problems here, a simple to any gesture, or confession. The fi rst determine the course of their sex-life, or red fi shing wire, numerous third degree Day shut-down like this, especially as pause and refl ection will save you a lot of is, “Could what I am about to do be OLIVIA MAY RUSSELL lack thereof, for months to come. One burns and repeatedly wailing, “I thought one rarely anticipates a response in the heartache. If you fi nd yourself considered clingy?” If you answer in the overzealous gesture or clingy deed can it would be romantic!”. This would be negative to this question, so it can come affi rmative, abort the plan immediately. damage a fl edgling union irreparably. awkward for both parties. A nice meal as quite a slap in the face. Just Second question, and much more I WOULD like to fi rst say, given the Even worse, if you do fi nd yourself single out is defi nitely better. avoid this talk. You can have it at important than the fi rst: “Could what I ominous nature of the title, before you again, post-V-Day, the things you did to The lethal concoction of Valentine’s another, less ridiculous, time. am about to do be considered creepy?” go thinking this is simply another one cause this will haunt you for months to Day with a side of alcohol can also be I alluded earlier to the An affi rmative to this question means of those rants about how sickeningly come. That creepy “I love… (long pause) a powerful catalyst for ushering in the temptation to say those “three little you should not only abort the plan, but lovey-dovey or depressing Valentine’s spendintg time with you,” you felt it “where-is-this-going” talk prematurely. words” on Valentine’s Day. While it is also consider spending the night sober Day is, it is not. While I wouldn’t say was appropriate to unleash after three This is defi nitely something to be certainly a nice gesture to profess your and possibly feigning illness and staying it is my favourite holiday, I certainly drinks will continue to make you cringe avoided. No-one wants to have this love, and quite admirable, it should in. Because if you are already planning appreciate it. I mean, clearly it is better long after you sober up. So, if you don’t interrogation while surrounded by red not be uttered pre-emptively. creepy Valentine’s Day gestures, if you are in a relationship, but it can be want to wake up at dawn on February and pink heart-shaped balloons and While it is different for everyone, God only knows what you are pleasant if you are single as well. After 15th to the slamming of your front door set to an excruciating soundtrack of I would venture to suggest that bound to say and do on the all, a day dedicated to love can’t be that and a very cold bed, you should probably “slow jams”. This talk, I would presume, it is probably not a good idea to night. Better to keep a clear bad, can it? Of course, if you approach take it easy on Valentine’s Day. is better to be avoided at all costs on confess your love to your new partner in head and revert to the two it as a day of self-realisation, where This doesn’t mean doing nothing, Valentine’s Day, regardless of how fi tting public, specifi cally on Valentine’s Day. questions above if you fi nd your epiphany consists entirely of the but simply don’t get carried away. An it may seem. Posing the question, “so Unless, of course, you are quite sure it yourself in a pickle. Happy thought, “I’m single and am going to example may help to illustrate this are we exclusive or wa’?” (usually done is reciprocated. But if not, you run the Valentine’s Day! die alone”, then yes, it is going to suck. advice. For instance, if you have been aggressively after the fourth drink) is risk of a private meltdown in a public Instead, if you approach it neutrally and in a relationship with someone for only not only unbearably cliché but can also place. Not fun. It is usually better to with an eye for possibility, it can actually a few short weeks, it is probably not have catastrophic consequences. As hide emotions of that magnitude from be quite fun (even for the relationship- appropriate to let yourself into their most are punch-drunk on simple sugars the public eye, plus it is simply awkward impaired). house, stuff rose petals everywhere and romantic daydreams on Valentine’s for anyone who witnesses it. Although But the popular status of Valentine’s you can reach your hand, and set up Day, it can often be diffi cult to see the the symmetry of professing love on Day is not what I want to discuss here. a candlelit vigil the size of Princess implications of having this talk, too Valentine’s Day can prove alluring, it Rather, I want to illuminate a darker Diana’s in their bedroom. A simple card early, and in public. is probably better to simply postpone. side to the holiday-of-hearts that has and a meal would be much better, and I will just remind you, there are A new relationship is delicate and can nothing to do with crippling self-pity less unhinged. Not only are the candles TWO responses to the exclusivity query. easily be squashed, by a pre-emptive or exploitation by Hallmark. The shady overkill, but they are also dangerous. No You get a yes, and you’re in for a pretty (and slurred), “I love you.” TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 OPINION 15 Time to ROUND UP RYAN KENNY AND AOIFE CROWLE

WEATHER NEWS CORK CITY SHOWS NO GRIT pay your THE SNOW last week may have come as a shock, but Joseph E. Mason, writing in the Irish Examiner, thinks that Cork City should have been better prepared. own way He writes, “a little bit of grit would have stopped two elderly Cork citizens falling Though Brendan Curran agrees that reform fl at on their faces on their way to Mass last is needed in how our education system is Wednesday morning.” funded, the blind insistance on free fees is both misguided and presumptuous, he says SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP PUBLIC SECTOR WAS tricked into joining scapegoats” were Mr. Kelly’s exact Wednesday’s protest march. words. The real culprits, according SPENDING CUTS I may only have been involved to the USI President, were either the in Ireland’s largest ever student university heads who had mismanaged IN LINE with the general belt-tightening mood demonstration for about fi ve funds or the Government who simpy that seems to be prevailing at the moment, the Iminutes, but it was more than enough. weren’t being generous enough. Government this week was engaged in talks with I departed the heaving mass of Undergraduate education should be the Social Partners in an effort to cut 2 billion impassioned and uncharacteristically free for those who avail of it and should from public sector spending over the next year. politicised twenty-somethings be paid for out of central funds. These talks ended without agreement, leaving transformed, imbued with a new sense This is what bothered me the most considerable questions as to the future of Social of energy and purpose. I had seen the about Wednesday’s protest. 15,000 Partnership. star on which our country had set it students took to the streets on the Sarah Carey writing in the Irish Times did not sights and I was not a fan. This little basis of a principle – that those who seem too worried by that particular prospect, column is my way of doing something benefi t the most from undergraduate writing “social partnership has turned thousands about it. education shouldn’t have to make any of public servants into rich men and women in I was strolling across Front Square more contribution towards its cost. They expensive coats while the hospital porter rots on with a friend (to whom I will refer, for weren’t contesting the introduction of an Students protest are more likely to go to prison. Barnados deferred payment will be necessary to his EUR 91.... Let partnership fall and with it the the sake of anonymity, only by his initials inequitable or poorly managed system last week. Photo: reports that in disadvantaged areas ensure that nobody’s fi nancial standing rules by which pig and man divided the spoils of – BOB) having a fairly typical college of payment, but rather the introduction Andrew Holohan where they work literacy problems are at the age of eighteen keeps them out of the farm.” conversation about sandwich fi llings, of any system whatsoever. three times higher than the national college for life. Stephen Collins, writing in the same paper, boobs and deontological reasoning College is an incredible experience average and the average number of days fi nds the concept slightly more distressing: “The when, from nowhere, he said: and probably the single most rewarding missed is almost twice as high. Every collapse of that consensus strategy at the fi nal “Let’s go look at the protest.” investment that any individual can year one thousand students even fail hurdle is a cruel blow for a leader who placed so Not caring enough to object, I make. It increases your earnings, to make the transition from primary to “The social returns much faith in it. If his continued commitment to the followed him to Nassau St., where he reduces your chances of unemployment, secondary school. on investment in partnership process is taken as a sign of weakness promptly plunged into the crowd. I puts you in touch with new friends and Given the profi le of the average ... the country will pay a very heavy price for the followed confusedly in his wake. As we future bosses and stretches your mind university student, most of the money in primary and secondary past two months.” turned onto Merrion Square, I asked: to fi t more of the world than you dreamt the free fees scheme goes to subsidising “What are we doing?” possible. Why should we presume to the children of already quite well off education absolutely “Marching against fees” have it for free? families. Even if our universities were dwarfs that of university POLITICS AND LEADERSHIP The USI and I agree on at least one satisfactorily funded, it seems odd thing though – it’s the schoolkids, the that they should receive seventeen or education. “ WILL THE REAL MR. COWEN “Somebody please ones that’ll be thinking about college in eighteen years of the highest quality a year or fi ve or ten, who will be most education cost-free, while there remain PLEASE STAND UP think of the children” affected by any change on fees. At a Phil people in our society who leave school But reform is necessary. The blame debate on this subject, USI Education with effectively none. for the shortfall in public funds may lie THE GENERAL “But I support the recovery of tuition Offi cer Bartley Rock told us that the Of course, the palpable anger on with the Government, the banks and public trust in fees through a system of equitably reintroduction of fees would create a display on Wednesday is understandable. all those guilty of low standards in high the government, applied taxation on graduate salary with barrier for those from disadvantaged For years the Government had the places, but we all carry the responsibility optimism about the exemptions for incomes below a certain backgrounds and would result in a of solving it. The USI is in good company future, and mood in threshold! Or possibly a well run loans psychological and social block on the – plenty of other big unions are drawing general has been scheme. Where does that leave me?” progress of the less well off. Coupled lines in the sand in their absolute defence fairly dire over “Dunno, but that TV crew over there with the genuine fi nancial diffi culties “Do you really want to of their member’s entitlements. recent weeks and have you opposing fees.” that would result, the policy would live in France?” Which is all a bit French. And not months. “You’re a jerk BOB.” decimate the uptake of higher education in a good way, with good food, red wine Elaine Byrne On that note I left. But not before I by the poor in our society. resoures necessary to do all these and a long lecherous life, but in a bad writing in the Irish Times attributes this to political saw some things that made me think. This ignores the fact that the things and chose to piss it away on the way, with a creeping economy, endemic failures. “Trust is fragile. A perception of political They were a bunch of puzzled looking biggest obstacle to the participation property bubble and populist tax breaks strikes and a laughingly underfunded failure has the snowball effect of amalgamating schoolchildren and some cheering of disadvantaged people in third level instead. The students now studying university system. It’s unlikely our unconnected issues to collectively undermine the French tourists. To those I’m also going isn’t in the gap between the leaving in our universities worked hard to get unions could turn Ireland into an most robust of democratic institutions.” to add the statement of USI President cert and college, but in early childhood there, work hard to support themselves oversexed, continental-style paradise, The Irish Examiner appears cautiously optimistic, Shane Kelly in Irish Times which was, in education and in primary and secondary through it and will continue to work but they could very easily make it a claiming that “Mr Cowen has far more support than essence, “Don’t pick on students.” I took schools. The social returns on this kind hard to defend their interests from continental-style basket case. he imagines - if only he confronts the issues we all these as signs that change was necessary of investment absolutely dwarfs that of College bureaucracies and Government I hope BOB likes living in France. know need to be resolved. What is the problem? and here’s why: university education. Those who fail to interference. We all have friends who What is he waiting for?” and asking “Will the real “We’re not going to stand by and make to third level may be more likely stand to lose it all if reforms proceed in Brendan Curran is the Hon. Mr Cowen, or the real leader, please stand up.” allow the Government to use us as to be unemployed, but school dropouts a cack-handed manner. Some system of Secretary of the Philosophical Society Maybe if that’s all it takes, things will be getting better sooner than expected.

NEW TRANSPORT PLAN DEMPSEY’S TRANSPORT PLAN Nil all to Ireland and Leeds Utd GENERALLY WELL RECEIVED But it is likely to be a long time before appear to have found their level now. While MINISTER There are striking similarities between how Ireland we will be at that level again. The fact of they continue to endeavour to try to get NOEL Dempsey the matter is that just like Leeds, the Irish back to the Premiership, it is likely to take published a and Leeds United acted during their glory days, economy will be operating at a much lower some time yet before their goal is achieved. new transport level over the next few years, at the bottom However, in my heart I believe they will be plan this week, writes Bloxham analysist Alan McQuaid. Pity rungs of the Eurozone. And lack of forward eating at the top table again within the next and, while it has planning by previous governments has fi ve to ten years. generally been then that they both acted so irresponsibly. probably put the economy into a deeper hole I think a similar story is likely for the Irish well received, the at this stage than it needed to be in. economy. Like Leeds, the country will have consensus seems HAT HAVE the Irish took a turn for the worse on the playing fi eld, As Leeds slipped out of the Premiership to cut its cloth accordingly over the next few to be that it is economy and Leeds United as they duly did. its best players were sold, making it that years, and put in place the right fi nancial also extremely got in common? Well for This lack of forward-planning could much harder to get back to the “promised structures to enable the economy to survive ambitious. a start, they are both very also be an accusation thrown at Irish land”. The same could be said of Ireland, and thrive when we do get back into Harry McGee close to my heart. I’ve governments. Leeds put all their eggs into with the news that nearly two thousand the top level of the Euroland GDP writes in the Irish Times: “The plan, as has become followedW the ups and downs of Leeds since one basket, betting that they could regularly jobs have been lost at Dell. As one of league. the norm for this Minister, is hugely ambitious.” but I was a youngster, with last week’s news of qualify for the Champions League and the Celtic Tiger’s best players in recent And return we will, mark my he also concedes that “the rationale behind the the managerial sacking of former player borrowed against the expectation of higher years, this will hamper Ireland’s future word, but for now we are going to report is commendable.” Gary McAllister the latest calamity in the gate receipts and television revenue. As recovery. have to get used to a diet of ever The editorial in the same paper agrees “The downward spiral of what was once a great it turned out, Leeds only qualifi ed for the The story of Leeds in the gloomier economic news. ideas contained in a Smarter Travel policy football team and club. Champions League once. past few years has been The reality of the document published yesterday by Minister To but it bluntly, Leeds fall from grace The glory days of 2001 are now well dominated by its debt situation is that the ‘Celtic for Transport Noel Dempsey are progressive, in recent years has been nothing short of and truly gone and the supporters are the problems and the Tiger’ is now a distant ambitious and worthy.” staggering, and there are alarming parallels ones paying the heaviest price for the mis- managerial merry- memory, but it was good with the “Celtic Tiger” economy, which too management of the club during the good go-round with while it lasted, just as has seen a sharp turnaround of fortunes in times. Ireland too put all its eggs in one mangers being hired the Champions League NITELINK SERVICE the past twelve months or so. basket in recent years, namely the property/ and sacked at a voyage of Leeds was It is not that long ago that Leeds were construction sector, and with the building whim. Now we’re worth savouring at the NO MORE MIDWEEK NITELINKS playing in the Champions League semi-fi nal, industry now in the throes of a signifi cant not suggesting time. But, it is now more 2001 to be exact, but seven years on the club slump, the Irish economy is headed for a that we will see like “Yorkshire Pudding” THIS WRITER is amazed at the lack of media is languishing in the third tier of English serious downturn in 2009. constant changing of or “Irish Stew” than coverage given to the cancellation of the midweek football, with no indication that it is going Just like Leeds, Ireland spent money as government in these tough “Celtic Tiger”, something nitelink bus service. There has been to date just to return to the top table of the Premiership if it was going out of fashion, and where times, but there is no doubt we will have to put up with in four articles nationwide that even mention this any time soon. One thing is clear from the the supporters are bearing the brunt of the that the country’s mounting the short-term at least. That said, those development. demise of Leeds is that the club spent money football club’s demise, it is the Irish taxpayer debt problems are likely courses can often be quite appealing and One can only presume that everyone is so poor it didn’t have, or wasted any funds it did who in the main is paying the price for the to feature prominently edible when choosing from the cost-saving they cannot afford to go out anymore, and so have on things like exotic fi sh tanks in the death of the “Celtic Tiger”. It is not on the front pages of the menu. haven’t noticed. boardroom. that long ago that Ireland was topping the newspapers in 2009. Leeds assumed the good times would last GDP league table within Euroland. Indeed, After its initial slide forever and then paid a heavy price for not in 2007 we were head of the class with real into the lower echelons of Alan McQuaid is Chief Economist with having a contingency plan in place if things economic growth of six percent. English football, Leeds Bloxham Stockbrokers TRINITY NEWS 16 OPINION February 10, 2009 What to do when defl ation breeds defl ation

self-reinforcing. When an economy of Fed offi cials over the past year. The on controlling infl ation as its primary philosophy. With Eurozone Infl ation set follow the US model and fi ght defl ation has fallen into defl ation, demand from US knows too well how detrimental objective, citing economic growth as to fall well below the ECB’s 2% target in with infl ation. However public fi nances consumers and businesses dries up defl ation can be and so have opted only a secondary goal. This is what the coming months such a small margin are already under substantial pressure, because they expect to pay less in the for a policy of “fi ghting defl ation with prompted offi cials to raise rates by will undoubtedly see some countries in therefore any chances of a major future. Businesses struggle in this infl ation.” The Fed has already slashed 25bps in July in order to combat what it the Eurozone slip in defl ation. stimulus plan are bleak. Furthermore, environment and many go bust, which rates to close to zero and is currently referred to as ‘second round effects’ at a No country is more at risk than at this stage it looks like the ECB will JASON SOMERVILLE leads to rising unemployment and exploring more quantitative easing time when the cracks had already began Ireland. The current defl ationary spiral be easing rates gradually, as opposed to hence demand is crippled further. This measures. President Barack Obama has to appear in the Eurozone economy. being experienced in the property slashing them dramatically as the Bank can in turn lead to a defl ationary spiral also unveiled a massive stimulus plan for While rates have been coming down in market highlights just how destructive of England has. WITH RECESSION now a reality being in which defl ation breeds defl ation. the economy worth nearly $900 billion. recent months, ECB policymakers have defl ation can be. Ireland was the fi rst All this could see defl ation hit faced by most of the world’s major Japan’s experience of the “lost” While these measures may prevent certainly been less aggressive than the European economy to enter a recession Ireland in the coming months with economies, defl ation looks set to become decade of the 1990s serves a stark defl ation in the short term, they will Fed or the Bank of England and insist this year and so fi nds itself deeper into the consequences for growth being one of the “hot” topics of 2009. Central reminder of just how destructive inevitably cause infl ation to rise. The that defl ation is not a risk. It will be this economic downturn that most. The disastrous. Indeed, the latest Reuters banks are very aware of the devastating defl ation can be. When there is general sentiment in the US seems to interesting to see which philosophy National Accounts to date for 2008 poll of Irish economists forecasts an consequences of defl ation and in recent constantly the expectation of further be that you can always control infl ation, holds up best given the current have already indicated that domestic average 2% fall in prices in 2009. months have been scrambling to cut price declines consumer and business but defl ation can be unmanageable and economic climate, however the ECB is demand has contracted signifi cantly in While this is good news in terms rates to historically low levels in order sentiment becomes depressed and the detrimental to growth. certainly playing a far riskier game by 2008. Furthermore, the worse may yet of boosting disposable incomes and to combat this risk. The problem with fundamental driving force behind any However this doesn’t seem to be keeping its commitment to controlling to come in the fi nal quarter with early improving the competitiveness of the defl ation is that it’s diffi cult to shake economy at risk. The “Great Depression” in line with the economic philosophy infl ation. Only time will tell however it indicators already pointing to a sharper Irish economy, the threat of a defl ation off. Unlike most economic evils which was spurred on by such a spiral and has of the ECB. Since its establishment in is individual nations that may suffer the decline. What the Irish economy needs in spiral remains a serious cause for tend to be self-correcting, defl ation is had a signifi cant impact on the psyche 1998 the ECB has focused exclusively most from such a staunch economic order to avoid a defl ationary spiral is to concern.

HEAD TO HEAD: SECULAR SOCIETY “IT MATTERS MOST IN “FUNDAMENTALISM IS THE CLASSROOM” THE REAL ENENMY”

secularist to encourage those who have religious the world to a binary formula of good and faith to abandon it, as it is fundamentally a very evil. Religion is a force of darkness. Reason personal matter. I do think, however, that those and science are forces of light. He, like the who lack a belief in a god should recognize the fundamentalists he despises, views the world signifi cance of such a position, and that some through this childish lens.” level of the promotion of the rationality of The extent of Dawkins’ childishness is “ WILLIAM QUILL nonbelief is a good thing in the context of the DARREN MCCALLIG probably best displayed in his treatment of presumption of belief that often exists. This various world confl icts. In a breath-taking should not mean railing against religious faith piece of ignorance he claims that without LAST WEEKEND, I saw Milk, the newly- as irrational, as this serves only to make others WHEN YOU get right down to it, all religion there would be “… no suicide bombers, released biopic of Harvey Milk, the fi rst feel uncomfortable, including many atheists fundamentalists are the same. They hate no 9/11, no 7/7, no Crusades, no witch-hunts, openly gay man to be elected to public offi ce who have no desire to be aggressive. complexity. They know it doesn’t sell. Neither the no Gunpowder plot, no Indian partition, no in the United States. While a Supervisor in It is precisely because religious faith or the millionaire televangelists nor the fundamentalist Israeli/Palestinian wars, no Serb/Croat/Muslim San Francisco, he led the campaign against lack of it is such a personal matter that I would atheists are interested in complex and nuanced massacres, no persecution of Jews as ‘Christ- Proposition 6, which would have banned gays advocate a secular state. It was not originally debate. Instead, like all advertisers, they trade killers’, no Northern Ireland troubles …” Is he or lesbians from teaching in the California’s as an atheist that I fi rst became a committed in simple and seductive dreams. really so ignorant of the multitude of social, public schools. It seems far removed from secularist, but as someone who had received a On the one hand you have those who claim economic, political and other causes behind modern Irish society, but Irish legislation allows Roman Catholic primary education, including that the six-day creation story in Genesis is these confl icts? But then again, as I said, for such a situation. Under the terms of equality the administration of sacraments, but found historical fact and that the great majority of fundamentalists of all types hate complexity. legislation, religious organizations are given my beliefs and religious sensibilities more akin the world’s population is destined for hell. And simplicity and ignorance are virtues when exemptions on moral grounds, so that a school to Protestantism. It was only when I read the And on the other, you have those who distort you are determined to paint all wars as caused board could refuse to employ someone who did work of Thomas Paine at 19 that I questioned the scientifi c theory of evolution to explain by religion. not comply with their ethos, including a matter religion wholesale. Even leaving aside cases of every aspect of human existence and want to So where do we go from here? How do we avoid of sexuality. conversion or apostasy, there are many who ban all forms of religious expression. In their both religious and secular fundamentalism? In calling for a secular society, it is not then receive sacraments through their school system shared absurdity they show us that the danger Well, the fi rst thing we need to do it stop the simply an abstract philosophical position, but who are not fully aware of their religion’s is not religion or atheism per se. The danger is sloganeering and the soundbites. Ridiculing all a call for the state to be neutral on religious doctrines. While the various denominations do fundamentalism. people of faith as deluded and dangerous is as grounds, granting no particular privilege or not want their nominal fi gures to decline, so Take, for example, the fundamentalist atheist unhelpful as condemning all non-believers to status to a belief because it is a matter of faith. might see removing religious instruction from Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith. In hell. As philosopher and theologian, Keith Ward Though discrimination might be distasteful, I classrooms as against their interest, if such that best selling volume, he calls for the killing puts it, “Which is the more dangerous: tolerance have no strong objection to the right of religious instruction took place only in religious settings of all those who have, in his view, dangerous of and engagement with views you take to be organizations or any other private group to do by those who have trained for that specifi c beliefs. “Some propositions are so dangerous,” absurd, or the suppression of views that are so on whatever basis they choose. What matters purpose, their faith would surely be more he writes, “that it may even be ethical to kill opposed to what you believe to be certainly is when such discrimination is allowed in the sincere. people for believing them.” He goes on, “… it is true? The latter is the view of the Inquisition. public sector, in this case in schools. However It is in the classroom that I think that a what we and other Western powers are bound The former is the hard-won consequence of the infrequently such privileges are exercised by secular society matters most of all. It is not to attempt, at an even greater cost to ourselves reformation acceptance of critical thinking and the religious, the fact that they exist does create just that at times the teachings of religion can and to innocents abroad, elsewhere in the tolerance of diversity.” a burden for some people, restricting the areas confl ict with educational value of teaching Muslim world.” The second thing we could do is learn to they feel confi dent that they could look for work objective truth; it can be an issue, but the nature New York Times journalist, Chris Hedges, value the positive contribution of both faith and in. of religion in Ireland is such that there is little sums up Harris’ view: “Harris mistakes a tiny non-belief. People of faith, for instance, would The state has progressed a long way since reason to fear teachings such as creationism or, subset of criminals and terrorists for one billion do well to remember that atheists, including there was signifi cant collusion between those what is a more modern version of it, intelligent Muslims. The passions of atheists like Harris, those who brought us the Enlightenment, have in political and religious power in shaping design. It is because there will be one child in hidden under the jargon of reason and science, often been a benefi cial force in the history of policy, with particularly shameful episodes that classroom who questions religion, either are as bankrupt as the passions of Christian human thought and religion. Very often, they such as Magdalene laundries, with girls taken from their own refl ection or because of family and Islamic fundamentalists who sanctify mass have challenged empty religious platitudes and away from their families and children for not background, or one of another religion. As Toby murder in the name of their utopias.” have also opposed the moral hypocrisy of some conforming to the Roman Catholic Church’s said to Leo in Season Two of The West Wing, on Author of The God Delusion, Richard religious institutions. Conversely, atheists would view of morality. Thankfully, such situations the reason the state should maintain objectivity Dawkins is also a close cousin of religious do well to remember the positive contribution no longer occur, and it would be unhelpful to in religious affairs “It’s not religious freedom, fundamentalists. Dawkins sees no moral worth of people of faith in, for example: the provision make too much of a point of these past events. it’s church and state, it’s not abstract...It’s the whatsoever in religious belief, just like religious of health and education services; the struggle But they do highlight the problems that can fourth grader who gets his ass kicked at recess fundamentalists see no moral worth in those for civil rights; the development of ethics and emerge when power is given to an organisation because he sat out the voluntary prayer. It’s who do not share their world-view. Dawkins philosophy and the inspiration and support of which is not accountable to the people. Equally, another way of making kids different from other dismisses Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu, art and music. there should not be particular consultation with kids.” The state should be secular because of the Dalai Lama, Mahatma Gandhi and millions And the third thing we can do is band religious offi cials when drafting legislation that this real difference it makes to individuals’ lives, of others who, inspired by their faith, have together again the fanatics, both religious and has ethical implications. I have no objection and this objectivity is then the proper stance of fought for justice and compassion as dangerous secular. Because the danger we face in the whatever to priests preaching politics, but it is a republic. dupes; just as Christian fundamentalists dismiss twenty-fi rst century is not faith or atheism per only by the electorate subsequently contacting all those who do not profess a personal faith in se. The danger is fundamentalism. their TDs that they should expect to effect William Quill is the Public Events Offi cer the Lord Jesus as irredeemably lost. Again, change in a republic. of Atheist Ireland and an economics student Chris Hedges sums it up succinctly: Darren McCallig is the Church of Ireland It is not my desire as an avowed atheist and at TCD “Dawkins, like Christian zealots, reduces Chaplain, TCD Live music pushed aside for dead beats” By Sarah Edwards Club. This however sparked my interest prices? “Preposterous nonsense!” I hear Kennedy’s of Westland Row. advertising, but I feel they are only than willing to play for colleges. The in the subject. Are there any original you cry, but in other rival campuses this Was the event horribly overpriced? pleasing a select group of people in Blizzards, Ham Sandwich, Aslan, bands in Trinity or are they just being is the case. Last term with a friend, who Hardly, as there were heavily subsidised college with constant club nights out Republic of Loose, and The Delerentos AS I queue in the Ham cafe for one of suffocated in our student’s fanatical attends UCD, I rather sneakily attended concessions and no taxi fares needed. or pub crawls or vomit competitions have all become regulars on the bill in my daily seven cups of tea, headphones obsession with Citibar and the banal a number of free gigs, including Cathy Were the bands awful? No, a rather in front square. We are all aware that other colleges around the country. blaring, the next customer comments tunes entwined with that? Davey and Fight Like Apes, which were high standard of musicianship must be they have tried in the past to provide Many students have great on how much he likes the song I am For a college fi lled with so many held in their student bar. And yes, they noted. Were the drinks extortionately gigs but it baffl es me how Vengaboys in connections with friends in popular listening to. Music is a connection, a interesting, talented, original were totally free. Cathy Davey played priced? God no and as students we have the Button Factory in Michaelmas term “up and coming” bands. Should we not bond, a conversation starter and brings individuals, of whom a considerable an free hour long set in UCD which I developed skills to plan for pre-event constitutes as a serious gig for people be trying to promote our peers’ music? people together through one common number are musicians and avid gig- paid twenty fi ve precious Euros in The soirees. The simple answer is that the with an avid interest and appreciation I’m convinced that among the fi fteen thing, their love of it. goers, the lack of suitable venues around Olympia to see. Are we not completely event was not promoted aside from a in live music. thousand of us there has to be some There is exceptional musical taste college is rather shocking. We have our missing out in an essential element of couple of lonely posters in front arch. I will be rebutted in the fact that sure roaring talent. Open mic nights and in Trinity College but a year and a student bar, the Pav and several rather extra-curricular activities and social In a rival university they promoted we have a big extravagant ball at the end college student bands would also make half in and I am yet to see a live band large restaurants, the Buttery, the JCR, networking, music? a similar event in all the college of the year with many famous artists a welcome change in the Pav from pub on campus. Despite all the hype over and the Dining Hall yet there is no Perhaps I am being biased and there papers, the radio, and Phantom FM. It such as last year’s Mark Ronson and quizzes and the appalling karaoke, rag week it was horribly disappointing music. is actually no genuine interest in gigs subsequently was a rather successful Vitallic, but I don’t believe they appeal which is only ever undertaken by the to see a nearly complete lack of live I am well aware that we are literally on campus. Last year Trinity’s “Battle night for young bands, and a fi nal in to all musical tastes or compensate for drunkest of the drunk. I look forward music surrounding what should be the walking distance from some great live of the Bands” had such an appealling Tripod was held which sparked major the defi ciency throughout the year. And to Mr.Longworth’s team’s plans for the entertainment highlight of the college venues such as Whelan’s, The Olympia, turn out that I wonder will such events interest throughout the college and of course, as we are all students, the Trinity Ball, and I hope that perhaps year. Vicar Street and so on, but with ticket be scheduled again. A handful of raised a huge profi t for subsequent price of Trinity Ball tickets are simply this music lover will fi nd some solace Credit is due to the Trinity Hall’s prices on the rise, shouldn’t the Ents people, mostly friends or groupies of gigs. just not accessible to everyone. in another venue in the coming year, as JCR in organising a covers contest for committee be trying to make more of a fl amboyant guitarist, showed up for Far be it from me to criticise the The current Irish music scene is Trinity just simply isn’t cutting it. student bands of Trinity in the Sugar an effort to bring gigs to us at student the event held practically on campus, in organisation of the Ents budget for buzzing with artists and bands more TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 EDITORIAL 17

LETTERS TO THE Editor should be LETTERS TO sent to [email protected] or to Trinity News, 6 Trinity College, Dublin 2. The Editor reserves the right to TRINITY NEWS edit submissions for style and length. Issue 8, Volume 55 THE EDITOR Opinions expressed are not necessarily Tuesday, 10 February 2009 those of Trinity News, its staff or its 6 Trinity College, Dublin 2 [email protected] Editor. www.trinitynews.ie

THERE IS no more appropriate symbol of the ineptitude of our college’s administrators Fees issue unites all than the multicoloured plastic barriers which TRINITY JOINS RANKS encircle Pomodoro’s “Sphere Within Sphere” outside the Berkeley Library. These eyesores were erected in an attempt OF PRIMARY TEACHERS demonstrators to prevent aesthetic damage to the sculpture. Ironically, the barriers themselves are infi nitely more aesthetically displeasing than the trivial READERS WILL perhaps recall going on school trips in primary IT WAS refreshing to take part in a street And though there were of course socialists engravings they were designed to stop. The school. On such trips, it is common for teachers to tell their protest that was not dominated by the usual there, there was no anti-system feeling in souvenir photographs of thousands of Japanese motley of communist eco-warriors waving the crowd. A shop owner on O’ Connell St. tourists have been ruined as a consequence. charges that they are “ambassadors for the school” or some hemp placards and wailing folk chants to the popped outside to hold up a ‘SALE’ sign to the The barriers are not only grotesquely ugly such, and that they should behave themselves out of the school as accompaniment of a brush-haired acoustic protestors fi ling past. It won him a huge cheer but entirely ineffective. Any skateboarder or they would in the school while on the trip. Such admonishments guitarist. The commune dwellers have spent from the students who then began chanting the Dublin lout of respectable height can still reach the past thirty years giving protesting a bad name of his business in unison. over and carve his initials into the sculpture at are perfectly sensible when dealing with children. After all, they name in this country. Ordinary people scoffed This isn’t some abstract debate. People’s will. are simply not capable of making complicated decisions about at street protests that were more a ‘parade of careers and livelihoods are directly threatened. I encourage anyone over fi ve foot fi ve the pansies’ than ‘power to the people’. Now that there is a real popular issue that can to chisel his objections to the barriers into their behaviour. This is the reason why teachers are justifi ed in But anyone who looked at the Fees protesters unite demonstrators from all backgrounds Pomodoro’s sculpture. Maybe this will hasten telling children what to do. could see they were drawn from all sections of maybe the word ‘protest’ will once again send their removal. The manner in which Trinity College and certain individuals society. And not just university students, but chills down a politician’s spine. there were big contingents from most of the Edward Francis Grant, Sch have commented on the ongoing Bodies exhibit (as reported on country’s IT colleges. Aidan Matthews JS Mathematics page three, and reviewed in our last issue’s Science section) is absurd. Adults, most especially students considered sensible and intelligent enough to be admitted to this particular academic institution, will of their own volition “refl ect on the ethical implications” of what they do; they do not need to be told. To order them to do so in their own private time, outside Our forgotten student gown Trinity’s walls, is a comical infraction. Perhaps a few individuals could be forgiven for piggybacking on the name of Trinity College, as the two department heads HE DISAPPEARANCE of academic did in their email to students. Sensible readers conclude that dress has been one of the many casualties of modern arrogance. the email constitutes the views of two individuals. However, A cap and gown was the uniform for a spokeswoman for the College to tell the Evening Herald of all students and academic staff Tmembers from the foundation of this university on January 26th that “students should refl ect on the ethical until the lamentable 1960s. While the implications of attending this exhibition” is patently ridiculous. bachelors’ and masters’ gowns have not been In doing so, Trinity College has stood itself fi rmly among the completely abandoned thanks to their use at Commencements, the undergraduates’ gown, ranks of primary school teachers the world over in fi nger- unique to this college, is now an extremely rare wagging to its charges. sight. This paper did not think it necessary to say it, but apparently When a tradition has been erased, we are forced to turn to books. Shaw’s Academical the College does: students are capable of making their own Dress of British and Irish Universities minds up and they do so. What they do in their private time is preserves a description of the Trinity College their business, and theirs alone. undergraduates’ gown, which students here once donned daily. It is a sleeveless garment It is yet again diffi cult to avoid becoming cynical about the with a fl ap collar, each armhole having a broad College’s attitudes to students given this latest overstepping fl ap decorated with three rows of tassels. The side of the gown, beneath the arm holes, is also of bounds. How are students meant to respect the College’s decorated with tassels. communications with them on the genuinely more serious, more This gown is prescribed for almost all important matters, such as semesterisation, modularisation, undergraduates in Trinity. Scholars, upon their election, become entitled to the more ample changes to Schol (all of which are reported on in this issue) bachelors’ gown. when clearly they take an extremely dim view of students’ In the 18th century it was the privilege of ability to think for themselves? Trinity College students to be admitted to the Irish House of Commons on College Green. “The student’s passport was his gown” says Ireland Ninety Years Ago, in which the author gives a personal account: “When I fi rst entered College, I was very fond of using this privilege. It was a proud thing ELECTION PROMISES WILL for a gib to present himself to a crowd round the door, [and] hear many a cry, ‘Make way for the gentleman of the College!’” NOT BE FORGOTTEN That century, the same gentlemen were advised to have contempt for their gowns by the disrespectful but entertaining pamphlet THIS YEAR’S thirteen SU sabbatical election candidates are Advice to the University of Dublin: profi led on pages 12 & 13. The candidates would do well to “When fi rst arrayed in your academic dress, I suppose you were very proud of yourself, and heed the views expressed in our reader survey. Fees and the frequently sported your new gown, even beyond student centre emerged as the major issues for readers of those limits prescribed by the statutes; but one Trinity News, and rightly so. Last issue, this column bemoaned month’s experience, I hope, has convinced you that this is an unfashionable and ridiculous the resetting of the plans for the Student Centre back to practice.” square one, and wondered if an annually-changing Students’ And, to help the new student appear to be an old hand, Advice recommends abusing the Union could be effective. That the Students’ Union offi cers will garment: “You can let it sweep the ground after change is immutable; now we have gotten a glimpse of what you like a lady’s train; cut most of the tassels the nature of the next incarnation of the Union will be. That off; and twisting it frequently like a rope, pelt it against every corner you meet. By this means glimpse is, of course, full of promises, and many more will be you will probably pass for a sophister and avoid forthcoming when campaigning begins next week. Promises that reproachful term gib, so constantly applied The Trinty College undergraduates’ gown are cheap, and this was not lost on some of the respondants to young freshmen.” Undergraduates, clearly, were never it while performing his academic duties”. The to the survey who had not forgotten the issues on which our particularly fond of their gowns. The narrator rules of both the Phil and the Hist also require current representatives were elected. of the pleasant novel O’Grady of Trinity: A academic dress for meetings; a requirement Story of Irish University Life, published in now never observed. Accordingly, the challenge which faces the thirteen hopefuls 1896, recorded the sentiment: “The Dublin OLD TRINITY Other ancient universities retain and is less making the right promises – students will not be shy in undergraduate gown could not by any stretch of by PETER HENRY enforce academic dress requirements for expressing their views – but convincing them that indeed the the imagination, however elastic, be considered students dining at hall, attending matriculation a graceful or even dignifi ed garment ... I or taking fi nals. It is our loss that we have promises are acheivable and that they will be acheived. This is a yearned, therefore, for the comely gown and abandoned such a venerable tradition – even if much more diffi cult proposition; yet it is needed now more than velvet cap of the Scholar.” it was not always loved by every student. ever. Effi cacy is now undoubtedly a major issue for the Union. Whether by accident or design, the student’s However, those students keen to restore gown was often a pitiful item. A College the collegiate spirit can order Trinity Historical Society subcommittee attempted to undergraduates’ gowns for a reasonable price prevent “academic nudity” in the early 1930s. from Shepherd and Woodward in Oxford. Bachelors and Scholars, said the committee’s Commons, examinations and GMB debates report, “should wear a full, seemly gown,” are particularly appropriate occasions for the while Pensioners and Sizars “should wear the eager restorationist to wear his Trinity gown, Trinity Publications invites applications for positions on customary, lesser gown, commonly called the and do so proudly. next year’s committee. This includes the Executive Offi cers: jib’s gown.” Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, Amenities Offi cer and (Most students are ‘Pensioners’: that is, student scribe was pessimistic: “If the gown is CONGRATULATIONS TO the Boat Club undergraduates other than Scholars and Sizars. rendered extinct by the fulfi lment of its present men who were awarded Pinks recently for Alumni Offi cers, and the editor representatives of the ‘Sizars’ are poorer students – these days Sizars apathetic decline, it will be a good thing.” their victory at last year’s Irish senior eights Recognised and Provisionally Recognised Publications: Icarus, receive free Commons.) The decline in standards of academic dress championship: a well-deserved recognition of a Piranha, TCD Miscellany, Trinity Film Review, Trinity News The Hist report continued: “Furthermore, did continue, with offi cial approbation. In 1958, once-in-a-generation win. the gown must be a gown. A collection of black ignoring St Paul’s instruction on head coverings The college weekly TCD in 1936 reported that (and any additions before the AGM). rags held together by pins, or a concentration in his fi rst letter to Corinth, lady students were students with University Colours would attend For more details or for a copy of the application, email of dark-coloured ribbons assembled by cords, given permission to attend College Chapel college functions “swathed in this antiseptic- is not a gown.” without wearing mortar boards. Trinity News seeming material”. I have not encountered a Secretary Luke Maishman at [email protected]. Applications A piece in TCD: A College Miscellany in 1949 reported that gowns remained obligatory. record of the design of this Pinks blazer, despite are due before 23rd February 2009. noted the gown’s often unattractive appearance: Eventually the undergraduates’ gown fell out its former popularity. Does any reader have a “Ostensibly a sable drapery, it is more often of use, despite rules to the contrary. Even today description or photograph of it? green, fusty and ripped, having no kin even the statutes prescribe a gown for each student in pattern with its neighbour in lecture.” The and academic staff member, who “shall wear [email protected] 8BUSINESS & CAREERS 18 thinking of one. thinking of direction youneedbuthopefullyitwillget banking system. students, unlesstheyhavelostallconfidence inthe to recent crises, itisbynomeans alostcausefor prospects. Although this area maychangedue the near future duetotheirenhancedemployment students canclaimthat moneycanberepaid within Loans are anothercommonfundingsource where what youroptionsare inyourparticular field. theresourcesconsult someof belowtofind out differences betweenthevariousfields, youshould universities, orthestate. Becausethere are many futurefor aguarantee service, of awards from grants, companiespayingforstudentsinreturn parents initially. Otherfundingcomesfrom post-graduatesone third are of funded by by directly contactingtheoffice itself. found through thedepartment websites usuallyor dates forapplications tocourses, whichcanbe should neednoreminding closing tobeaware of more practical note, youare inyourfi if nal year, you intheirshoes.allow youtoenvisageyourself Ona andtrytogetagoodinsightsoas thinking of to peoplewhohavegonedownthepath youare deadlines andsoon. This canreally savetime. Talk chat tothem, ortoguideyouthrough applications, to make referrals tootherpostgraduates soyoucan are paidtobeyourtutor, sodon’tbeshy!Usethem tutor andusethisindispensablefacilityfully;they stressed outfourth year shouldgototheir college and postgraduate entrance inthefuture. The reference letters canbedecidingfactorsforjobs impression theygivetotheirdepartment because actively engagewiththeircoursetomaximizethe should keep aconsistentstandard ingrades and lucky undergraduate mentionedat theoffset studentyouare.what typeof The happy-go- the resources youhaveimmediately, nomatter easy to obtain, soyoushouldmake bestuseof state that afirst isthenorm. degree forentryconsideration, whereas nowthey anuppersecondclasshonours a minimumof postgraduate psychologycoursesoncespecified for acceptance. For example, Trinity’s some of which inturnleads togreater requirements competition forplacesinpost-graduate courses Therefore, there isboundtobeincreasing physiotherapist; theexamples are infinite. a sports bodyovertherecently qualified medicine qualification willgetthenodfrom for thepostgraduate studenttobeasuccess. specific intentionsdefi nitely needtobeevident specific intentions. Ontheotherhand, such it,to gocollegeforthesake of withoutany thereby people encouraging certain typesof common practice tohaveadegree nowadays this,of itiswidelyrecognized that itis almost they are acore issueforpostgraduates. Ontop issue forIrishstudentsenteringthird levelbut For example, fees(at least currently!) are notan processes butthere are considerable differences. the CAO andpostgraduate decision-making hope tospecifically gainfrom it. postgraduate route willbenefit youandwhat you initially imagined. You howthe shouldaskyourself is probably abitmore specific thanyoumighthave yourfuturecommitting tosomethingthat years of clarityisneededonyourpart beforeof youstart postgraduate advicepages, asufficient amount from myexperience trawling through theendless down thepostgraduate route. Without doubt, and cloud yourjudgementwhenintendingtogo for obviousreasons. However, thisshouldnot academiaisquitecommon comfy environment of and career fairs. Wishing tostayinthesomewhat careers websites advisoryservicetoanarray of topic ranging from Trinity’s own(andveryuseful) life-defining decisions, thenread on. youholdunderstandabledoubtsaboutmaking if adore yoursubjectandwishtoremain studying, or virtually guarantees employment, yougenuinely if does notprovide aprofessional qualification which in thecurrent economicclimate. yourcourse If post-graduate education routes worth considering actually exist, the thisarticle hopestoinformyouof undergraduate unaware that post-collegelifedoes only modulefornext year orahappy-go-lucky who hasjustrealized that thereal worldisthe WHETHER YOU are apanickingfourth year WHEN YOUFINISHCOLLEGE? WHAT AREYOUGOINGTODO DARRAGH MCCASHIN point: competition.” all convergesatone to beasuccess,this graduate student for thepost- need tobeevident intentions defi nitely “...such specifi c This article cannotgiveyoutheclarityin courseneedscare andattention;Money of Having clarityiscrucialbutitcertainly not Comparisons are frequently madebetween There are variousresources availableonthis

http://www.tcd.ie/Careers/students/advice/ Future Calling www.postgradireland.com postgraduate_study.php with asports A physiotherapist home orabroad. labour market, at the now-fragile marketable in making youmore effective wayof education isan that fourth level to someextent competition. into onepoint: This isalltied We allknow volatile villian:therecession asitstrikes back? stability. Howwillhefareagainstarealbut and plans fortheroadtoeconomicrecovery Aisling Dengdiscusses theU.SPresidents people hadnotemigratedintheir droves unemployment would have hit20%if around 16%.Indeeditisspeculated that emigrated andunemployment was hovering poor that90%ofthe1987BESS class to avoid bankruptcy. Prospectswere so since 1982andthecountrywas struggling suffering fromnegligibleeconomicgrowth bad beginning.In1987Irelandhadbeen marrying him. meeting PrinceCharmingandactually say somewhereinthemiddlebetween economic historyIwillhazardaguessand are we at?ConsideringIreland’sdisastrous Charming. Butifsowhichpartofthestory her wickedstepsistersandmarryPrince believe thatCinderella-Irelandwillescape a romanticandeternaloptimistIfirmly boom tobustorisitthegruesomeend?As just ablipinourprotractedtaleofeconomic and chaosinnearlyevery industry. Isthis depression, patheticgovernment guidance reacting toasevere recession hingingon horribly wrongandJanuary 2009seesus the mean-timehowever, thestory hasgone or dismissedasmelo-dramaticrumours.In whispers ofrecessionwere beinghushedup come toanend.Just sixmonths agothefaint IRELAND’S FAIRYTALE storyhasfinally Ireland’s Cinderella fairy tale billion $550 about of consists plan Reinvestment’ and Recovery ‘American House of Representatives last week. His to revive America’s economy passed the a newage” for nation the prepare and choices hard make to “failure the from crisis current the sources that speech presidential inauguration Obama’s echoes directly will not buoy the economy by itself. This Administration Washington the from with a warning that the second stimulus fears lacing point, this stressed month economy and at a speech in London last Obama’s that stimulus package alone fears will not save the Bernanke b. to a be a lot of driving to be done to get from this planisamap,theresureashellwill ringingly clear and steadfast that, whilst both are They easily. fools suffers economy man American recovery.Neither to road the onto the back coaxing to state essential be will U.S cuts tax and of spending stimulus” “fiscal new a draining.” bloody excruciatingand pure andsimple,it’s one’s body;it’snotall of likedetoxifying banking systemiskind “Cleaning upthe both that believes who reserve Federal the of Chairman those the Bernanke, to Ben of through right seen are they change, of era new a on pinned hopes Obama’s President are only Not world. the throughout but States United the through shiver only not that effects, on knock has It draining. and excruciating bloody it’s simple, and pure all not body; it’s one’s detoxifying like of kind is be met.” Cleaning up the banking system will They America: this know But time. of span short a in or easily met be not will “They beyond and administration his his facing problems the of says He dust. that adamant country won’t is be another one to bite the president U.S the to unvaulted downcast succumb sky; Barack Obama, economy U.S the let to refuses fi and iron st striking a with ‘shameful’ Street Wall BRANDED HE or zero? The hero Obama: investigates thedeclineofceltictiger days “Doing nothingisnotanoption”, In lightofProfessor Frances Ruane’s statement, As withallfairytalesthereisavery plan billion $825 Obama’s President ln "h bget hleg i hw to how is challenge biggest "The plan. rescue financial Government's the of success the to toxic key was correctly the assets pricing that admitted plan, the of rescue the on Currency,working is who Comptroller the Dugan, John again. lend to banks encourage would would be met by cost the American taxpayer, whose bailout, a is such that It debt, hoped loss. new troubled a crystallising their without underwrite or dump either to lenders the allow would measures dual The unvalued. been yet, remaining distressed debt which has, as lenders’ guarantee also Treasurywould US the lender.America, the In by down write- large a trigger not would bank’ ‘bad the by purchase the so discounted, big heavily Street’s been already have that wouldthose be Wall assets troubled of These lenders. books the on stagnating are which securities backed mortgage- troubled buy would which a so-called “bad bank”, run by the FDIC, of creation the proposal, the of threads main the of One sold. be can they improves called and market the so until state-controlled bank' 'bad a in held be can they that so assets the of some down theirresults. dragging are which assets troubled banks of relieving to approach pronged heavily-anticipated rescue plan is expected The to include a two- loans. other and mortgages on based assets toxic of worth billion $600 to estimated how an value decide must advisors his and Obama week. this plan action another unveiling to view the with Street Wall Washington todiscussanewbailoutfor in Corp Insurance Secretary,Deposit Federal the Treasuryof head the Blair, Sheila and Bernanke the Geithner, for smallbusinesses. breaks tax more concession: a make to precise point, we see that Obama appears that ready on However from. away cuts, veered had tax policies campaign McCain’s John hopeful presidential additional their which particular in last senators week called for more major Republican changes, senior injection, ironic an cash this In to regards events,with of turn cuts. tax in billion $275 programme called Medicaid, along with unemployment health government-runbenefi expanding the and t states, aid to projects, building on spending in h Gvrmn i lkl t buy to likely is Government The Tim with met he Wednesday, Last growth which,withthebenefit ofhindsight, was anunquestioningbeliefincontinuous migrants flocked toIreland’sshores.There certain industriesemergedand skilled Emigrants returned,labourshortages in categorized asaperiodofexport ledgrowth. capital. Thelate1990’sandearly2000’sare the recognitionofimportancehuman freely withotherEuropeancountriesand indigenous andIrishbasedfirms totrade rates, membershipoftheEUwhichallowed constraint, thefavourably lowcorporatetax competitiveness duetothecontinuedwage period ofjoblessgrowthIrelandincreased with. Ireland was soonaforcetobereckoned investors returnedandexportsboomed; economic growthresumed,confidence and genious 1987budgetandtheglobalup-swing By meansofRayMcSharry’sbrutalbut up-swing ofboorisheconomicperformance. growth andIrelandwas caughtintheglobal was enjoyingaperiodofhigh-economic hook orbycrook. economy andforceitbackonit’sfeetby public sectorspending,takecontrolofthe There was onlyonethinglefttodo:slash to wealthier, better-performingeconomies. In the1990’sdespitesufferingfroma During thisperiodtherestofworld Grace Walsh

bailout meeting. the Wall Street Blair lastweekat Benanke and with Geithner, Obama met were compoundedbytheseparateissues was inevitable.Thesewere localcrisesthat in-debted toeachotherthattheir downfall instiutions were soover burdenedand The constructionindustriesand financial occurred regardlessofglobalconditions. to noteisthatthisrecessionwould have times cametoanend.Aninterestingpoint from economicdebaucheryandthegood Talk aboutarecipefordisaster. were “benchmarking”onaregularbasis. debt was increasingandthepublicsector time manufacturingwas declining,private became anationalobsession.At thesame an enviablebutlethalbubble.Houseprices available byfinancial insitutionscreated combined withthefree-flowing creditmade and aseriesoflucrative tax breaks.This arose fromthenarrowingoftaxbase housing industrywhereafiscal stimulus expanded. a bumperpaycheckastheindustryrapidly however prudencesoonretiredinthefaceof to improve basicinfrastrutural standards natural growthinthisindustrywas needed infrastrucurally under-developed anda the constructionindustry. Irelandwas Ireland encouragedthedevelopment of relishing hernewprospectsCinderella- Ireland shouldhave coppedherselfon. developed world. LookslikeCinderella- Ireland was playingwiththerestof failure torecognisethecatch-upgame seems foolishastherewas anover-whelming Finally Cinderella-Irelandworn out This growthsoonspilledover tothe Clearly over-enthuasiastic and f “a bn” ht il u sm of underwrite and debt distressed lenders’ some buy will that bank” “bad a creation of the include not to is expected only off, signed and fi mark-to nalised be to sale" yet has "fiwhich re plan, His prices. at market than value rather hold-to-maturity their at assets troubled buy should Government the taken intothebadbank. assets to attribute to value what decide to diffiGovernment it the made for cult has This homogenous. are all assets these not as comparable directly always assets their are nor assets, of treatment sector hasn’t the taken an uniform approach to the that argued have Analysts sheet. balance its to hit depreciation a record to having of instead improve, to assets such for market the for wait to their bank the allowsmaturity. This to assets hold also can Banks statement. a bank's balance sheet, not on its income market but any depreciation is to recorded only on marked are assets the that banks' means the which in books, available-for-sale held are assets Other market. to marked and hit impairments by were assets loan-based their after year last billion $500 than more down wrote Banks valueless. rendered being the lack of viable market results in assets is called marking This to market. In value. some cases, market current their at for accounted be must they that means which books, trading banks' the on kept account for their assets. Some assets are you payforthem,"Dugansaid. much how and institutions take open to from assets which choose and pick Last September, Bernanke said that said Bernanke September, Last to methods main three use Banks find one. they dohave ahappyending we justneedto only arecessionaway. Andasforfairytales, them. Areturntoeconomicprosperity is opportunities anditisuptous to fulfill realistic. Irelandhasmanystrengths and lowering expectationsitisaboutbeing regain economicgrowth.Itisnotabout regain competitiveness ,onlythenwillwe recovery strategy, regainconfidence and into liquidation. slim given thenumbersofcompaniesgoing longer viableandemploymentprospectsare situation. Theoptionofemigrationisno the restofdeveloped world isalsointhis just beginninganditiscoldcomfortthat yet, therows withPrinceCharmingareonly nationalisation, recapitalizationorpaycuts. means necessary. Even ifthatdoesmean economic growthinIrelandbywhatever attempt tore-establishcompetitiveness and letting thegovernment continue withtheir suspending theSocialPartnership and any changeintheircontracts.Irecommend because theunionswillrefuseapaycutor government andthetalkswill fallflat simply will never cometoanagreement withthe public sectorwages. TheSocialPartnership expenditure. AndbythatIincludeacutin and anabsolutelynecessarycutinpublic unemployment, limitedcreditforbusinesses collapse intaxrevenue, rapid growthin economies acrosstheglobe. occurring inotherfinancial systemsand We mustdevelop acompetenteconomic Cinderella-Irelandisatherlowest point For Irelandthisrecessionentailsa lee ad ae oe ube pie; humble some there’s plentytogoaround. bake and sleeves the our up roll of ethic, heroes’ shirt class working plaid the don to have day, we one for just heroes be to time no is This antidote. or solution soaring a of sweep no tale, this in superhero no is occur There it. from only evolve essentially but not must rhetoric Change of action. neat ingredient active - the contain must package binds It’s that them. glue the are components crucial the together, pieces the putting When pervades. sights, its lower must generation next the that inevitable, is ever experienced. has world the but America, only not recessions- worst the not if - of one fastest far by of portent the a years, 26 for decline marking December, October and between cent biggest per 3.8 of rate world’s annual an at contracted the had economy that revealed were bailedoutbyUStaxpayers. lenders the as Wall 2008, in to bankers Street paid bonuses in billion $18.4 the criticised he weekwhen this echoed populism, economic of vision his of part work for it.” Obama’s remarks represent that American dream if of they’re piece willing to a get can they that sure make to going we’re our And share dream. American too, they, because and front centre, be to the going are forgetting They poor. not “We’re declared: Obama help. federal from benefiting banks for pay executive on caps include to believed also is It assets. troubled of worth dollars of billions remaining the A nagging fear that America's decline Department Commerce US The T February 10, 2009 RINITY N EWS TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 SCIENCE 19 Humans: done evolving? IN BRIEF

LUKE MAISHMAN The million dollar question: are we still evolv- GREEN WEEK SPECIAL ing? And if so, into what? Steve Jones, popular WASTE AND RUBBISH COULD science writer and geneticist, spoke about Hu- BE GREEN GAS SOLUTION man Evolution in Dublin last September. RENEWABLE GAS from landfi ll sites By Luke Maishman effects of the radiation on the DNA of and sewage works Science Editor survivors. What they found goes against could heat almost many of our common conceptions of the half the homes in “WHERE WOULD you say there are effect of radiation. In cartoons a short the UK, according to more births to older fathers? In Europe blast of radiation is normally enough a new report from and developed countries, or in the to turn characters into extraordinary National Grid. It says developing world?” mutants. However the experiment that obtaining more gas “The rate is actually higher in Jones describes tells a totally different from waste will help developing countries, as in developed story. Apparently, apart from those who cut carbon emissions, improve energy security countries we have more access to had died of radiation poisoning, little and compensate for the shortage of landfi ll sites. contraception and other preventatives.” alteration of DNA was seen immediately This source already provides 1% of the UK’s gas at As the memory fades I can still after the fallout. However as the present. A report released on 2nd February by the feel the surprise that I felt back in experiment progressed the scientists National Grid in Britain says an extra £10 billion September on hearing the answer did fi nd of mutation of the subjects’ Mistakes in but by no means the only, factor that investment could increase that to between 5 and to that question. It is just one of the DNA. Crucially, however, a similar rate making sperm, means human evolution occurs much 18%. revelations pronounced by Steve Jones. of mutation was seen in the DNA of above, are the faster in those areas than in developed Jones is a world class geneticist and the ‘control group’ – people who had biggest cause countries. famed for his ability to convey scientifi c not been subjected to any abnormal of mutations in Jones tackles the diffi culty that many GREEN WEEK SPECIAL ideas. Head of the biology department radiation! So although the experiment humans. Right: have envisioning evolution actually and a professor of genetics at University did not fi nd what it was looking for, Steve Jones. Be- happening in Homo sapiens with an “EUROPE WARMING” IS College London, he is also a television it did show that human DNA mutates low: The frontis- example from relatively recent history. presenter, newspaper columnist and constantly over time. piece to Thomas As mankind roamed away from the LIKELY IN NEXT 100 YEARS prize-winning author on the subject It is clear that the concept of evolution Henry Huxley’s tropics and into the cooler latitudes, of biology, especially evolution. In is not in question here, as Jones jokes Evidence as to he tells us, white skin developed as a ACCORDING TO latest predictions from the Royal September 2008 he came to Dublin “Evolution is just genetics plus time, Man’s Place in direct result of vitamin D defi ciency. It Netherlands Meteorological Institute, in a century’s and gave a seminar on ‘The Future of it could almost be physics”. He also Nature (1863): transpires that while our skin can make selection exam is time Spain and Italy will be enduring baking, Human Evolution’ as part of the 50th gives the example of artifi cial selection, the image com- this essential nutrient, this ability is to have children. More children means parched summers while residents of central Europe anniversary celebration for the School which is widely used in industry to fi nd pares the skel- reduced by the darkening of the skin by more copies of the parents’ genes, will enjoy what we now think of as Mediterranean of Genetics in Trinity. solutions to problems where design is etons of apes to excess melanin (which causes a tan and a good score in evolutionary terms. warmth. Reindert Haarsma and his team at the The ballroom of the Ballsbridge not much help. Artifi cial selection has humans. is hereditary in dark-skinned people). In Those who are unable to fi nd a mate or Institute used existing computer models to study Inn, which had been converted for been shown to work and relies on the the diminished light intensity at higher support children cannot pass on their changes in weather patterns resulting from the the day into a large lecture hall, was same theory as natural evolution. latitudes Homo sapiens evolved lighter less successful genes. In the developing expected global warming. These indicated that packed when I arrived. From what What is the major cause of genetic and lighter skin to escape the negative world this test continues today, with summer temperatures in southern Europe would I could see the audience was mostly mutation between generations in consequences of rickets, which is a rich, successful men often having tens rise by 2 or 3 °C. of the general public, with a large humans? According to Jones it is mostly major effect of a lack of vitamin D. of children (Jones gives Osama Bin smattering of professional reporters men. Mistakes in making sperm are, he So, evolution continues in humans. Laden and his father as two examples and a small sprinkling of students. All says, the biggest cause of mutations. Or does it? Natural selection, the cause – Osama was 17th of an estimated 54 GREEN WEEK SPECIAL this became irrelevant, however, as the Girls are born with all the eggs that they of evolution, is a two part exam. The fi rst children by Mohammed bin Laden, and lights dimmed and Jones, after a quick will ever need. Not so for the man, who part is life – any selective disadvantage is reputed to have 26 children of his IS IT YOUR DIET THAT’S introduction, began telling us about makes several miles of sperm DNA ever that increases the chance of death is own). The average of three children in the fi rst ever science text book, the Old hour according to Jones. Quite a feat, eradicated by this test. However in most the developed world, however, is rarely CAUSING THESE GASES? Testament. no wonder some mistakes slip in there of the world we have largely eliminated deviated from, with families as large as The seminar moved quickly from along the way! this. Modern medical care means that fi ve children being a rarity. ACCORDING TO a 2006 that bombshell onto more recent Older fathers, Jones explains, mean even the most debilitating disadvantages Another startling fact – the natural report by the United history. Jones noted a turning point older biological machinery, which do not mean death, and as such are not human population of the planet is about Nations Food and in science fi ction at “The means more mistakes. Therefore, he ‘weeded out’ of the collective that currently resident in Ireland. This Agriculture Organization Time Machine” by HG tells us, the age of fathers is a major gene pool. means that the population would be (FAO), our diets and, Wells, the start of a trend factor in the rate of evolution in The second much more thinly spread, increasing specifi cally, the meat for description of a future different human populations. The part of the inbreeding which leads to much in them cause more where the human race impact of an older father n a t u r a l higher rates of mutation and so greenhouse gases to spew into the atmosphere is biologically different in the developing evolution. In a densly populated than either transportation or industry. from today. Next we world is world such as human civilisation THE REPORT found that current production levels are told about the o n e , today, mutations are much of meat contribute between 14 and 22 percent of obsessions of Francis rarer and advantageous the 36 billion tons of greenhouse gases the world Galton, half cousin of traits take much longer produces every year. It turns out that producing Charles Darwin and to spread through the half a pound of hamburger for someone’s lunch possibly the only man population. releases as much greenhouse gas into the to ever make a “beauty All in all, although atmosphere as driving a 3,000-pound car nearly 10 map” of the UK. evolution may be milesa “Probably the alive and well in most cynical scientifi c Homo sapiens today, experiment of all time” it is likely working SURPRISING SPECIES is Jones’ comment at a much lower on the little known rate than when our PUFFER-FISH activity that followed ancestors fi rst moved the Hiroshima out of Africa, and is THIS TROPICAL marine bombing near the further reduced in fi sh is the second most end of World War II. developed regions poisonous vertebrate in the Apparently a team such as Europe. world. The skin and certain of scientists landed internal organs are highly within a week of toxic, a defense mechanism Japan surrendering evolved to discourage to measure the predators. Despite the dangers puffer-fi sh is considered a delicacy in Japan (fugu) and Korea (bok-uh). Another defense mechanism is it’s ability when in danger to swell up until almost spherical in an attempt to intimidate predators. The puffer-fi sh achieves this by Who says the energy isn’t out there? forcing water or air into it’s highly elastic stomach.

By Sonia Mary Buckley you went through. Nowadays, anyone related to the mess in your room, the one heat your body produced. This is the second Contributing Writer who has suffered through Junior Cert that would take far too much effort to clean law of thermodynamics, except that we use science has had to learn off the fi rst law of up. the technical term “entropy” rather than EGGHEAD OF THE ISSUE LOOKING THROUGH past editions of the Thermodynamics: energy is neither created When your room is clean, with each teddy “messiness”. Irish Independent (or the Irish Times, or the nor destroyed; it is simply converted from on its allotted shelf, it is really orderly. It’s In the case of energy, the second law KURT GODEL Herald AM, take your pick), it’s impossible one form to another. But at the turn of the very diffi cult to keep it that way though, of thermodynamics puts a sad stop to not to notice the increasing incidence of the 19th century, this was the cutting edge of and the reason is simply that there are our thought of an air conditioner that AN AUSTRIAN-AMERICAN word energy. “Energy ratings compulsory science. far more ways for it to be messed up then also creates electricity. Since the level of logician, mathematician from today” tells us that all homes built from So what then is energy? If it’s neither there are for it to be tidy. The probability disorder of the universe is always increasing, and philosopher and one now on must get a rating for energy effi ciency. created nor destroyed, why is it that we are that if you drop a shirt in your drawer it putting an air conditioner in a hot room will of the most signifi cant “€200m in energy savings” outlines how Irish worried about running out? Heat is a form will end up neatly folded is much, much decrease the disorder of the room. This logicians of all time businesses can do just that. It’s obvious that of energy. Why can’t I invent a machine that smaller than the probability that it will end is only possible if we increase the disorder Godel lived from 1906 to we’re all worrying about energy, but do we converts the heat energy from the air into up some other “messy” way. In fact, it will somewhere else. So we have to throw all the 1978. His legacy includes actually understand what energy is? electricity to run my house? This seems like a always take energy to make it tidy, which heat out of the window, plus some extra heat Godel numbering, two Strange as it may seem, there was a much better alternative to the power hungry is the “effort” that you really don’t want to because it takes more heat to make outside incompleteness theorems and important time not so long ago when people had air conditioners people use. put in. It can be shown (using a thought messier than it took to make the inside contributions to proof theory. His friendship no idea of that there was such a thing as The problem is not a lack of energy. experiment involving a refrigerator and an messy. This extra heat is made from the with Albert Einstein was legendary, with energy. It was not until the advent of the There’s more than enough energy in a hot engine, invented in 1824 by a Frenchmen electricity used by your air conditioner. Einstein towards the end of his life admitting steam engine that people really began room to power a dishwasher, if you could named Sadi Carnot) that the level of disorder So now you know. We’re not worried that his “own work no longer meant much, thinking about the branch of science known convert it effi ciently (as is evidenced by how or “messiness” of the universe is necessarily about running out of energy, we’re worried that he came to the Institute merely…to have as thermodynamics, and began realising much your electricity bill costs if you run always increasing. When you tidy your about running out of useful energy. Now the privilege of walking home with Gödel”. that there was some quantity that always electric heaters and hairdryers all day). No, room, the extra tidiness of the room must go tidy your room, and make the universe a remained the same, no matter what process believe it or not, the problem is intimately be less than the “messiness” of the extra slightly messier place.

ON THIS DAY (10 FEBRUARY) … DAVID scope extends way beyond the birds world. He is driven by a unique moral » In 1863, Alanson Crane was granted the ATTENBOROUGH SCIENCE WITH and the bees. and ethical consideration for the natural first U.S. patent on a fire extinguishing has managed to What is remarkable is that world. He tries to educate people on system for buildings bring the wonders Attenborough has managed to do it for the importance of biodiversity and and plight of the A CONSCIENCE so long without changing his style too promote consideration in this way. His » In 1961, the Niagara Falls hydroelectric natural world to much. He has not had to because the commitment and enthusiasm has never project began producing power. millions of people technology has changed and so he has wavered over the 50 years he has been around the world. constantly been able to give new views involved in TV. He has been knighted, » Agnes Mary Clarke was born, in 1842. An He has a unique and insights into the details of life on received several honorary degrees and Irish astronomical writer, she became an ability to reach Earth. His voice is instantly recognizable prestigious awards. Attenborough’s honorary member of the Royal Astronomi- general audiences Compiled by Barry O’Toole with his dry sense of humor, curiosity accent and hushed, excited delivery cal Society and contributed to Encyclopae- with his inspirational ? and gentleness coming through all the will be diffi cult to replace as will his dia Britannica. whispering time. One of the linchpins of television, consideration and love of the natural narration. Animal and plant subjects are of ceremonies who introduces the acts he is a master story-teller who displays world. the stars, yet Attenborough is the master for our wonder and amazement. But his an engaging fascination with the natural TRINITY NEWS 20 TRAVEL February 10, 2009 Trekking the highest of Himalaya

Climbing Everest is beyond most peoples EVEREST TIPS & COSTS abilities but a trek to the Base Camp can be undertaken by anyone and offers unparalleled rewards, writes Derek Larney

FTER A quick couple of opted to do this trek independently. days of scouting around After studying my map I was soon on Kathmandu for a trekking my way into a two-week walk along permit and fl ights I was the rugged trails of the Khumbu valley. ready to depart and travel The fi rst day was an easy three-hour Ahigh into the Himalaya. Kathmandu stroll that crossed many streams and is an energetic city overfl owing with waterfalls to end in the small hamlet culture and sights; from the temple-rich of Phakding. It served as a pleasant 16th century Durbur Square to the public introduction to the longer challenge cremations by the banks of the holy ahead. In Phakding I found a delightful Bagmati River the city offers visitors little teahouse and settled in for the a wonderful insight into the Hindu evening with a pot of Sherpa tea and Me 6ft, Mount Everest 29,029ft religion. But I was more interested some egg fried rice. The following day in the holy site of Chomolungma, brought the fi rst true test of the trek, a IT IS possible to trek to Everest revered by Tibetan Buddhists and long arduous ascent of over 700 meters Base Camp for most of the year commonly known to us as Mount to Namche Bazaar, the capital of the except the peak of winter when Everest. Chomolungma means ‘Mother, Khumbu region. Along the way the heavy snow makes the trail Goddess of the World’ and the Sherpa trail was shared with porters struggling impassable. Nepal’s monsoon people of the surrounding Solukhumbu under the weight of massive loads. I falls between June and mid- valleys afford the mountain a divine and did not know whether to laugh or cry September; these months are matriarchal respect. when I passed out a porter carrying a best avoided as the rain can lead Our tiny twelve-seat Twin Otter cardboard box that was taller than him to a muddy track. The ideal time aircraft circled the lush green peaks of and which contained a brand new fridge to go is either April and May or northern Nepal in an attempt to land freezer. October and the fi rst two weeks on a narrow mountainside landing strip After nearly six hours of walking of November. During these which has a sharp incline to help the uphill inside a cloud it was a relief to turn Tibetan prayer fl ags fl ying at Everest Base Camp. Photo: Emily Faulk periods you can enjoy blue-sky plane come to a halt before the runway a corner and be greeted with a welcoming days with few clouds to obstruct ends. The pilot, who was seated in full “Namaste!” from a policeman who successful ascent of Everest, Hillary postcard from nirvana. of the Sherpa people. She conquered the views. view of all passengers, used a steady was there to check trekking permits. spent much of his time working Shortly thereafter I encountered Everest in 1993 on her third attempt TREKKING COSTS hand to introduce the rubber tyres to Despite being populated by less than tirelessly for the Sherpa people who my fi rst yak caravan on the trail. I quickly having sworn to never give up on her The Everest Base Camp trek the asphalt and soon thereafter I found 3,000 inhabitants Namche Bazaar is the had helped him to summit the world’s moved to the high side of the trail for fear dream of climbing it. Sadly she became is excellent value for money. A myself walking from the runway of largest settlement to be found anywhere highest mountain. Nowadays the village of being knocked off it by these beasts yet another victim of Everest on her bed in a teahouse will typically Hillary-Norgay airport to the trailhead on the trail. The town is decked out boasts the Hillary school and the Hillary of burden. Yaks are a cross between a descent as she slipped and perished into cost between €0.50 and €2 per of the Everest Base Camp trek in the with handcrafted stone cottages and hospital as well as a statue of the man cow and a buffalo and are a marvelously the void below. We laughed over a pot night. Meals range from €1 to €3. small traders’ village of Lukla. Outside a plethora of trekking shops, internet himself. I spent a pleasant lunch in versatile animal. Their multifarious uses of tea as Ang jocundly recollected her Luxuries such as beer, chocolate the airport there was a hubbub of cafes and German bakeries. At an Khumjung and then visited the local extend to carrying heavy loads across habit of climbing onto the roofs of stone and Pringles are available and activity as local porters scrambled altitude of 3,440 meters the town is an Buddhist monastery to see the purported high mountain passes, producing milk, cottages at the tender age of six. typically cost the same as in to fi nd their loads and children ideal spot to have an acclimitisation day skull of a yeti or abominable snowman. cheese, wool, fuel in the form of dried By the following evening I had Ireland. Prices rise with altitude pressed their noses against in order to help fend off any threat of To Sherpa people the bloodthirsty yeti yak dung and eventually, at the end of made it to the last settlement on the due to the costs of hiring porters the chain l i n k altitude sickness. Rather than resting as is a very real threat and although many their lives, meat. trail, that of Gorak Shep which is a to carry the goods along the trails. fence gazing a t many trekkers do, I opted to take a day sightings have been reported this elusive desolate expanse of glacial moraine If you wish to hire a porter to carry a n o t h e r hike to nearby Khumjung and return to predator has yet to be photographed. surrounded by intimidating peaks. The your bag they will cost between l a n d i n g Namche later that evening. Zoologists have been unable to reveal As I absorbed the next morning saw a sprightly rise out of €5 and €10 per day, depending plane. The village of Khumjung the skull as belonging to any known bed at 4am for an assault on the nearby on their level of english and your Despite is perched high on a animal; therefore the legend of the yeti view of Everest and peak of Kala Patar which offers the level of negotiation skills. s e v e r a l mountainside nearly lives on. the spectacular snow best view to be had of Everest without offers of two hours walk The next day I ambled further up actually climbing it. After a two-hour assistance from Namche. the trail whilst peering down into a capped peak of Ama ascent to the top of this 5545m peak which have claimed many lives over the f r o m The village lacuna over 1,000 meters below to the Dablam it felt akin I was completely breathless, both years. I spoke to a Slovenian expedition l o a d - f r e e itself has raging Dudh Kosi River. The river was physically and emotionally, due to the who were preparing themselves for an porters I undergone resplendent with glimmering sunshine to standing inside a hike and the utopian vista that was attempt at climbing Everest. The leader enormous that was bouncing off its’ rapid torrents. enveloped all around me. The jagged of the group, Henrik, told me how the c h a n g e s My peregrination would soon take me postcard from nirvana peaks of Lhotse and Cho Oyu, the fourth glacier occasionally spits out a frozen in the last to the sacred monastery of Tengboche, and sixth highest mountains in the mountaineer as the glacial ice melts. fi fty years, which is lionised as one of Buddhism’s The next few days saw my fi tness world, stood proud and tall like a four Upon talking to the Slovenian n a m e l y most holy shrines. Visitors are welcome improve dramatically as I passed star general after winning a battle. As mountaineers I realised that Everest because of to the monastery provided footwear is through the villages of Pangboche, the sun rose up and over the pyramid- Base Camp is where the trekking stops the work of left at the front door. A monk showed Dugla and Pheriche where the doctors shaped silhouette of Everest the true and the climbing begins. I had trekked as the late Sir me the iconic golden statue of Buddha at the Himalayan Rescue Association scale of this gargantuan colossus was far as I could without donning crampons E d m u n d before guiding me to the prayer hall run free lectures on altitude sickness. revealed. It is hard to fathom that a and risking life and limb. The view from Hillary. where the lamas were playing music At Everest Base Camp there is only half mountain could be so high, 8848m to the top of Kala Patar offered four of the A f t e r and chanting homilies. The serenity the oxygen available to your grateful be exact, which is quite close to the world’s nine highest mountains and h i s of this monastery, which is facing lungs as there is at sea level so I took cruising altitude of a jumbo jet. must rank as one of the most scenic Everest like a mosque faces Mecca, is the doctors’ advice and spent another After nearly two hours at the summit tundra’s to be found anywhere on overwhelming. Monks in fl owing robes acclimatisation day before the fi nal spent gazing at Everest I descended earth. With that, I turned on my heels sit in the lotus position meditating for push to the top. In Pheriche I stayed in and blazed a trail to the nearby Base and started the long trek back to the hours on end in their quest for salvation. the lodge of Ang Lhamu Sherpa who Camp. This is a rocky outcrop where bustling streets of Kathmandu. On the As I absorbed the view of Everest is a relative of Pasang Lhamu, the fi rst expeditions prepare for their assault way back I mused to myself that the and the spectacular 6812m snow Nepalese woman to summit Everest. on the mountain. It is at the base of next six natural wonders of the world capped peak of Ama Dablam it Pasang is a national hero in Nepal due to the mighty Khumbu glacier and icefall, would be nowhere near as diffi cult to felt akin to standing inside a her gritty determination, characteristic a maze of tall and unstable ice seracs get to as the fi rst. Rwandan wedding gate-crashing frolics

By Jimmy Lee market fashions donated from Europe, next morning, a carefully handwritten as if on cue, two boats paddled their way Travel Reporter we made our way to the wedding “contract” was conjured up and to intercept us as we approached what reception grounds. It didn’t take us long we were set with two motorcycles, we thought would be our unoccupied WHEN YOU’RE on vacation, it’s always to realize that we were slightly out of complete with four helmets. As for resting place. After fi nding someone a devastating, and usually unexpected, place. The Secret Service-like security the driver predicament, this was easily to interpret to the island chief our tale, shock to realize you’re at the end of your made sure of that. After having myself, solved by a half hour crash course from he welcomed us to stay on his island for rope fi nancially. With so many things my camera, and my loose connection our sole motorcyclist, followed by a the night. The fascination in which the you haven’t seen yet, it’s natural for and non-existent wedding invitation 5-minute tutorial given to me by the villagers watched our every move was buyer’s remorse to settle in. Thoughts carefully scrutinized, we were somehow aforementioned pupil. something none of us had ever really of, “Did I really need that hilarious allowed in to the grounds. The ride was truly on a road to experienced before. From our cooking T-shirt?” and “Maybe I shouldn’t have Upon entering, my Converse shoes nowhere. There were no hostels, no tools to our pocket knives, we were truly opted for the luxury-AC hostel” seep and market-wear suddenly looked ATMs, not even mbuzi (goat meat) foreigners in every sense of the word. through into one’s inner monologue. As beyond tacky and out of date. My vendors. Our navigational decisions No one from the island had ever seen I stood there holding my ATM receipt compadres didn’t fare much better at were based on whims, and were made anyone born of Asian descent, and it in Kampala, Uganda, it quickly became the market either, ranging from a Bible- or undone by fateful matches of “paper, had been over a decade since there had apparent to me that I was going to have salesman look to a cowboy. Nervously, we rock, scissors”. As luck would have it, been any sighting of a white man. to be thriftier in my decision-making if I took our seats in the back of the colossal we decided to make a random right The next day we made our way to was to make the most of my remaining tent, and began to investigate just who’s turn based on the sighting of a little boy the top of the island where we found a time in East Africa. wedding we were crashing. Small talk of wearing a Montreal Canadians sweater, small village community awaiting us. Beyond the exorbitant costs of “So how do you know the groom” and the kit of the ice hockey team of the city Bonhomie transcended the language trekking mountains in East Africa, “Do you remember when they met?” where we’d all met. This led us down the barrier, as we shared laughs over cups we had done very well on a marginal was the scene amidst awkward laughter Our correspondent gets into the swing of things at the wedding path to the village health clinic, an old of sorghum tea. Not wishing to overstay budget. This led us to expanding our and even more awkward cover stories. haunt of Medecins Sans Fronieres. our welcome, we said our thank you’s inventive faculty to experience as much Thankfully, distractions were amply the evening. Not the groom, not the of the city for a while, and take in the After stashing our bikes at the clinic, and goodbyes shortly thereafter, and as we could in “the cradle of life”. With available, with a beautiful Ugandan pop bride, but his Excellency, President rest of Rwanda. Looking at a road map, we made our way (accompanied by the paddled our way back to the clinic to the limitations of low funds, we went star as the entertainment, and a drum Paul Kagame. This is the man who led we decided a random lake in North entire youth population of the village) gather our bikes. The name of the island in with no real expectations. What we and dance crew that we would later join his people out of the 1994 genocide, Ruhengeri was the perfect destination. to what was truly a sight for sore eyes. has since been lost, but the kindness of didn’t realize was just how much of a up with. and even the troubled years leading up Unfortunately, there weren’t many A lake. And what a lake. The small the people combined with the scenic perfect combination these fi nancial Our uneasiness was immediately to it. Apparently he is a friend of the options for a band of drifters not looking fi shing community of the lake found splendor made it truly an oasis of “limitations” would be with a welcoming relieved as soon as Ali found us and family; seeing such a fabled personage to spend. There was only one solution for our presence amusing enough, but got serenity we won’t forget. and friendly country like Rwanda. embraced us like brothers. Being was something I won’t forget. I’d like to us - we had to convince a taxi driver to a real laugh at our request to take out We returned to Kigali completely It took about 24 hours before we Muslim, he was not allowed to drink, say I handled myself like a gentleman, lend us his taxis for a couple days to drive one of their rickety wooden canoes for invigorated and rejuvenated. Rwanda met our fi rst friend, Ali, who promptly but that didn’t stop him from giving but my composure crumbled under the to an inconspicuous lake that looked an overnight paddle. Nevertheless, we has much to offer, for those on large or invited us to a wedding reception he was us doubles of just about everything infl uence. I rushed full-speed to shake pretty on a map. The only problem agreed on a fair price and paddled our small budgets; from gorillia trekking to attend that evening. The amiability of the open bar had stocked. After a the man’s hand, like a tweenster after with this was that taxis in Rwanda are way into the lake. There wasn’t a motor to wild camping on pristine islands. So Rwandans will never cease to amaze me. few more shots of “confi dence”, we Zac Efron, only to have him quickly exit actually motorcycles. The other problem to be heard, nor seen; leaving a tranquil whether you’ve got a trust fund to blow, This is a country that has seen visitors were the belles of the ball, joining up stage left. But not before I was able to with our proposed motorcycle gang idea silence that would inspire the most zen or simply fi nd yourself in newfound exploit and divide their country time with the drum and dance group, with snap a couple grainy out of focus shots was that only one of us actually knew of monks. despondency from an ATM receipt, and time again. And yet, there we were, even myself jumping into the fray, that I have since photoshopped myself how to drive a motorcycle. But after With the sun setting, it was clear we Rwanda has it all. It’s just up to you to off to a wedding, after one evening in posing as a wedding photographer. into. some serious haggling, we had worked needed to fi nd an uninhabited island open your eyes to the possibilities. Kigali. The absolute highlight of the evening After a party like that, we decided out an arrangement for roughly 20,000 to pitch our tents and muster up some Freshly dressed in only the latest was our awakening to the true VIP of that it was probably best to get out Rwandan Francs (€25) per day. The nourishment. As the sun fi nally faded, TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 SPORTRT 2121

Give Irish Conor James McKinney athletes a THE COMMENTARY break BOX Erasmus student Domhnall O’Sullivan re- “SNOW WAS GENERAL ALL fl ects on the unrealistic expectations attached OVER IRELAND” to sportspeople back home, and argues that YOU MIGHT have noticed that it’s been a rough couple of weeks out there in the uncomfortable we don’t do too badly, all things considered world outside the library, rooms or indeed the permanently overheated confi nes of the HEN DUBLIN boxer achievements of many Irish athletes Trinity News offi ce. The snow last week was the Kenny Egan and his of the past 30 years, which resulted in most spectacular example, but even before silver medal were us becoming dangerously used to the temperatures dipped that low college sports welcomed home from feeling of winning things. Sean Kelly and teams were being confounded by the elements. Beijing by hordes of Stephen Roche started the proverbial The rugby match against Highfi eld, scheduled for Guinness-fortifiW ed fans and a for once ball rolling in the 1980s, with the pair 31 January, was called off (much to the chagrin appreciative media, one had to wonder reaching a point where, between them, of our rugby correspondent, who hauled himself what exactly we were celebrating. they almost dominated the European in to College Park after a rough and particularly Were we genuinely astounded by the cycling scene. obnoxious night out only to discover that he Clondalkin native’s impressive feat The latter’s win in the Tour de France was wet, hung over and unhappy for nothing). of reaching an Olympic fi nal and his of 1987 was miraculous considering The Association Football crowd had their game eventual runner-up placing? Or were that the only thing Irish people and cancelled the following Saturday, which didn’t we simply relieved that he (and the Irish bicycles previously had in common was do much for their preparations for Colours next boxing team) had saved us as a nation the need to be pumped every so often. Wednesday (see page 23 for our preview of that from being booted back across the The trend of success was continued game). The Ladies’ First XI were meant to play a by, among others, boxer Michael vital league match in Bray last weekend, but that Carruth, who won Gold in Barcelona too was called off as the purported venue was ‘92; swimmer Michelle Smith, who was covered in a perfectly even blanket of snow. The The [French] university defi nitely innocent; and our golden girl Men’s cup tie with Suttonians was abandoned I’m currently studying of athletics Sonia O’Sullivan, who was immediately prior to tip-off on the basis of a the preeminent force in female long- signifi cantly more minor patch of ice that the in has at least as many distance running in the 1990s. Your average below-par Irish sporting facility, aka Santry. Photo: Martin McKenna umpires nevertheless didn’t like the look of. However, it was Jack Charlton’s Hockey Colours went ahead, but in conditions sporting facilities as soccer team of Italia ‘90 that really Take Beijing for example; Three medals, one sized swimming pools (50 metres) in Limerick and that made one long for the warmth of a double Trinity, yet it’s just one made us feel as if we had a right to silver and two bronze, hardly need a wheelbarrow Blanchardstown, while France (a country which equity lecture, which would have been your play with the big boys of world sport. to cart the precious metals home, especially won 6 medals in the waters of Beijing) has so correspondent’s fate had the clubs succumbed insignifi cant university in A motley crew of English mercenaries compared to them across the water who brought many that Google couldn’t even furnish me with a to the elements. The fl edgeling lacrosse club had a... medium-sized town and a generation of supremely talented back 47 from their travels. But look at the statistics defi nitive list. The university in which I’m currently to cancel their training, as all the pitches out in and tenacious Irish players blended - the British medal haul was almost 16 times the studying in Grenoble has at least as many sporting Belfi eld were closed. And if the croquet club had together perfectly to reach the quarter size of ours, yet their population of 59 million facilities as Trinity, yet it’s just one insignifi cant entertained any notions of a spot of practise over planet with nothing but a few souvenir fi nals of one of the most important is nearly the same amount larger than our 4.5 university in a ‘city’ that most French people would on New Square, they were presumably a bit put chopsticks as mementos of a triumph- sporting tournaments in the world. million. Add to this the fact that our cross-channel probably regard as a medium-sized town. out to fi nd it covered with two inches of snow, and less games? We reached a stage that we had never chums took the games a lot more seriously than Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. For a rather poorly constructed snowman, as the rain, Indeed, what does Ireland demand before even dreamed of reaching. The the limited number of athletes it serves, Trinity is sleet and hail gave way to the genuine article on of its sporting heroes, and are the public lapped it up, the players basked more than adequately equipped. Despite the fact Thursday. expectations we throw upon their in the triumph, and then we demanded With a population of about 4 that UCD have an athletics track and we don’t, Irrespective of weather, it just wasn’t a great shoulders realistic? more. The glories of Italy became the Trinity boasts facilities for every sport going. We fortnight for sport in the college, as Trinity teams First of all, Ireland is a small country. benchmark upon which each Irish team and a half million souls, why even have a pointless climbing wall. Similarly, lost Colours events right left and centre (Sports Despite our prominent international has been based since. Which basically Ireland as a nation isn’t exactly the deprived child Centre, in the case of the Trampoline club). The reputation, which has more to do implies that whether your name is Kerr do we always expect to beat of the sporting world either. Croke Park is the 4th boxers were just about pipped by the hated with whiskey shorts than running or Trappatoni, your job future is more the arse off the rest of the biggest stadium in Europe, and the new Lansdowne Belfi eld foe in the Exam Hall, and the Hockey clubs shorts, we’ve always been that little ill-fated than an attempt by George Lee Road venue is shaping up to be fairly sexy indeed. were hockeyed. Even the Law Society XI that trotted bit of bogland that was placed in the to report on the joy of life in a bunny sporting world? And would a third Olympic sized swimming pool out to face their more modernist counterparts from Atlantic by God to piss off the Brits. costume, ie doomed. suddenly engender a horde of new Irish super- Lawsoc were beaten, despite winning the battle With a population of about 4 and a We have taken successes such as the ourselves (remember the ridiculously peppy swimmers? Hardly. of the geeks last year. Set against this backdrop, half million souls, why do we always Charlton era as the norm, and treated TEAM GB! moniker that you couldn’t turn on BBC The key word is realism. Is there any point in the rugby team’s achievement in November expect to beat the arse off the rest of all subsequent ‘failures’ as regretful for 5 minutes without hearing?) and that 12 of their investing billions in brand spanking new sporting looks all the more the sporting world? Why do we whine anomalies. Whereas it would be much medals were won in the arguably pointless sport of facilities and rigorous training programmes just so remarkable. when Steve Staunton doesn’t qualify us more rational, not to mention better riding a bike really fast around a little track, and we that we can show the world that we’re not simply Joe Quinn, a It was, in short, for the European championships and for the blood pressure, to look at things don’t really have much to be ashamed about at all. alcohol-attached and fun-loving couch spuds? Not a week to revisit when Fionnuala Britton fails to light the the other way around. Indeed, for a As well as lacking in human numbers, we also really. We manage to pull a world class athlete out Trinity med past glories rather Olympic steeplechase fi nal on fi re? Irish nation with such a limited population have to factor in the huge range of facilities that of the bag every few years, so it’s just a matter of student at the than dwell on pride? Perhaps. Irish naivety? Probably. we actually over-perform more often other nations have at their disposal. Britain have waiting. In the meantime however, take it easy on the mediocrity of It’s also no doubt due to the (over) than not. their cycling tracks, we don’t. We have two Olympic our boys in green, alright? time, scored a the moment. The Trinity hockey team hat-trick against that performed the French in temporary miracles against Three Rock the test match of Rovers last weekend, 1913 for example, were Boat club pinks up against more Golfi ng glories than just their hangovers: Three Rock, the second oldest hockey By Peter Henry Provost Anthony Traill as its fi rst president. club in Ireland having been founded by players The new history of DU Golfi ng Society is taken from the oldest (no prizes for guessing who), is up with interesting profi les of the club’s illustrious coming down with Ireland internationals who got A HUNDRED YEARS of Trinity graduate golfi ng members. The members’ impressive achievements their fi rst call-ups while playing for Trinity. Peter is chronicled in this impressive new book. From are noted, along with amusing personal anecdotes Blakeney and Phelie Maguire, DUHC stalwarts of College Courses to Lasting Links, which was and descriptions of the proceedings at dinners and old, were instrumental in putting the students to launched last Thursday evening in the Provost’s drinks receptions over the years. the sword, while Liam Canning, who was capped as House, charts the successes of Dublin University Many of the members profi led, such as JP a Trinity player back in the 80s, also appeared on Golfi ng Society since its foundation in 1909. Mahaffy and Samuel Beckett, are well known for the team sheet. As no 40-somethings were visible Dublin University Golf Club had been founded their non-golfi ng achievements. on the day, we may assume that he was part of the in 1894, catering for all members of the university, The book also covers many of the exploits of the coaching panel or something of that nature, but it including graduates. The increasing popularity of students’ club, the DU Golf Club, as the histories served as a telling reminder that Trinity hockey has golf in college led to the need for a club primarily of the two clubs have always been linked. Trinity’s produced some gems down through the years. for graduates, and Dublin University Golfi ng third golf club, DU Ladies’ Golf Club, also gets a My match programme from the Ireland-France Society came into being on February 5, 1909, with mention. Six Nations game records that Trinity men excelling FromFro College Courses to Lasting Links against the French is nothing new (for those of you is gengenerously illustrated; photographs who spent the weekend tripping, former DUFC of old teams and club characters grace No. 8 Jamie Heaslip scored a sensational try and almosalmost every page, including some was voted Man of the Match). Joe Quinn, a Trinity particparticularly interesting snaps of club Last year’s National Championship winning crew. Photo: Peter Henry med student at the time, scored a hat-trick against trophtrophies and other memorabilia. the French in the test match of 1913 which was ThThe reader is spared the task of By Conor James McKinney Alexander Floyd and cox Gabriel played in Cork in front of a crowd of 8,000 souls. wadinwading through pages of statistics, as College Sport Editor Magee, all of whom were in the Senior This was close enough to the primordial days of the aauthors’ focus is on the interesting crew for the fi rst time. international rugby that he was only the second persopersonalities of the club’s past. Those SIX OF the DU Boat Club VIII that won Heverin was one of those selected Irish player to have achieved this feat against any interinterested in the smaller details of past an historic victory in the Senior National to row for Ireland at the Home opposition; his side were only awarded three compcompetitions are provided with a very Championships last July were awarded International on the back of the historic points per try, in contrast to the fi ve now given. It usefuuseful appendix and bibliography. Pinks by the Dublin University Central win, DUBC’s fi rst in this competition was some 87 years before another player repeated AAuthors Michael Halliday and Gavin Athletics Club (DUCAC) at a meeting since 1981. The Senior VIII will seek the feat, and that was the eminently forgettable CaldwellCald have done an excellent job held last week. to defend its title this summer without occasion when Brian O’Driscoll of UCD (before recordingreco Dublin University Golfi ng Eoin Mac Domhnaill, Sean Osborne, graduates Tindal and Osborne, and will they added the extra D) got over for a few soft Society’sSoci fi rst century. The beautifully- Henry Tindal, Paul Laird, Robert be hoping for a repeat performance to scores in Paris. Apparently he’s still around. producedprod volume is a worthy addition Swift and Eoghan Kerlin all received earn the unlucky three their Pinks. The So there have been good times. We need to theth canon of Trinity sporting books the prestigious prize, awarded for decision only to allow full-time Trinity to look upon them not as exhaustive, but as and will be extremely valuable to exceptional sporting achievement while students to row for the boat club has exhortations; not as defi ning the limits of what our thosethos interested in the history of golf competing for a Trinity club. SS Geology been put forward as the reason for college can achieve, but as setting the standard in Ireland.Ir student Swift described it as “a huge Trinity’s 27-year drought at Senior level, for others to surpass. Insofar as amateur sporting honour”, but it was naturally somewhat given that the experience and standard success is still possible in a time of remorseless From College Courses to disappointing for the club that the entire in competing crews has increased professionalism in so many of our major sports, LastingL Links: A History of Dublin crew did not get Pinks. Each candidate greatly over the years. Trinity athletes have the strength of character to University Golfi ng Society is for a Pink is voted on individually by Meanwhile, DU Ladies Boat Club battle against the odds. A couple more Colours availablea to order from the club’s the Captain’s Committee, so even those are holding a fund raiser this Saturday, victories would be a good start. Should any of our honorary secretary Dr Huntly involved in a team triumph are not February 14th, in the Purty Kitchen to clubs be up to the challenge, I’ve got the perfect Lauder for €30 plus postage. guaranteed the award, as has been the raise money for new boats. Tickets are pretentious headline lined up: “Now is the winter PleaseP email [email protected] for experience of the Sailing Club in the 8 euro and will be on sale in the Arts of our discontent/ Made glorious summer”. more information. past. Missing out were Peter Heverin, Block on Friday. TRINITY NEWS 22 SPORT February 10, 2009 ALL THE ACTION FROM HOCKEY COLOURS 2009: UCD 6 TRINITY 2

SCORE was doing her best to bully UCD into SCORE The fl oodlights came on during the submission in the midfi eld. But there second half – it must have been all of 2pm UCD LADIES 2NDS 1 was simply no disguising the gulf in UCD MEN’S 1STS 2 – but unexpectedly it was Trinity who TRINITY LADIES 2NDS 3 quality between the sides which led all TRINITY MEN’S 1STS 1 lit up the stadium with a stunning goal to soon to the telling scores; a sustained out of nowhere. Beginning with Cleere, IN A game that was surely the highlight bout of UCD pressure led to the opener; BY THE time the Firsts were put seven or eight pinpoint passes swept the of the Trinity effort, the Second XI went a sideline ball bobbled awkwardly through their paces there was only pride ball from right to left and almost the full ahead early on the sand-based pitch. and Elliott was beaten at the second to play for, with UCD winning fi ve out of length of the pitch before Andy Gray With a small knot of supporters in attempt. The second goal came from the opening six matches to seal Colours gave it the fi nishing touch from close attendance to boost the team’s spirits, the set piece. The short corner was sent by lunchtime. Still, the idea of beating range. It was wonderful hockey, and set a team that was expected to struggle hard and low by Orla O’Shea with the the hosts in the fi xture at the top of the the game alight. Ben Hewitt came to against strong UCD opposition took onrushing Horan and Elliott unable to billing was enticing for players vocal life up front, embarrassing his marker the initiative, giving the Trinity faithful cope. supporters alike. Those latter did their time and again as Trinity pressed for hope that this could be their year. Good The rest of the game was even, if a part with some good natured heckling the equaliser. A typically powerful defensive work from Rebecca Tyrrell little dull, as UCD took their foot of of whatever UCD player came within Glavey free from the edge of the circle and Anna Egan in goal kept UCD out, the pedal and Trinity proved unable to range. lacked only a touch to send it in, and a and their teammates up front were in break them down. Elliott pulled off a Onfi eld, however, Trinity were in short corner opportunity was wasted similarly ruthless form. An up-fi eld couple of blinding saves to keep them in trouble, fi nding it hard to work the ball as Gorman failed to control at fi rst raid left Anne Cunningham in a good it, but at the other end there was little out of the corners. Big Jack Hegarty instance. Chris Tyrrell hurled his stick position; her shot came off the UCD to report. Claire Hearnden was their had to be alert to keep UCD out from at the dugout as he was substituted, goalie and went in to give Trinity a lead Aengus Stanley in action at Belfi eld. Photo: Jessica Packenham-Money most effective player, with the normally a couple of early short corners, one evidence of the frustration sweeping they never looked like giving up before threatening Horan and Gorman of which was the result of a long ball through the ranks. Aengus Stanley, halftime. had had a decent chance blocked on the SCORE nullifi ed by either the opposition or the that left Glavey and Odlum at a loss. making a penetrating run up the wing, After the break, UCD came back line earlier in the game, was in no mood conditions. Hearnden got the ball in the Brian Cleere prevented an immediate set up Orr for yet another missed strong with the aid of a few players from to pass up a second opportunity. Trinity UCD LADIES 1STS 2 net midway through the second half, goal at the price of the shortie, which chance, and when Hewitt left his man the First XI, who didn’t even bother to swept upfi eld, and Coakley ignored TRINITY LADIES 1STS 0 but had succumbed to the temptation to looked goal-bound before Hegarty got sprawling in the snow and rounded the hide their unsporting appearances in the ball to Cunningham in favour of a raise her stick illegally in order to do so his left glove to it in a stop born of pure keeper only to be illegally denied one second-string jerseys, instead running thundering shot from a fair distance AS THE players went to warm up and was awarded a green card instead reaction. felt the game was surely up, especially on in the white-and-blue of the UCD out. There was no stopping its passage on the main pitch, one could follow of a goal. The only other decent chance It was assuredly the save of the when the resulting set piece came to Firsts. It took them several short into the right hand corner; just desserts their progress around the pitch by fell to Danielle Costigan, to whom the afternoon, but life being profoundly nothing. But there was one more sting in corners before a breakthrough came – for all concerned. the footprints in the snow. “This is ball fell kindly in the circle, but she was unfair the goalie’s heroics were soon the tail: a short corner heralded the last thanks in large part to the sterling work madness”, muttered one DUHC player just unable to get it out from under her to be undone. A ball into the circle play of the game. Crowd buzzing, ten of the passionate Darina Errity and her as he watched the ladies struggle feet before the defence swallowed her was angled wickedly at goal by a UCD men around the circle, Trinity looked teammates in defence – but eventually LADIES SECOND XI through the slush. “Madness? THIS… up. Two-nil was the fi nal score. forward, and although Hegarty got for a famous equaliser. They didn’t get the dam wall burst and one of the white- IS… COLOURS!!” came the retort, to a boot to it he was powerless to stop it. Well, there’s always next year. shirted interlopers pulled a goal back. Anna Egan, Alice Delahunt (c), general satisfaction. Thankfully the the rebound being buried by expert UCD piled on the pressure, and Trinity Aoife Freyne, Ashley Cantrell, spectators were doing their collective LADIES FIRST XI poacher Robbie McFarland. There was seemed to be losing the plot a little, Darina Errity, Megan Duffy, Fiona best to support in the spirit of Sparta similarly nothing that could have been MEN’S FIRST XI frustration setting in as they conceded Burke, Helen Taaffe, Juiliette undeterred by the weather – not least Jessie Elliott, Ailbhe Coyle, done about the second goal less than a a host of frees. Gilligan, Anne Cunningham, Kate because most of them had just fi nished Vanessa Buckley, Caroline minute laster (although better defence Jack Hegarty, Brian Cleere, Barry In a remarkably experienced Trinity Stewart, Lucy Dockerell, Martha playing in it. Murphy, Katie O’Byrne, Caoimhe might have helped). UCD drove up the Glavey, Daire Coady, Nick Odlum, Second XI, fresher Clara Coakley Purcell, Clara Coakley*, Nicola Unfortunately the standard of play Costigan, Nadia Douglas*, Rachel right fl ank and the cross crashed off the Aengus Stanley, Ian Gorman, provided the new blood, and it was Costigan, Rebecca Tyrrell wasn’t up to much. Trinity showed Scott*, Maebh Horan, Claire near stick and Hegarty’s helmet before Andy Gray*, Stuart Cinnamond, she who fi nally put the matter beyond early promise as Rachel Scott, the hero Hearnden (c), Danielle Costigan, dropping at the feet of Luke McSharry Johnny Orr (c), Ben Hewitt, Chris doubt right at the end. The UCD siege *Denotes Colours debut of the weekend’s victory of Glenanne, Lucy Small, Irene Gorman* at the far post, who didn’t have to be told Tyrrell miraculously lifted, and Coakley, who won a short corner, and Meabh Horan twice.

MEN’S SECOND XI SCORE disallowed and replaced with a short LADIES THIRD XI corner, much to the bemusement of the A. O’Reilly, H. Jones, A. A. Jolley (c), J. Bryan, S. UCD MEN’S 2NDS 2 forwards. Club captain Aaron Jolley did McGuinness*, S. O’Donohue, J. McKechnie, D. Montgomery*, H. TRINITY MEN’S 2NDS 0 his bit for club and country with a smart Burns, A. Raftery, A. Murphy, J. Butler, W. Wilshere, H. Sutherland, double save. Cooper, A. O’Reilly*, L. Godfrey*, T. Humphreys*, L. Jamieson*, A. THE MEN’S Seconds got things rolling He couldn’t keep them at bay forever, L. Symonds*, A. Lim, L. Cawley*, Beverland, C. Nairn*, C. O’Reilly on the main pitch, with the full misery not with all the pressure being exerted S. Reynolds*, Z. McElligott, S. of the day yet to reveal itself. With the by the home side. A nice bit of skill to Sheerin, R. Foley, J. Fair* XI just about assembling themselves in evade Montgomery allowed a UCD LADIES FIFTH XI time for the strict 10am tip-off, it didn’t attacker time in the box to wind up, and take long for them to make hard work a blunderbuss of a shot nearly fractured LADIES FOURTH XI C. Coakley, L. Ferguson, O. of their task. Veteran Jason Bryan put the backboard and put UCD in the Flanagan*, R. Gregg*, C. Hall*, C. in an animated performance, if a little lead. The Seconds couldn’t seem to gel S. Buckley*, K. Smith (c), L. Kennedy*, A. Larkin, D. McCollum too passionate for the umpires at times, as a side, never getting their passing Hogan*, R. Wood, J. Geraghty, (c), S. Moran, M. O’Dea, M. Ozaki, but his defence was under enormous game going. Sutherland had a couple S. Lewis*, N. Barnwell*, L. J. Pakenham-Money, S. Quinn pressure for long periods. UCD had of half chances but never seemed likely Headon*, N. O’Donnell*, A. what looked like a perfectly good goal to trouble the blackclad UCD goalie, THE FIFTH XI were hard pressed from pitch, their opponents sealing a 2-1 win Davidson*, C. Walsh, K. Ryan*, L. Darth Vader-like in his unfl appable the off due not only to the weather in the fi nal minutes of the game. Tully*, E. O’Hanrahan*, E. Mills*, and somehow menacing clam under conditions but also to the prevailing Coach Jack Hegarty was in E. Flahavan, M. McDonald, C. pressure. An effort from Will Wilshere, economic climate, which left the rumbustious mood ahead of the Fourth’s Mullins*, J. Orr, K. Hogan* hauled off the tennis courts to make majority of the forward line unwilling encounter, going so far as to claim that his contribution, was swallowed up to skive off work in order to attend the his charges were “going to absolutely and UCD went for the sting operation, mid-morning fi xture. An emergency destroy UCD” in his pre-match defeat simultaneously being infl icted on rattling down the pitch to scramble in a goalkeeper had to be drafted in from comments. A spirited display from his the First XI on the adjacent pitch. second goal with the ball beating Jolley the Fourths, while key defender Niamh side, staffed primarily with girls making Dave Adley called it right during close to the body. Then the hail started. Fox was also unavailable. their fi rst appearances at Colours, saw halftime: “It’s a tight match, we’ve got to It didn’t relent, and nor did UCD. A A goal down at halftime, a lack of them stick it to their outlandishly clad give it everything we’ve got”, but despite Humphreys reverse from range was all substitutes meant that a bare eleven opponents in the fi rst half, putting in a all the advice stressing the dangers of Trinity could muster by way of reply were worn out by the middle of the goal courtesy of Eavanna Mills. Rookie complacency, the team eventually went and 0-2 was the fi nal scoreline. “What’s second half, when a further two goals goalkeeper Suzanne Buckley and her down in a similar manner to the 3rds disappointing is the fact that we played were notched up in the face of a brave defensive line ensured a clean sheet to just an hour before. UCD pegged one a very similar side earlier in the year and but hopeless defensive effort. The Thirds keep it 1-0 at the break, giving the Trinity back before netting a late winner to beat them 8-1”, said Jolley. “We lost to had already succumed over on the new some hope that they could cancel out the rapturous applause. an inferior side”.

MEN’S THIRD/ MEN’S RUGBY MEN’S HOCKEY FOURTH XI AIL DIVISION 2 SPORTS LEINSTER DIVISION 2 D. Hacking*, D. Adley, C. Pearmund*, J. Mills, Pos Team P W D L F A Pts Team P W D L F A TB LB Pts C. Denham, M. Sexton, 1. Lansdowne 10 8 1 1 195 101 2 1 37 ROUNDUP 1. Clontarf 9 9 0 0 53 9 27 R. Murtagh, P. Collings, 2. Skerries 9 6 0 3 31 18 18 2. UCC 9 7 1 1 188 110 2 1 33 Results and fi xtures to February 24 A. Bell, R. Woods, J. 3. Ballynahinch 9 6 0 3 247 111 4 2 30 3. Bray 8 5 1 2 19 12 16 Charlesworth, P. Mc- 4. Bruff 9 9 1 2 120 88 1 2 29 4. Suttonians 8 5 0 3 42 13 15 Cutcheon*, S. Kelly, J. 5. Bective Rangers 9 5 1 3 155 143 2 2 26 5. Dublin University 9 4 0 5 24 23 12 Hackett*, A. Stevenson*, 6. Old Crescent 8 5 0 3 128 113 0 2 22 MEN’S SOCCER 6. Avoca 7 3 1 3 12 12 9 C. Gray, D. Ryan*, M. 7. Greystones 9 5 0 4 152 181 0 2 22 7. Weston 9 3 0 6 14 30 9 Connellan, M. Muhler*, 8. Navan 9 1 0 8 8 47 3 8. Malone 9 4 0 5 106 102 0 5 21 SAT MAJOR 1D D. Mangan* 9. Dublin University 9 3 2 4 130 125 0 3 19 9. Naas 8 1 0 7 5 44 3 10. Belfast Harlequins 9 4 0 5 118 141 0 2 18 Pos Team P W D L F A Pts 11. Highfi eld 8 4 1 3 86 120 0 0 18 1. DUAFC 15 13 1 1 64 11 40 A routine win over Naas puts Trinity back in mid table, 12. DLSP 10 3 1 6 132 159 1 2 17 2. Brendanville FC 13 9 1 3 34 20 28 which their performances this year deserve. Next week’s THE FOURTHS match didn’t 13. Thomond 10 2 1 7 109 160 0 4 14 3. Templeogue United 13 8 3 2 35 14 27 match against another set of no-hopers will be an easy ride; actually count towards Colours 14. Wanderers 8 2 1 5 82 137 0 3 13 4. Swords Celtic 12 8 1 3 34 18 25 the target should be a performance against Skerries. due to UCD, whose strength 15. Clonakilty 8 2 0 6 86 105 1 2 11 5. Clonee United 10 7 2 1 39 19 23 traditionally lies in the men’s 16. Instonians 10 1 2 7 135 227 1 1 10 6. Garda FC 14 5 2 7 27 43 17 31/01/09 DUHC 3 1 Naas club, deciding that they didn’t 7. Verona FC 14 5 1 8 27 38 16 14/02/09 Navan v Dublin University actually have a Fourths team, No change from last week in the rugby team’s standing, since the match with 8. Dunboyne AFC 13 4 3 6 25 26 15 21/02/09 Skerries v Dublin University the crafty devils. Loath to be Highfi eld was called off. Not now in action until the end of the month, the First 9. Confey FC 12 4 3 5 14 15 15 deprived of a chance for at least XV will make do with a friendly game against Clontarf on Saturday. 9. Rush Athletic 14 3 4 7 31 36 13 LADIES HOCKEY a moral victory, the Fourth 11. Boyne Rovers 13 2 4 7 19 41 10 XI demanded satisfaction by 31/01/09 Dublin University P P Highfi eld 12. Rathcoole Boys 13 2 3 8 17 42 9 LEINSTER DIVISION 1 means of a duel, or, failing that, 21/02/09 Malone v Dublin University 13. Greenhills AFC 12 1 4 7 19 36 7 penalty strokes. With one stroke 14. Loughshinny United 12 1 4 7 15 41 7 Pos Team P W D L F A Pts to go and UCD one ahead, the BADMINTON 1. Railway Union 11 9 2 0 22 3 29 goalkeepers were called into 14/02/09 Swords Celtic v DUAFC 2. Loreto 12 7 4 1 28 6 25 action. Moritz Muhler stepped Congratulations to Andrew Hogg and Aoife Aherne, who won the Mixed (Joe Tynan Cup) 3. Hermes 11 6 3 2 28 12 21 up and buried his to leave things Doubles title at the 2009 Leinster Badminton Open. 4. Pembroke 11 6 3 2 22 16 21 even, then executed an abrupt ULTIMATE FRISBEE 5. Old Alexandra 12 5 4 3 23 19 19 about-face to try to deny his MEN’S SQUASH LADIES SQUASH 6. UCD 11 5 3 3 13 8 18 UCD counterpart. Wrongfooted, SIEGE OF LIMERICK 7. Glennane 12 4 2 5 19 23 15 the German could only watch in PREMIER DIVISION FIRST DIVISION 8. Bray 12 2 3 7 11 20 9 dismay as the shot sailed toward Takes place over the weekend of February 14/15. 9. Trinity College 13 1 2 10 13 36 5 the bottom corner, only to come Pos Team P Pts Pos Team P Pts 10. Corinthian 13 0 2 11 10 45 2 off the post to leave matters 1. Fitzwilliam A 9 127 1. Total Fitness 10 109 TENNIS at 2-2. Fittingly, the UCD mob 2. Fitzwillam B 9 119 2. Trinity A 10 101 Victory, no matter long and hard the road may be... It fi nally turned out to be unable to master 3. Sutton A 9 114 3. Mt. Pleasant A 10 76 WINTER LEAGUE arrived for the First XI on the last day of January, Rachel such complex mathematics 4. Westwood A 9 98 4. Fitzwilliam B 10 69 Scott scoring a hat-trick against Glennane. A result against and heartily congratulated the 5. Curragh A 9 79 5. Westwood B 10 67 Ladies: Alex at Santry would keep the momentum going nicely as Trinity XI on their victory. 6. Mt. Pleasant A 9 78 6. Aer Lingus A 10 35 15/02/09 Sutton 1 v Trinity 1 the battle to reel in Bray begins. The Men’s thirds were, 7. Old Belvedere A 9 62 22/02/09 Leopardstown 1 v Trinity 1 therefore, the sole side able to 8. Trinity A 8 12 11/02/09 Westwood B v Trinity A Men’s: 31/01/09 Trinity College 3 1 Glennane boast a proper win. Goals from 18/02/09 Trinity A v Mt. Pleasant A 01/02/09 Brookfi eld 1 1 2 Trinity 1 07/02/09 Bray P P Trinity College defender Doug Montgomery 11/02/09 Curragh A v Trinity A 15/02/09 Glasnevin 1 v Trinity 1 21/02/09 Trinity College v Old Alexandra and veteran Cian Denham set 18/02/09 Trinity A v Mt. Pleas A 22/02/09 Trinity 1 v Shankill 1 the Thirds up for victory. TRINITY NEWS February 10, 2009 SPORT 23

Soccer Trampoline Colours ‘09 Colours Preview

COLOURS COMES to College Park next week, with Dublin University Association Football Club hoping to exact revenge on their Belfi eld rivals after losing out in the previous two engagements. Trinity lost the Davy Faiers Memorial Trophy to University College last year, going down 3–1. The annual Colours match is one of the oldest derbies in Irish soccer, the fi rst match between the two universities having being played in 1894. DUAFC players who are selected for the Colours match are eligible to be awarded Club Colours, as is the case with many of the older clubs. The soccer club was founded in 1883, in fact, which makes it the oldest soccer club in the country still in existence, and it would be fi tting for the club to celebrate its 125th anniversary with a Colours victory. This is no easy task. Seven of UCD’s panel that will take to the fi eld for the Colours game are on Scholarships, and some also play for the college in the likes of the Eircom League U-20 division, the Trinity captain David Fitzpatrick soars majestically towards the ceiling of the Sports Centre; his side ultimately conceded Colours by 3 points. Photo: Jessica Pakenham-Money Eircom League ‘A’ Championship, and even the Eircom League proper. Experienced postgraduate By Conor James McKinney Plate, awarded since 2004, is awarded Evin McMillan anchors the side; Trinity will also College Sport Editor on the basis of the six best individual CAITRIONA MULLEN 3RD PLACE, INTER need to keep an eye on his younger brother David scores matched against the six best up front. Other key players include John Dineen KATIE PERRY tunes blasted into the of the opposing team. A panel of fi ve TRAMP LINDA COOTE MEN: J. O’HAGAN and Robbie Creecy, who bring with them League 3rd fl oor hall of the Sports Centre judges representing both universities NATASHA BRADY of Ireland experience, while Gareth Mathews is as the Trampoline Clubs of Trinity awarded marks out of ten in each formerly of Norwich City. and UCD prepared to do battle last category. Jumpers went through two STATS STEPHANIE FISHER 1ST PLACE, ADVANCED Trinity will be up for the challenge, however. Saturday, but as soon as the competition routines, one a standard “set” and the In 2005/2006, within the memory of many at the proper started they were all business. second a personal “vol” performance. WOMEN: S. FISHER club, they recorded a convincing victory, and after An unnerving hush fell over the arena UCD had an advantage from the off, THE TEAM BRIAN O’HALLURAIN a highly successful season in the Leinster Senior as each competitor started his or her able to bring more competitors onto the League, to which DUAFC this year returned after routine. beds in all categories apart from Novice CARL MAGEEAN 2ND PLACE ADVANCED a long absence, the side are confi dent that they Since description of a trampolining Women, in which Trinity took all the DANNY FINN MEN: K. MAGEEAN can repeat this feat. The club is currently top of event would require suffi cient mastery medals. UCD competitors dominated NIAMH MAGUIRE the LSL Saturday Division Major 1D, and currently of technique and terminology to be able most of the other grades, sweeping the JEAN MCCARTHY leads the LSL’s 300 teams in terms of goals scored, spot a perfectly executed Miller (triple- Elite category and only thwarted by JUDGES with enough left over to see them into the quarter- twisting double back somersault) Stephanie Fisher from winning both of LOUISE MCINDOE DAVID FITZPATRICK fi nals of the Joe Tynan Cup, recently beating Postal or Bomb (back pullover from tucked the Advanced. Katie Hughes and Jim MEI LIN YAP JAMES MURPHY United by three goals to nil in the last sixteen. seat drop position), it must suffi ce to O’Hagan both took runner-up medals in C. O’LORCAIN The story is not quite as rosy in varsity say that it is essentially a gymnastic the Intermediate, as did Fergus Poynton AINE MULLIGAN MEDAL WINNERS N. APPLEBY competition. After a convincing 4-0 win over DCU discipline, requiring similar levels of as the sole male Trinity Novice. and a 1-1 draw away to Colaiste Ide, Trinity were precision, coordination and fl exibility. As for the overall title, based on NICOLE TRAINOR D. COSTELLO knocked out of the CUFL after a last minute penalty The addition of the trampoline serves the top six scores of each, UCD were FERGUS POYNTON saw them edged out by DIT 2-1 at College Park. to make it more spectacular, and perhaps unsurprisingly victorious given 3RD PLACE, NOVICE B. WARDELL On the whole, though, there rarely can have been presumably more dangerous, than a their higher medal haul, although only WOMEN: L. MCINDOE A. CULLEN a better build-up to Colours for a Trinity XI. The mere fl oor exercise. by 3 points. The medals and plaque EILIS DOCKRY confi dence running through the side is undeniable Competitors in the Elite category were presented at a good-natured 2ND PLACE, NOVICE S. WALSH and the team has had fi ve wins on the bounce since on Saturday scaled heights of 6-8 feet ceremony in the Pavilion Bar. The UCD FIONA DOLAN WOMEN: O. SMITH A. SMYTH Christmas. In total this season they have played 20 before launching into their routines. contingent, typically, were in boisterous games, winning 15, drawing 3 and losing only two At its most prosaic, as with the novice form as they celebrated taking their SINEAD DORAN 1ST PLACE, NOVICE F. REILLY games. events, watching all that bouncing third Colours in a row. All the sweeter KATIE HUGHES John Hudson, part of the Trinity management is pretty hypnotic; at the highest for coming on Trinity turf, no doubt, WOMEN: A. MULLIGAN S. LEE team, was effusive in his praise when asked about levels, it is exhilarating. Apart from but your correspondent couldn’t help SINEAD HYLAND J. MURPHY the team’s chance of causing an upset. “There is anything else, to hear someone halfway but hold onto an unworthy hope that EIMEAR KENNY no doubt that UCD are favorites coming into this through a tumble while fi ve feet up and they’d all be kicked out and sent back to 2ND PLACE, NOVICE OVERALL WINNERS game”, he said. “However, there is no doubt that descending rapidly exclaim “oh shit” is Belfi eld where they belong. LOUISE O’LEARY MEN: F. POYNTON our lads have improved massively this season. both impressive and deeply worrying. JIM O’HAGAN The decision to move to LSL Saturday football has DU Trampoline Club has couple of DU Trampoline Club trains on 2ND PLACE, INTER UCD meant that the players have been playing week hundred members to its name, and was Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. MING WANG in, week out this season and the performances able to cajole about 25 of those into More information can be found at WOMEN: K. HUGHES have been improving game by game. Whatever competition against UCD. The Colours www.dubounce.com the outcome, UCD will not have an easy game in college park this season.” The game is provisionally scheduled for Wednesday the 18th, for a 2pm kick-off. A sizeable home crowd is expected to cheer on the boys in ZUT ALORS... LES BLEUES! black and red.

TRINITY’S KEY MEN DANIEL TRIMBLE (CB) THE TRINITY captain had a slow start to the season, recovering from a leg injury that kept him out of the side until November. His return to fi tness before the Christmas break was brief however as a groin injury meant he had to wait until the New Year to begin his season afresh. Since then his form has been a revelation. Trinity have conceded just two goals in four games under his captaincy and he will be hoping to keep another clean sheet against UCD. The postgrad student is ferocious in the tackle, superb in the air and an intimidating prospect that has terrifi ed even the most seasoned striker in the Leinster Senior League. When fi t, perhaps the best centre half in University football.

EVIN O’REILLY (CM) O’REILLY IS Trinity’s vice captain, and indeed has spent much of the season deputising for the injured Trimble. He has been an ever present in Trinity’s midfi eld this season, playing almost every minute of every game, and it is easy to see why his teammates rate him so highly. Surprisingly good in the tackle, the lithe midfi elder also has a huge array of passing in his repertoire and is always eager to get forward and join the attack. He has chipped in with almost ten goals from midfi eld so far this season and Trinity will be hoping he can add to his tally against bitter rivals UCD.

IT’S NOT that College Park is unused to rugby soccer crowd may not be best pleased that it was the was the big draw as the team fi nished and headed CHRIS ALLEN (AM) superstars strutting their stuff on its hallowed turf. area in front of the Pav, rather than the rugby pitch, for their bus at the back of the Pav, but Benoit Baby Jamie Heaslip, who played No. 8 for Ireland on which ended up taking the brunt of twenty-odd was the star attraction for the more discerning THE FULCRUM of Trinity’s attack is key to Trinity’s Saturday, is a former DU Football Club player, as rugby players on a surface normally off-limits until French fans who had congregated, berets and blue hopes of beating UCD next Wednesday. Allen were Heineken Cup winners Devon Toner and Byrn March or April. Indeed, a rogue snowman had to be scarves fi rmly in place against the cold, like moths has just returned from a three-week lay off and his Cunningham. It’s just that we don’t generally play gently but fi rmly escorted off the pitch by a French to a fl ame. Sebastian “Caveman” Chabal stood out, arrival back in the team could not be more timely, host to more than one at a time. There’s certainly no coach. naturally, that brooding bearded presence even with the colours game and the annual intervarsity precedent for the infl ux of sheer brawn that loped It was a day of celebrity on campus, in fact, with more menacing in the fl esh. Dimitri Szarzewski and a tournament, the Collingwood Cup, looming on out in front of the Pav on Friday, just 24 hours before a queue already forming for Pete Doherty outside front row colleague, trailing in his wake, smiled wryly the horizon. The Trinity man’s exceptional close their clash with Ireland, to run through their drills. the GMB as students hurried towards the Pav to join as they sauntered unacknowledged past a knot of control and eye for a through ball have helped The France team had been staying in the Merrion the even bigger crowds in attendance at the cricket onlookers drinking in their more famous colleague. create numerous chances this term and he is not Hotel, but the IRFU had allocated them pitch space pitch. Captain Lionel Nallet caught the eye, holding There wasn’t much to smile about the following shy in front of goal either. The former Man United in Blackrock for their training. Rather than travel so court from the midst of the huddle and directing his evening, mind you: it was our Jamie, a man who trialist has also been capped by the Ireland Futsal far away, the manager got in touch with Tony Smeeth team’s efforts. Cedric Heymans practised fi elding knows College Park far better than these ephemeral soccer side, the only non League of Ireland player of DUFC to see whether the team could have their his kicks, warming up for Croker by booting each Gallic visitors, who had the last laugh. in the team. The game against UCD is of particular run-out in the city centre. The Trinity authorities were ball received in the direction of the Moyne Institute. CJ McKinney importance for him, having missed a penalty in last happy to oblige, although Terry McAuley and the The improbably good looking Clement Poitrenaud Photo: Jessica Pakenham-Money year’s defeat. Niall Walsh SOCCER Will this be Trinity’s yearear to brinbringg home the Davy Faier Trophy? We COLOURS preview the big clash with UCD

TRINITYRINNITY NEWSEWS SPORTTuesday,Tuesdday, February 10, 2009 UCD snatch Colours in Hall Brawl MATCH STATS

THE TEAM:

60KG: MICHAEL GIBBONS 67KG: HUGH MCGEADY 67KG: MIKAELA KOTSCHACK 67KG: HUGH MCGEADY 71KG: JOHN DUFFY 71KG: MOSS DEMPSEY 75KG: PETER LINNEY 81KG: DONNCHADA JACKSON 91+KG: PATRICK KERR

had to contend with an opponent with superior reach, obliging him to go close in and work the body. He used the tactic effectively in an even contest but the UCD man had that extra bit of stamina that allowed him to get some vital shots in just before the bell and snatch victory at the death. Donnchada Jackson (no, it’s not a typo. We checked.) was faced with Fighters square off in the Exam Hall as a capacity crowd looks on; a close Colours competition was eventually won by UCD. Photo: Mark Carroll another tough opponent, and again inexperience told as he ultimate By Gregg McGibney signal a UCD triumph. impressive win for Murtagh in the end. strong in a tough second round in which Round 2. succumbed to Mernagh of UCD. That It had all started so brightly for The aggressive Hugh McGeady both fi ghters boxed superbly. Claudon After the intermission, Ladies left things at 4-4 when Linney stepped Trinity, with victory in the opening three was up next, and set out his stall early just about edged it come the fi nish to captain Mikaela Kotschack took to the into the ring. It was an unfortunate end TRINITY WENT down to UCD in the bouts going to the man in the red corner. by putting his opponent on the canvas give UCD their fi rst win of the night. ring in the only female bout of the event to the Trinity effort, but Colours head most dramatic of fashions in the Exam Duffy got things off to a good start for midway through the fi rst round. The The big guns were up next, with against the equally intriguingly named back to Belfi eld this year, in the company Hall last Tuesday. With the score tied at the hosts by defeating John Hustaix, with UCD man recovered well and had Patrick Kerr coming up against the Grushenka Arnold. The Trinity woman of a team who no doubt boasted sore four apiece, Colours was decided by the the combo to the body proving effective an effective hook that kept things intimidating bulk of Greg Foley, whose had the reach and displayed good heads for more reasons than one the fi nal bout of the night, with rookie Peter in seeing off his opponent. Following interesting, but by the end it was 3 and cheeky cigarette just prior to his fi ght footwork to demolish her opponent in next morning. DU Boxing, meanwhile, Linney pitted against UCD captain him was Ronan Murtagh, who had the 0 for Trinity. The fourth bout pitted didn’t make the task of beating him the fi rst round. Her victory was assured will hope for better luck when they play Jack Matterson in the 75kg class. reach on UCD’s Patrick Maguire, in the Gibbons and Claudon, the lightest seem any less formidable. A brave with further dominance in the second, host to Oxford in the same venue on Unfortunately there was to be no fairy- fi rst of three 67kg bouts but was initially of the competitors at 60kg apiece, performance from the Trinity man with Arnold having reply to a number of February 20th. tale ending, as the less experienced man discomfi ted by the southpaw’s energetic against each other in what proved to couldn’t hide the fact that he was punches to the body. At 4-2 with three was roundly trounced and the towel was start. The UCD man burnt himself out be a gripping encounter. Gibbons lost overmatched by the Belfi eld man, and bouts remaining, Moss Dempsey could Additional reporting by Ayo thrown in before the end of Round 1 to quickly, however, and it was a clear and his headgear in the fi rst but came back the fi ght had stopped at the end of have sealed the deal in his fi ght but Onamusi

HOCKEY COLOURS Trinity squash goes on tour ROUNDUP

By Patricia Burns and Alex took on Pat and Chris in an I USED to work in a newsagent. the stadium to cheer the teams on. exciting game of squash doubles. They It was a lovely job, but one which The reference to the corpse of a came out the winners, 3/0. tends to confi rm one’s suspicions polar bear at the beginning of the JANUARY 2009 proved a busy month On Saturday, the team tried to that Irish people always talking Trinity hockey anthem is probably for DU Squash Rackets Club. On the maintain their focus. They were up for about the weather is a unbending the most pleasant image in the weekend of the 9th-11th January, the a challenge against a strong University universal law. Looking back on whole of that macabre ballad, club played host to Oxford University of Edinburgh team. Catherine Graham some of the previous issues, in while in between the renditions following from a successful tour to started things on a good note by fact, it seems as though I always came lusty roars of “TRINITY – Oxford from the Trinity Squash Club recording an impressive victory against start a match report with a SHITE!”, which seems to have two years ago. U of E’s number 1, showing strength and mention of the conditions. Well, been neatly appropriated for our The event kicked off on the Friday determination to win the contest 3/2. here it’s justifi ed. Colours 2009, own use over the years. afternoon with a Trinity team, Mary Bohan and Alice Bentley ran their held in Belfi eld on February 3rd, On the pitch, things weren’t comprising of all members, both rivals close and were unlucky to lose out was played out amidst hail, snow looking too good, with UCD students and graduates, taking on the to numbers 3 and 4. In the men’s games, and a wind with more teeth in it going 2-1 up overall thanks to tourists which included fi ve Oxford Andy Hogg showed talent and fi tness than a mad dentist’s basement. an unexpected victory for their Blues. Trinity’s number 1 Rory Byrne got against Edinburgh’s Nigel Anthony. The hosts went and made Men’s Seconds and a late winner things off to a good start, taking down Trinity & Edinburgh ready to go early hours. The weekend was a huge He was unfortunate to lose 3/2. Robbie matters worse by winning the in the Women’s Thirds game. The Oxford number 1, 3/0. John Dillon also success. Trinity v Oxford matches are Woods lost in a tight match against thing. Only the Ladies 2nds and Trinity Ladies Seconds, their duty came out of a close tie against Oxford college after the meal - thanks to them becoming a regular event and the club their captain, having being 8-3 up in Men’s 3rds managed to upset done with an emphatic 3-1 win, number 2, Alex Iltchev winning 3/2. for helping entertain our guests. The plan on making efforts to keep this the third game! Matches fi nished late their rivals, with UCD taking settled in to watch a poor First XI Karlis Zauers demonstrated his fi ne tourists then familiarised themselves tradition going. on Saturday evening. Despite Trinity bragging rights in a similar style performance on the main pitch, array of strokes (and some trickshots with the Pavilion Bar before heading to On the weekend of the 23rd-25th producing competitive performances, to last year by a convincing 6-2 no doubt ambitious but disloyal - notably the corkscrew lob!) and more palatial surroundings on Camden January, a small group of DU Squash they were unable to pull out a victory on margin. The ninth encounter, the thoughts about how much better succeeded in beating number 3. Play Street. Rackets members made their way to this occasion. Men’s 4ths game, was booted out a job I could have done out there continued with Oxford gaining revenge Saturday morning saw the tie Edinburgh for the annual squash tour. After building up a hearty appetite, it of the competitive arena due to creeping into a few heads. for earlier losses by winning the majority continue with only current students of On Friday night the team took on was off to Oddfellows bar and restaurant UCD conveniently not having a Elsewhere, the Fourths threw of the other matches. Seán Reilly and Trinity taking part. This time Oxford Heriot-Watt University in some of the for dinner. A visit to a local take-away to 4ths team. away a 1-0 halftime lead to go Trish Burns put on notable performances were not to be denied. A strong team best squash facilities in Scotland. sample the Scottish delicacy of battered For all that, Colours was as down 2-1 and the Fifths were and were unlucky not to pull off a win. eager to restore pride following the Trish Ryan was in top form in both Mars bar was an all round hit. The ever a well-spirited and enjoyable comprehensively outclassed, Trish Ryan showed determination, high previous day’s loss were on top form her games, dispatching Robert Wallace group spent the rest of the evening in affair, with the Trinity supporters leaving the fi nal round of speed and high fi tness against Henry and dominated the matches in the 3/0 and William Bruce 3/2 in a gripping the fantastic Student Union venue of making most of the noise. In the Men’s games an irrelevant but Taylor. Her opponent had to dig deep to higher orders. However, some notable match on court number one. There were Potterrow where resident Scot Andy fi rst round of fi xtures, played at entertaining spectacle. It would close out the fi fth and gain a win. performances were put in by Ed wins all around. Andy Hogg impressed and club captain Robbie attempted a deliberately sobering 10am in have been, at least, had it not At the end of the evening, it was Miles and Suresh Kumar who were with a highly convincing 3/0 triumph to teach the group some memorable the morning, only Brian Cleere been too cold to have feelings by Trinity who emerged victorious. With unfortunate not to win in two close over the Heriot-Watt number 1. Alex Scottish dancing. and his trusty whistle were there then. Still, it could be worse, we the top 3 players winning on the Friday battles. Trish Burns managed a 3/2 win Penney had a comfortable 3/0 victory An enjoyable weekend was had by to urge the players on, but by half told ourselves as we trudged out the tie was taken by Trinity. Following against Alex Gilmore. against Chris Pillows and Trish Burns all. Team spirit was high and players eleven when the Ladies Firsts, of Belfi eld in search of a frostbite the day’s exertions, the Trinity players Saturday’s efforts were rewarded had a tight game against Angus Scott, competed well against high standard Fourths and Fifths were in action clinic. At least we get to leave. treated the Oxford boys by taking them with a dinner in Little Caesar’s, followed just managing a 3/2 win. Men’s Captain opponents. The combination of the hockey faithful had bestirred CJ McK to Commons dinner. The Knights of the by an entertaining pub crawl involving Robbie Woods also ran out winner 3/1 experienced players and new faces themselves and braved the Campanile were kind enough to hold a some impromptu traditional music and in a close match against Pat Baker. To ensured a weekend of exciting and security checks at the entrance to Full coverage inside on page 22 reception for the visiting Oxford team in dancing and ending in Doyle’s in the fi nish off the evening’s matches, Robbie challenging squash.