Irish Student Newspaper of the Year 2008

DOING IT THE THE GUIDE TO HARD WAY VOLUNTEERING Stand up and be SILLY SCIENCE Transatlantic yacht counted with Trinity’s The research journeys for those in volunteer societies that should have TRAVEL 20 no rush to get there NEWS FEATURE 8 been forgotten SCIENCE 19

Tuesday 13 January 2009 www.trinitynews.ie Issue 6, Volume 55 Leaked email questions Stokes’ power attempting to discipline Booth. In the former editor of Trinity News, Gearoid email. However, they did not wish to » Stokes attempts to discipline Piranha! editor email, Dr Stokes noted that her role as O’Rourke, in 2007. Dr Stokes had add any further comment. Junior Dean did not include the power attempted to discipline O’Rourke for Responding to Dr Stokes’ recent » Leaked legal advice states ‘the Junior Dean to discipline editors for the content of publishing a letter that criticised staff actions against Piranha!, O’Rourke student publications. members of the Trinity sports centre. commented “It is quite clear that the does not have a role in dealing’ with editors The College Regulations outline Following a lengthy exchange of emails, Junior Dean accepts that she has no disciplinary offences against the college. O’Rourke received an email from Dr jurisdiction over what a student editor By Deirdre Robertson following the publication of an article 1a relates specifi cally to “activity which Stokes stating “Following a request for can print, which make her moves against & Jessica Ryan that included a map of the best places brings the College into disrepute” while legal advice, I understand that, under Piranha! highly improper.” to commit a massacre in Trinity. Editor 4a notes the Junior Dean’s power to current arrangements, the Offi ce of Although the Communications DOCUMENTS OBTAINED by Trinity Andrew Booth was called to the Junior judge “conduct which does, or is liable the Junior Dean does not have a role in Offi ce informed Trinity News that News have revealed that Junior Dean Dean’s offi ce to answer claims that he to cause, violence to person or damage dealing with what you, as Editor, allow Piranha! magazine has been removed Emma Stokes acted against legal advice had breached rules 1a and 4a of the to property.” However, her power in to be published in Trinity News.” from publication, editor Andrew Booth in attempting to discipline Andrew College and Conduct Regulations. this matter does not extend to the Dr. Stokes referred Trinity News was not notifi ed of this. It is believed Booth, editor of Piranha!, regarding the An email written by Dr. Stokes decisions made by an editor of a student to the Communications Offi ce when that copies are still in circulation. content of the magazine. has now emerged revealing that Dr publication. pressed for clarifi cation on the future Trinity News understands that Booth Dr Emma Stokes summoned the Stokes was knowingly acting outside This information came to light in a of the investigation into Piranha! in the editor of satirical magazine, Piranha!, her jurisdiction as Junior Dean in series of emails between Dr Stokes and Junior Dean, Dr Emma Stokes light of the information revealed in this continued on page 2 Bonuses under PHIL FIELDS BEST IRISH TEAM AT WORLDS: PAGE 4 CSC email promotes investigation alcohol » Lavish bonuses given to top academic staff By Deirdre Robertson » Oireachtas calls emergency investigation College News Editor CENTRAL SOCIETIES Committee By Brian Barry Education Authority (HEA) said that a appeared to breach their own rules number of allowances given to university on alcohol promotion in an email staff were unauthorised and that it had advertisment sent out to societies last TRINITY COLLEGE has been called sought clarity on the issue from Trinity week. for investigation by an emergency and other universities. An email sent to all college societies Oireachtas committee over “secretive” Fourteen members of Trinity’s from a CSC Administrative Offi cer on bonus payments and perks paid to staff including eight professors are 7th January, advertised ‘Heat at Tripod’, Trinity’s elite administrative and aca- listed. Professor John Boland from the a student club night that offers “more 2e demic staff. The information emerged Department of Chemistry was paid Drinks than ever”. The email advertising through the Freedom of Information €123,008 in ‘additional allowances’ the Tripod event had no source other Act following a recent investigation by on top of his salary of €143,394. This than the CSC Administrative Offi cer’s the Sunday Independent. The earnings of bonus payment, amounting to 85% some fourteen members of Trinity’s top of his salary level, takes his total “I never received staff - including Provost John Hegarty this email...it - are potentially subject to the investi- “Our education could not have gation. The high earnings have been system cannot come from CSC” condemned as “hypocritical” and “hard afford these Joe O’Gorman to comprehend” by the Irish Federation hugely expensive of University Teachers (IFUT) and gov- individuals” IFUT email address from which it appeared ernment offi cials in light of pleas by to be sent. Trinity’s senior staff for increased fund- remuneration €115,000 over the The email directly contravenes CSC’s ing in the diffi cult economic climate. maximum recommended salary level to regulations on alcohol advertisment. Trinity News obtained information university academics. The other Trinity CSC previously informed societies that released by the Staff Offi ce noting that academics being paid in excess of the they ‘may not advertise the cost of drink, Trinity’s high-earning academic staff Review Body’s recommended levels are or “free drink”, “cheap drink” etc.’ Any receive bonus payments and perks Professor Igor Shvets, Professor John society that receives more than one which bring their pay levels outside Coey and Professor John Bethica of warning for disobeying these rules can normal pay grade structures. In many the Department of Physics, Professor be punished by a 10% cut in their annual cases the total pay received by them is Kenneth Wolfe and Professor Seamus grant. To date, a number of societies in excess of recommended pay levels Martin of the Department of Genetics, have received a preliminary warning. established by the government’s Review and Professor Kinston Mills of the Joseph O’Gorman told Trinity News Body for Higher Remuneration in Dpartement of Chemistry. that he had never seen the email in January 2007. It appears that the effect The College Treasurer, College question and commented that it could of these recommended salary caps are Secretary and Senior Lecturer also not have come from CSC because they do

being avoided through the payment of O’Leary Photo: Caroline not advertise alcohol and always - unlike bonuses. A spokesman for the Higher continued on page 2 this email - use Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) in emails to student societies. Indeed, in the same email which had outlined the College’s alcohol policy to societies, CSC advised all societies to use BCC in any group emails. He further said that Flyers at dawn: O’Riordan vs. Halls JCR the CSC would contact IS Services this week.

By Brian Barry promoted by O’Riordan. it as an “artifi cial monopoly created by pulling out of a Student Union event Mr. O’Riordan, who has enjoyed their own rules”. would be seen as bringing her Ents team considerable personal fi nancial Trinity Hall Ents team will now not in direct confl ict with Ents on campus. A RIFT has broken out between success promoting Citi Bar Tuesday be supporting the Student Union Ent’s “People forget that we’re part of the Trinity Hall Entertainments Offi cer nights, posted fl yers around Trinity ‘Thai Beach Party’ at Citi Bar on Tuesday SU. I’m fully on the side of the SU. They Amy Dunne and events promoter Ed Hall, contrary to Trinity Hall Ents’ of Rag Week as had been initially are so good to me” she said, pointing O’Riordan over “underhand” fl yering regulations brought in recently which negotiated. Ms. Dunne told Trinity News out that she has previously worked her of O’Riordan’s Citibar Tuesday nights. require prior permission. Ms. Dunne why Trinity Hall Ents pulled out of the calendar around Student Union events. Jesse Ex-Student’s Union Ents Offi cer called for security to close gates around Cancer Society’s event: “If you’re trying O’Riordan spoke of his O’Riordan was locked into Trinity Hall Trinity Hall, making it impossible for to say Trinity Hall isn’t supporting the disappointment at Trinity Hall Malin / by security at Ms. Dunne’s request while O’Riordan to leave the complex. “I felt cancer society, that’s not the case at all. Ents pulling out of the event. “I can he tried to get out of the complex after like a f***ing 10 year old” O’Riordan We want to stand on our own two feet understand where they’re coming from, Bats / fl yering for the Law Society welcome told Trinity News. ourselves, and focus on promoting our but don’t punish a charity”, he pleaded. back party held at Citi Bar. As a result Ms. Dunne told Trinity News own charity event on Wednesday of Rag Ms. Dunne offered another point of Fashion of the altercation, the Trinity Hall Ents that O’Riordan’s actions were “very Week”. Ms. Dunne spoke of Trinity Hall view, saying O’Riordan, by hosting the and fur / team have pulled out of supporting Rag underhand”, and that O’Riordan and Ents’ successful run of events this year, charity event, is merely motivated by Week’s ‘Thai Beach Party’ to be held in his team “have behaved very badly suggesting O’Riordan “doesn’t know “gathering momentum” for subsequent Cake shops / Citi Bar - a charity event to raise money since. They came in behind my back”. what to do with us anymore. He’s used Citi Bar Tuesday nights – from which for Trinity Cancer Society organised O’Riordan bemoaned the Trinity Hall to dominating the whole scene”. Ms. venture O’Riordan stands to make Reviews and more by the Student Union Ents team and Ed O’Riordan pictured in Citi Bar policy on event promotion, describing Dunne also refuted the suggestion that substantial profi t. TRINITY NEWS 2 NEWS January 13, 2009

“A voracious reader of “When parents and children around the country “Your team-mates are your best all forms of literature see these, they will fi nd it hard to comprehend friends as well and if I look from biography to why they will now have to pay for these people back now, playing for Trinity... novels which enrich THIS FORTNIGHT granting themselves generous bonuses -- and would have been the most the soul and ease me they’d be right” important year for me.” to sleep at night” - Fine Gael Education Spokesman Brian - Hockey star Ciara Murphy on her - Provost John Hegarty THEY SAID... Hayes on top paid lecturers in Irish days playing with Trinity. outlines his hobbies for universities. his entry into the 2009 “Trinity takes matters of security and the welfare of Who’s Who? “It’s too bad that the York its students and staff most seriously.” Compiled by Deirdre Robertson administration is immune to - Trinity Communications Offi ce commenting on the “If you’re trying to say Trinity Hall isn’t rational requests. They’d current investigation into Piranha! magazine. supporting the cancer society, that’s not the rather spend almost 200 case at all. We want to stand on our own two million dollars on a BS “It is quite clear that the Junior Dean accepts that feet ourselves, and focus on promoting our own 59th birthday party” she has no jurisdiction over what a student editor charity event on Wednesday of Rag Week” “I felt like a f***ing 10 year old” -Scott McIver Thorn on the can print, which make her moves against Piranha! - JCR Ents Offi cer Amy Dunne speaking about her - Former Ents offi cer Ed O’Riordan on his recent strike in York University highly improper” recent run-in with Ed O’Riordan. clash with the JCR which led to him being locked - Former editor of Trinity News, Gearoid O’Rourke on into Halls. ‘I’m on the RAG” the Junior Dean’s attempt to discipline Piranha! editor -The SU Ents slogan that has incited Andrew Booth. the anger of some female students. NUMEROLOGY Pay above max levels Compiled by Deirdre Robertson being addressed. Where unauthorised continued from page 1 SALARIES AND ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCES AND EXPENSES: allowances have come to light, the received remunerations that included HEA, in co-operation with Department BASED ON 2007 FIGURES. bonuses that took their pay packages of Education and Science and Finance, Salary Allowances Expenses €33,500 in excess of recommended levels. has tackled the institutions concerned. Although Provost John Hegarty’s The HEA acknowledges the strong Provost John He- €215,549 €0 €1238 » The cost of the ten new solar powered bins around the Trinity campus. salary and expenses are not above the leadership in education and research garty guidelines, he lives at his residence at 1 that is being provided by the Provost of Secretary Michael €153,280 €9961 €14,478 Grafton Street at Trinity’s expense. His Trinity, John Hegarty”. Gleeson* security and cleaning staff are also paid As recently as last October the HEA Treasurer Grace €153,280 €9961 €3598 for. Dr. Hegarty’s use of the house cost defended pay levels of university heads Dempsey* the college €5093 in 2007. saying they were comparable to chief 500 Senior Lecturer €143,194 €15,864 €10,273 Trinity management has defended all executives of similar sized private- » The expected number of guests at the International Parrot Symposium “additional allowances” and “expenses” sector companies. Colm Kearney* which is to be held in Trinity this June. as “expenses incurred by them in IFUT expressed their disappointment Prof Igor Shvelts €136,034 €43,282 - discharging their duties”. with the fi gures being paid. Joseph Prof Kenneth Wolfe €136,034 €29,331 - Minister for Education Batt O’Keefe Brady, President of IFUT said: “Our said: “My understanding is that there are education system cannot afford these Prof Seamus Martin €143,194 €8,374 - certain restrictions (on how they spend hugely expensive individuals”. IFUT their money). At this point, the matter also issued a statement expressing €123,008 Prof John Coey €136, 034 €26,159 - is being investigated, and let’s see what their disappointment with the HEA’s » The additional allowances of Professor John Boland on top of his comes out of that.” The Comptoller and reluctance to issue the information - Prof Kinston Mills €136,034 €30,895 - €143,194 salary. Auditor General is looking into Trinity’s describing the “secrecy and selectivity Prof John Pethica €143,194 €15,372 - spending of their allocated budget. Mr which attended the award of Prof John Boland €143,194 €123,008 - O’Keefe said he may look at reducing exceptionally high pay to a few chosen funds to Trinity. people.” *Micheal Gleeson, Grace Dempsey and Colm Kearney no longer hold The HEA issued a statement on the The fi ndings of the Oireachtas these positions. Source: Trinity Management, fi gures from 2007 3 matter of remuneration of Trinity staff Committee have yet to be published and obtained under Freedom of Information Act and staff at other universities. “Certain it remains to be seen if Trinity staff will » The number of players Trinity’s under-21 hockey team were short at the matters in this regard are currently be subject to pay cuts. start of their match against Avoca on Sunday 11th January. €2 » The price of the drinks promotions in Tripod that were advertised in a Editor disclipine proscribed CSC email last week. not received any complaints about continued from page 1 this edition of Piranha! However, the has been called to the Junior Dean’s Communications Offi ce told journalists offi ce but is refusing to attend. He has in the Irish Mail that “There have been 800 offered to speak to Dr Stokes informally complaints from internal sources” but has received no response to this. and that the action was a proactive » The number of new listings in this year’s Who’s Who? including Provost When asked to make a comment to measure. of Trinity College John Hegarty. the Irish Mail on Sunday, Mr Booth Speaking on behalf of Dr Stokes, referred to the inside cover of Piranha! Trinity Communications told Trinity which states that all views, comments News “Trinity College withdrew the and articles are opinionated satire publication of Piranha by ensuring that CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS and not meant to be taken seriously. it was removed from circulation and the Piranha! also state in the magazine that future of the publication is currently The vital try in the rugby Colours match was scored by Johnny Iliff, not John it is a member of the Press Council of under consideration. The College Byrne, as we incorrectly reported on page 24 of our issue of November 25. Ireland. cannot comment further on this matter The article which sparked Dr Stokes’ as it is subject to ongoing investigations. summons was a two-page spread titled However, Trinity takes matters of INFORMATION ‘Going Out With A Bang: How To Leave security and the welfare of its students Trinity In Style’ outlining a number of and staff most seriously.” Editor: Martin McKenna potential massacre scenarios around Piranha! was in controversy in Deputy Editor: Anna Stein campus. Trinity Monday, Freshers Week 2006, when it printed a piece entitled Website: Stuart Martin and Last Pav Friday of the Year are all “Stinking sand niggers outraged by Business Manager: Lia Prendergast cited as potential opportunities. Danish slight on their towel-headed Copy Editors: Tom Lowe Catriona Gray, chairman of the religion”. All 1500 copies of the disputed Eleanor Friel DU publications committee that part- issue were collected by college security Kara Furr funds the magazine, said that she had and destroyed within 24 hours. Kiera Healy Ruth Mahony Sarah-Kate Geraghty Photographs: Rachel Kennedy College News: Deirdre Robertson National News: Una Geary International News: Kasia Mychajlowycz News Features: Deirdre Lennon RAG week slogan draws fi re Features: Emily Monk Opinion: Aoife Crowley World Review: Aaron Mulvihill By Deirdre Robertson this week until Friday 16th January. It Travel: Derek Larney College News Editor is a week that concentrates on raising Business: Grace Walsh money for the charities under the Trinity Science: Luke Maishman FEMINISTS HAVE taken a stand Volunteering Opportunities Forum. College Sport: Conor James McKinney against the Students Union this week The fi ve charities involoved are Vincent TN2 Editor: Hugh McCafferty objecting to the ‘derogatory’ slogan of de Paul, Volunteer Tuition Programme, Film: Michael Armstrong RAG week. Student 2 Student, Suas and the Free Music: Steven Lydon Ents Offi cer Nick Longworth and Legal Advice Centre. Fashion: Patrice Murphy Welfare Offi cer Orlaith Foley have A source close to the Ents Offi cer Books: Jean Morley received complaints about the slogan claimed that the College Equality Offi cer Theatre: Kathy Clarke ‘I’m on the rag’ which is featured on had been in touch with Longworth over Art: Caroline O’Leary bright red hoodies, tshirts and stickers the contentious phrase. This, however, Food and Drink: Melanie O’Reilly posted all over campus. could not be confi rmed. Foley commented that a complaint In relation to the complaints that the All Trinity News staff can be contacted at she received objected that the slogan SU have received, Foley said that each fi [email protected]. is derogatory to the female population would be taken very seriously and all of Trinity. Longworth likewise received queries should be addressed to her. She Trinity News is funded by a grant from DU Publications Committee. This two complaints. pointed out that she has already been publication claims no special rights or privileges. Serious complaints It has emerged that the slogan was in touch with Dean of Students Gerry should be addressed to: The Editor, Trinity News, 6 Trinity College, Dub- chosen by a RAG week committee Whyte in order to confi rm that the lin 2. Appeals may be directed to the Press Council of Ireland. composed entirely of male members. SU had not breached the Equal Status Foley insists, however, that she was Acts. Trinity News is a full participating member of the consulted before the decision was A brief survey of Trinity students Press Council of Ireland and supports the Offi ce of fi nalised and that she had no problem indicates a wide variation of opinions on the Press Ombudsman. This scheme in addition to with it going to print. the slogan stretching from indignation defending the freedom of the press, offers readers ‘It was in no way meant to insult or and disgust to hysterical laughter. A a quick, fair and free method of dealing with com- offend anybody’ she said, noting that The back of the RAG week t-shirt. number of students, however, were plaints that they may have in relation to articles that she had asked the opinion of a number merely confused. appear on our pages. To contact the Offi ce of the of other girls before agreeing that the been used was in order to increase the the tshirts are getting such attention Press Ombudsman go to www.pressombudsman.ie wording was not offensive. publicity of RAG week which has not because RAG week needs a lot of “Offensive Ents slogan is a red rag She continued that the reason such been as successful as hoped in previous publicity.’ to a bull” an attention grabbing phrase had years. ‘In fact,’ she added, ‘It’s great that RAG week is running throughout Opinion section, page14 TRINITY NEWS January 13, 2009 NEWS 3 Who’s who? The Provost, that’s who

By Conor Sullivan is noted for his position and lists his occupations open to every educated achievements. These include his man or woman”. The College did not conferral with an honorary doctorate of respond to requests from Trinity News THE PROVOST of Trinity College, John laws from Queen’s University, Belfast, as to which category Dr. Hegarty falls Hegarty, outlines for the ordinary man his founding of Optronics Ireland, and in to. what he gets up to in his spare time in his Professorship in Laser Physics in According to its website, when the 2009 edition of Who’s Who. Trinity. selecting people to include, “Prominent Founded in 1897, Who’s Who is a For those who have ever wondered fi gures in numerous fi elds are considered directory of people worth knowing what the Provost gets up to in his by the [Selection] Board on the basis about, the great and the good and the spare time, each entry includes a short of their continuing achievements, famous. As they put it, the book “aims paragraph on this. We now know that and ultimately selected due to their to list people who through their careers he is a “voracious reader of all forms exceptional pre-eminence.” affect the political economic, scientifi c, of literature from biography to novels The book now contains over 33,000 and artistic life of the country”. An which enrich the soul and ease me to biographies, including 800 new listings appearance in the book apparently sleep at night.” this in this edition, the 161st. Apparently “recognises distinction and infl uence”. On a more active note, his hobbies during the Second World War Churchill Now, none other than Dr. Hegarty has include, “sailing and a love of the power personally intervened to ensure it would been included in the latest edition of the and unpredictability of the sea”. He also be continue to be published. Entries famous book. enjoys cycling “for leisure, especially are for life, and the individual entries The hefty tome, Who’s Who 2009, around West Kerry’. are moved to Who Was Who when the costs over €200. Each profi le page begins The original aim of Who’s Who was, entrants die. with a description of achievements and still is, to recognise people whose Some controversy surrounds the such as qualifi cations and professional “prominence is inherited, or depending publication since the entries are self- positions, before a description of each upon offi ce, or the result of ability which reported, and there has been a tendency entrant’s interests. Provost Hegarty singles them out from their fellows in The Provost meets with US Senator John McCain during his visit to the Phil in 2004. Photo: Matt Pitt of entrants to omit details. CELEBRITY PATRONAGE Catholic ‘Fiery’ Campbell speaks to Phil institute on way? Supermodel Naomi Campbell accosted by anti-fur pro- testers on her way to receive an honorary patronage from the DU Philosophical Society By Thomas Raftery

DUBLIN’S ORIGINAL Protestant academic institution, Trinity College, may well see a Catholic institute of By Lisa Byrne Her criminal record is almost as colourful as technology established here this her career. To date, Campbell has had assault autumn. Negotiations are currently charges brought against her by 5 members of ongoing, and reportedly ‘at an advanced FIERY SUPERMODEL, Naomi Campbell, staff including threatening to push an assistant stage’ between TCD and the Jesuit- paid a visit to the College last month to out of a moving car in ‘98. In ‘05, Campbell controlled Milltown Institute in Dublin. receive an honorary patronage courtesy of the punched Italian actress Yvonne Scio for daring It has come as a surprise to many Philosophical Society. to wear the same dress as the model. Most that University College Dublin (UCD) Arriving 30 minutes late (fashionably), recently, Campbell punched a police offi cer after has rejected a similar proposal from Campbell seemed unfazed by the presence of one of her bags was lost following a fl ight on the Institute. UCD, founded by anti fur campaigners outside of the college. British Airways. Cardinal John Henry Newman in 1851, Having been introduced by Phil President While in Trinity, Campbell spoke on her grew out of the Catholic University of Ruth Faller, Campbell thanked the Society frequent brushes with the law, saying “I feel Ireland. Throughout its history it has and expressed her happiness at being back in terribly ashamed of what I’ve done .. I’ve traditionally been seen as the Catholic Ireland. The model gave an account of her story apologised and I did my community service …” alternative to Trinity, famously founded thus far, discussing her highs, lows and current She then fl ashed a smile adding “in style”. by staunch Protestant Queen Elizabeth charitable activities. Campbell discussed her charity work, which I. Campbell described being spotted by the has mainly focused on the needs of those living A UCD spokesperson has denied head of Synchro Model Agency, Beth Boldt, in Sub Saharan Africa. Campbell’s charity work suggestions that their rejection of the while out shopping. 15 year old Campbell found includes “Fashion for Relief”, a fashion show proposal was routed in their fear that unimaginable success on the catwalk. where the clothes are auctioned off to raise they would once again be labelled as ‘the She went on to star in a number of high money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. In Catholic University’. Senior academics profi le campaigns for the likes of Lee Jeans and 2007, she presented the Live Earth concert in have similarly distanced themselves Ralph Lauren. Shortly before her 16th Birthday, Johannesburg. from this anti-Catholic stance. Campbell graced the cover of ‘Elle’ magazine. As with most aspects in Campbell’s life, A spokeswoman for the university She went on to become the fi rst black cover girl even her charity work has not been without asserted that it had moved on to ‘a more on French ‘Vogue’. Campbell continued to break controversy. Her alliance with human rights mature place where religion and the the mould becoming the fi rst black cover girl for campaigner Nelson Mandela, whom she often past are concerned’. She added that it English ‘Vogue’, and ‘Time’ magazine, amongst affectionately referred to as her ‘grandfather’, was ‘a concoction to suggest that there others. To date, Campbell has appeared on the appeared to come to an end this year. It was had been an anti-Catholic recoil’ at cover of over 500 magazines world wide. reported that Mandela asked to have Campbell’s UCD during the talks with the Milltown Modelling has not been Campbell’s only name removed from his ninetieth birthday party Institute. The same spokeswoman career choice with the model dabbling in acting, list following her most recent conviction of claimed that “Contrary to popular singing and writing along the way. assault. mythology, UCD’s overriding concern Campbell made a number of appearances in When Campbell fi nished speaking she was had been about academic quality” music videos throughout the 1990’s including happy to take questions from the audience. The Milltown Institute, of which 17 George Michael’s “Freedom! ‘90” and Asked about her current relationship with U2 Catholic religious congregations are Madonna’s “Erotica”. She has also appeared in star Adam Clayton, to whom she was engaged trustees, comprises of two entities: a videos for Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Michael Jackson and to in the early 90‘s, Campbell diplomatically recognised college of the NUI (National Nelly to name but a few. answered “I’m very good friends with all my U2 University of Ireland), and a pontifi cal Having had a taste of the music life, Campbell family”. It would certainly appear to be true as faculty. The difference being that the went on to record her own music working with Campbell was accompanied to the event by Ali former half awards its students with the likes of Vanilla Ice and Quincy Jones. Her Hewson, wife of Bono. civil degrees, while the latter awards solo debut album “Baby Woman” was released Asked about her time spent in Ireland, degrees accredited by the Vatican. in 1995 but her chart success did not mirror her Campbell enthusiastically replied that she It offers courses on theology, success on the catwalk. Her single “Love and loved the Irish and surprisingly revealed a Top: Naomi philosophy and spirituality and has Tears” failed to set the chart alight. penchant for Irish takeaways. “I don’t work out regards the become one of Ireland’s leading Campbell’s career choices have led to everyday and when I was here I used to go to fur protes- authorities attracting international controversy at times. In 1994, Campbell set her Abrakebabra”. tors outside students from an estimated 40 countries. sights on the literary world ‘penning’ the novel Perhaps out of relief that Campbell had Trinity. Photo A statement from the Institute said, “Swan”. It later emerged that Campbell did not managed to keep her temper under control Courtesy of where negotiations with Trinity were in fact write the book, claiming she simply didn’t and refrained from throwing her blackberry Showbiz.ie concerned, its trustees wanted ‘to see have the ‘time’ to sit down and write one. at anyone, the 200 audience members gave Right: Phil Catholic Theology in a major university Controversy has followed her onto the the supermodel a round of applause. The president in dialogue with the surrounding catwalk also. After staring in an anti-fur model then strutted out of the auditorium with Barry Devlin culture, in ecumenical dialogue and in campaign for animal rights group PETA in 1997, billionaire property developer and rumoured Sch. attempts dialogue with other religious traditions. Campbell was seen modelling fur coats on the fi ancee Vladislav Doronin back to her home for to retain his This vision is shared by TCD. The Milan catwalks only weeks later. the weekend, the Westbury Hotel. composure preservation of the ethosand identity of the respective partners forms a cornerstone of this alliance’. Music technology course cancelled

By Kasia Mychajlowycz composition, recording and sound the fi nal selection. didn’t exactly have a music technology A notice on the prospective student’s by Trinity is what attracted Mr. Barry in engineering, but who don’t necessarily Conor Barry, a Leaving Cert student stall. I went to the music department, website was then put up to inform the fi rst place. “It isn’t all based around play an instrument. Unlike other music at Gonzaga College, arrived at Trinity and they told me it was cancelled. There students of the change, but further compositional theory, it’s around A NEW course for 2009 entitled “Music courses, the focus was not on becoming College’s Open Day only to fi nd that the were a lot of people like me, and they details could not obtained as Admission computer-based music, and software and music technology” that was offered a profi cient performing musician, but course he was most interested in was no were pissed off about it.” Offi cer Susan Powers is out of College music and I’m really interested in that, to prospective undergraduate students on behind-the-scenes production for When Mr. Barry asked why the course until the end of the week. it’s a hobby of mine, and I thought it in the 2009 prospectus has been the recording arts, television and fi lm. ‘There were a was cancelled, someone from the music A shrinking budget and the fi nancial would be really cool.” cancelled. Students who arrived at the The course was to provide traditional lot of poeple like department told him they were going to crisis may be to blame for the course’s He will still apply for the music course College for Open Day on December 10th lectures on musical history “from Bach me, and there involve more music technology in the cancellation, as the offer of high-tech offered by Trinity, but would prefer the were dismayed and confused on learning to hip hop”, as well as access to “the were pissed off music course that’s already offered. and high-priced equipment in a small music technology courses in Queen’s that the course they had hoped to apply best available equipment” in music about it.’ An administrator at the Admission class setting may have proved too Belfast, or the University of Edinburgh. for, was no longer available. technology. offi ce told Trinity News that his offi ce expensive for a college where some The only other Irish universities to Music and music technology Not only were prospective longer available. He had read about the was informed of the cancellation on class sizes exceed the capacity of their offer music technology, he said, are was meant to be focused on music entrants required to take an entrance goals of the music technology course in December 8th by the head of the Music assigned auditorium. Limerick and Maynooth, but Maynooth theory and composition, offering an examinations, the prospectus reads, the Prospectus, and wanted in. “When I Department, Professor Kevin Rocket, What made this course different requires that students take the course in education to those who wish to pursue interviews were to be conducted before showed up to the Trinity Open Day, they who could not be reached for comment. from the other music courses offered conjunction with another course. TRINITY NEWS 4 NEWS January 13, 2009 SHORT CUTS Phil debators in world quarter fi nals By Caroline O’Leary Faller, a former President of the Jonathan Wyse and Brian O’Beirne, and more than just random argument. Phil, and Healy, the society’s current and novice team “C” Andrew Linn and Debating is people expressing their registrar, were delighted at the success, Shauna Maguire, as well as the 3 teams opinions and articulating their ideas in a FEIDHMCHLAIR TRINITY COLLEGE debating was as well as being the fi rst Trinity team form the Historical society of Niall persuasive manner. College is the perfect given a considerable boost at the recent to reach the knockout stage of the Sherry and Niamh ni Mhaoileoin, Harry time to start learning how to do this, FACEBOOK NOW Cork World Debating Championships, competition since 2005. McEvansoneya and Ciaran Parkin, and and organisations such as The Phil and with the University Philosophical Kiera Healy told Trinity News “Ruth Graham Kelly and Kate Hayes-Brady. The Hist can teach you these valuable AS GAEILGE Society team of Ruth Faller and Kiera and I are so pleased to have reached the Linn and Maguire, who both took life skills along with public speaking, A TRINITY student is leading Healy reaching the quarterfi nals and quarter-fi nals. It feels particularly good part in the Phil Speaks initiative in logical reasoning and confi dence. I’d the initiative to translate becoming the highest placed Irish team as neither of us had any experience school before attending Trinity, had recommend involvement to anyone.” popular networking site, in the competition. debating before coming to college, previously won the novice competition In preparation for the competition, Facebook, into Irish. Faller and Healy broke 9th into the whereas many speakers have been in Cork the previous October and took the teams competed in several Inter Gabriel Beecham, a medical knockout rounds and were one of 6 doing this since secondary school. Less the place of Phil President Barry Devlin Varsity competitions such as those held student in Trinity College is part teams from Trinity College, representing I’m in second year, and had never even and David Maguire who decided to give in Cork, Oxford, UCD and Cambridge. of a consensus group of Irish both the University Philosophical and heard of competitive debating until I them their place to gain experience. At the Cambridge competition Faller speakers who aim to translate College Historical Societies. got involved with the Phil last year. It The competition was ultimately won and Healy reached the fi nal while Wyse the site’s key phrases into Irish. Faller and Ruth’s successed meant feels fantastic, and I hope we have many by Oxford team Will Jones and James and O’Beirne reached the semi-fi nals. Terms such as ‘tag’ and ‘poke’ that they gained the top position in more successes to come.” Dray at the January 3rd fi nals. Jones, Will Jones will giving a workshop on are already as Gaeilge. ‘Poke’ the competition out of all of the Irish The team were joined in the Former Phil president Ruth Faller who regularly runs debating workshops public speaking at The Phil on Thursday is now ‘sonc’ and ‘to tag’ has entries. competition by other Phil teams “A” ranked ninth speaker overall in the GMB, said, “Debate is important 22nd at 11.am. been changed to ‘clib a chur’. Facebook itself has been translated as ‘Feidhmchlair.’ Mr Beecham believes that translating Facebook will help to portray Irish as a modern working language. Similar initiatives are translating the site into Esperanto, Welsh and Afrikaans.

CANCER RESEARCH TRINITY CLOSE TO CANCER CURE TRINITY COLLEGE have joined together with Queens University in a new cancer research initiative. The project aims to develop treatments for the most dangerous forms of cancer. It is one of the fi rst cross-Border projects of this kind. The initiative will cost €1.4m and create 12 new research positions. If focuses on cancers which have the lowest survival The tension rates. builds as The effort began when Professor Queens University found Mike Jones of potential biological targets the School of against cancer cells. Trinity’s Botany guides part is now to use its computer David Atten- modelling system to design borough as completely new drugs that can he opens the exploit these biological targets. Centre of Bio- diversity and Sustainable MALAYSIA Development on December BIDS FOR NON-EU 18. Photo: Katherine STUDENTS Southall TRINITY COLLEGE will attend the Malaysian Star Education Fair for the fi rst time this year in order to encourage Malaysian students to come to the college. Solar powered waste disposal for college The Malaysian Star Education Fair is an annual event in Kuala Lampur By Jelena Ivanovic have currently freed from three to tree- whereas daily emptying is required are at, yellow implying that compaction which includes universities Deputy College News Editor and-a-half hours per day for grounds for all the other bins. However, has taken place and red that emptying from all over the world. staff. the real test will be the summer is required. Compaction takes 41 Malaysian students are THEIR BIGBELLYS arrived before The original US design was months which are the peak seconds but the bin can still be offered the opportunity to Christmas 2008 and can be seeen dotted customised especially for Trinity rubbish season. used whilst this is taking speak to representatives around Fellows’ Square. Not your to include a cigarette receptacle. At €3,350 each and place. from international colleges. average trash can, Trinity College have According to Grounds and Gardens costlier than their cast iron Speaking to Trinity Institutions that want to invested in 10 innovative solar powered Supervisor David Hackett there are counterparts by nearly News, Mr. Devereux noted advertise at the fair have rubbish bins at a cost of €3,500 each. plans to extend them to the whole €500, the bins involve less that four hours of daylight to ballot for booths at the Kyron Power and Energy distributes campus if they prove a success. Mr maintenance and improved are required to power the fair. Trinity College have the bins around Ireland. According Hackett said he is always on the look out hygiene through complete 12-hour battery life, which successfully gained a booth to Marketing manager Dominick for improvements to the waste facilities enclosure of rubbish, can then power the bin for 28 alongside nine other Irish Devereux, the rubbish bin is essentially and had seen the bins whilst travelling Their capacity is fi ve days, effectively meaning that institutions. a mini compactor that is 80% more abroad. times greater than they are always charged. Executive secretary of effi cient than a normal rubbish bin. The bins are an environmentally regular bins, Trinity College was Enterprise Ireland, Sabrina Ng The battery to power the compactor friendlier alternative to the average cast A series of three fi rst roll out the BigBelly in told Malaysian press that she mechanism is fully chargable by solar iron bins that are also used at Trinity, lights – green, yellow Ireland and was fast followed by would be promoting business, energy making them self-suffi cient. and better adhere to new health and and red, alert their Dublin City Council. Orders have IT, engineering and hospitality Maintenance involves an oil and battery safety regulations for staff. They are owner to what since come from Tramore, Bray, degrees in Ireland. check every six months. The solar bins at present emptied every three days, fcapacity they Naas and Cavan, confi rms Kyron.

YOUR VIEW

WHAT DID YOU MATTHIEU HUOT SARAH CRAMER DARREN KEOGH ALAN FARRELL RACHEL KAVANAGH SS CIVIL ENGINEERING JS PHILOSOPHY JS ECONOMICS & SF FRENCH & DRAMA PHD GEOGRAPHY THINK OF THE POLITICS My instant reaction is that it’s a SLOGAN I’m not sure. I probably don’t I don’t think it’s that offensive. I think it’s disgraceful. The bit tasteless. Obviously it’s been get it because I am French, it’s a I’ve certainly seen worse things I think student societies often person who permitted this set thought up by a boy! “ON THE RAG” ? slang joke lost on me! on T shirts. use slogans like this to grab back the course of feminism attention. It’s not that bad - just by centuries. Where can I get another failed attempt to catch one of the hoodies? To burn, of our notice. course... TRINITY NEWS January 13, 2009 NEWS 5 SHORT No love for Trinity parrots CUTS

By Sarah Rose Montague the result of his appeal is announced, all of the birds have been removed and set up in temporary residence with USI FEES PROTEST MOST PEOPLE have heard of drugs other breeders. and arms being smuggled on the Despite a personal interest ‘GOVERNMENT black market, but an international in various species of birds, Kidd symposium being held in Trinity decided to concentrate the upcoming PANIC’ College this summer hopes to highlight symposium solely on parrots. He says something very different that is also that ‘parrots from around the world THE CAMPAIGNS offi cer of the prevalent on the black market: parrots. constitute the greatest percentage of Union of Students in Ireland The fi rst International Parrot smuggled animals’. He adds that the said the organisation’s aim is Symposium is being held in the college main reason for the symposium is ‘to that the Government “starts in June of this year and will host 16 highlight the need for protection of panicking” over its plans to keynote speakers from all over the endangered species both in the wild introduce student fees. David world. Experts in the fi eld will address and in captivity’, by educating people Curran made the comment at a issues such as conservation in the wild, and raising money for conservation. public meeting in TCD shortly breeding and conservation in captivity The event, which hopes to attract before the end of the last term. and behaviour of parrots in a series of approximately 500 people from all He also revealed the union’s lectures. over the world with a similar interest plans on the issue for the The organizer of the event, Mr. in parrots, is the fi rst of its type coming months. Jerry Kidd, claims that the ‘smuggling in Northern Europe. The host of Aside from the national of endangered animals is the third quest for permission to retain his to the suburbs of Dublin for years, allowed to retain a smaller and reduced speakers includes world-renowned demonstration on fees on largest black market in the world’ collection of rare and endangered birds but some of his neighbours are not aviary. child-psychologist Susan Friedman, February 4th, USI plans to and within this, parrots are the most despite complaints from his Terenure too impressed with these particular The aviary, located in the large who has applied her expertise to parrot encourage as many students commonly smuggled animal. Through neighbours. sounds of nature and have issued back garden of his house in Terenure, behaviour because their mental ability to vote in the upcoming the symposium Mr. Kidd hopes to bring Mr. Kidd has been breeding noise complaints to the council. The had previously received planning is apparently similar to that of a three local elections as possible. attention to this rather unusual side of different species of birds for the past birdcalls at sunrise and sunset are permission back in 1998 and had to four year old human child. The protest is to be explicitly the criminal underworld. 30 years. He declared he ‘had a love evidently unwelcome alarm clocks for been inspected by the Health Services Accordingly, Kidd is concerned for related to the forthcoming In addition to the international for birds since I was about 12 years old’ many of the residents. Executive. his own birds and the distressing effect local elections, and registering problem, Mr. Kidd, hopes that the Mr. Kidd’s bird collection, including Mr. Kidd’s request to renew the Now, in order to remove the noise that their displacement may have on students to vote was “very event will bring attention to his own six pairs of macaws and Australian planning permission of his aviary was objection, Mr. Kidd has said that he is their mental wellbeing. ‘The whole important” in this regard said personal battle of bird preservation. parakeets as well as parrots, have been rejected due to these noise complaints. ‘willing to reduce the number of birds thing has been very stressful for them,’ Curran. He has gained recent publicity in his been bringing a bit of tropical colour He is now making an appeal to be and remove some of the loudest’. Until he commented. USI also plans a Student Activist Summit, held most likely at a DIT campus in the near future. The aim is to teach the skills needed for Future uncertain for Lincoln Place watering hole effective campaigning, and it is estimated that between 400 and 500 people will take part. question the future of The Lincolns pay him. The process of examinership By Rory O’Connor By Jelena Ivanovic Inn and of other notable drinking provides court protection for the Deputy College News Editor holes operated by the group such group’s operations from creditors while as, The Bailey, Ron Blacks and The they try to restructure debts and save HONORARY DEGREES THE FUTURE of the Lincolns Inn pub is Harbourmaster. their business. uncertain due to the extensive fi nancial Paul Managn, The Director of The pub, situated at 18/19 Lincoln ATTENBOROUGH diffi culties of the Thomas Read group. Trinity’s Buildings’ Offi ce confi rmed Place, has been of interest to Trinity Rent payments to Trinity College that they had “initiated legal action students since its lease was offered for AND PRATCHETT are outstanding on the lease held by the arising from the non-payment on sale in 2004 amid speculation that the Thomas Read group for the Lincolns Inn rental,” but noted that no attempts were Students Union might take over the TERRY PRATCHETT and David pub. The Group had bought the lease made to enter the premises, as had been premises. Attenborough have both been for the Trinity owned premises in 2006 reported in some national press. The Thomas Read group operate a awarded honorary degrees by and with the College and Dublin City He added “The College is hopeful total of 22 bars, mainly in Dublin City Trinity College. Council, undertook renovations which that the examinership will lead to Centre and all eight of the bars at The acclaimed author, saw the pub re-open in early 2007 with appropriate restructuring of the Dublin Airport. The groups combined Terry Pratchett has sold more a traditional and student-friendly feel. fi nancial position of the Thomas Read debt stands at over €26m, with the main than 55million copies of his The dispute came to light when group for the benefi t of its creditors and creditors including Diageo Ireland, satirical works and has also national press reported that Trinity in order that its various components, Heineken and Britvic C&C. €15m of its given signifi cant donations for agents were seeking to reenter the including the Lincolns Inn, will continue Lincoln’s Inn, owned by Thomas Reads group. Photo: Martin McKenna debt is owed to ACC bank, a subsidiary of Alzheimer’s research, a disease premises. The Director of Buildings for trade.” Rabobank – coincidently the dutch bank which he himself has. Offi ce subsequently denied this. Trinity College is just one of the many Ltd, the parent company of Sharmane managing director of Sharmane Ltd, also implicated in the Enron Scandal in Attenborough was awarded The Thomas Read group, better creditors awaiting to hear the outcome Ltd and 14 related companies, known took an injuction against his employers the early 2000s. the degree for his signifi cant known for its considerable bar portfolio of the application for examinership collectively as the Thomas Read group. after he was told his position was being The Thomas Read group did not contribution to natural history around the capital, ended 2008 with which was brough to the Hight Court The story began to unravel in made redundant. In actual fact, the respond to requests for a statement on and broadcasting. a fi le for examinership, bringing into on 28 November 2008 by Guernville October 2008, when Mark Leavey, the company could no longer afford to the matter.

ExperienceExperience something newnew inin thethe Old Old LibraryLibrary

The Trinity Library Shop

The Library Shop opening hours are: 9.30 – 5.00 Monday to Saturday 12.00 – 4.30 Sundays Email:[email protected] http://www.tcd.ie/Library/Shop TRINITY NEWS 6 NATIONAL NEWS January 13, 2009 SHORT CUTS UCC test-drives iPhone hitchking app

By Aine Pearl Pennello identifying PIN numbers. The journey driver and passenger alike. itself is paid by the passenger via the While Mr. O’Sullivan admits it will ENERGY web. The application works much like a take drivers used to the solo commute STEPHAN KOCH, commuter plan taxi service with the passenger charged some time to give up their private space, €5M FUNDING manager at UCC, plans to test what he 30 cents per mile, 85% of which goes to he hopes that reduced transportation calls “computer-driven hitchhiking” the driver to cover petrol costs with the costs offered by the system will act as a FOR NUIG CENTRE early this year. Avego, based in remaining 15% to Avego. big incentive. “It will require behaviour Kinsale, has developed a new iPhone Mr. Koch hopes the system, in changes on the part of the drivers and NUI GALWAY’S newly application, which will allow drivers conjunction with public transport and riders”, he says. However similar iPhone established Energy Research and potential hitchhikers to meet cycling, will ease congestion for UCC applications such as Carticipate, have Centre has been granted up in a safe manner while helping commuters. With 17, 000 students and caught on quickly with both drivers and €5 million in initial research to reduce traffi c congestion. The 2, 600 staff, “the road capacity simply hitchhikers alike. Carticipate, released in funding. The centre which aims system, explains managing director isn’t there” ,Mr. Koch says. In a study it October 2008, has already had 10, 000 to become a hub for energy Sean O’Sullivan, works like so: a was found that 70% of UCC’s staff and downloads. Hendrik Hilbolling of the research in Ireland anticipates driver who is willing to offer a lift 36% of the university’s students use a Netherlands uses Carticipate instead of fi lling up to 20 research and must download Avego’s application car to go to and from campus daily. Mr. the train to see his girlfriend in France. development positions in 2009. from the web, map out their route and Koch hopes that by using Avego, staff Hendrik enjoys the system’s economical The centre’s director, Prof destination and then place their iPhone and students alike can reduce these value as well as the companionship such Vincent O’ Flaherty believes on the dashboard of their car. The daily single-occupancy commutes, applications offer, having shared one of in a “holistic approach”, iPhone records the driver’s route and meaning less traffi c on the road and less his recent journeys with a fi lm director, which focuses on education sends it to the Avego network which will competition in the car park. “This is a nice ride” he says, “we can and outreach in addition to then insert pick-up locations for hopeful The application and others like it talk, and this way is much cheaper”. progressive research. He passengers. While drivers must possess allow the driver to offer a ride without envisages clear opportunities an iPhone to use the service, passengers the pressures and dependency of For more information you can visit for Ireland in this critical fi eld do not. Passengers can fi nd a ride by committing to regular carpooling. S/ Avego’s website, www.avego.com which integrates “science- texting, calling or using the Avego he also has the ultimate freedom of or do it the student way and check driven understanding website. Once the passenger fi nds their choosing when, to where and with whom out their video on www.youtube. with engineering-based desired route and is accepted by the to offer a ride even whilst on route. The com. The iPhone application is now implementation”. Potential for driver, s/he can identify the driver (and photographs and PIN numbers ensure available from the Avego website as new approaches extends from vice versa) through photographs and The software to facilitate car pooling commuters will run on Apple’s iPhone. an increased level of safety for both the a free beta download. electricity-producing micro- organisms to smarter wind power. Researchers from Teagasc, the Marine Institute, partner universities and other international bodies will collaborate with the centre dedicated to Energy research. Recession It is widely believed that Ireland needs to upscale energy research and take a more co-ordinated approach nationally if it wishes to secure a leading role in this vital sector, where future economic growth hits public is guaranteed. Lillian O’ Sullivan FEES sector “BIGGEST STUDENT PROTEST EVER” Cowen seeks to allay fears of public sector THE UNION of Students in Ireland is planning what is pay cuts amid massive job losses in the mid- described as “the biggest mass protest Ireland has ever seen” west, reports Kate O’Regan in Dublin on February 4th next. Dell’s plant in Limerick, now closed. This action is in opposition to the proposed reintroduction HE DOWN-WARD spiral As almost 2,000 job losses across bring benefi ts” he said. we need to be prepared to look at new issued a warning that there is no quick of third level fees in the Irish of the Irish economy took Ireland were announced this week - the Before Christmas, Brian Cowen ways to provide the services the public fi x solution to the economic turmoil of education system and the a dramatic turn this week hardest hit being Limerick, with the attended the announcement of Building need in the most effi cient and effective recent months. proposed increase in the when the Dell plant in elimination of 1,900 jobs - Mr Cowen Ireland’s Smart Economy: A Framework manner. We must focus spending on Speaking to the Irish Times ahead registration fee for students. Limerick announced the called for a realistic outlook in these for Sustainable Economic Renewal areas of greatest priority and reduce of his meeting, he made a sobering These reforms, which would Taxing of 1,900 jobs. This followed a call uncertain times. Referring to the global in Dublin Castle. In his speech at the sharply those activities which are not declaration that it could take up to fi ve see the registration fee rise earlier in the week by Taoiseach Brian fi scal crisis, the Taoiseach was adamant event Mr Cowen stated that “we will essential.” years to return the Irish economy to a to €1,500, have recently been Cowen for the Irish public to join him that the best approach in these times is have to come through this (recession)”. Mr. Cowen also placed an emphasis state of equilibrium. proposed by minister for and his government in their cost-saving versatility. He went on to say that it is up to the on the need for a highly skilled and Meanwhile the crushing news of job Education Batt O’Keefe. measures. “We are in a recession. The fact that Irish workforce to come through it fl exible workforce in order to ensure a losses has hit the mid west of Ireland The last few months Speaking to the Irish Times, Brian it is such a global recession makes it in a creative manner. Confi rming vibrant economy for the future. hard. Once a hub of multinational have been dominated by Cowen defended his party’s line on harder because we depend on selling his economic vision for the future of However while Mr. Cowen and the software production, the technology controversy regarding these the worsening economic crisis, “We into these markets”. He continued to Tanaiste Mary Coughlan made their bubble appears to have fi nally burst, in proposed increases. There have indicated to the public what the push for a more versatile outlook in Taoiseach calls way to China for trade talks, Finance Limerick at least. have been student protests strategic strengths of the economy are”. terms of industry, claiming “a switch of for skilled Minister Brian Lenihan was left to Dell announced late last week that and blockades of ministerial He asked the Irish people to support the emphasis may be needed”. workforce to weather the storm of controversy it intended to migrate all production visits in many campuses across government’s initiative and strive for a With the loss of so many jobs in tackle economic surrounding proposed cut-backs in the of computer systems for customers in the country. This includes spirit of innovation in the public sector. one week, it comes as no surprise that crisis public sector. Europe, the Middle East and Africa to forcing Minister of State Conor While attempting to allay the fears unemployment hit a ten year high of Speculation surrounding the Poland. While it promised competitive Lenihan to withdraw from of the Irish peoples, Mr Cowen insisted 8.3% in December. The Taoiseach’s Ireland he stated,“When this is over planned cut-backs include cuts of severance packages for its affected attending a debate hosted that tough measures would have to be words were of limited comfort to those there will be a new economic order and between 5 and 10 per cent in the public workers the loss of almost 2,000 jobs by the University of Dublin’s taken to withstand the stormy seas struck off the pay roll and to those I want Ireland to be positioned to take sector. These cuts will most likely be looks set to impact greatly on the local Literary and Historical Society of recession. In the short term, he entering the job market. However he full advantage of the opportunities that instigated through redundancies, non- economy. on 12th November last. indicated that cuts would have to be encouraged people to focus on the will be presented.” replacement of retiring staff and actual Mr. Cowen described the proposed Trinity College’s Students’ made across the public sector, including positive economic climate of the last 12 Maintaining a positive outlook he pay cuts. The salary decreases would out sourcing of production as a major Union has sent an email to the health service. years. spoke of fi rst-class infrastructures and target public service workers who earn blow to the mid west. students asking them to come He expressed a need for effi cient cost Outlining the government’s plans, the ‘best tax deals’. Yet he issued a word over 40,000 euro. It also comes as a major blow to out and protest on the day. saving measures that did not jeopardize Mr Cowen suggested that investment of caution to those in the public sector, Cutbacks in the public sector the leader and his party. His words at James Arthurs the most vulnerable in society. However in education, research and development suggesting that cuts in the sector would seem more inevitable now, as the the announcement for a sustainable recent cuts in the health service and would pave the way for a more stable be essential to ensure a more effi cient unemployment rate is set to increase economic renewal last month will do education have been met with some future. “We believe it is a worthwhile service. further. While Mr Cowen prepares little to ease the sobering reality of those HEALTH resistance from those affected. investment for the country that will “Particularly in the public service, for talks with the social partners, he recently laid off. RISE IN FLU-LIKE ILLNESSES A SHARP nationwide increase in seasonal reports of infl uenza-like illnesses (ILI) Oxford wins debating fi nal in Cork has recently been reported by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). By Fearghus Brian Roulston & that it is the only time in the year when DEBATABLE FACTS The HPSC is Ireland’s specialist Caroline O’Leary universities in both the northern and agency for the surveillance of southern hemisphere are on holidays » UCC have history in the com- communicable diseases. Its 6 TEAMS from 308 entries from more simultaneously. petition, winning it once in calculations are based on data than 40 countries who visited UCC to After the gruelling group stages, 32 1986, and hosting it previously gathered from a network of 54 take part in the 29th World Universities teams were chosen for the knockout in 1995. GPs across the country. Debating Championship this month. rounds, before a fi nal four teams The College Health With more than a thousand delegates competed in the fi nal on January 3rd. » The competition is judged by Service (CHS), following a visiting the campus, the economic boost The teams were only informed of the a panel drawn from more than previous recommendation to the Cork economy is estimated to motion on which they would debate 300 adjudicators. made by the World Health be as high as two million Euros. Conor fi fteen minutes before the event. Organisation, temporarily Healy, the Cork Chamber of Commerce The victorious Oxford team were » Among the guests at the fi nals offered a vaccination service to chief executive, was pleased with the presented with a Waterford Crystal were the president of UCC, staff and students, which was additional revenue brought in by the replica of the Sam Maguire cup after Dr Michael Murphy, and vice made available from Monday competition, and its potential to raise standing in opposition to the motion president for the Student September 29 for eight weeks. the global profi le of Cork. “Education “That this house would allow abortion Experience, Con O’Brien. Despite the recent HPSC tourism would generally be fairly low at all stages of pregnancy”. Mr Jones, fi ndings, there are no offi cial at this time of year, so it’s a welcome The Worlds fi nal at Cork City Hall. Photo: Caroline O’Leary 22, studies politics at Balliol College. plans on behlaf of the CHS to boost to the economy in that sense. But He said that although their experience Bangkok. Both of the winners were full renew its vaccination service. it’s also of benefi t in raising the profi le Japan, Australia and Korea. Mark then that decision was ratifi ed last year debating together in previous events of praise for the organising committee However, it is still provisionally internationally of UCC and Cork as a Collins, director of registration and at Bangkok in Thailand – so it’s a great had helped, the motion was diffi cult to in Cork and the standard of debate able to continue the service conference destination and that’s very communication for the event, felt that honour,” Mr Collins said. discuss. “We knew it would be very hard they encountered. Ireland was well- while its stocks of the vaccine positive for the region.” Cork was honoured to have been chosen The event has increased competing in the world championships represented this year with six teams last. The cost is €15 for studnts, Hosted by the university’s Law to host the annual event. unrecognisably in scale in the past few and we had a couple of lucky shots and from University College Dublin, six from and €30 for staff members. and Philosophical Society, the event “University College Cork was years with up to 78 debates before the here we are.” Trinity, three from NUI Galway, two Hussein Sarhan is the largest academic competition selected to host the competition by the knockout stages. The decision to hold The two politics students had from DCU and two from UL. However, in the world. It attracted teams from World Universities Debating Council the competition over the Christmas/ previously won the event in Vancouver, it was Oxford that left with the trophy all over the globe, including the US, at Vancouver in Canada in 2006 and New Year’s break stems from the fact before missing out on last year’s fi nal in this year. TRINITY NEWS January 13, 2009 INTERNATIONAL NEWS 7 Two month strike, no end in sight Global Campus

York University in Toronto, Canada, has halt- COLORADO, USA TEENS READY FOR REAL WORLD ed classes since Nov. 8th due to a union strike. DESPITE THE current economic climate, a new bank is preparing to opens it’s doors this year in Neither side is conceding, and meanwhile Carbondale, Colorado. However this is no ordinary bank – the staff won’t even have graduated from students “put their lives on hold” and wait high school. Non-profi t organization Computers-for-kids, based in Carbondale, is helping high school By Kasia Mychajlowycz Tyler Shipley calling the offer “a step students from the area set up their own exclusively International News Editor back”. student-run bank. The organization has already The Toronto Star reported that converted an old school building in the town 50,000 UNDERGRADUATE students in the offer included better job security into a business centre for the students, featuring Toronto, Cananda have not been in class through more tenured positions, and a new school.” emphasized that the site’s intention is Student-led conference rooms, fl at-screen televisions and cyber- for 2 months, with some specualtion 0.7% increase in wages through benefi ts York has announced that there to be a forum for students. organisation cafes. They hope that running a bank will give the as to whether they will be able to such as childcare from previous offers. will be no reading week, a week-long, “Our group is for the student voice, Yorknothos- students a chance to learn how to manage their complete their courses at all this year. According to labour laws in Ontario, campus-wide break in February, and we try not to censor anybody unless it’s tage.com money. York University, located on a sprawling employees can demand that the Ministry that summer and fall exams will be on really offensive,” she told Trinity News staged a Christ- The venture was developed between Computers- campus just shy of the city’s northern force union members to vote on one compressed schedules this year and in a phone interview. As for the forced mas-themed for-kids and Alpine bank, who have set aside a limits, has been locked in a battle with offer during each bargaining round; in next to try and compensate for lost vote by the Ministry, she explains that demonstration $25,000 grant to get the bank started. The students a union representing the 3,400 faculty 2001, the same union went on strike for time. The school year could also stretch the union supporters “feel it takes away in fronf of themselves will run it, and groups from the local members, teaching assistants and 11 weeks, and forced elections brought into the summer, which would interfere their rights as a union, but we’ve been the Provincial high schools are determining all of the products graduate researchers who walked off about the agreement that ended that with Levy’s nursing placements, a waiting as students with no voice and Legislature in and marketing strategies. The bank will most likely the job on November 8th due to failed dispute. Alex Bilyk, spokesperson for requirement for her degree, and would no say and they hadn’t even started Queen’s Park, keep student hours, and will offer saving accounts renegotiations of their contract with the York, said that the administration was make pursuing a higher education negotiation until last week. I don’t know Toronto. Photo: and debit cards. Kirsten McDaniel, executive university’s administration. that much more diffi cult for the many how much longer we’re meant to wait.” Yorknothos- director of Computers-for-kids has been helping Among the demands of the members “I can no longer students who rely on summer jobs to As for accusations that the group tage.com students to develop the project. She notes that of the Canadian Union for Public aimlessly wait fi nancially carry them through the is anti-union, Divaris says, “We’re a already the students have made some interesting Employees local 3903 is an extension of for York to academic year. neutral group. We think both sides are insights into youth banking - they don’t support the part-time contracts from eight months fi gure out what A few students have set up a group to blame.” idea of giving out credit cards, feeling that young to fi ve years, a 10% wage increase across they are doing.” called Yorknothostage.com, which Despite the interruption to their people won’t be able to manage them properly. the board, and a promise of more full- -Amy Levy, BScN also has a Facebook group called the school year, many students are backing McDaniel believes the venture will teach students time tenured positions for faculty to Anti-Strike group. Their website reads the union and their right to strike, and about key concepts in the banking world such as replace those who will be retiring in the forced to make this move after the offer that this they represent the 4,000 oppose any back-to- work rules from compound interest, as well as helping them set their near future. was rejected, and no counterproposal students who have signed their petition the provincial legislature. They are own fi nancial goals. She hopes that the experience Job security is a major part of the was forthcoming. “We have students demanding an immediate resolution with union workers at the picket line, will help them make better choices in life. union’s platform, but perhaps the most out there who have put their lives on to the strike, and has issued an open and also support them by voicing their Caitriona Murphy contentious demand is that this contract hold for two months already,” he said letter to Labour Minister Peter Fonseca frustration with the administration’s lasts 2 years, so that its expiration will as he announced what the media have to hold the forced vote at the earliest priorities. coincide with other university unions been calling York’s “surprise move”. opportunity. “It’s too bad that the York in the province of Ontario, creating Amy Levy, a 3rd year Nursing (BScN) Co-founder Catherine Divaris, a administration is immune to rational UNIVERSITY GRENBOLE, FRANCE the possibility of a province-wide strike student at York, is one of those students 5th year Kinesiology student, was requests. They’d rather spend almost that would bolster unions’ bargaining who has had her life ‘on hold’ along with helping to prepare a “shot-gun rally” 200 million dollars on a BS 59th birthday TRINITY STUDENT ABROAD power. her studies. Because she couldn’t know for November 10th, 2 days after the party for the university than [sic] fund Most recently, the university when the strike was going to end, she strike started, when she met the other the producers of knowledge and wealth SUNDAY. APART from the optional extra of going administration has made a move to end has held off on getting a job, hoping co-founder of Yorknothostage.com in the school,” writes Scott McIver to mass, Sunday in Ireland is virtually like any other the strike in the next week by calling the strike would have been long over by Lyndon Koopmans and other students Thorn, a 4th year Political Science and day of the week. Grafton Street still swarms with on the Ontario Ministry of Labour week 11. who would eventually made up the Social and Political Thought student at tourists and window shoppers, closing time in the to supervise a forced vote by union Now, she says, she is “currently group. When asked about the content York. “I REALLY hope there is some pubs and nightclubs of the city will see the typical members on their latest offer, which looking for work because I can no longer of the Facebook sight, which includes REAL negotiation SOON.” Thorn’s amount of worse for wear students staggering into they made public last Wednesday, and spend my days aimlessly waiting for photos of graffi ti on campus giving lewd Facebook status: “Fair Wages, Job Abrakebabra. It didn’t take too long to discover which the union tabled without bringing York to fi gure out what they are doing. names to the teaching assistants and Security and Quality Education for the that things aren’t quite the same chez les Francais it to a vote, with CUPE spokersperson Not to mention, I am also looking for a other union members on strike, she New Year!” however. These hardworking people, who toil for 35 hours every week (with only a measly 2 hour lunch to break the monotony of their day), take the commands of our Lord to a new level on the Sabbath. Everything is shut. If you want cigarettes or a newspaper, then get yourself out of bed before noon in order to take the brief window of High Point Uni Proposed ban of opportunity when the tabacs (French newsagents) open for business. As for milk and bread, a failure to prepare on Saturday afternoons means a bleak and hungry end to the week. As you’ve probably guessed, I’m writing this on a now smoke-free Israeli scholars Sunday. And yes I’m hung-over. After some terrifying experiences of trying to survive the boredom of Sunday afternoons in a state of sobriety, we quickly decided that the best tactic is to go out on the razz on Saturday nights and sleep right through the next day. It’s slightly depressing that Monday mornings have now become something we almost look forward to, but us Irish aren’t the only ones affected - whole books have been written on the subject by bored and disillusioned frenchies themselves. But I digress. There are six other days in the week, and France hasn’t turned out to be all that bad. Us Erasmus students are treated a bit like mentally-challenged aliens - 12 hours of classes per week, a distinct lack of homework and foolproof guides to passing the exams posted online. As for the language barrier, although some animated lecturers have proved quite diffi cult to follow (we managed to achieve the impressive feat of sitting in the wrong tutorial for more than an hour during the fi rst week) le Francais has improved, although with By Jennifer Doyle Point, Gail Tuttle, has welcomed the decision By Caitriona Murphy There has also been a strong backlash from our class encompassing students from Germany, Staff Writer to introduce the ban, saying that it refl ects Deputy International News Editor the Jewish community, with many labeling Holland, Britain, Norway, USA, Canada, China and the desires of students living on campus who CUPE as ‘bigoted’ and ‘anti-Semitic’. Ryan even Turkey, English has become the common FROM JUNE 1st this year, High Point want ‘a living situation that is conductive DURING THE past weeks the world has been sparked further debate by making an analogy language of communication. Whether this is a University in North Carolina will introduce a to healthy choices and clean air.’ Rachael exposed to increasingly shocking reports comparing the Israeli bombings of a Gaza blessing (for our sanity) or a curse (on our learning) ban on all tobacco products throughout the Parker, a sophomore at the university, is from the crisis in the Gaza strip. With a university to book-burnings during the Nazi I’ve yet to decide. campus. A small private liberal arts college delighted with the ban, saying that ‘there cease-fi re looking increasingly unlikely, one regime. However many Canadian scholars So with Sundays and class time taken care of, with an attendance of 2760 students, HPU won’t be cigarette butts’ spoiling the campus workers union in Canada has taken a drastic have argued that though unfair, the ban is what does an Erasmus student in France do for the has decided to introduce the ban on smoking any more. measure – to ban all Israeli academics from not anti-Semitic. Michael Neumann of Trent other 132 hours every week? Well, if you’re a lycra- and chewing tobacco after conducting a In 1993, North Carolina State law banned speaking, teaching or research work in University stated that that in these extreme loving weirdo like myself, you join the local cycling survey in March last year. The survey, which smoking in all state run buildings and in Ontario universities. Sid Ryan, president circumstances, the proposal is ‘reasonable club. Although it’s hardly the best sport for the street was completed online by over 1000 students, 2007, the legislature deemed it legal that of the Ontario arm of the Canadian Union and perhaps justifi ed’. He argued that “It cred, it passes the time, and with Grenoble dubbed showed that almost 70% were in favor of schools should be allowed to institute a ban of Public Employees (CUPE) has this week targets Israeli, not Jewish, professors,” and “the capital of the Alps” the scenery is spectacular. banning all tobacco products from being on smoking in areas up to 100 feet away announced that the union will seek to pass is therefore not anti-Semitic. Mira Sucharov, For normal people however, the common student used on campus. This decision has recently from school buildings. Bennet College was a motion banning Israeli scholars from a professor at Carleton University, agreed hobby of alcohol consumption does exist over here been upheld unanimously by the university’s the fi rst such college to enact the law and universities in the area. He stated that the that the proposal is not anti-Semitic but that as well - even if the locals haven’t yet managed to Board of Trustees and the process of making others have followed suit, with High Point only way the ban would be lifted would be it is unacceptable -”Excluding someone is reach the level of perfection as the Irish. Bars close the campus smoke free will begin in June at University being the 21st to do so. It has if the scholars explicitly condemned Israel’s fundamentally against the entire enterprise at a measly half-one every night, and although clubs the end of the academic year. been a success in many of the other colleges actions in the Gaza strip - “We are ready to of academia.” generally stay open until fi ve, you have to take out The process will begin with the rezoning and according to Kathy Carstens, Director say Israeli academics should not be on our This is not the fi rst time that controversy a mortgage just to pay the entrance fee, let alone of designated smoking areas and removal of Student Health Services at Greensboro campuses unless they explicitly condemn surrounding Israel and Canadian universities get a drink. Cue the recession-time tactic of loading of smoking paraphernalia such as ashtrays. College, the ban prepares students for the university bombing and the assault on has occurred. Currently, prestigious centres up on unbelievably cheap supermarket beer before On September 1st, when the students return a work environment where smoking is Gaza in general,” In 2006 CUPE boycotted of learning such as the University of Ottawa even considering venturing out. after the summer break, they will fi nd fi nes prohibited. The majority of colleges who all Israeli goods in a protest against the and the University of Toronto host an annual ‘ So it’s three months into Erasmus and its going and sanctions in place for those caught have introduced the smoking ban have ‘apartheid’ wall. Israeli Apartheid Week’ – a weeklong festival assez ok. France has its pitfalls (did I mention smoking on campus -this includes smoking also offered classes to help their staff and However it would seem that not even of anti – Israel speeches and programs. Last Sundays?) but it also has it’s advantages. There’s in cars parked within the college confi nes. students beat tobacco addiction. High Point the Palestinians are in agreement with the year the festival created such problems that no snow yet, but skiing is only a month away. Until The result of these measures is that students is following suit, offering smoking cessation opinionated organization. The Palestinian 125 of the University of Toronto professors then... and staff who wish to smoke will be forced to classes in spring and autumn of 2009 to Al-Quds University in Jerusalem condemned took out an advertisement in the national Domhnall O’ Sullivan leave the campus in order to do so. help the student’s transition to a smoke free the ban, stating that it wished to ‘build paper condemning the University’s support The Vice-President of student life at High environment. bridges not walls’ with Israeli scholars. of the week. TRINITY NEWS 8 NEWS FEATURE January 13, 2009 Count me in: your guide

There have never been more opportunities to spend some time volunteering. The ex- perince can very rewarding, as this week’s SUAS at home and abroad

RAG Week will prove, writes Niall Walsh OTH SUAS (St Connell’s not be fair to say the same about the typically Transition Year students, in School) and the Vincent work that Trinity students are doing creative, technology-mediated projects, SUAS T’S THAT time of year again. the Saint Vincent De Paul Society was De Paul (St Enda’s and St. with secondary school students. Both mentored by volunteers from the The t-shirts have arrived, created by a student in nineteenth Audeons Schools) send Suas and Vincent De Paul help out at Dublin based student Suas societies. » Suas runs diverse projects people are getting ready to lose century France, Frederic Ozanam, volunteers almost every refugee centres in the city centre, and The programme trains its volunteers such as the Bridge to College items of clothing in exchange numerous initiatives, such as the Bday of the week to Homework Club’s provide help and assistance to Leaving with the necessary technology before (B2C), Refugee mentoring for money and dignity, and of Voluntary Tuition Program and Suas, in primary schools located in the city and Junior Cert students who are living they begin mentoring so don’t worry if, and Homework Club among Icourse, volunteers will be shaking have been created and driven forward centre. These homework clubs are there, often completely separated from like me, you are not the most tech-savvy others a bucket to try and raise much by Trinity students. If you look at the run by parents and teachers in the their natural families. person in the world. needed funds for Trinity’s Volunteer massive amounts of people that both local community, who recognize how At the VDP centre the volunteers It is truly remarkable that the Suas » The B2C programme, orga- Societies. I’m talking of course, about of these organizations have benefi ted diffi cult it is for these children to get help in a broad range of subjects, from society keep all these projects running nized in conjunction withe RAG Week. Trinity’s RAG Week is it is incredible to think that these were down to completing their homework Physics to English and from Maths amidst all the fundraising work they do the Trinity Access Programme unique in so far as the money raised just ideas in the heads of students not in the face of often unstable domestic to Science. Volunteers at the Suas for their overseas partners in India and (TAP), is a cross curricular actually goes to supporting student too many years ago. environments. The clubs run from 2.30 centre, on the other hand, focus solely Kenya. The Suas movement, all told, learning experience, in which volunteering initiatives within One of the ways in which the to 4pm – essentially keeping the children on English language classes and their includes student societies all over the volunteers from Suas based the college, as opposed to simply current crop of Trinity students in school an extra hour and a half, to at help is on a completely one-to-one country, and of course a head offi ce, out societies get to work with fundraising for an outside charity. is attempting to bridge this gap is least make a start on what they need to basis, almost in the form of mentors. of which the entire organisation is run. Transition Year students in Trinity has a long history of through a focus on education. This is have done for the next day. The rapport which is built up between The Suas Trinity branch was one of technological project. volunteering and getting involved in an area in which huge inequality exists Some of the clubs have as many as students and volunteers over the course the fi rst student societies set up and is the local community. Throughout the in terms of opportunities available to 60 children in one large room, and as of the year is a wonderful by-product of always heavily involved with the larger » Suas also sends volunteers years, Trinity’s students have excelled children; and the Vincent De Paul few as four parents and two teachers the mentoring, and last year there was Suas publicity and fundraising efforts. to the Dublin Central Mission themselves in their capacity to effect Society, Suas, and the Voluntary to help. As such the role that Trinity even a St Patrick’s Day party thrown for They run many events with the aim on Abbey Street, to chat with change in these communities. As time Tuition Program all have projects students have to play in providing one the refugees. of advocating for multi-culturasim refugees in beginner English has gone on, and as the gap between dedicated to helping students from to one assistance and guidance for the Another superb education based in Ireland and also run Global Issues classes, in an informal setting the rich and the poor in Ireland has disadvantaged areas reach their kids is crucial and more importantly project run by Suas is the Bridge seminars to inform students, and the grown, the role that students have potential. they get to have a lot of laughs with to College Programme, based in wider public, about the key issues in the » The Suas Volunteer Pro- to play in bridging this gap has The societies’ work in helping them along the way. The Vincent De Oriel House on Westland Row. The developing world. gramme sends 80 students become more and more important. students from both primary and Paul also organized presents for the 150 programme provides students from Every year a huge fundraising drive abroad every Summer to vol- Trinity, in many ways, exists in a secondary schools and the impact or so children they deal with who are in designated disadvantaged second-level is set in motion by the larger Suas unteer in fi ve partner schools, sort of bubble, housing some of the that they have, both in their capacity primary education and I personally was schools with an innovative technology- organisation to raise crucial funds for based throughout Kenya and country’s brightest young minds as role models and in the practical lucky enough to attend the Christmas mediated learning experience and was their primary and secondary school India. yet surrounded by some of the city’s help they offer, is pretty astonishing. Party, where the presents were given established in 2007 with the help of the partners in India and Kenya. poorest communities. out after the much more important, and Trinity Access Programme (TAP). The Suas Trinity get involved in organising » Suas Trinity plays a crucial This process has been picking up Niall Walsh was head of Trinity hotly contested, talent show was out of main aim of the B2C is to demonstrate volunteer collectors for face painting role in fundraising for these speed in a big way over the last ten VDP in 2007-2008. He is currently the way. the power of technology to facilitate a on the streets of Dublin on St Patrick’s partner schools. or fi fteen years and again, students head of TVOF, an umbrella term for While the practical impact may dynamic, creative and cross-curricular Day, run a Christmas collection in have been at the heart of it. Just as voluntary organisations in Trinity. not be easy to see from volunteering learning experience. The B2C is the pubs around Dublin, among other with primary school children, it would designed to engage young people, initiatives. Trinity students share their knowledge

HE LEADERS in Trinity on the younger children developing Club. The Dance Club is run with a Drama and Music Clubs which take when it comes to providing numerical and literary skills in an school just off Connolly Street and the place in St Andrews Resource Centre VTP voluntary assistance unthreatening and enjoyable way. three other clubs are run in conjunction and run along the same lines as the VDP in education are the At secondary level, students request with St. Enda’s Primary School. These activities but take place, in contrast to participants in the Voluntary specialist tuition in particular subjects, clubs have been hugely successful since the VDP activities, in the evening. All of TTuition Programme. The programme whatever they feel they need help in. their inception and have gone down these activities are run by one fantastic was founded in the 1980s and since The aim of the programme is not only really well with the kids, who always volunteer, who also helps run homework then has grown exponentially, currently to improve academic performance, but seem keener on them than they do on clubs and Music Clubs for Vincent helping over 300 primary and secondary also to stimulate interest in learning, and their homework! The Dance Club will De Paul. This example highlights just school students in the local community. encourage the children to continue in be putting on a show later this year and how hooked some people can get One huge reason for this growth was the education system. As well as catering then the Art, Drama and Music clubs on volunteering, and how much of a the foundation of the Trinity Access for primary, secondary school students are coming to the Atrium in Trinity difference one person can make to the Programme in 1994. This initiative was and refugees there is also a separate on the 27th April to perform process. Suas also runs a programme set up to attempt to make it easier for project that aims to help facilitate kids for any interested which tries to strike the work/life balance students from poorer socio-economic who are particularly high risk. In the Trinity students. The in the volunteering that they do. » The Voluntary Tuition Pro- » It also runs Art, Drama and backgrounds to reach third level Parallel Programme volunteers spend children’s parents This term they have begun sending gramme was founded in the Music clubs each week, to strike education in Trinity. TAP has worked the fi rst hour teaching the 13 secondary will of course also volunteers up to the Dublin Central 1980s and is currently work- a balance between educational with VTP to help them deliver their school students involved and then have be invited, but I Mission on lower Abbey Street to get ing with 300 schools to offer time and social time programme and also helps fund the work the second hour free to take part in more would thoroughly them to chat to refugees in beginner assistance in various aspects of that they do. The programme is based enjoyable activities like ice skating, rock urge you try and English conversation classes. This education » The Parallel Programme is in four city centre locations: St Andrews climbing or even a competitive fi ve-a- make it along, is an informal way to get involved, another component of VTP, as Resource Centre on Pearse Street; side game of football. even if it is only to and a great change to get to know » VTP offers tutoring in it works with 13 secondary Goldsmith Hall; Ringsend Technical Both VTP and VDP have moved relive your own people from other cultures without four different locations schools students on a two Institute; Pearse Area Recreation to increase the number of fun-based fi rst experiences the pressure of an open around the city: St An- hour basis, again com- Centre, and the children come from a activities for the children in an attempt with that most book in front drews Resource Cen- bining education and plethora of schools based all over the to strike a balance for the kids and of complicated of all of you. tre on Pearse Street; recreation city, ranging from Ringsend technical course to let them show their wacky, instruments, the Goldsmith Hall; to CBS Westland Row. The kids are then creative sides. In 2007, the Vincent De tin whistle! Ringsend Techni- paired up with student volunteers and Paul set up Art, Drama and The Voluntary cal Institute; Pearse receive one-to-one tuition once a week Dance Club’s a n d T u i t i o n Area Recreation for the academic year. year have Programme has Centre and the stu- The single best thing about VTP b r o u g h t been developing dents come form though, is the continuity it offers for this even their own set a wide range of the students who are involved, many of f u r t h e r of activities schools whom lack such stability in their home with the since 2001. At life. In many cases, pupils stay with the c r e a t i o n present they programme from primary school to of a Music also have Art, Leaving Cert level, and have the same tutor for several years. F o r the primary level, p a r t i c u l a r e m p h a s i s is placed TRINITY NEWS January 13, 2009 NEWS FEATURE 9 to volunteering in Trinity Where your RAG money goes

UNIQUELY AMONG Irish colleges, “We hear all this talk of a recession all proceeds of Trinity RAG Week go and people losing their jobs, etcetera, RAG WEEK to college volunteer societies. These but the people we are trying to help have societies fundraise throughout the year been living in poverty for the last fi fteen » All Rag Week proceeds go to keep these activities going but the years, missing out on the prosperity the fi ve volunteer societies in- money raised in RAG Week is a crucial created by the Celtic Tiger”, he said. volved in TVOF – which makes part of their funding for the academic “It’s vital that these people are not it different to Rag Weeks of year. There is a huge amount going on forgotten as their plight is worse now other colleges around the this Rag Week in terms of events, and than it has ever been. The impact that country there will be bucket collections at the the Trinity volunteers have in helping vast majority of these so you will have these people improve their standard » Those who volunteer with plenty of opportunities to donate. The of living is immeasurable – so support these societies get the op- central point of fundraising will be the them and get out and shake it!” portunity to work on a practi- Street Collections that will take place All week there will be a Volunteering cal level with students from on the Wednesday of RAG Week from Awareness Stand in the Arts Block with all backgrounds and could 8am to 6pm and for this we really need further photos, information and sign potentially have the capacity as many volunteers as possible so please up sheets for all the societies available. become role models come to the stand in the Arts Block. Please come and check it out as we are Vinny O’Mahony, one of the main always looking for new volunteers to organizers of the street collections this join us. year and last year, stressed that this year Also, keep an eye out for posters it was “more important than ever” to get during the week that are attempting to out and shake a bucket for the charities, raise awareness of the problems faced by Kids from the Pearse Steet fl ats and volunteers from Trinity get acquainted with a fi re engine given the current economic climate. people in disadvantaged communities. Spreading the joy with Vincent De Paul

LL OF the volunteer inquire after volunteers when they don’t volunteering that is going on outside the Trinity branch of the Free Legal societies make it their show up. One of the most interesting of VDP the college, it is often easy to forget all Advice Centre (FLAC). FLAC is a non- priority to help people who VDP’s projects is Prison Soccer. Every the great work that Trinity students governmental voluntary organisation are, in many ways, on the couple of weeks a team of Trinity’s fi nest » Vincent de Paul (VDP) was » Trinity Club runs all year involv- are doing to help their peers. Trinity which provides free legal advice to fringes of society, and the go in to Mountjoy prison to play a game founded in the 19th century ing 20 members and 20 volun- can often seem like a daunting place those who would not otherwise be able Ahuge variety of the projects in this area of 6-a-side football with the inmates - it’s by a French student, Frederic teers, who participate in DVD not only to those who are arriving to afford it. At the heart of FLAC’s mean there is something for everyone not for the faint hearted. The prisoners Ozanam nights, games nights and trips for the fi rst time, but also for those existence is a concern that the law be who wants to volunteer. The VDP send certainly give as good as they get, but to places to outside Dublin among us who fi nd it diffi cult to adapt accessible to all in society, not just to the volunteers fortnightly to visit the elderly at the same time, all is forgotten at the » VDP’s activities include Trinity in certain social situations. People privileged few. All too often, it is exactly and single parents, people who are often fi nal whistle and the guys always take Club, Homework Club, and Art » The society also sends volun- can begin to feel alienated from their those with most diffi culties gaining marginalized and alone. This is a very time to thank the volunteers for coming and Drama Clubs, Prison Soccer, teers to Barrett Cheshire, a peers for a huge variety of reasons access to the legal system who are the laid back form of volunteering, with in for the game. Unfortunately, for the volunteering in the Homeless home for people with physical but whenever they do Student to most in need of it to vindicate their legal the students delivering fuel vouchers volunteers, a victory for Trinity has Day Centre to name a few disabilities, to engage in some Student(S2S) is always ready to step in rights. and staying around for a quick chat and never been recorded in living memory recreational time and help. Their student volunteers are FLAC TCD is a student society which even the customary cup of tea. A date but hopefully the current crop (and you) trained in counseling and then help has at its core a legal advice clinic for for your diary to note is the Annual (and can help right this wrong. run services such as the one to one all Trinity students, where they can much belated) Christmas Party, which Another group in society that has Syndrome, various disassociative Stillorgan for a game of bowling. Every peer support program that is currently speak directly to a qualifi ed solicitor. takes place on the 29th of January in long faced diffi culties are those with conditions, right the way through to year the twenty volunteers and twenty in place. Any student who is feeling This clinic runs on a regular basis the Dining Hall. This is always an event intellectual disabilities. A massive children with severe learning disabilities members travel to an adventure centre under pressure from college or home throughout the academic year. It also to remember for the volunteers and of step forward in how this group was or social disabilities. down the country for a weekend fi lled life can email [email protected] aims to heighten awareness of access course for the elderly themselves. With a viewed came with Ireland’s hosting of This has been a huge development with orienteering, kayaking, and lots or phone 01-8962438, and the co- issues, especially those of students, and three course meal, a disproportionately the Special Olympics in 2003, but it in the society, insofar as it has opened of laughs. This weekend, and indeed ordinator will then set them up with a the need for reform of the current legal competitive raffl e and some quality still remains diffi cult for people with up VTP to all sorts of new possibilities, the club in general, gives the members student volunteer for free confi dential aid system. Of course, it would not be dance moves on the agenda, you would disabilities to advance themselves, or involving volunteer undergrads from an enormous sense of independence advice and support. The society also fair to write an article on volunteering be crazy not to come along. express themselves, within such diverse backgrounds as social work as they are interacting with the Trinity moderates a mental health discussion and not include the brilliant work done Every day the society also sends society. The main and psychology and has also helped students as equals, and often bettering board online, runs training programmes by the Vincent De Paul’s Kids Clubs. The volunteers to the Homeless Day advancements in move VTP towards some informal them when it comes to the pool and in listening skills for the student body society sends volunteers to the MyWorld Centre on the quays and the VTP over the last integration of study and volunteering the bowling. This week look out for the and also volunteer with the Student Kids Club just off and then completely students help out in the few years have come which could have massive potential in members (they make lots of noise so they Union on Welfare campaign’s such as runs a separate kids club for the children preparation of food about through the the future. are not hard to miss) as they make their mental health awareness week and in the Pearse Street fl ats. These fl ats are and have a bit of good move towards the The Vincent De Paul also is involved way up Grafton Street, on the way to SHAG Week. literally less than a minute from Trinity’s natured banter with creation of specifi c with helping people with mental see Cinderella in the pantomime at the S2S also have a massive impact on the Sports Centre and as such provide a the people using programmes for disabilities, but this is done in a much Gaiety Theatre. The TCDVDP also send immediate welfare of incoming Trinity perfect example of how volunteering is the facility, who are children with special more social context than in VTP. Trinity volunteers to Barrett Cheshire, a home students. This year their focus has been going about bridging two communities often just looking for needs. They work in Club is one of the oldest Vincent De Paul for people with physical disabilities, on students of the Sciences and those in that, while in close physical proximity to someone to talk to. conjunction with St activities and is also without doubt one playing board games a n d Trinity on Erasmus. There is no doubt one another, couldn’t be further apart. Another group which Augustine’s School of the most enjoyable. The volunteers having a chat with that the role they’ve played in helping Every Sunday volunteers from Trinity the VDP deals with in Blackrock as well meet the members at 6pm, Front Arch, them. Some these students adapt to the Trinity meet at the Pearse St fl ats and then are young teenagers as with children every Wednesday during term time of these guys environment has been invaluable, bring about twenty or so kids out for the from disadvantaged with autism, Down and then embark on activities will also be at and much appreciated. The students day. Past excursions have included trips backgrounds. These such as DVD n i g h t s , the Christmas are matched up with mentors who to the aquarium, the cinema, walks up teenagers are in many pool, bingo and even Party on the know their way around, and they to Bray head and even a recent incident- ways never given a chance t r i p s out to 29th, so you’ll are their fi rst point of contact when fi lled day out at Funderland! The to prove themselves by meet them if they arrive in the college. Next year current leaders of the club have been society and as such the work you can make S2S hope to mentor every working hard to get new volunteers, that is done by volunteers it along. incoming home and without whom their good work is at the Youth Club. Every A m i d s t international student to impossible - I hope that anyone reading Thursday the volunteers a l l this the college, so they need this will consider offering head up to the club and chill as many volunteers their help for out with the teenagers there, as physically possible. one of these playing the Playstation, some Another initiative g r e a t pool, and even the odd game which often goes under projects. of table tennis. Although the the radar at Trinity is lads might not show the work it, they defi nitely d o n e appreciate this b y interaction with the Trinity students and TRINITY NEWS 10 FEATURES January 13, 2009 Everyone in it for Ethiopia Two Trinity students have set up an innova- tive development project in Ethiopia. Cath- erine McCabe describes their successes, aims and visions and the hippy festival fundraiser.

E HAVE all felt it at organisations are using the bulk of some stage in our lives. donations for ‘administrative costs’ You’re mid sitcom, one has to wonder whether this well listening to the pithy intentioned ‘difference’ is really being dialogue of an episode made. you’veW seen a thousand times over when Three enterprising young girls have suddenly your lukewarm entertainment gone one step further, rebelling against is interrupted by an add break. The this growing trend to provide something screen is fi lled with poignant images life changing, not for themselves, but of emaciated children, grief stricken for others. These ladies have not simply mothers and murky drinking water. sat idly whilst ‘contributing’ monthly Guilt begins to swarm over you faster to a cause. They created a cause. This A women’s group that Gach Duine work with. Photo: Alice Clancey than scabies. Suddenly you remember is better known as the innovative that you negated that standing order of Ethiopian development project, Gach Rachel’s vision for Gach Duine was towards personal empowerment. The independence. Unfortunately, for most Stewart, has become somewhat of a 5 euro leaking out of your bank account Duine. shared by her friend Grace Kearney, main use for the recently constructed of us, raised amongst the ‘drop the debt’ guiding sovereign for the small festival to concern, that you had a sneaky bag The Gach Duine organisation was fi rst a Primary school teacher who had community centre will be the housing of generation, dependence is something organiser, offering the venue free of of crisps during your 24 hour fast, that established by Trinity’s own student and collaborated with her on previous the women’s groups’ weekly meetings. which we heavily associate with the charge in support of Gach Duine’s cause. you joined several St. Vincent de Paul volunteer entrepreneur, Rachel O’Brien volunteer projects based in Ethiopia in Gach Duine has also been involved in third world. Dependence on the west for SHAKEFEST shares its home with the clubs and never attended, that you in early 2008, following her preceding 2006. the funding of training for local elders food, money, medicine, contraception, ever growing Castlepalooza nominated never bothered sending that Amnesty visits to Ethiopia. During her time Grace became involved in the in the promotion of women’s rights even arms. In fact, whenever the sullen for best European festival within the International plea letter. there, Rachel recognised the acute need foundation of Gach Duine and is now its through the local women’s offi ce. subject of Africa arises, the smug mugs UK festival awards of 2008. Some of us are more susceptible to for community based development. We Assistant Director. The fi nal addition to The aim of the programme was to of Geldof, Bono and Sarandon are But the best news is yet to come, this that creeping sinking guilty feeling and can all recall the charity-style proverbs the spearheads of the Gach Duine team ensure that even women in the most more likely to spring to mind than the hippy-hectic-electric shakedown will have fallen at the mercy of another cruel cited on various advertisements calling was Claire Griffi n, Trinity student, who remote areas of this mountainous distressing images of the Ethiopian cost you no more than 40 euro, with mistress-charity collections. It’s enough for aid in Africa, “Give a man a fi sh and operates as the secretary of Gach Duine region were educated about their rights famine victims. It is hard to avoid over half the proceeds of every ticket to make you cringe, that memory of and has been involved in the process of and entitlements regarding their health cynicism when after so many years of going towards Gach Duine’s structural standing by the church/main street/shop its development since mid 2008. and education according to Ethiopia so many millions being relentlessly community developments in the Bale front, knuckles frozen and red with your Borrowing its title from our own and international law. In a country pumped into the continent, our screens region of Ethiopia. Not only does that hand clasped around a crude plastic “Gach Duine aims native tongue, Gach Duine strives to that still experiences female genital are fl ooded with those familiar images 40 euro ensure a weekend funfest charity box, a hole gored into its surface to incite gradual and provide empowerment and equality for mutilation, programmes like this are and the same old message about the of music and dance workshops, it all with scissors. Over and over you’d shout its translation, “Everyone”. The project vital if such destructive practices are to people in need. It’s diffi cult to feel leads to a weekend camping, frolicking “help the ‘insert unheard charity here’”, sustainable community is based in the rural Bale region of be eradicated. anything but disheartened when you bonfi res and non-stop sessions. The until your voice went hoarse and the Ethiopia. In Adaba the Gach Duine members, realise that the 50 pound you once workshops range from belly dancing, rain had seeped through your mac in a based change, acting The primary area that Gach Duine never ones to hide behind desks and implored your parents to send to comic disco dancing, hip hop and salsa. For the sac. Your heart leapt with every single directly in specifi c rural have been working within is the village admin work, oversaw the construction relief probably went towards a shiny percussion-heads a non-stop drumming clinking sound, even though the only named Adaba. In this village the lack of the community centre, building their new Kalashnikov for a child soldier. circle is on offer. On the Friday night, previous donations had been your own areas of Ethiopia.” of basic services such as education, concept into a reality brick by brick. The real signifi cance of Gach Duine Gach Duine promises a fi ery welcome in the hopes of getting the ball rolling. health, shelter and food is preventing Although Rachel, Grace and Claire quite It is experiences like this that have left development socially, economically and clearly have more moral fi bre than Pope the youth disheartened when it comes he will eat for a day, give a man a net culturally. The current focus of Gach Benedict’s smalls, they are adamant SHAKEFEST, set in the gothic splendour of to charity, most opting for pseudo-aid to fi sh with and he will eat for the rest Duine is to help the inhabitants of Adaba that it is the community members in the form of volunteer tourism. So of his life”. Gach Duine has taken this create indigenous growth through the developing their own source of aid. The Charleville Castle, Co. Offaly, is a funfest of music many students have succumbed to this concept and run with it. The project construction of a community centre, project in Adaba has the full support of ever growing trend, organising endless recognises the reality that injecting library, IT training centre and sports local government and is the fi rst legal and dance workshops. Think strumming a three streams of bag packing, marathon endless funds and providing tangible facilities. The initial stages of this project of its kind in the region. They are stringed guitar, think twirling your midriff to the running and table quizzing fundraising aid to a country such as Ethiopia will not process began in June 2008 and recently the catalysts to the project itself but true events in the hopes of generating even a provided sustainable improvement. phase one of the project the community to the ethos of the organisation, all the sound of panpipes til dawn, think of pounding an quarter of the funds needed. Gach Duine isolates its input to centre was completed. manual work is completed by employed African drum and dancing barefoot to the beat, In many cases, over 1,000 euro of specifi c rural areas in Ethiopia where Gach Duine is working in a local labourers. As eloquently outlined their own earnings are then bundled it aims to incite gradual and sustainable partnership with a local Ethiopian by Ms. Griffi n, “our main focus is not think befriending cheese makers with matted hair up and offered to internet sourced community based change. Rather than NGO, HWCA. The HWCA (Hope to establish projects that will remain organisations that provide hassle free becoming passive recipients of aid, Gach for Women and Children) has set up dependent on Gach Duine’s support in is that it leaves all these things behind, complete with fl aming poi swirling and volunteer tourism-packages. This, at Duine aims to empower the inhabitants dedicated women’s groups in the Bale the long-term instead we see ourselves its community focus promotes a more an outdoor BBQ. The lineup is still to be times, involves fl ying them over to lay of these communities to become actively region. These groups, working on the as facilitators of change. Helping local positive outlook on Ethiopia. This fully confi rmed but so far counts IAMA, three bricks a day in some unknown involved in its development. Such idea of a cooperative system, have seen people to set-up and organise structures outlook moves away from peoples past Eric Noone, Lauren Guillery, Will part of the world with room and board. developments will include educational the women start saving schemes with or educational training programmes perceptions of this country, a perception Softly, and The Aunty among the many Some even factor in a beach holiday for a centers to house educational training the intention of using their money to that they will themselves eventually be of helplessness and fatalism. It allows acts set to perform for the SHAKEFEST well deserved rest. Of course the people programs providing training for women further their domestic industry. The in charge and control of. “ for tangible constructive changes to be masses. The capacity of the fest itself is that go on these life changing ventures and children on subjects such as groups have provided the women The most endearing thing about made. Not only that but it allows for a expected to be anywhere between 800- are well intentioned. Regardless, when personal advocacy. with a focus in their lives as they work this program is its core value of creation of mutual trust, not simply 1000. That’s just big enough so that between its founders and villagers but you’ll need to leave a trail of quavers also between the Gach Duine members leading to your tent so you can fi nd it in and the greater college community. a midnight haze but still small enough I say this because, as we all know, no that you can still bump into that hot charity is complete without its inevitable belly dancer dressed as Pocahontas. counterpart, fundraising. So when you sit slumped on your However, being the worldly women couch, guiltily watching the news whilst that they are, Rachel, Grace and Claire balancing a pot noodle on your belly have realised that for us insolvent and thinking “what can I do”. Don’t students, parting with the fi nal 10 euro automatically thinking about shaking in our bank account for nothing in return a plastic money box in the rain. Think is just too heartbreaking. The girls know strumming a three stringed guitar by this pain all too well and so they swapped the bonfi re, think twirling your midriff bag packing for the whimsical, ethnic, to the sound of panpipes until dawn, electric musical extravaganza known think tent hopping, think about making as SHAKEFEST. The fest is set for the war paint from the bonfi re charcoal, May bank holiday weekend 2009 to be about leaving your friends and family held in the gorgeous gothic splendour of to join a belly dancing colony, think of Charleville castle, Tullamore, Co.Offaly. pounding an African drum and dancing True to its title, SHAKEFEST offers barefoot to the beat as mud squishes not only raucous marquee music but through your toes, think befriending a weekend of midriff gyratory with its cheese makers with matted hair and famed belly dancing workshops. never seeing them again, think new, Hoards of weekend summer fests are exciting music, think of the fun side to helping to dot Ireland’s landscape with charity, think SHAKEFEST. poorly pitched tents, stray guitars and warn out bodies of militant sessioners. But if you ask me when it comes to SHAKEFEST INFORMATION the weekend fest, if it is small scale SHAKEFEST will be held on and unexpected, you can pretty much Friday the 30th to the 31st of guarantee to lose your shoes and have a May 2009 damn good time. What is unique about this summer It offers a mix of music, weekend is that it offers an ethnic slant dance culture and camping (with without forcing the new-agey dream hot showers and free outdoor catching and incense burning down BBQ) all for €40 your throat. Although, if its hemp skirt swaying and dread rolling you seek, it won’t disappoint. The concept of the More information can be fest began with the ‘Shake movement’ found on the SHAKEFEST and at Charleville in 2006. Terri Dale is the Gach Duine websites: principal organiser behind the Shake The Community movement Read and has been the www.shakefest.net Centre. Photo: volunteer administrator at Charleville Dara Munnis Castle since 2005. The ever inspiring www.gachduine.org owner of Charleville castle, Dudley TRINITY NEWS January 13, 2009 FEATURES 11 What legal Winter in the Wakhan rights can you expect as a tenant?

FREE LEGAL ADVICE CENTRE If you pay rent to a landlord for the use of accommodation or property you are a tenant. The following is a general overview of your rights, duties and obligations as a tenant, however, if you are living with your landlord you are not covered by landlord/tenant legislation.

• Can my landlord enter my accomodation? There is a right to peaceful and exclusive occupation of the dwelling outlined in the Act. Nobody, including the landlord, has the right to enter accomodation without permission.

• Can I hold gatherings / parties in my accomodation? You are entilted to entertain and to invite guests to stay unless it is stated at the start of the tenancy and provided it does not interfere with the your neighbour’s peaceful enjoyment of their premises. Your landlord has no right to forbid anything you hold.

• Where to go if you feel your rights are being infringed? If you feel your rights as a tenant have been infringed, you do have some methods of redress. In the case of disputes regarding private tenancy agreements, were heading down. The women were to sell to feed their addiction. The The Wakhan you may take your case to the Private Residential The Wakhan Corridor allows no time for Au- wearing their best scarlet clothes, and traders were particularly unimpressive; Corridor. Photo: Tenancies Board (PRTB) who provide a dispute riding prize yaks. The young sons rode one introduced himself to me as Imran Schah resolution service for the private rented sector. tumn. Thomas Wilde describes why the bit- donkeys and the sag-i-jang dogs ran ‘Sultan’ Muhammed and proceeded Landlords must register each tenancy with the PRTB. ahead on guard; huge animals that act to rail against our guide for his lack terly cold, mountainous temporary villages as watchdogs for the villages and are of education, and inability to read the • Who is responsible for maintenance and bred for their strength and aggression. Qur’an. repair? are welcome respite from the killing in Kabul As we dropped altitude I felt my I couldn’t stomach this, and asked Your landlord is responsible for maintenance strength returning. Villages on the him in Arabic how his reading was. This of the dwelling and repair due to ordinary wear INTER BROUGHT me dust and dirt of Kabul’s fading city, other hand that had been full of life quietened him down for a few minutes and tear. Wear and tear is defi ned as the loss to the Wakhan. My couldn’t get enough of it. the day before were now empty shells- (very few Afghans understand Arabic) or deterioration due to ordinary, everyday use. little propeller plane Our second day saw a deep river- the exodus down the mountains was in until he got his revenge by bellowing Example, the wearing of the carpet in a traffi c area. Wwas buffeted on its crossing where the cold took the curses full swing and we were going with the his prayers in my ear at three-thirty the All maintenance problems should be brought to breath through Afghanistan’s central out of our mouths. Another steep climb current. A few guards watched some next morning. the landlord’s attention. If he/she does not carry mountains. It set me down at Faizabad took us into the Wakhi Valley. Here, of the sheep that remained- one nine That morning was market day, out the necessary repairs within a reasonable time on the Russian-built landing-strip; a small villages of fi ve or so stone-built year old boy I met owned 400 of them; and the place was swarming with limit (e.g. a day or two for running water and heating rust-red corrugated iron platform that houses huddle on the lip of the grasses. his father was dead, the boy now a rich magnifi cent sheep and goats with fi ne issue, a few weeks for a dodgy door) then you can rattled like mad and woke me up to a We drank salty yak’s butter tea that I’ve man. hire appropriate services to rectify the situation colder air. I had come here to watch never had a taste for- it reminds me too Lower down, the valleys had escaped and be reimbursed by your landlord for the cost. Winter arrive in the Wakhan, but it felt much of the salt water I was given to the snow and had a thick carpet of “Far from cowed by the weather, like it was already watching me. make me throw up when I was nauseous grass. Eagles and ‘wind-eaters’ skirted • Should my landlord keep a record of my rent The Wakhan Corridor stretches like as a child. the mountains gashed with purple. the Kyrgyz and Wakhi thrive in it. payments and documents? an incriminating fi nger out of the North- The village leader was a bombastic This purple, Malang told me, is from Your landlord should record all rent payments Eastern corner of Afghanistan towards round fellow who slapped our backs, the blood of a dragon slain in a village The Wakhan has largely escaped in the rent book. It is your landlord’s Tajikistan, Pakistan, and China. It is laughed at our clothes, and was made a few miles west. At Langar one could the fi ghting that scars the rest of responsibility to give you a rent book a product of late 19th century British for winter. He was leaving the next have been in the Yorkshire Dales in paranoia- an area designed to act as a day for winter quarters in the opposite mid-summer- green vales surrounded Afghanistan. Bleak winter seemed • What if I am late paying my rent? buffer to any Russian imperial aims on direction. We carried on, with glimpses by dark soft slopes- and only the snow- infi nitely preferable to Kabul’s dusty You have an obligation, as a tenant, to pay rent India. It is also one of the most remote of rich powdered snow on our right. Yaks peaked tops in the background, leading and any other charges on time. If you fail to do and beautiful places in the world: snow- grazed together with fatty-bottomed to Pakistan, giving away one’s true compound existence.” so, the landlord may seek redress with the PRTB. capped mountain passes, deep smooth sheep that move like overweight joggers. location. valleys, milky melt-water rivers. That night we slept in a yurt in a small A long day’s walk brought us to Kasch curled horns. • Is an oral agreement with my landlord a valid It is a harsh land and the people who Wakhi village under thick blankets and Goz, the fi rst Kyrgyz settlement and the High up here, several thousand lease? work it are hard people- Wakhi farmers heard the snow gently falling. gateway to the Little Pamir and its fertile meters above sea level, several days walk An Oral Contract of Tenancy is as good as a written and herders graze their animals all the The temperature dropped with the grazing ground. It’s an exposed place at from the nearest permanent settlement, contract of tenancy in terms of the general rights and way up the valleys, before they give snow. The valley was now blazing white the mercy of biting winds and we soon and well-below zero, the place was obligations of a tenant. A written agreement is still way to the last Kyrgyz in Afghanistan, a under a cold sun, and I was cursing found shelter in their guesthouse with busy with life. Far from cowed by the preferable as it clarifi es many issues for both parties. nomadic group of lost lotus-eaters in the forgetting any shade for my eyes. I an old wood burner in the centre that weather, the Kyrgyz and Wakhi thrive fertile grasslands of the Afghan Pamir. started suffering from the altitude and smoked more than it warmed. in it. • Can my landlord increase my rent by any was soon dizzy and nauseous. I collapsed We shared the guesthouse with a It seems, in fact, that the harshness amount? in the next village, and a blanket was couple of traders who claimed to be of those elements is one of the Wakhan’s Landlords cannot charge more than the open market “I started suffering thrown over me to keep the snow off. ‘prospecting’ for sheep, although their greatest elements; it has largely escaped rate for the apartment or house, which is defi ned I slept fi tfully until the next morning, bags full of pipes gave away their game. the fi ghting that scars the rest of as the rent that a willing tenant would give and a from the altitude and and woke up retching. It was well below Opium has become a serious problem Afghanistan, and certainly provided me willing landlord would take for vacant possession -10 and I was weak. I needed to get to up in the Wakhan- Ted Callaghan, with a welcome respite from Kabul’s having regard to the tenancy terms and the letting was soon dizzy and a lower altitude and unfortunately that an American anthropologist who is dusty compound existence. values of dwellings of a similar size, type character nauseous. I collapsed day held a big pass through thick snow. spending winter up here, told me Indeed, returning to a Kabul where and located in a similar area. Your landlord cannot We were forced to go back and fi nd a that 90% of the population of Sarhad three suicide attacks had killed tens of review the rent more than once a year unless in the next village and a different route. Boroghil were addicts, and the cost people in the last few days, Wakhan’s the accommodation has changed substantially. blanket was thrown over We left with the villagers who had of the habit is slowly destroying the bleak winter seemed infi nitely Your landlord has the right to review the rent packed up their lives into bags and Kyrgyz herd numbers as they are forced preferable to a city so unsure of itself. annually. However your landlord must give you at me to keep the snow least 28 days notice (in writing) before increasing the rent. If there is any dispute about the amount off. I woke up retching. of rent or about arrears of rent, either side can refer It was well below -10 the dispute to the PRTB. You must contact the PRTB before the date the new rent comes into effect or and I was weak.” within 28 days of getting the notice, whichever is later.

Wakhan • Could I lose my deposit? I wanted to come here as summer Tenants may lose their deposits if they do not turned to winter. It is a quick change. give proper notice or leave before the end of the There’s no time for autumn to prepare term agreement; they damage the landlord’s our fi ngers and set our stores in order. property over and above normal wear and tear Driving to the mountains, the fi elds or; they have left bills unpaid or rent owed. were full of wheatsheaves tied in the old You should also check your letting agreement English manner. Men were threshing for more specifi c arrangements. Your landlord is under a hot sun. However, by evening prohibited from seizing your goods as a means of the temperature plummeted and enforcing payment of rent without a court order. we were soon looking up at the sky expectantly for the snow to come. • When can my landlord terminate my tenancy? It did not take long. Our fi rst days Landlords can ask tenants to leave without giving walking- a steep uphill climb over the a reason during the fi rst six months of a tenancy. Daliz pass and then a long gradual Landlords can terminate a tenancy that has lasted descent into a valley cut by a fast-fl owing between six months and four years only in the stream- was interrupted by a blizzard following circumstances: If the tenant does not that caught us unawares. The Wakhan comply with the obligations of the tenancy. If is an inhospitable place when the wind is the property is no longer suited to the tenants’ whipping the snow through the valleys needs (e.g. overcrowded). If the landlord needs and the temperatures are falling to -15 the property for him/herself or for an immediate or more. Yet these last dying days of family member. If the landlord intends to sell summer allowed for patches of brilliant the property. If the landlord intends to refurbish sunshine, mid-day warmth, and a light the property. If the landlord plans to change the that could be intensely pure and bright. business use of the property (e.g. turn it into offi ces). The interplay of bright sunshine and bitter cold was mirrored in the Wakhan’s • How much notice should my landlord give me mix of barren landscape and vegetation- if he wants to terminate the tenancy snow-sprinkled peaks loomed over If you have a term tenancy, your landlord is tied to slate-cracked paths coloured with the that. However, if he wants you to leave the dwelling oranges, reds, and yellows of buckthorn, for not complying with your tenancy obligations, rosehips, and willow. The Wakhan your landlord must give you at least 28 days notice. One wakes early in the Wakhan. The Corridor marked (Where there is serious anti social behaviour or whole of the Wakhan lies above 2000 on the map. which threatens the property then your landlord metres and the air feels deliciously Public domain can give 7 days notice.) rarefi ed. My lungs, more used to the map: CIA TRINITY NEWS 12 WORLD REVIEW January 13, 2009 INDIA AND PAKISTAN Peace process on a knife edge What lies ahead for Indo-Pakistani relations following the November terrorist attacks on ‘They had both a Mumbai, asks Alison Spillane?

OLITICAL PRESSURE on Services Intelligence in the past. The weariness of violence and the Pakistani government, CIA,too,has been accused of funding the predominantly from India, LeT in the 1980s to fi ght against Soviet the U.S, and Britain, has Union forces in Afghanistan, although been unrelenting since at a time when the U.S is giving its full the pragmatism needed PBritish Prime Minister Gordon Brown support to the Indian government this announced that Lahore-based group point is not being raised. It seems that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) are behind the links between the LeT and previous to get on with their lives’ terrorist attacks carried out in Mumbai Pakistani governments are more at the end of November 2008. The relevant in the present climate than Pakistani government, who pledged their connections with previous U.S their full cooperation to their Indian administrations. Mr. Chidambaram counterparts during the attacks, does travelled to Washington last week to Martin McKenna travelled to New Delhi not seem to be following through on share with U.S offi cials evidence linking this promise. So far they have refused Pakistan to the Mumbai attacks. a week after the attacks in Mumbai end- to extradite suspects in the attacks, With regard to the JuD, Pakistan’s maintaining that no extradition treaty refusal to ban the organisation may ed. Here he shares his view of the Indian exists between Pakistan and India. They seem unreasonable. Yet after the have also made the decision not to ban sanctions were imposed by the UN reaction to the attacks. Security Council, Hindu minority groups in the country came out in support of “I presume they are the group. The JuD’s charity work is of FOR ME, it was a bus journey that what I was seeing in India into vital importance to Muslims and Hindus The Taj Mahal hotel burns during the attack. revealed most about violence in Irish categories. As it happened, I state actors or state- alike, and the group reportedly played India. The buses in India seemed interacted overwhelmingly with a major role in helping the victims high between the two countries but In order for the India-Pakistan peace an utterly impossible mode of two groups. Firstly, the better- assisted actors” of the 2005 Kashmir Earthquake in what lies ahead if the present state of process to continue in the aftermath transport, crammed as they were off poor, who had perhaps a cart which more than 70,000 people died. misinformation and miscommunication of the Mumbai attacks it would benefi t with passengers. The ones we could of goods for sale to their name, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a front for Yousaf Raza Gillani’s government took continues? Pakistan is naturally on both countries to take stock of their see from our rickshaw driving and secondly, super-rich young LeT, despite UN sanctions classifying initial steps to crack down on the JuD’s the defensive, seeing Indian demands own failures before putting the blame alongside were sitting by the adults. It was diffi cult to quiz the the outfi t as a terrorist organisation activities after the UN ban; they placed as unreasonable unless they are on their neighbours. Pakistan may feel windows (not that there was any fi rst group on matters of national and naming four of its top commanders Hafi z Mohammad Saeed under house prepared to share more information victimized but until it stops turning a glass in them). Incredibly, these security when you’re struggling to terrorists. arrest, closed the organisation’s offi ces with Islamabad. Moreover, they see blind eye to the activities of all Islamic passengers seemed quite calm haggle over the price of a souveiner A breakdown in communication and froze its bank accounts. However, the pressure from New Delhi as a militant groups in the country it cannot despite there being an impenetrable tee-shirt. The super-rich youth, is evident as Islamabad claims it has none of the fi ve hundred Jamaat-run means for invoking nationalism and maintain its innocence. Successive sea of people between them and the for all their phenomenal wealth, not been given any clear evidence schools and seminaries were touched. distracting the Indian people from governments have failed to curtail door. I have absolutely no idea how had apathy in common with implicating suspects such as Jamaat- As for Amir Ajmal Kasab, the sole their own government’s failures. India Taliban activities in the west of the they got off at their destination. comfortable youth the world over. ud-Dawa chief Hafi z Mohammad surviving gunman, a senior Pakistani in turn sees the Pakistani reaction as country and India will continue to Happily, my short bus ride was It was the media, specifi cally Saeed and Lashkar-e-Taiba operations offi cial has doubted the authenticity unwillingness to cooperate, implying see the Pakistani administration as with the assistance of two locals the Times of India, which provided commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi in of a letter purportedly written by they may have something to hide. And complicit in terrorist attacks such as who were showing us around and most information. Reading Western the attacks. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Kasab while in the custody of Indian though India may appear to be fi nger- those in Mumbai while it allows groups kindly, the bus even almost stopped media shortly after the attacks, Shah Mahmood Qureshi has made pointing, history justifi es their response like LeT to operate on its soil. India, for for us to get on and off. Though they reported that the Indian a slight concession, indicating that Pakistan’s to some extent as Pakistani militants its part, needs to recognize the presence there are gleaming new Tata buses, media was driving the agenda with Indian authorities may be permitted leadership have carried out numerous attacks in of disaffected Muslim youth within its ours was a rusted old boat. On infl ammatory and reactionary to question the suspects in Pakistan has denied India such as the 2006 bombings in own borders. the back of each seat were spray treatment of Pakistan, and this if suffi cient evidence is provided. involvement in Varanasi in which 28 people died. There The outlawed Student Islamic painted the words “Check under was borne out by the headlines and However, for the Indian government the attacks is an evident lack of trust between the Movement of India (SIMI) has been your seat, there may be a bomb. articles I read. this appears to be too little too late. two states, despite the ongoing peace behind numerous bombings and their If found report it and you will be The Times of India used a On January 4 India’s Home Minister authorities. The letter allegedly sought process. War may very well be on the activities have intensifi ed in recent years. rewarded”. I mentioned this to our wonderfully conversational style Palaniappan Chidambaram told NDTV legal assistance from the Pakistani cards once more, despite Indian PM Many SIMI activists are suspects in the companions who seemed almost in their hard news stories, and the news channel: “Somebody who is government, although Pakistan’s Manmohan Singh’s assertions to the 2008 bombings in Bangalore and Delhi. surprised I had noticed. “Many impression I got was that they were familiar with intelligence and who is Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah contrary. Pakistan has cancelled all army The Indian Mujahideen, an amalgam years ago” was their contribution trying to tease out reactions from familiar with commando operations claimed the language and content of leave, and the Indian government is of SIMI and LeT, also appeared on the offered as an explanation. their readers. Wide-ranging polls has directed this operation, and that the letter did not “match those of a real facing serious domestic pressures from scene in 2008 claiming responsibility The bus seats revealed what I questioned the Black Cats, India’s cannot entirely be a non-state actor. In Pakistani”. The letter also requested voters (who will go to the polls by May) for the Jaipur bombings on May 13 in knew to be the case: that sadly, India elite security force; the role of the fact, I presume they are state actors or a meeting with the Pakistan High who are angered by what can only be which 63 people were killed, as well is no stranger to terrorist violence, disputed territory in the north state-assisted actors unless the contrary Commission and stated that the nine seen as serious internal intelligence and as bombings in Ahmedabad on July 26 and that the attacks in Mumbai are (drawn in dotted lines by Google is proved.” This is a severe escalation other terrorists, all killed in the attacks, security failures. A strong response to where 56 people died. tragic, but not unique. Maps’ gallant cartographers); the in the accusations against the country were also from Pakistan. Islamabad the Mumbai attacks could do a lot to ease Furthermore, Manmohan Singh’s Most travel literature on India Afghanistan-Pakistan border; and as Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has been reluctant to acknowledge voters’ concerns. The presence of the government needs to seriously reassess agrees that it is a country that you the possibilty of military action has maintained throughout that the that Kasab is a Pakistani citizen, even United States may be the only restraint its intelligence and security set-up if it will leave with more questions than against “Pak” as it is referred to in perpetrators of the attacks were non- though he has been traced back to the as with U.S interests in Afghanistan it is is to prevent other such attacks in the you arrived with. It is unfathomably space-tight headlines. state actors. Mr. Chidambaram’s village of Faridkot in Pakistan’s Punjab unlikely the Americans would allow the future. But with neither country willing enormous and populous. The In all, it would be a fallacy to suspicions are not completely unfounded province where his father identifi ed him situation to escalate to such a level that to be introspective, the gloves are rich-poor gap is like a massively say that Indian media’s somewhat though, as links have been found by a photograph. would involve Pakistani troops being coming off and the scar of partition is stretched out accordian compared sensationalist treatment poorly between the LeT and Pakistan’s Inter- It is clear that tensions are running withdrawn from the Western border. far from healed. to Ireland’s. Their caste, or class, refl ected the reactions on the system is so complex that I utterly ground, since sensationalism is a failed to understand it. part of media the world over, like it In trying to comprehend India’s or not. But the Indian people I met reaction to the attacks, I looked for had a combination of weariness of a sort of ‘ordinary’ middle class. the violence and the pragmatism Of course, I learnt that this was a needed to get on with their lives Shooting an elephant largely futile attempt to shoehorn despite terrorists’ best efforts.

to ignore the forest, even if it would and elections in under fi ve months, the to another imminent war with India’s believes he is currently living in Karachi, Pakistan and India are being goaded into an rather focus on the trees. Indian government will be forced to neighbouring adversary. All the signs and the he is on a United Nations list of India’s government is now under show what will be interpreted as resolve point to a backer with a vested interest Al Qaeda associates. The top offi cial in unwanted war, says Aaron Mulvihill, World immense pressure to respond to and good statesmanship. A sahib has in an unstable Indian subcontinent. Russia’s narcotics agency is confi dent the attacks. The private intelligence got to act like a sahib. The line of undesirables smacking that Ibrahim’s drug network funded the Review Editor agency Stratfor reckons the best case Pakistan’s elected central their lips at the thought of a fractured latest Mumbai attacks. scenario would be Indian airstrikes on government is largely blameless, Pakistani state begins in the Hindu Kush In any event, the increased tension suspected terrorist camps and short analysts say, but renegade offi cials and in the north-west of the country, where means Pakistan has no choice but to OBODY HAD heard of early deluge of confl icting data on the range incursions into Pakistan. The the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence mujahedeen and Taliban fi ghters nest. relocate troops from its north-west, the Deccan Mujahideen. news wires that is the modern Fog of reasoning is that India can take out its (ISI) agency are taking orders from It continues down along the western where they police the Taliban-infested Which ought to be War overwhelmed all but the few who national anger in a few noisy bombing elsewhere. More worrying still, the border, following the opium traders’ Afghan frontier, to the Indian border, surprising, considering took a step back to see the patent forest raids while avoiding all-out war. And the young democracy is struggling to route as they traffi c the narcotic nectar giving drug smugglers and cave-dwelling they had orchestrated the of Pakistani involvement. The full extent beleaguered Pakistani government may contain terrorists operating in the major from Balochistan province into Iran. terrorists alike a chance to stretch their deathsN of scores of Mumbai residents of the Pakistani connection was revealed even give silent consent while ostensibly cities as well as the mountainous north- It ends in the southern port city of legs. It has already begun to do so. Even and tourists in a small-scale urban war later. The funding, training and ideology, resisting the raids until the calls for west where Osama Bin Laden is thought Karachi, the largest city in the Muslim inside Pakistan, many powerful people culminating in a 60-hour hotel siege. it seems, originated in the Islamic state. revenge quieten. For nearly a year now to be holed up. The two nuclear nations world, which, as the Mumbai terrorists would be happier with a crippled state. Analysts scratched their heads over the United States has been sending have spent the sixty-one years since found, is easily reachable by speedboat The government and ordinary the email sent to Indian news agencies Indian PM missile drones into Pakistan without partition between war and tense mutual from Mumbai. Dawood Ibrahim is one Pakistani citizens have already survived which, in stilted Hindi, claimed Manmohan its authorisation to target terrorists brinkmanship. Ground wars over the of these geopolitical entrepreneurs, the trauma of the September Marriot responsibility for the attacks. Then Singh may order who have fl ed across the Afghan sovereignty of Kashmir have claimed and he stands at the front of the line. Hotel bombings in Islamabad and the other more familiar names surfaced, an attack on border. More likely – and destructive tens of thousands of lives. With the two The billionaire crime don is an Indian- assassination of Benazir Bhutto, whose as they always do - rightly or wrongly Pakistan - scenarios envisage strikes against nations’ troubled history in mind, it is a born Muslim, and the mastermind of widower now holds the presidency. - crystallising the culprits as members Pakistani government buildings. With short logical hop from confi rmation of bombings in Mumbai (then Bombay) They have everything to lose from war. of the generic extremist Islamic terror. The planning was thorough, and the the Hindu nationalist party goading it Pakistan’s involvement in the attacks which killed over 250 in 1993. Interpol If India is pushed into military confl ict Many countries have diffi culties attackers well equipped, suggesting with its neighbour, any remaining hope defi ning terrorism, and not surprisingly. the support of a large, well-funded that the new democratic civilian regime It encompasses state terrorism, making organisation. Most telling was the is capable of keeping a lid on Pakistan’s defi nition problematic for states that terrorists’ composition of college-age internal tensions will dissipate. Calls occasionally fi nd themselves funding Muslims and apparent lack of any for General Pervez Musharraf to return foreign political movements with real demands. One spoke to a Indian to power will take a louder form than military wings. The November attacks television station by telephone during Facebook groups (there are well over a in Mumbai showed up the quandary the siege. Evidently on a whim. His wish- hundred). encountered when trying to pinpoint list sounded like it was composed on the Indian Muslims have disowned the the root of an attack that serves spot, and the exasperated interviewer attackers, refusing to allow them be the individual interests of disparate was hard pushed to coax even this much buried in Muslim graveyards. Their groups of criminals, drug barons and out of the tongue-tied terrorist: “We bodies are still in a government morgue. religiously motivated extremists, not all demand the release of all mujaheddin But this show of ecumenical solidarity of them Muslim, and at the same time put in jails ... and we, the Muslim who does not take the immense pressure collectively advances political interests. live in India, should not be harassed.. off the Indian government to strike While fl ames licked the Taj Mahal Things like demolition of Babri Masjid Graffi ti on the Pakistan a symbolic revenge blow, Palace, the last stragglers holding off and killings should stop.” But frustrated embankments whatever consequences it may have. both the police forces and fi refi ghters youth don’t fund and arm themselves. of Marine Drive The voters are marching at its heels, and with the few bullets they had left, An overwhelming amount of evidence Mumbai. Photo: India holds the rifl e with an elephant in reports were already piling up. The points to Pakistan – too much for India Ian Watkyn its sights. TRINITY NEWS January 13, 2009 WORLD REVIEW 13

the description so apt, that they began to use it when addressing each other. Another point which should be taken into account is that piracy is genuinely good craic, and people work best when happy in their jobs. As such, piracy Piracy could could also be contemporary Ireland’s solution to the alienation of the modern ‘commute-work-commute-sleep-die in debt’ cycle into which many people were sucked during the Celtic Tiger years. This is not to say that no diffi culties would be encountered while shore up our redirecting Ireland’s economy towards piracy, but most are surmountable. Easiest to solve is the moral problem. As piracy’s reputation deteriorated, many Somalis re-designated themselves ‘coastguards,’ protecting Somali territorial waters. This claim was economy based on their original role, where they genuinely protected local fi sheries from foreign super-trawlers. This change from pirate to coastguard is much the There’s no lack of liquidity on the open seas. same as re-labelling a secretary an ‘information engineer,’ and the pirates Sean Doyle concludes that Ireland is well- have lost none of their effi ciency while gaining much legitimacy, not to mention placed to emulate the buoyant maritime econ- a morale boost. There is no reason why Ireland could not do the same. omy on Somalia’s coast Our partners in Brussels are, it should be noted, unlikely to enjoy paying HE YEAR 2008 was not yet amiable ne’er-do-wells. Of late, ransoms for goods and citizens fl ying kind to Ireland, and with the sterling efforts of Disney studios under their national fl ags, particularly the economy still in freefall, notwithstanding, this fi ne reputation when demanded by a country that is it looks like 2009 will be has come under pressure and been nominally their ally. Under such protest, nastier still. Factories will tarnished in both the print and visual the Irish government would eventually Tclose, businesses will go bust, bankers media. Piracy is now seen as the harsh have to cease all pirate activities – but, will fl ee in the same direction as their exploitation of weakness through a as the re-negotiation of the Lisbon money (i.e. offshore), and an awful lot of mixture of aggressive and cunning, if treaty has shown, not before wringing people will be without work. This is not not downright despicable, behaviour. some juicy funding concessions from simply an economic crisis, however, but This also being an accurate description the Commission. At any rate, given a total crisis of confi dence. of Irish corporate practice, it was felt the length of time it takes to make a Bankers, corporate leaders, even that the Somali brand of piracy was decision, we should have ridden out politicians; these were people we a template we could work from. The the crisis and replenished the national respected, listened to, aspired to be, hope is that through a balanced and Global coffers before any real action has to be or hoped to parasitically squeeze a fair investigation of best practice, we business leaders taken. This, it must be admitted, would living from. Many of us in the student at Trinity News can cut through the of tomorrow? not be in the spirit of partnership or body benefi ted directly from their lax mainstream media agenda to the truth fairness, but then, it is arguable that attitude towards hand-outs and student about piracy in Somalia in the hope Furthermore, piracy has led to lacks the PR-power of piracy to put mobile phones, and light weaponry our membership of the Union has often promotions: building forts in our living of learning some valuable lessons a surge in technical innovations in itself on the international agenda. (items which the current spate of been more about freeloading than real rooms from AIB paperweights, relying about how Ireland might reposition its telecommunications, radar, and shootings has demonstrated to be participation. on Google’s recruitment stand for all economy in adverse conditions. ground to air missile production. Most Ireland’s opportunity readily available). An adverse reaction on the part of our stationery needs, and clothing Piracy is an innovative form of capital importantly, in the case of piracy, a BEFORE DISCUSSING the conclusions Piracy would regenerate NATO is also a worry, but yet again, the ourselves exclusively in KPMG t-shirts. accumulation that can be developed rising tide really does raise all boats. of our study and the suitability of a marginal areas of the West Coast, whose Somali example shows that there is little Now after the government bank bailout, in any maritime economy, requiring Garowe, once among the dreariest piracy-based solution to Ireland’s many islands and inlets would make to fear. An enormous naval force is now we, or at least the lucky few with a minimal investment (whether it be from towns in Puntaland, is now one of the economic crisis, it should be noted that fi ne bases for smaller pirate bands. patrolling the Gulf of Aden. Their success taxable income, will be paying for those blingest cities along the East African piracy is currently an illegal activity, and Moreover, the cross border business rate so far: eight pirates arrested by the t-shirts for a very long time to come. coastline. Manufacturing has blossomed neither the authors of this piece, nor the cooperation which would be the natural French – all released, as no one knew Gone are the times when every fresher as demand for dinghy construction editors of the paper in which it appears result of an increased demand for ship what to do with them. If worst comes could look forward to buying high grade Piracy in Somalia and pirate accessories skyrockets. The would in any way condone acts of piracy building (almost certainly Belfast- to worst and military intervention looks drugs with their 0% APR student credit has led to a surge in service sector has likewise expanded to of any sort. However, we feel it our based) could lay the foundations for a likely, one option would be to declare card on a trip to Amsterdam paid for support the new buccaneer lifestyle, and duty to lay all the options for recovery truly all-Ireland economy in which each the Aran Islands independent, blame by their student loan. All we can look technical innovations tourists, who rarely visited before piracy on the table, for the sake of balanced region supports the others. What we are it all on its inhabitants, who can then forward to in the New Year is a House became a growth industry, throng the argument. Moving on… talking about here is peace in our time. be renditioned extraordinarily to The 17 run on Cuppa-Soups and the hope in telecommunications, hotels and eateries of the town. Ireland is well positioned to act on Apart from the narrow Hague – making room for new holiday that our student union handbooks have radar, and ground to air Puntaland’s success is all the more Puntaland’s example. Strategically considerations of money and politics, homes and the beginning of another enough pages left to keep us in toilet roll impressive when we compare the positioned along the mid-Atlantic building boom. until June. missile production. region to the neighbouring sections of shipping lanes, and reasonably near to Puntaland has managed to turn its But do not despair. In its own little Somalia which do not actively engage the Mediterranean, Ireland could have economy around without international bid to avert social meltdown, Trinity in piracy. Somalia proper, to the south a captive market (no pun intended) State-led piracy will be aid, the support of the World Bank, News has sent an investigative team to the state or private sector) and yielding of Puntaland, is still engaged in an stretching from New York to the Canary a competitive sector, International Monetary Fund, or the research economies that have reacted high returns. Its benefi ts to Somalia, interminable civil war. With little hope Islands. This would allow us to build on E.U. Many of the factors that spurred to crisis with innovation and success; and the Puntaland region in particular, of an end in sight, it has been universally trade links and business connections encouraging the set-up Somalia’s rise into the premier league economies that Ireland could use as a are manifold. Initial investment was labelled a failed state. that were laid out while Ireland was of great maritime powers are present template for recovery. negligible, and even after 17 years of civil To the north exists the breakaway becoming a globalised economy. of small and medium in Ireland. In fact, it is arguable This issue we will be looking at a war, the Somalis were able to convert an republic of Somaliland, a peaceful and Unlike Puntaland, Ireland has the sized businesses all that Ireland is in a much stronger developing and geographically marginal ageing and outmoded national fl eet into relatively democratic former British advantage of an existing, if small, fl eet. position than Somalia ever was both economy which, by successfully one of the high seas’ most effectively run Protectorate, With a state budget of The Irish Navy could fi nally start earning along the coast economically and regarding its potential exploiting a niche industry, has enterprises. In 2008 alone, up to 200 about $50 million dollars per year, its bread, championed by the state in for reorganization. Perhaps for some, managed to reinvent itself as a globally boats were commandeered, the return however, it can barely supply Garowe’s much the same way as the banking high seas piracy may resemble the recognised brand, drawing millions of of which earned the local economy an monthly champagne demands, much sector, only profi tably. That is not to say it should be noted that piracy was Celtic Tiger economy a bit too closely dollars into the region. The place is, of average of $1.5 million per boat (sources: less build practical things such as that state-led piracy will stifl e free trade traditionally an Irish speciality. Every for comfort, rendering it an unpalatable course, Puntaland in Somalia, and the BBC World News Service; Foreign Policy schools and hospitals. In fact, being and enterprise. It will be a competitive child knows about Grace O’Malley, the solution to our woes. However, the industry - high-seas piracy. Magazine). In a country where average too peaceful to bother dealing with, sector, encouraging the set-up of small pirate Queen of Connaught. It has even Somali spirit of entrepreneurship, self- Pirates have traditionally earnings per head are lucky to hover Somaliland remains unrecognised and medium sized businesses all along been suggested that the word ‘Gael’ reliance and innovation in the face of maintained a popular image of around $600 per year, this is an crucial by any independent state. Despite the coast. As Puntaland has shown, all derives from a Welsh word for ‘pirate’, adversity is one that Ireland could, and swashbuckling adventurers and naughty source of national income. its democratic institutions it simply that is needed is a radio, radar, a few or more simply ‘thief’ - the Irish found maybe should, imitate. 150 years ago in Ireland, Obama’s message was born

By Patrick Cosgrave greatest catalyst for that journey of gaze around in vain for one who will Ireland was also the site, according change appears to have been Ireland. question my equal humanity, claim me to Prof. Bill Rolston, where Douglass It was because of Ireland that Douglass as a slave, or offer me an insult.” “honed both his oratorical and BARACK OBAMA owes a whole lot more was fi rst able to truly formulate and Prof. Patricia Ferreira, of Norwich political skills”. He gave many lectures, to Ireland than an ancestor or two. His articulate his vision for a United States University, concludes that “although numbering up to fi fty in Ireland alone, journey of change and his central vision of America, a vision Obama has made from a young age Douglass possessed and had the good fortune of speaking were born 150 years ago because of his own. the inclination to be a leader, Ireland was alongside Daniel O’Connell, who had a Ireland. Ireland was the “transforming” In 1845, Frederick Douglass, aged the site where this trait blossomed”. profound impact on Douglass. catalyst in an extraordinary untold just 27, left the United States for However, it wasn’t just Douglass’s Douglass later recalled O’Connell’s journey of change. And understanding Europe. While Douglass’s star had ability to lead that blossomed in Ireland, “truly wondrous eloquence”, “Until I the roots of that extraordinary journey been on the rise, his morale had begun so too did his vision. His vision grew heard this man,” wrote Douglass, “I had begins with a simple question: to sink. He hoped for “a little repose” from that of a champion of African thought that the story of his oratory and Who inspired Barack Obama? One in Europe, where he might regain his American rights, to that of a champion power were greatly exaggerated…but fi gure, it seems, stands above all others: strength, as well as a better sense of of universal human rights. the mystery was solved when I saw his Frederick Douglass. In another letter to Garrison from vast person, and heard his musical voice. So who was Frederick Douglass Ireland, Douglass wrote that “I see His eloquence came down upon the and why has his infl uence on Obama A former student of much here to remind me of my former vast assembly like a summer thunder- been told across the pages of The New condition, and I confess I should be shower upon a dusty road. He could York Times and International Herald Obama’s recalls his ashamed to lift up my voice against stir the multitude at will, to a tempest Tribune by his former students and professor’s admiration American slavery, but that I know the of wrath, or reduce it to the silence with leading historians? cause of humanity is one the world over. which a mother leaves the cradle-side of In short, because it was Douglass for the soaring but He who really and truly feels for the her sleeping babe.” Douglass concluded who fi rst began Obama’s journey of American slave, cannot steel his heart that he “never heard surpassed, if change over 150 years ago; because plainspoken speeches to the woes of others; and he who thinks equalled, at home or abroad” such it was Douglass who fi rst articulated of Frederick Douglass himself an abolitionist, yet cannot enter soaring rhetorical brilliance. a vision for a truly United States of into the wrongs of others, has yet to fi nd Douglass returned to the United Frederick Douglass, immortalised on a mural in Belfast America that Obama has made his own; his future actions in the United States. a true foundation for his anti-slavery States in 1847, “transformed” by his and because it was Douglass who fi rst His fi rst port of call, outside of a night faith”. Irish experience. He went on to become, aloud what had happened to the art of particular his campaign rhetoric”. articulated change in a way America has in Liverpool, was Ireland. He stayed for In turn, Douglass’s vision for United in the words of Prof. James A. Colaiaco political oratory”. At that time, Obama Douglass, it seems, inspired Obama never forgotten and in a way Obama has nearly six months. States of America grew to refl ect his who authored a book on his rhetoric, the “in particular, admired Douglass’s use more than any other individual. given a new meaning. Two of Douglass’s biographers, Alan expanded world view. He hoped that “greatest orator of the 19th Century”. of a collective voice that embraced black Because it was Douglass, “transformed In 1818, Frederick Douglass was born Rice and Martin Crawford, note that he one day all citizens would be treated It was the type of oratory that inspired and white concerns”. by Ireland,” who fi rst truly set in motion into slavery, but by 20 years of age had arrived as “the raw material of a great equally “without regard to colour, class Obama. A former student of Obama’s The Douglass that Obama admired Obama’s journey of change some 150 escaped. He rose to become the foremost black fi gure”. Within weeks, however, or clime” and that the United States recalls in the The New York Times “his was the Douglass “transformed” by years ago; because it was Douglass, African American abolitionist and one of Douglass began to transform. would become a truly “more perfect professor’s admiration for the soaring Ireland and his time abroad. Prof. Scott “transformed by Ireland,” who the most signifi cant fi gures in American In a letter from Ireland to William union”. but plainspoken speeches of Frederick Williamson writes in The Narrative Life, fi rst formulated the very vision that history. So signifi cant that eminent Llyod Garrison, one of the founders By 1850, he had fi rmly broken with Douglass”. That admiration was on that the years from 1848 onwards “mark Obama has made his own; and because academics, such as Harvard historian of the American Anti-Slavery Society, the traditional Garrisonian disunionist show in the fi nal weeks of Obama’s the years of his maturity as a thinker”. it was Douglass, “transformed by Prof. Henry Louis Gates, confi dently Douglass wrote that “I seem to have line and had begun “to employ union as campaign when he constantly quoted While Dr. Michael A. Cohen, a former Ireland,” who fi rst articulated change conclude that “Douglass towered over undergone a transformation. I live an inspirational concept,” to quote Prof. one of Douglass’s most famous lines: Democratic speechwriter, author in a way America has never forgotten Lincoln as a brilliant orator, writer, a new life.” Douglass went on to add Rogan Kersch of New York University “Power does not concede.” and regular contributor to the The and in a way Obama has given a new agitator, and public fi gure”. that “instead of the bright, blue sky of in Dreams of a More Perfect Union. And Some years previous, according New York Times, concludes that “the meaning. Douglass may have begun Obama’s America, I am covered with the soft, some 150 years later, Obama would to The New York Times, Obama had thinking of the older Douglass appears “Behold the change!” Douglass journey of change over 150 years ago, gray fog of the Emerald Isle. I breathe, emerge to once again “employ union as told his class that “no one speaks [like to have had a more signifi cant impact wrote from Ireland. Behold the change, but what is most surprising is that the and lo! the chattel becomes a man! I an inspirational concept”. Douglass] anymore,” as he “wondered on Mr. Obama’s political thinking and in Mr. Obama. TRINITY NEWS 14 OPINION January 13, 2009 Offensive Ents slogan is a red RAG to a bull

Hilary Allen male. Whether or not this is an offensive able to receive from the Students’ Union at all? The argument could of course be Caoilfhionn Nic Conmara slogan is of course up for debate. For “We’ll never see the men of the SU walking is that, while crude, it raises attention made that it is managing to achieve said Niall Sherry those who suffer while on their period, and therefore does its job. Similar to aim on the very basis of the fact that I or who fi nd it embarrassing (as many around in SHAG week t-shirts with ‘I SUFFER SHAG week, apparently. There are a am writing this article. But there are IF YOU are a class rep, or in any way do – it’s hardly a topic that comes up few things wrong with this logic, notably better ways of raising awareness. There involved in the Students’ Union, you will in casual conversation) it could be seen FROM ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION’ emblazoned that SHAG week aims to raise awareness are better ways of informing people. have been asked to wear a t-shirt with as hugely offensive; for those who have across the front, no matter how funny the female of sexual health and gender. To promote When I look at a t-shirt with “I’m on the the slogan “I’m on the RAG” stamped never had a period it may make no safe “shagging” practices and to RAG” splashed across the front I do not across the chest this week. difference. population might fi nd it.” provide information about “shaggingly” consider what I may be doing in order to For those of you who don’t know Personally I fi nd the fact that is transmitted infections. The slogan “I’m support the cause; instead, I think about (and, in a college that strives to be completely targeted towards one take care to at least try and avoid FROM ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION” on the RAG” has nothing to do with periods. international, there are plenty of people gender and designed to draw a laugh being blindly offensive to 60% of the emblazoned across the front, no matter Raising A Grand. It has nothing to do We expect more from RAG week, for whom this is the case) to be “on the from the discomfort, and perhaps pain, student population. It might be seen as how much attention that might draw, or with promoting philanthropic values or and more from a Students’ Union that rag” is not to be on a major night out, it of that gender outrageously offensive. ‘ranty feminism’ to say that it’s typical how funny the female population might feeling, it is simply a tool being used to sets out to represent us all. We expect is to have a period. This is a step too far Others may disagree. Either way, it’s misogyny from a body whose upper fi nd it. grab attention. more than cheap jokes and childish in the pursuit of publicity. a debate that should have been had echelons are still primarily dominated Either way, it is evident that this The main tenet of charities is respect slogans. We expect better and I think This slogan was chosen by a small, prior to now. When the Students’ by men, but let’s face it – even though slogan is crude, puerile and designed towards human dignity. This campaign underneath my personal distaste for appointed committee, who appear to Union, of which we are all members, they’d draw a lot of attention, we’ll never as nothing more than a cheap stunt. is an affront to this aim and thus RAG this slogan, expecting better is why I be answerable to no one in particular. is throwing its considerable weight see the men of the SU walking around Complete with stickers. week’s entire purpose in the fi rst place. felt the need to raise this issue and write Unsurprisingly, this committee is all- and funding behind a drive, it should in SHAG week t-shirts with “I SUFFER The only reasoning that I have been Why bother with an offensive RAG week this article.

IN PROFILE: DARREN MCCALLIG Irreverent Reverend

Dean of Residence, Rev Darren McCallig enlightens Conor Gannon about his recent series of eyebrow- raising sermons based around TV shows, and making his voice heard amidst the din of secular life in Trinity

FORMER GALWAY student union care. But similar to most people, he leader and current Anglican Chaplain, challenged the faith he understood in Darren Mc Callig is the epitome of his youth. Understanding the Bible in enthusiasm. Determined to make the way he did as a child no longer made students aware that the Chapel is a sense. For many of his friends the next place of welcome, he is a man who step was to give up, but Darren was wants to make a statement to the world. determined to seek a new understanding “Competition is tough with the market of his identity as a Christian. leader these days” he says, jokingly, A chaplain at University College as he refers to his Roman Catholic Galway, Rev Robert McCarthy, who is counterparts. “We’ve got to make our now the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral voice heard even if it’s only heard by and also well able to raise a few eyebrows Trinity’s niche market, the Anglicans”. with his preaching, played a pivotal In Trinity term, Mc Callig caused role in Darren’s spiritual development. something of a stir with the controversial McCarthy inspired him to delve deeper titles of his sermons. From “The Gospel into that broad church tradition within according to Sex in the City” to “The Anglicanism which is at once scholarly Gospel according to Fr Ted”, he wanted and open to new perspectives. He took to do something which would grab it to heart and was ordained a priest. people’s attention, and that it did. “Quite frankly, I sometimes wish I Interviewed by 2FM and appearing on wasn’t a clergyman”, he says. “I fi nd it RTÉ, he was determined to demonstrate so frustrating when people who don’t that links can and should be made know me automatically assume that between the secular and the spiritual. I must be homophobic, misogynistic, So what better place to start than his fundamentalist anti-sex and anti- favourite television programmes? As intellectual nutcase.” “What’s more, his catchphrase goes, “our faith is 2000 they assume I think non-believers and people, persecution of people of other “On the morning of my sermon on the Campus and who would be likely attend years old, but our thinking doesn’t have people of other religions are all going to faiths and the most terrible abuses of Shawshank Redemption, I was delighted a service on a Sunday, it’s a wonder we to be”. hell.” Looking at the Church, McCallig power. to be met by a family after the service have a congregation at all”, he exclaims. Born in Claremorris in Co Mayo in sees an institution which has contributed But breaking down those negative who told me that that watched the fi lm “It’s wonderful to see that the numbers 1974, faith was an important aspect of greatly to human fl ourishing over the images of the church is the fi rst step the previous night, having read about it in the congregation are increasing”. family for McCallig, and it was shown last two thousand years. He also sees an in trying to reach out to the student in the Irish Times.” How does he feel about stepping more in deeds than in words. He speaks institution which has been, and still is in population, Darren believes. “We’re For those who may not be as well into the shoes of the former Anglican with great admiration of his parents’ many ways, guilty of a long list of crimes very lucky in Trinity to be able to play prepared for their Sunday worship, chaplain, who was renowned for his willingness to open their home to including the abuse and exploitation to our strengths. First, we have a McCallig reminds us that the preaching liturgical innovations? McCallig points children who needed emergency foster of women, discrimination against gay beautiful Chapel in which to celebrate doesn’t have to be confi ned to the pulpit. out that each chaplain brings his own our liturgies and second, we have an If you miss a sermon you can download strengths and weaknesses. Trinity outstanding musical tradition, with it from the chaplaincy website and listen wasn’t always a place of bells and smells, “I fi nd it so frustrating when people who don’t the Chapel Choir delighting the ears of to it at your leisure. he observes. “I think there’s a lot to be worshippers and enticing passers-by to Around fi fty percent of students said for traditional Anglican liturgy. know me automatically assume that I must be a come into the Chapel to sample some of declare their religious affi liation when It speaks for itself. The music and the their heavenly melodies.” they register. Out of that, McCallig setting do the rest.” homophobic, misogynistic, fundamentalist, anti- In good Protestant tradition, Darren estimates that about fi ve percent are So is there anything interesting in sex and anti-intellectual nutcase.” emphasizes the importance of preaching Anglican. “When you get down to the the pipeline? “You’ll just have to wait in order to convert hearts and minds. proportion of that group who live on and see.” Failure to bring home bacon butchers export market

Fionnuala Barrett Their website has since dropped “Irish” are so infrequent that they’re not even hundred producers suffered the effects While it has yet to be proved whether time of writing still remains in place on from their name. annual? of the product recall. the scare signifi cantly weakened the Irish pork. However, it is the government who The Food Safety Authority (FSAI), If nothing else, the debacle has proven current government’s popularity or As the chorus of commentators have THE DUST kicked up in December with will prove most affected by the fi asco. in an effort to be safe rather than sorry, beyond all doubt that the traceability of perceived ability to keep its head in been unanimous in affi rming, good the short-lived pork scandal has now This is just the most recent in a litany chose to recall all pig meat rather than to every pack of pig meat – claims on the times of trouble, it can be guessed that reputations take years to build and bad begun to settle, but some of the wounds of high-profi le messes in recent months, rely on the traceability system to choose packs which might lead you to believe this latest fi asco has not helped its ones years to overcome; in some cases, a sustained during the scuffl e may take a including, but by no means limited to, only the meat known to have come that the worker in your local Spar knew already ailing stock. The comparisons bad reputation never entirely goes away. while longer to heal. Quite apart from the medical card furore, the vigorous into contact with the contaminated every individual pig farmer by name – drawn between the latest mess, under The consequences of this latest dent to the approximately 1,800 jobs which back-pedalling over promises made feed. It was a move which prompted was a comforting myth which, when put inexperienced Brendan Smith, and Ireland’s agricultural reputation are were threatened just two weeks before about primary class sizes and the overall Alan Matthews, professor of European to the test, spectacularly failed to yield the Foot and Mouth epidemic of 2001, not to be underestimated, particularly Christmas, others have taken a battering rabbit-in-the-headlights response to the Agricultural Policy in Trinity, to express results to anyone’s benefi t. which was handled with far greater facing into the year of the big slump, because of this scandal. Galtee, for credit crisis. wonder at the fact that pigs which never As food writer Georgina Campbell aplomb by a seasoned Minister for when sterling has taken a 30 percent instance, will probably be lying low for The governmental response to the came into contact with this feed weren’t put it at the time, “There’s this Agriculture, Joe Walsh, have opened up dip on its standing at the start of the the foreseeable. A caller to Joe Duffy dioxin scare was unsatisfactory in just getting to supermarket shelves. awful feeling that there’s no-one in Cowen’s kitchen cabinet of friends and year. Considering that the UK makes revealed that before the warnings about every aspect. To begin with, Although beef is traceable back control.” Such a feeling only escalated supporters, to even greater criticism, up more than 40 percent of Ireland’s about pork had been made, she had the routine checks which led to the to factory and farm, as it has been when, resulting from the confl icted while better-qualifi ed rivals wait on the food export market, Ireland needs to ordered one of Galtee’s “Traditional discovery of the presence of dioxin since the BSE crisis of the 90s, pig conferences, warnings were similarly sidelines. keep its reputation as clean as possible Irish Breakfast” hampers for a far-fl ung in meat had not been carried out at meat, though traceable to the factory, confused and apparently contradictory, The fallout abroad from the crisis has in the coming year if it is to weather relative who craved a taste of the old the factory in question for over a year. generally cannot be traced further back keen to reassure the public that pork yet to be fully realised, though there was the inhospitable economic tide on the country. Upon contacting Galtee to This alone should have been enough because the pork industry does not was not dangerous and yet insistent a foretaste of the reaction with South horizon. On the home front and abroad, cancel her order, she was told that the to cause uproar: upon what, exactly, enjoy the lavish funding afforded to beef that it had to be destroyed. In turn, the Africa’s swift move to ban all EU meat the pork scandal makes for a thought- meat in these hampers is not Irish at all, does Ireland base its claims to be a producers. Thus out of only ten farmers consumer response was at ambivalent and dairy products. The ban has now provoking, if none too positive, augury but sourced from the EU and the US. producer of “quality” meat when checks affected by the contaminated feed, four and, in many cases, sceptical. been lifted on EU beef and dairy but at for Ireland in 2009. TRINITY NEWS January 13, 2009 OPINION 15

NEWS ANALYSIS ROUND UP seek alternative employment. The letter pattern of over-reaching, ill-thought out and was tough, it pulled few punches, but it regulation-breaking behaviour by Stokes. did not identify any individuals, it was not What are her motivations, her goals? How libelous and it expressed a genuine student does she justify her actions to her superiors? AOIFE CROWLEY grievance. In short, it was exactly what you One doubts she is ever asked to. expect to see on the letters page. Days after it was published, I received HE RECORD of Stokes’s most OBITUARIES an email from Stokes summoning me to recent years as Junior Dean appear before her to explain myself. I stood makes for worrying reading and SPEAKING THE accused of an “activity which brings the suggests she rules the roost in the College into disrepute” and of “harassment offi ce of the College Deans. LANGUAGE OF or misbehaviour on College property or in TShe has unilaterally changed the College’s dealings with others”. alcohol policy to restrict the serving of alcohol THE DEAD At this point I re-read the letter carefully, before 6pm and to lengthen the notice trying to fi gure out how these charges needed of an event. This change came mere IN HIS column, Frank could possibly be justifi ed. Secure in the days before Freshers’ Week 2006 much to McNally fondly knowledge that there was no case of “ the outrage of the Students’ Union and the remembers Hugh harassment” or “disrepute” to answer and larger societies. The previous policy had Massignberg, who over the initial shock of Stokes’s email, my been a negotiated consensus, reached after turned the obituary into an art form. “In his annoyance grew. months of consultation between some of the lexicography of coded terms, the description of There were many problems with the better minds of the college administration someone as “convivial” indicated that the dearly email – its adversarial and combative tone, and student representatives. Her’s were snap departed had been an habitual drunk; a person its invocation of a very serious charge of changes, never justifi ed. On her campaign who had “relished the cadences of the English harassment without reference to any specifi c against consumables, cake sales were the next language” was an insufferable windbag; and evidence, its general “school principal” to go, as was well reported in this paper last an “uncompromisingly direct ladies’ man” had approach to the situation – but what irked year. probably been prone to exposing himself to me most was the obvious and knowing She has wilfully circumvented the women after a few drinks.” disregard for the actual, College-approved authority of the new Senior Dean to deal with But it wasn’t only his use of understatement procedures for handling a complaint of its student society, club and publication related that attracted readers: “The unvarnished truth was nature. disciplinary matters and has even tagged her popular too, as in this 1988 tribute to a London For those unfamiliar with these, in own conditions onto the new Intermission of restaurateur (who had been famous for his brief, the chain of complaint goes as Studies legislation after its fi nal version was conviviality): “Often he would pass out amid the follows: you fi rst complain to the passed by University Council. cutlery before doing any damage, but occasionally Editor, then to the Publications This legislation was supposed to regularise he would cruise menacingly beneath the tables, Committee, then to the the taking of years out to run large societies. biting unwary customers’ ankles”” Senior Dean. You can, if Stokes, post hoc, decided that a bond would you feel the need skip the have to be signed with her before the students fi rst two and go straight would be allowed to be, well, students. Again AWARDS to the top. this shows a total disregard for the limits of The College itself her authority. A working group had devised BRITISH HONOURS FOR IRISH is quite explicit the legislation, University Council debated it about this and and passed it and Stokes ignored all of this CITIZENS previous Senior and effectively changed it at a whim. Deans have not She has reduced at least two chairs of IN THE Irish been shy about capitated bodies to tears in the last two years Times, Tom exerting their and has revelled in calling heads of societies Cooper fi rmly power in this at 8am to reprimand them. She banned night- objects to the area. The time events in the GMB in Trinity term as they granting of powers are were too disruptive to student study. When British honours far-reaching asked to clarify her position by the then- to Irish citizens. and, in my president of the Phil she bitingly declared “I “To allow experience, don’t have to justify myself to you”. Those in this situation the small authority should always have to justify the to continue number of exercise of it, even the Junior Dean. amounts to c o m p l a i n t s These incidents do not paint a pretty no less than received are picture. I would normally be willing to mark a surrender of sovereign control over State always given ceremonial to our former colonial masters.” the gravitas they Simon Partridge of East Finchly retorts, “British deserve. citizens live in a constitutional monarchy and not Notice that “Fear is an insidious a medieval state.” He goes on to say ,“This surely nowhere is the Junior tool, a despicable one indicates not a surrender of Irish sovereignty, but Dean mentioned, rather recognises that both countries have entered invoked or for somebody who an era of mutual respect.” referenced in these procedures. gleefully told the The Back to Irish Times that her focus INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS my own experience: was on ‘pastoral care’ not WHERE NOW FOR Over the discipline.” course of three GUANTANAMO INTERNEES? more emaiIs I repeatedly replied fi rmly that I would not be some of them up to student exaggeration, AS THE American government appearing before the Dean as the issue lay to enlargement by the rumour mill and to prepares to shut their outside her jurisdiction. I encouraged her to the usual animosity students reserve for Guantanamo camp, Ireland ask the complainant to take up the issue in disciplinary roles. has been asked if it would accordance with College procedures. However, given her current fl aunting of take some of the former In response, Stokes repeated her assertion College’s own regulations, her behaviour prisoners. “This would be that I must present myself to her or face “dire cannot go unexamined. Why does she get away a logical consequence of consequences.” In fact, she even asserted with it? Because of fear, and her willingness this country’s call for that that this was in line with the College’s own to bandy about “dire consequences” with concentration camp to be procedures. I maintained my line, that this abandon. Students fear to stand up to her - shut down,” writes one was not with her jurisdiction and an impasse they fear they may not get rooms the next contributor in the Examiner. STOKES: was reached. year, that their society might lose funding, that “While cynics may suggest After a lull, the impasse was surmounted their magazine might be shut down, and they that the Americans should by Stokes herself in her fi nal email. She fear the dire yet undefi ned consequences that be left to solve the problem they created, this wrote: “I refer to your [last] correspondence Stokes threatens. Fear is an insidious tool, a would only complicate and extend the problem. of 30 November 2007. Following a request for despicable one for somebody who gleefully It would be a logical and humane move on our legal advice, I understand that, under current told the The Irish Times that her focus was on part, and would also be a friendly gesture towards arrangements, the Offi ce of the Junior “pastoral care” not discipline. the Americans, to whom this country has regularly A dubious Dean does not have a role in dealing with That she uses fear in such a way, to enforce turned in times of trouble.” what you, as Editor, allow to be published in decisions that are far beyond her remit shows In the same paper, Brian P. disagrees. “At present Trinity News.” Yet this is exactly what she has a disturbing willingness to let the ends justify the country has serious economic diffi culties attempted to do with Pirhana. the means. Disturbing particularly given the and cannot afford any non-fee-paying guests or Stokes, it seems, had gone to the College’s responsibilities to students’ safety claimed otherwise. Furthermore these detainees come lawyers and now understood that she didn’t by Stokes herself. She claims that she takes from a culture in which there are elements seeking have any jurisdiction in this matter. Yet just student safety “most seriously” but it seems to take over the world. It would be foolish in the guardian? over one year since this admission, we are back student rights rank much lower in her extreme to let such people put down roots in at the same impasse. Stokes has attempted to estimation. Ireland.” act against the editor of a student publication The College – embodied by the Senior Meanwhile in the Irish Times, Paul Delaney for something he allowed to be published. Dean, College Secretary and the Provost in wonders “Should the lucky individuals happen to In trying to discipline the editor of Piranha, Dr Emma Booth is standing fi rm, but this time, with full this case – cannot just ignore the actions of land at Shannon, will they get a distinct sense of knowledge that her actions are proscribed, Stokes. She has set herself “above the law” in deja vu?” Stokes, shows her disregard for the College rules she Stokes seems bent on having her way. Trinity. In her correspondence with Trinity News, College disciplinary procedures are in place is employed to uphold, writes Gearoid O’Rourke quoted, above, she went on to say that “the to protect both the College and the student TRANSPORT wider issues raised by this case will be referred that they are initiated against. Due process, T IS a perennial event – once again, paper here in Trinity. to the Senior Dean and Dean of Students in fairness and transparent judgements are INCREASED PRICE, IMPROVED student satirical magazine Piranha is “So what?”, the average student might say. early 2008”. These issues seemed to be that caveat-free rights beholden to students. They in trouble. It seems that at least one of So what if, once again, free speech has received Stokes felt that student publications were cannot be abandoned to get a quick result, or EFFICIENCY? the articles it published this year was a knee-jerk kick in the pants, at the whim of not accountable enough and that she was at the whim of one person who feels that they of such grave impropriety and general one over-zealous administrator. “Why does it the one to bring them into line. This review know best. NOT SO, writes offenseI that the complaints received by matter to me?”, you may ask. of procedures happened. Stokes wanted a Abandoning these rights robs Stokes, and James Doorley in College authorities forced them to take action Well, if you get into a sticky situation new College offi cer to be created, a sort of thus Trinity, of any moral authority in matters the Independent. against the publication and its unfortunate in College you would like to think that the internal Trinity Press Ombudsman who could of student discipline. Allowing her to continue “Surely increased editor Andrew Booth. authorities are playing by the rules. You would refer editors to her for discipline or impose a in her post would be an admission by this revenue would Actually, no, that is not the case. Yes, like to think you are entitled to due process, fi ne. She of course would have a hand in the College that justice for students and their lead to increased Piranha is in trouble again, but as you could that your right to a fair hearing is protected. Ombudsman’s selection. protection from reckless prosecution have effi ciency. Would have read in the Mail on Sunday on January If Stokes’s behaviour in this case is anything This was never going to fl y. However, become unimportant. this turn our 4th or on the front page of this publication, to go by, then clearly they are not. ”What was an agreeable consensus was reached. All In 1788, Alexander Hamilton, a founding quirky and much- no complaints were received. It seems that wrong with Stokes’ action?” you might ask. I Trinity student publications signed up to father of the United States and fi rst Secretary of loved Irish Rail Piranha had the bad luck of falling across the may seem authoritarian, even draconian, but the national Press Council and Ombudsman the Treasury, wrote that “To avoid an arbitrary into one of those desk of one Dr Emma Stokes – known to you “that’s her job,” right? and became the fi rst student publications discretion in the courts, it is indispensable that clinical operations and me as the Junior Dean. Wrong, it’s not her job. What is even in the country to do so. Despite this, Stokes they should be bound down by strict rules and so prevalent on You can again read on the front page worse is that she knows it is not within her has acted unilaterally. She has ignored the precedents, which serve to defi ne and point the continent? I needn’t have worried.” of this issue that Stokes made, in her own authority, yet she attempts it anyway. I can say agreed procedures and undermined the Press out their duty in every particular case that He describes his trip on the improved rail words, a “proactive” move and declared the categorically that it is not within her authority, Council. In disciplining Booth for something comes before them.” service. “Five minutes after the train was due, a publication banned, its future under question, not by virtue of some interpretation of my he had printed, she has clearly transgressed By acting outside the rules that should have muffl ed announcement was made. Iarnrod Eireann and imperiously summoned its staff to her own, but rather as a result of Stokes’ written the rules she is employed to uphold and has bound her, it is Stokes, not any student, that were apologising for the delay due to a points offi ce. admission that it is not. violated the rights of a student that she is has truly brought this College into disrepute. failure at Malahide. I breathed a sigh of relief when Stokes, it seems, sees herself as the keeper This admission was made just over twelve employed to serve. Given that she is failing the announcer gave no indication of when the train of the torch of public indignation in Trinity. months ago. It all began with a letter to the in the most basic part of her job description, Gearóid O’Rourke is a regular was actually due. This unpredictability is what we She has acted unilaterally, even if that very Editor published during my tenure as Editor to uphold the College code of discipline, her contributor to Trinity News and was Editor cherish. The train fi nally trundled into the station public indignation is distinctly lacking. It was of Trinity News last year. The letter criticised continuation in the position of Junior Dean of this newspaper from June 2007 to June 15 minutes late. And no harm. There’s too much suggested that she may have received verbal one group of college staff for providing a must be questioned. 2008. He was awarded Journalist of the rushing around in life as it is.” complaints. Maybe those complainants know poor service to students. It suggested that However, the banning of Piranha is not a Year and Editor of the Year in the 2008 how dangerous it is becoming to put pen to they improve their performance or else singular incident – it is indicative of a broader Irish Student Media Awards TRINITY NEWS 16 OPINION January 13, 2009 Hedonism of Tiger years leaves nasty hangover

Debra Wigglesworth You may have gathered that the Biffo Social and environmental planning was business and innovation and a world unnecessary semi-state assets, freeze creation. We will never return to the administration is the ugly to Aisling’s utterly neglected and abused by the centre for research and development. pay and cut wanton spending. The days of the property boom. But that is coyote. We chose them during the government to the benefi t of developers The headline for this plan is “Building absolute incompetence of the Financial not such a bad thing when we look at LIKE HER perma-tanned, acrylic drunken stupor of the Celtic Tiger days and bankers. Planning for a rainy day Ireland’s Smart Economy: A Framework Regulator given our present banking where it has brought us. nailed, Chloe bag and Jimmy Choo clad and now we are stuck in bed with them. did not factor in government policy, for Sustainable Economic Renewal”. crisis, raises serious questions about The bravado of the Celtic Tiger was counterparts, Aisling got regrettably The property boom was unsustainable. and for that gross oversight, our health The jargon-rich aspiration soundbite how many other quangos are equally transient and glib but the bravery that and irresponsibly, absolutely and That was predictable to everyone, but system, our education system and the nature of their plan does little to ease useless. will emerge in these times of adversity is unequivocally, “where am I and what’s the extent of the bust was not. private sector will pay. the immediate and real worry of those The Lisbon Treaty is another example what could make Ireland a great nation. my Christian name” drunk this New The Economic & Social Research We could have been prepared for about the security of their jobs or of incoherence by the government. The As Bill Cullen would say it is a time for Year’s Eve. Awaking in a Febreze- Institute’s recent report does not make this downturn more so than any other businesses. Where’s the leadership and Yes campaign was a complete disaster “liathroidi”. Maybe the Celtic Tiger is smelling bed and turning slowly to avoid cheerful reading. Our Gross National country. Instead domestic economic coherence that is urgently needed from by a government who were out of gone, but the Celtic Warrior is something motion sickness, she sees the beefy beast Product is forecast to contract by 4.6% recovery is at the mercy of a return of the government? Brian Cowen persists touch with the people to an insulting inherent in all of us. Adversity can bring that snared her last night - he is snoring in 2009 and the unemployment rate is stability of international fi nance. The in insulting the people of Ireland with extent. Spoiled by the grace and hope out the best about being Irish... or at and salivating all over her sun-shimmer estimated to exceed 10% by the end of ESRI recommends that government incoherence in his policies and in his inspired by Barack Obama, perhaps to least what is Irish about being Irish. One streaked arm. Rather than wake the 2009 forcing a projected 50,000 to have policy be based on ensuring Ireland communication. It appears, that he, ask for charisma from our Taoiseach is thing to believe in is the quality of our heaving creature Aisling would prefer emigrated by April 2009. This predicted is as well placed as possible to more than most is suffering the effects unrealistic or unfair. But it is clear to education system. We remain extremely to gnaw her own arm off. doom is set against the backdrop of a participate in a global upturn when of the boom-time hangover, slurring and me that the line between chutzpah and attractive to foreign investors as a result The urban legend of “coyote ugly” – government planning a 3.5% pay rise international economic decline ends. blurring his words with bombast and churlishness was long ago crossed. of our bright young workforce. In the fi nding yourself in the above situation for Government next September; an The government’s previous failures in tautology. Brian Lenihan proselytises The people of Ireland need a map knowledge economy it is within our and taking the latter option - applies increase which the ESRI calculates is planning in times of economic prosperity on Morning Ireland about the need to out of this crisis. A coherent, well grasp to become the leading innovators uncannily to the situation Ireland as a unaffordable. does not bode well for this aspiration. tighten our belts and yet in the next thought out plan would breed not only of the world but this will not come to nation fi nds itself in. We lived recklessly During the boom, economic growth Before the Dáil rose for six weeks for breath implores people to spend more some security in the public conscience fruition without the conviction and and hedonistically in the good old Celtic was the bottom line for the government. the Christmas break we were presented this Christmas. We as a nation need but also hope. A new direction for clarity of our government in dealing Tiger days. We made our money and Short-term speculative reward trumped with the Government’s plan for revival conviction and action and more than Ireland with emphasis in the long-term with the short-term problems. we drank and we were merry. But now sustainable growth of the country’s of economic growth in Ireland. At best anything we need a clear short- to on sustainable economic, social and The Celtic Tiger is dead and gone. We we collectively face the consequences economic infrastructure. The country’s we were presented with a list of distant medium-term plan to send Ireland in environmental growth and in the short- now await the Government’s coherent of our binge. And the hangover is of growth was the national manifestation aspirations. The government want to a new direction. This is an opportunity term prioritising the education system, plan for the New Year... or at least some biblical proportions. of the ‘fur coat no knickers’ cliché. make Ireland the leading location for to reform the public sector - privatise the health system, job security and job Alka-Seltzer for Aisling.

HEAD TO HEAD: TRINITY’S COBBLESTONES “AN INCONVENIENCE “THE COBBLESTONES TO EVERYDAY LIFE” MUST STAY”

Front Square – especially on those wet or icy It would be quite a different story if the mornings – Front Square in her current state buildings of Front Square were being used most certainly does not accommodate all. As regularly by all students, but the sad fact is that your elected Students’ Union representatives, they are not: over the last few years, college has ORLAITH FOLEY we see it as of the utmost importance that we worked to steadily erode the student presence make our campus welcome not for some but for in Front Square. “ WITH CATHAL REILLY all. KIERA HEALY The current situation is that the largely- And now for all of those who have been led to inaccessible House 6 is the only student believe that the Cobble Reduction Programme building left in the area (along with the limited FOR SOME, they symbolise the important would result in Front Square resembling some THE NEWS that the iconic cobblestones of accommodation of the square – most of which history behind Trinity’s settling in Ireland. sort of concrete path maze, I shall give you a Front Square are to be removed in the name of is inaccessible due to stairs anyway; there is Others see them as an aesthetic asset, without brief summary of what is in store for Front accessibility is the latest in a long line of blows accessible accommodation provided elsewhere which Trinity’s popularity with tourists would Square’s makeover. The case was made several to Trinity’s heritage. for disabled students who require it). be damaged. years ago to lay paths across Front Square to With students already relegated from The reason why this is not an issue which The ladies reading this will, most likely, make the Square universally accessible. The the attractive buildings of the squares to the most students can get behind is simply because forever remember them as the curse that Physical Access Working Group and the Site concrete monstrosities on the outskirts of there does not seem to be a need for it. It is prevents them from getting across Front and Facilities Committee gave birth to what I campus, and with more empty beds on campus perfectly easy to go through the four years of Square in the normal two minutes due to the have already referred to, the Cobble Reduction than ever – due not to lack of demand but rather your degree hardly ever setting foot in Front thigh-hardening heels we wear strapped to our Programme. to college ineffi ciency – we have to wonder: Square – and I doubt it’s a case of the food in feet and for some they are the physical barrier Under this programme, a number of designs where will it end? When will Trinity as we know the Buttery being so good that people are crying that creates an ever-present inconvenience to were proposed for planning permission to it disappear beyond all recognition? out to get it. everyday life as a Trinity student. Dublin City Council. One design of diagonal It may seem churlish to complain about a plan What, then, will this nonsensical plan Yes, the cobbles of Front Square have paths across the square to the western fl anks of designed to make things easier for the disabled. achieve? All it seems to do is strip Trinity of a impacted on most Trinity students’ lives, But the GMB and the Old Library from the top of But the redevelopment of Front Square is sure little more of its heritage. Sure, the cobblestones for some, this impact has become more than Front Square, the case for which is strong as it to be as costly and ineffi cient as most of college’s are inconvenient, slippery, and near-impossible just that. Recently, they have given rise to the allows equal access for those walking and those other recent schemes. Furthermore, one has to to traverse in heels. Yes, there are Facebook debate on accessibility. As a result of this, the in wheelchairs, was rejected as is was said to consider the fact that Front Square is no longer groups set up to complain about how hard they “Cobble Reduction Programme” was given the be disruptive to the character of Front Square. really for the students: nearly all the buildings are to cross when drunk. task of deciding the future of Front Square and Instead, conditional planning permission has around the picturesque part of Trinity have been The fact remains, however, that they are a her cobbles. been granted for a layout of straight paths on given over for administrative purposes. It’s hard huge part of what makes Trinity College what There are many strong arguments that people and around the square with a pathway also to see exactly who benefi ts from this plan. it is. Why do tourists linger so long in Front have about such a programme coming into between the Campanile and Front Arch. It is true that disabled students should have Square? Because Trinity College, cobblestones existence, but why would you dare rid Trinity of The paths will be made up of granite-type the same right as the rest of us to avail of the and all, is an enduring icon of Dublin. The more her cobbles, some ask? The arguments against cobbles, similar to what is currently in place but services of House 6 – but even with an accessible we allow college administration and bureaucracy the plans of the Cobble Reduction Programme square and with a smoother surface. However, path through the cobblestones, they will still to take over our campus, the less of Trinity’s are supported by a number of points: the the exact nature of the stone to be used has yet only be able to visit the shop or buy a Student character we retain. It’s not as if keeping the historical value of Trinity and her physical to be fi nalised. Travelcard, but the society and Students’ cobblestones will result in all disabled people beauty, the aesthetics of putting in accessible The fact remains that the new paths will Union rooms above the ground fl oor remain being effectively banned from our college: pathways zig-zagging through Front Square, have a cobbled effect, and for those that see the inaccessible. the Arts Block, Hamilton, libraries, 24-hour and that there are plenty of other entrances into removal of some cobbles from Front Square This move, therefore, is an ineffi cient reading room, and other important academic campus so there is little need to make the way to as a complete aesthetic travesty, perhaps this solution to the problem. If the question is about facilities remain completely accessible, as they Front Arch another route. will ease their despondency. In this author’s access to buildings like the Examination Hall, should be. But there are times when we need Interestingly enough, the cobbles of opinion, the ability for all to traverse Front it seems irrelevant – there are already plenty to reach a compromise, and this is one of them. Front Square are no older than any of our Square equally is of far greater importance than of accessible rooms for examinations to take The massive cost of removing the cobbles, Grandparents, having been laid down less than her visual beauty. place, such as the Chamber of the Graduates’ just to allow a small number of people access sixty years ago. Surely, any argument for the Soon will be the day that those walking, in Memorial Building, which is served by a to buildings that the vast majority of students historic tradition of cobbles in Front Square can wheelchairs and even those of us who have wheelchair lift. never even use, cannot be justifi ed. Let’s be immediately refuted on this point. Secondly, suffered at the plight of Front Square ruining Bigger obstacles, like steps – which are preserve Trinity’s past, and protect our heritage to look at this from a legal perspective, the the heels of our shoes, will be able to cross the rather more diffi cult to make wheelchair- from the constant onslaught of bureaucracy: Disabilities Act of 2005 requires that, where square together. friendly – prevent disabled students from being the cobblestones must stay. practicable, all public access areas should be able to enter the Dining Hall, College Chapel universally accessible. As we are all aware if Orlaith Foley is the Students’ Union or Examination Hall with ease; one can hardly Kiera Healy is the Registrar of the we have seen a wheelchair attempting to cross Welfare Offi cer blame the cobblestones for this. University Philosophical Society. Green lobby bears increasing resemblance to cult Environmentalism has abandoned the made climate change. As a result, never existed. How can this viewpoint religion is that the given faith is the one B.C., they adopted the Roman form non-scientists ought to consider the possibly be justifi ed? This self-loathing true path; the only way to salvation. of government with” its magistracies political, legislative, and ethical aspects and the desire for this whole exercise of Rather than point out the joys of and customs, even though it was this scientifi c approach in favour of setting itself of the debate, but many seem loath to life itself to be over is overtly religious positive salvation, most evangelism system that had subjugated them for so do so, preferring instead to regurgitate when taken in the context of the three takes the form of exhibiting the long, presumably because, despite their up as a new religious order, according to a set of fi gures and hypotheses that great monotheistic religions, and has no scenario should one reject the faith benevolent and crucial intentions, they they have read or heard from authority grounding in the empirical and reasoned or disappoint the deity. This tactic knew no better. Similarly, the green Hugo O’Doherty fi gures to back their arguments. It is at fi ndings of those who provide the main plays upon an individual’s fear to sway movement has to shake off the shackles this juncture that the green movement, investigative work on this issue. them to the faith. Similarly, the case of its own self-imposed religiosity THE QUESTION of climate change mixed bag of world religions. a noble concern for the general well The religious zeal of contemporary for counteracting global warming is before it can successfully achieve its all- has been, and justifi ably continues to To adhere to the view that climate being of the planet, sadly takes on the environmentalism promotes the idea usually couched in terms of what may important aims. be, one of the foremost global issues change is occurring due to human lineaments of a religion. of punishment for sinning against the or will happen should we fail to recycle Religion rests upon a substantial guilt of our day. That it is being asked is activity requires the expectation and The fi rst religious characteristic of planet itself. Visions of apocalyptic our bin-liners or reuse our tea-bags. It trip; your imperfection compared with commendable, but how it is being belief that the scientifi c community the new religiosity of environmentalism destruction of the planet, the anger would be far more benefi cial to frame God’s perfection, the fi lth of your body, addressed is lamentable. The global is both competent and scrupulous, is the idea of original sin. This is similar of Earth fl ogging and whipping her the case by showing how counteracting and your soul which is awash with sin. green movement has unnecessarily, and assuming of course that one is not to the Christian doctrine of original inhabitants for their maltreatment via global warming can be economically The guilt of existence itself is the trip that perhaps destructively, taken upon itself a scientist working in this fi eld. To sin, which says that as a result of Adam an attack of droughts, fl oods, and tidal and culturally benefi cial if it is done in Green religion sends us on. A movement the traits of a religion: faith, original sin, assert that the pervading, almost and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, waves are put forward by everyone the right way. that was established on the principles of Armageddon, one true path, evangelism. universal, position among the scientifi c humanity is in a fallen state, and can except those who we ought to be It would seem to be the case that evidence, science, and ethics has thrown This is no birthmark of the cause, neither community is indeed not the case would only be saved by God’s grace. In the listening to, namely scientists working what ought to be a reasoned and these principles away in favour of blind is it a necessary development to achieve require either mass incompetence or case of the new Green original sin, we in this area. Who is the main fi gurehead secular movement has taken on the faith in its convictions and hysteria. The the objective of a safer, more secure, and conspiracy among the community as a are to feel guilty for our very existence of the global green movement? Al moniker of a religion because many of new environmentalism can have zero viable existence on this earth. Rather, it whole. This latter point of view is highly because existence necessarily pollutes. Gore - a politician, not a scientist. If its adherents are so culturally ingrained positive effect on its main goals: to point an affectation that serves no valuable unlikely. This notion was brought home to me we are to believe things on the basis of with the traits of religious society that out the apparent empirical veracity of purpose to anyone. It has become the Most people, including myself, do recently by a singer-songwriter who evidence, but we can’t ourselves provide they don’t know how to do any different. man-made climate change, and to then case that one is “converted” to the not have the training or instruments introduced a song at a show by saying the evidence, we really ought to look to When the slaves of Sicily rose up in do something about it. It’s time for the “truth” of environmentalism. Somehow, needed to speak authoritatively for or that the song was about how the world science fi rst. rebellion against their Roman masters Green agenda to return to its roots in environmentalism has entered the against the empirical truth of man- would have been better off if we had A central tenet to most organised towards the end of the second century scientifi c method and reason. TRINITY NEWS January 13, 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 6, Volume 55 THE EDITOR Opinions expressed are not necessarily Tuesday, 13 January 2009 those of Trinity News, its staff or its 6 Trinity College, Dublin 2 [email protected] Editor. www.trinitynews.ie

TRINITY’S SPORTING EMBARRASMENT Don’t breed support for dissidents THE SPORTING grounds at Santry are an embarrasment to Trinity. “Out of sight, out of mind” seems to be the policy IT WAS with a considerable measure of before 1972 were unreservedly sectarian and 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution. Violence disgust and disappointment that I read Ronan I shall not attempt to justify this. The Catholic should not be permitted to overturn such an adopted towards Santry, and towards the sporting men and Costello’s article in the University Record on community in Northern Ireland, however, established consensus. women who wish they could enjoy their time there. 19/11/08. I fi nd it offensive and worrying that never sought to destroy this system by violence. In addition, the Provisional IRA did For those of our readership who have not visited Santry such an unapologetic glorifi cation of violence is In fact, in the 1950s the IRA border campaign nothing to bring the British government to still given a platform more than ten years after garnered little, if any, public support. The fact is the negotiating table as Mr. Costello so claims. before, which, given the conditions can only be presumed to be the Belfast Agreement. that the IRA, and later the Provisional IRA, rode It was actually the good work of John Hume the majority, here follows a description. On the political status of prisoners during on the coat tails of the Civil Rights Movement that brought Sinn Féin into the negotiations, The Troubles, Mr. Costello seems to have but never in its thirty years of violence did it much to the displeasure of some in the British The journey from Trinity to the grounds is of a length that missed Mrs. Thatcher’s point. Not only would have the support of the majority of Catholics. government and factions within his own party. is signfi cant when you’ve got traffi c to contend with – as is the political status have excused the actions of In short, its actions were without mandate. While opposed to Bobby Sands’ ideology, case for those going to training after hours. The desolation of these terrorists and belittled the suffering of Therefore, regardless of their motives, these I do admit that his sacrifi ce was, in some their victims, it would have also gone some way actions were unjustifi ed. respects, admirable and those of similar views the area, mostly industrial parks and warehouse-sized Aldis, is in legitimizing the republican movement. Mr. Costello incorrectly states that “a united will wish to remember him. I do, however, warn oddly appropriate to the windswept desolation of the area of By granting political status, the British Ireland was the sole goal of the republican against the dangers of romanticizing a bloody Trinity’s lot given to sport. Driving in, one is made feel most government would have been conceding movement...” This is untrue. The republican confl ict which was both costly and pointless. de facto, if not de jure, recognition of the movement not only sought an end to Northern The violence wasn’t a means to and end because unwelcome before even exiting the vehicle, as the car park is so Provisional IRA and INLA as legitimate Ireland’s position within the UK but the the end was not achieved. Did the Provisional pot-holed as to resemble a testing circuit for Land Rovers. forces with which the UK was at “war”. Mrs. dismantling of the constitutional structure IRA honestly believe that it could militarily Thatcher was understandably avoiding such an of the Republic, to be replaced, according to defeat a well-funded and well-trained national The facilities in the way of changing rooms or a clubhouse interpretation of the confl ict. Moreover, loyalist some, by a loose, Marxist federacy of the four army? Did it equally believe that it could bomb are optimistic at best. By all appearances, uncounted years have paramilitaries had their political status revoked provinces. Unionists into changing their minds about the passed since the building has been given even a lick of paint - in as well; this was not an attack on republicans Furthermore, it was mooted in drafts of Sinn relationship with Britain? alone but on the plight of terrorism in Northern Féin’s Scenario for Peace (1987) that Unionists I doubt many republicans would be so eager stark contrastt to the cosy facilities beneath the Pav, which is Ireland. unable to accept a united Ireland could be to praise the violence of 9/11 or 7/7 as a means soon to be upgraded at considerable expense. Small chance of Not only did Mr. Costello try to justify repatriated (presumably to somewhere they to an end. There is, however, a new generation any of the hundreds of thousands of euro earmarked for that violence as a means to an end, he made some are not from). Such a policy, if published, would of republicans who wish to cling to stories of ill-informed and wide-sweeping remarks. First have had little support among mainstream the past and, without any direct experience of project ever making its way out to the northside; Santry doesn’t of all, in reference to the Provisional IRA’s nationalists. The Troubles, glorify such violence as the “good make money, and so, it seems, can never hope to attract any. use of violence, he asks, “When faced with While Britain’s “claim” to the North is often fi ght”. During The Troubles the Provisional IRA Looming over this sadly dilapidated spectacle is the Library’s the reality, an unmoving British government, disputed, Mr. Costello contradicts himself killed 1821 people, 621 of whom were civilians. what other choice did they have?” I wouldn’t somewhat in saying that Britain had no “real Somehow, this aspect of republicanism is book depository, itself hardly a model of good upkeep. The have considered the British government to be claim to the North” while praising the Old being overlooked. We need to be careful about rooftop appears to have been commandeered by teenagers, unmoving. Is he forgetting the deployment IRA for achieving the Free State under an justifying violence in these early years of peace. of troops (initially welcomed by Catholics) in agreement which effectively created partition. We don’t want to breed potential support for judging by the grafi tti and empty cans visible even from below. 1969 to ease tensions, the proroguing of the The position of the North has been reaffi rmed the already strong dissident groups. Most players observed this weekend shrewdly, if wearily, arrived failed Unionist administration in 1972 and the by successive Irish governments through the dressed for the day’s activity. attempts at power-sharing as early as 1974? Anglo-Irish Agreement 1985, The Belfast Shane Quinn The Unionist governments at Stormont Agreement 1998 and the amendment of articles JS Law & French The idea of ordinary students coming out to support our sporting teams is a noble one, but one which feels a long way away from becoming reality. In fact, it is apparent that a sort of vicious cycle is in effect. Students have little incentive to traipse out to Santry to offer their support, when that very support would buoy a team. Similarly, even our own players’ incentive A dry well, if not dry Commons to attend Santry for training and matches is reduced by the poor quality of the facilities; and then their team-mates who do show are less likely to attend next time, if they suspect they will face a situation in which they cannot fi eld a full squad. Santry’s lack of suitability cannot be escaped when visiting it. Players last weekend didn’t even bother with the facilties there, instead just piling into cars to escape straight after play. If our own players just want to get away from the grounds in Santry, what hope is there of supporters ever wanted to attend? FINANCIAL QUESTIONS MOST PRESSING OF ALL

THE RECENT questions raised around payment of bonuses and renumeration to some of Trinity’s top professors and staff must be regarded seriously. The situation is now unaccepably opaque, and the onus now lies on both Trinity and the HEA, not discounting the Oireachtas committee investigating the issue, to clarify satisfactorily the arrangements. This requirement could not be more timely given the foremost role that money has had in the news surrounding education for Sráid Thobar Phadraig: the Irish name of Nassau Street refers to Trinity’s own Holy Well. Photo: Martin McKenna at least the last twelve months. It started with the university LOOKING THROUGH the railings at the an excellent investigation into the history of the heads’ assertion that larger salaries were required to attract entrance to college on Nassau Street one can well by Dr Rachel Moss. see, below street level, what looks like a gated the level of talent required to run our third-level institutions to doorway leading under the road. This is St the desired standard. This was particularly shrewdly analysed Patrick’s Well, Trinity College’s own “holy OLD TRINITY NJD WHITE’S Some Recollections of Trinity by one letter-writer to the Irish Times, who at the time inferred well”. Holy wells – outdoor centres of popular College, Dublin, published in 1935, contains piety – were hugely popular in Ireland in by PETER HENRY an interesting description of the beer served that if salaries for university heads were not suffi cient for the previous centuries, and St Patrick’s Well was at Commons when he was a sizar in 1879. “The calibre of leaders required, the current university heads taking once frequented by large crowds on March beverage supplied,” he tells us, “other than 17th. ceremonies, they drink of the water”. water, was a light beer, brewed at a special home those insuffi cient salaries must, by their own admission, Nassau Street itself was called St Patrick’s At the end of that century, a story goes, frogs brewery in Rathdowney. It was the fashion to not be at the level of talent being discussed. Well Lane until it was renamed (after the royal were introduced to Ireland at St Patrick’s Well. rail at this beer; but I believe it was then, as Of course, this is a simplistic, if not irreverent argument, house of Nassau) in the 1700s. The name in A doctor, “a very good protestant ... to show his now, quite good light beer.” Hinkson, in 1892, Irish continues to be Sráid Thobar Phádraig, as zeal against popery”, allegedly brought frog says it was “an attenuated small beer, peculiar but it revealed the deep-seated cynicism that the public have street signs attest. spawn from Liverpool and deposited it in the to college.” for the monetary hardships that those on top salaries bemoan. The oldest mention of a well in the area is well. Today it is draught Guinness which is And this was all before fi nancial matters in education became in a 12th century Life of St Patrick. The author In 1729 the well ran dry, inspiring Jonathan grudgingly provided to those dining in hall. refers to a “fountain of St Patrick” existing in Swift to write his satirical poem On the sudden Can anyone provide evidence for the story that the top topic of discussion after the budget, driving students Dublin. The Life says that St Patrick, in the drying up of St Patrick’s Well, near Trinity this Guinness is paid for by a fund of some kind? from all three levels of education onto the streets in opposition manner of Moses in Exodus, struck a rock with College, Dublin. “Here, from the neighbouring The fi rst and second earls of Iveagh, Edward his staff. The rock then “fl owed forth abundant nursery of arts/The students, drinking, raised and Rupert Guinness, who served successively to threats to class sizes, grants for transition year, and the waters”. their wit and parts” he wrote. Public pressure as chancellors of the University of Dublin, were reintroduction of fees. In 1592, when Trinity College was founded, led Dublin Corporation to restore the fl ow of generous with benefactions, so there may be For all these reasons, the questions raised by this story the description of property granted to the new water to the well two years later. truth to the story. college defi ned the southern border as “the While the opening underneath the Nassau require the clearest and timeliest of anwsers. Every student lane that leads to St Patrick’s Well to the south Street entrance currently claims the title of St who is concerned about their fi nancial situation; whether their of the monastery”. Patrick’s Well, and has done so for quite some PARENTS ARE generous on the day of registration fee growing by 66%, the possibility of fees returning, It was around this time that the St Patrick’s time, it is unlikely to be very same well which Commencements, but warn them against Well’s popularity among Dubliners was at has such an interesting history. Several sites any temptation to buy the graduates’ scarf the funding available to their department – even the possibility of its height, and a dismissive English writer in along Nassau Street have claimed to be the well currently available in college for a preposterous their course being cut entirely, as Music and Music Technology around 1610 left us an account of devotions at of pilgrimage of 400 years ago, with that at the price. This item resembles a tea towel more has been, has an entitlement to have the renumeration provided the well. On St Patrick’s Day, he wrote, “the Arts Building entrance being the latest. Early than a scarf. A graduates’ scarf in these colours water is more holy than it is all the year after, Dublin maps place St Patrick’s Well nearer to (black, red, green and light blue – the colours of to those taking those decisions explained in the most expedient or else the inhabitants of Dublin are more what is now Lincoln Place. the TCD Association) is available in traditional fashion. foolish upon this day than they be all the year The renovation of the Provost’s House two-ply wool for half the price from Ryder and after.” On that day, he wrote, “thither they will Stables has led to increased and easier access Amies of Cambridge. run by heaps, men, women and children, and to the well, and a new publication, The Provost’s there, fi rst performing certain superstitious House Stables: Building and Environs, contains [email protected] 8BUSINESS & CAREERS 18 budding interns. internabroad.com provide valuableinformation to websites suchaswww.internships.com andwww. Service orgoonlineat www.tcd.ie/careers. Other when youwilldoyourinternship. soon soitisessentialtodecidewhich, where and internships willbeclosingtheirapplication dates arrange ameetingwithyourCareers Advisor. Many and practice interviewtechniqueswithfriendsor internship abroad. Itisusefultoupdate yourCV the phone, youare applyingforan especiallyif interviews,rounds of which maybedoneover personal statements. Finally there maybetwo detailed information andconvincingoriginal which canbeseveral webpageslong, requiring are manythat require onlineapplication forms, checks mayalsobeimportant. factors suchasacquiringavisaandbackground to fullyclarifytheapplication requirements. Other directly recruitment contactthepersonincharge of applications from freshmen. Itisoften advisableto and fourth year studentsbutmayalsoaccept applicants tobeeitherrecent graduates orthird benefits suchasmeal vouchers. Manyrequire personal livingexpenses, whilstsomemayprovide may not. Othersmayrequire youtofundall there are somethat maypayawagewhilstothers differentmyriad of lifeenhancingways! prospective employerandbenefitting youina boosting theimpression yourCV makes onyour for charityorganizations are great methodsof professional life.of Internships orvolunteering demonstrate amaturity incopingwiththestresses partaking involunteerworkortravelling andwho have amassedsomevaluablelifeexperience have relevant experience intheirprofession, who life.of Employerstendtorecruit graduates who your skillsandexperience anewculture andway not onlyaholidaybutanopportunity todevelop travelling abroad andworkexperience, offering Europe and America. over theworld, particularly intheUnitedKingdom, expertise. 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Whatistobedoneatthislatestage ifweservices. rounding theallimportantissue ofIrishfinanical Aisling Denginvestigates thecurrentcrisissur- S open mindedandcourageous student. festive season.Alternatives aboundforthe ways tobeatthepennypinchingafterapricey Darragh McCashininvestigates themany way out the easy Money: a periodoftwo years.Therecapitalisation deposits anddebtsofthemajor banksfor after itsmove inSeptembertoguaranteeall in thefi sectorandcomes nancial services by thegovernment torestoreconfidence Irish Bank.Thisisthesecondmajor move banks -AIB,BankofIrelandandAnglo say “bailout”)ofthethreemajorIrish €5.5 billionrecapitalisation(somemight 2008 theIrishgovernment announceda pressure, ontheevening of21December our save to beloved banks? enough done government the importantly,has most And same? the be still banks the will crunch credit the of out come banks or the reality of the situation? 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Specifically, arewe seeingtheend the globalcreditcrunchandensuing beginning tocomprehendtheextentof AS WEstarttheNewYear we’re only Are the Irish banks safe now? fact payextremelywell. often dismissedbutin promotional workare Call Centresand el o ohr ie ad ep ih CV with help and sites other for well as site ‘Nixers’ the on links the at a look Take crucial. is work potential find www.meteor.ie) option; to at look example, for vacancies the internet (checking companies sites to addition in ie Using internet sites such as www.nixers. nonetheless. commonplace still is post email/phone/ of method The moving. things get to way quickest the also is It face email. or envelope random a than more a remembers One manager. the with confi speak and dently in straight walk to is this about go to way best the that knowledge common is It one? get you do how So on. so and call-centres sales, bars, shops, in work include jobs student Popular trimmings. the all with CV (curriculum-vitae) should be created source ofincome. only your is that job a have later, than not least because you will, sooner rather butter’’,‘‘bread‘n’ your is job part-time sense the demand for cash. 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There is reason to be wary hr ae lny f os u there out jobs of plenty are There the find to meant you are how So part-time note, positive more a On girly- the speaking, Stereotypically government didnotgetagooddeal?Have other governments. Doesthismeanthe compared tosimilardealsprovided by deal appearstobemorepositive when by thegovernment andthetermsof even further. a piecefromtoimprove itscapitaladequacy also encouragedtoraiseafurther€1billion In additiontothesemeasures,thebanksare 25% ofthevoting rightsinthesetwo banks. dividend) butthegovernment willonlyget pay adividendof8%(€160millionannual receive voting rights. will effectively controlAnglowith75%ofthe the government. Inreturn,thegovernment pay 10%(€150million)inannualdividendto controversial willreceive Irish Bank,arguablythemostneedyand (a measureofsolvency for banks). Anglo counts ascoretier1andcarryvoting rights ordinary sharesbutlower than debt)which shares (securitiesthanrankhigher will beintheformofperpetualpreference This isanextremelyinteresting move Meanwhile, BankofIrelandandAIBwill €2 billioneachinasimilardealand €1.5 billionand Meredith Photo: Jason were seriouslyflirting withinsolvency. In banks whichbeforetherecapitalisation “demanding” changesandaction fromthe are resortingto“encouraging” ratherthan of thegovernment, especiallywhenthey the lackofauthorityandnegotiation ability (obvious Isuppose).Butpoliticallyitshows role theseinstitutionsplayinoureconomy emphasis thegovernment isplacingonthe of thecountry’smajorbanksandshows the ensures theviability(theywon’t godown yet) a “stopgap”measure. raise furthercapitalindicateitisonlyreally government isencouragingthebanksto challenging timesaheadofus.Thefactthe have adequateresourcestodealwiththe which have gonealotfurthertoensurethey lags behindothermajorinternationalbanks banks. Thoughthisisanimprovement itstill according toestimatesbymajorinvestment 7.9% (6.1%) and7.8% (6.4%),respectively, Bank ofIrelandandAIB’swillimprove to to about7.7% (6%pre-recapitalisation)while the recapitalisation, solution thatsolves alltheir problems.Post our banksbutitisbynomeansamagical will improve thefinancial positionsof know forcertainnowisthatthesemeasures truth is,onlytimewilltell.Onethingwe do questions we areaskingourselves andthe these measuresenough?Theseareall they mortgagedthecountry’sfuture?Are This recapitalisationmostimportantly What differencewillthismake? Anglo Irish’s coretier1ratiowillimprove Pay couldgoupto500eurdaily. commercial: big one For day. a many in earn what is which 80eur, you get hours, 2 could for camera a of front in TV fistanding for Example: lms, radio. showsand advertising, in be to offers receive and (approx.) 70euro for year the followingniftysources? about thought ever you Have methods. income clever with can savings your up top You weeks. quieter have from you savings because more spend likely, most and more out go to yourself can allow you week, busy account a there’s when savings so a Keep going self-control. for about all It’s week change. can that but a out, night one else. 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Will theydotherightthingwhen theyneed what ittakestogetusoutofthis recession? afloat? DoMrCowen andMrLenihanhave satisfy publicopinionandkeepingtheboat economy orjustdoingthebareminimumto glory! Soisthegovernment beingprudent? satisfaction ofbringingbanksbacktotheir is notgoingtoseemuchupsideexceptthe into theirrespective banks,thetaxpayer governments thathave injectedmoney gamblers hopingforthebest! have doubleddownlikegoodoldriverboat all thedepositsandloansofbanks,we banks. Notonlyarewe inline toguarantee (perhaps morelikelymisfortunes)ofthe the taxpayer’sexposuretofortunes stability inthelong-term. measures arejustnotenoughtorestore scheme ofthingsasmostimportantlythese this maybeasmallconsolationinthegrand upside optionalityshouldmarketsrecover), remain theordinaryshareholdersandhave and thusclearwinnersinthisround(they avoided astraightdilutionatleastfornow Though thebank’sshareholdershave guarantees ofyourstruly, thegovernment! for solongisthesteadfastsupportand truth oneofthemainreasonsitstayedafloat Are theyreallyhelpingthebanksand The punchlineisunlikealltheother The recapitalisationhassimplyincreased What doesitmeanforthetaxpayers? ready tostartearning of ambitionyouare cleverness andatouch With apinchof start earningwisely. and down sit to ready are you and plan rough a make is do to need only you thing The easy-to-understand. is here savings account?Itallbuildsup. that Remember for. planning weren’t a times three week, then you have one over 30eur that you do you If lectures. fantastic a is way of spending those big gaps between This time. the all on go projects These anything! computer a a application, take test scan, to bone be a survey, could people It let you. and examine there sit to upwards hour, one be could maybe more. it time, your for On these, are requests from researchers notice-boards. are there in departments, usually university,medicine, psychology and physiotherapy every Within quizzes anyway. Bebo Beats helps’! ‘Everylittle saying, a Tosteal this. to no say couldn’t funding of need dire in student The Tesco. and HMV,Amazon for vouchers 10eur have suddenly you’ll up, build they as but lot a They be not may It one. survey.each do to you pay a take Bebo, at looking vrtig die ad suggested and advised Everything 10eur from anywhere pay They secret. a is here least, not but Last of Instead www.irishopinions.ie: T RINITY January 13,2009 N EWS FRANKENSTEIN CERBERUS CHARLES CLAUDE Guthrie was a pioneer of transplant surgery who, in 1908, succeeded in grafting one dog’s head onto the side of another’s neck, creating the world’s fi rst man-made two-headed dog. The transplanted head was sewn on at the base of the neck so that the two heads were chin to chin – an illusion of intimacy in what must have

been a very strained existence. Unfortunately too much time had passedd I,I ROBO ROBOT d T between the beheading and the moment that circulation was restored KEVIN WARICK (1954-) is a British scientist and professor of s, for the transplanted head to regain much function – Guthrie recorded cybernetics. some basic refl exes such as eye pupil contraction and nostril twitches, In his most famous set of experiments, known as Project but the transplanted head wasn. almost certainly brain-dead after its Cyborg, Warick had a computer chip implanted into his arm, twenty minutes of decapitation. with the aim of becoming the fi rst cyborg. The fi rst part of this research, which began in 1998, involved the implantation of a fairly simple RFID transmitter beneath his skin, allowing him to mentally control special lights, doors and heaters that were set up to receive a signal from the chip. The second part of the experiment was the insertion CAN MAGNETIC FIELDS of a specially designed neural interface consisting of 100 electrodes, which was implanted in 2002. The electrode COMMUNE WITH GOD? array interfaced directly into Warick’s nervous system and DR MICHAEL Persinger (1945-) is a cognitive neuroscience researcher working allowed Warick to control a robotic arm so that it mimicked at Laurentian University in Canada. working the actions of his own arm. The second implant was even In the 1980s Persinger designed and built the “God Helmet”, a device detailed enough that it allowed Warick’s nervous system to that aimed to stimulate a religious epiphany in the wearer. The God Helmetce connect to the internet and control the robotic arm in the apparatus was essentially a modifi ed snowmobile helmet that inducedlmet University of Reading, UK from Columbia University the US. complex magnetic fi elds in the right hemisphere of the wearer’s brain. The fi nal and highly publicised experiment was the implant of a similar electrode array into Waricks wife, with Persinger enthusiastically tried the helmet out on volunteers, and reported WilhelmWilhelm Reich that 80% of his subjects experienced some kind of religious presence in the the aim of making them “telepathic” via the internet. The room, described normally to be either God or a dead person that the subjecte experiment was a success and Warick and his wife became had known. Recently, in 2004 a group of Swedish researchers attempted toect t the fi rst two humans to communicate purely electronically replicate Persinger’s experiments but fond none of the miraculous effects othat from nervous system to nervous system. had originally been claimed. Persinger took issue with these Swedish attempts,hat stating that they “don’t replicate it, not even close”. dish attemmptsmpts,

A LITTLE BITT SEX-CRAZEDSEX-CRAZED?? WILHEM REICH (1897-1957) was a psychoanalyst who really believed in the power of BY SNAZZY LECTURE sexuality. EXPERTS FOOLED BY SNAZZY LECTURE He proposed that the human libido has its own “primordial cosmic energy” that he THE DR Fox effect just goes to show what we all knew all along: called orgone and claimed that it is responsible for such far reaching phenomenon as It’s all about the show. Basically, if you talk about something in the weather, the color of the sky, gravity and the formation of galaxies. an interesting way, your audience won’t notice that you’re talking Reich built “orgone accumulators”, which were very much like large, hollow capacitors, complete gibberish. and conducted clinical tests on their effects on people suffering from a wide variety of This effect takes its name from a psychological experiment nt diseases, as well as on mice and plants. He even convinced Einstein to test the effects of carried out in 1970 in the University of California. Dr. Donald some of his orgone accumulators in 1941. Naftulin, John Ware and Frank Donnelly carried out an experiment After postulating an anti-orgone energy, “Deadly Orgone Radiation” or DOR, Reich to test the hypothesis that a well-delivered lecture can fool even built a “cloudbuster” which he claimed could manipulate streams of orgone energy experts into thinking that they have learnt something when the in the atmosphere to induce rain by forcing clouds to form and disperse. Reich even contents is wrong or contradictory. claimed to have done battle with UFOs, convinced that his “cloudbuster” could be An actor, Michael Fox, from who the effect takes its name, was deployed to extinguish the anomalous “stars” from the sky. employed to deliver a presentation on “Mathematical Game Reich emphasized the importance of orgasm potency as a foremost consideration for Theory as Applied to Physician Education.” The content was health. According to his theory, illness is primarily caused by depletion or blockages of complete nonsense. the orgone energy within the body. Based on this he built 250 orgone accumulators for And yet three separate audiences, of psychiatrists, t therapeutic use in a town in Maine, USA. Patients rented the accumulators as a cure for psychologists, social worker trainers and other university at cancer, the common cold and impotence, until the FDA shut down the whole operation graduates were all completely fooled, with no-one realizing thatre in June 1956, suspecting a “sexual racket” of some kind and “fraud of the fi rst order”. it was a spoof and 93% of the combined audiences believing that the lecture stimulated their thinking (as recorded on post-lectureay questionnaires). r S 1907 Which all goes to show that Dr Naftulin and his associates may 21 GRAMSGRAM 1907 (1866-1920) did some startling not have been mad scientists, but they certainly knew a thing or DUNCAN MACDOUGAL two about the human condition. research into the idea that the soul may have mass. WorkingW in Massachusetts, USA in 1907 he weighed six patientsp while they were in the process of dying, and was ablea to claim from his results that the human soul does indeedi have mass, and that this mass leaves the body DRUGGED UP AT EASTER ata the moment of death. He found the average weight ofo the human soul to be 21 grams, which is the original . IN 1962 Walter Pahnke decided to investigate the effect sources of the name for the fi lm 21 Grams of mind-altering drugs on religious experiences. A MacDougall also experimented on dogs, weighing theology graduate student at Harvard Divinity School 15 different dogs at the point of death and concluding at the time, Pahnke conducted his experiment on Good thatt dogs do not have souls, since the majority of dogs Friday in Marsh Chapel at Boston University. did not lose weight as they died. The results of these This experiment was part of the Harvard Psilocybin experiments were published in both the New York Times Project, a whole series of experiments in psychology led and the medical journal American Medicine at the time. by Dr Timothy Leary and Dr Richard Alpert carried out between 1960 and 1962. The experiments were part of Leary and Alpert’s personal discovery of psychedelic drugs and included frequent personal use by these two SUICIDAL FFOR ACCURACY leading academics as well as other such experiments. OR A CC WHEN IT comes to a self-sacrifi cialUR dedicationACY to science, there are few who rank Pahnke administered psilocybin, the active ingredient higher than Romanian forensic scientist Nicolas Minovici. Studying hanging at the in magic mushrooms, to 11 divinity graduates who were beginning of the twentieth century, Minovici decided to try the execution technique attending the Good Friday service. The experiment was out on himself. A 238-page paper, “Studies on Hanging”, published in 1905 includes his organized as a double blind, an especially stringent way analysis of not only 72 suicides (by hanging) but also descriptions of his own voluntary of conducting an experiment where neither the subjects hangings. nor the researchers know who got the active drug Minovici seems to have researched this fairly morbid topic almost exhaustively – he and who the placebo until after the results have been includes an extensive analysis of the suicides that he studied, categorising them by collected. The “placebo” was niacin, a drug which causes gender, place, season, type of knot and circumference of the rope among others. He fl ushing but has no psychedelic effect. also had a strong propensity for reality, or possibly a death wish, not only subjecting Almost all the individuals who received the himself and the others that he convinced to act as live subjects to hanging 12 separate magic mushroom drug reported profound religious times by the neck, he also asked his assistants to pull the rope until his feet were two experiences during that service. Even 25 years after the meters of the ground in his own hanging. experiment some of the test subjects (many of whom Minovici seems to have been well aware of the danger of such activity, yet continued became priests) described the Good Friday service of regardless. Indeed, describing the experiments later Minovici apologises again and 1962 as one of the high points in their spiritual lives. again that “despite of all our courage we could not take the experiment any longer than three to four seconds”. TRINITY NEWS 20 TRAVEL January 13, 2009 In at the Dead heads deep end By Derek Larney Travel Editor

LAST WEEK it was announced that Crossing an ocean in a small yacht is truly an the controversial exhibition ‘Bodies’ is to come to Dublin. The exhibition has adventure. A Trans-Atlantic passage offers always courted controversy. Organisers admit that they cannot guarantee the trepidation into the unknown and a reward origins of the bodies they use in their displays. We do know they are from that is hard to beat, writes Noel Connolly China but many claim they are the bodies of political prisoners and family consent was never given nor requested. ‘Bodies’ HERE WERE four of paperwork. As Buff crossed the straits is set to exhibit in the Ambassador in us; Jim, the captain, was and entered the Atlantic, the sea the next few months. In the meantime an American with seven turned ugly. Huge black swells threw there are no shortage of places one can Atlantic crossings under his the boat about like a sea-borne roller catch up with some world-famous dead belt. Danny, the fi rst mate, coaster. The wind screamed in our ears. heads. Twas half-Italian, half-Spanish, born in “Okay, life-jackets and harnesses on” In Moscow the preserved body Germany and living in London. Igor, the shouted Jim, wrestling the helm. Still, of Lenin is on display . Visitors to second mate, was a Russian Jew, now he seemed fairly calm and in control of Red Square make a beeline to his living in Israel. All came with extensive the situation, so I didn’t worry. In fact mausoleum, open daily from 10am until sailing experience. Completing the I was rather enjoying the theme park 1pm. The irony about the preservation motley crew was myself, whose sailing ride. Entering Barbate harbour at night of Lenin is that in the early days the experience amounted to multiple ferry in those conditions would have been Russian authorities had yet to fi gure out crossings between Ireland and the UK. I impossible, we anchored near a beach the art of embalmment. They turned to didn’t know a halyard from a spinnaker, and docked the next morning. a U.S. company for help who duly gave so as I boarded Buff, the 15-meter sloop The high winds stayed with us for Lenin a chemical bath every two years. we were going to sail to the British Virgin a few days, so we sat it out in Barbate. He may have disagreed with U.S. policies Islands, I was a little apprehensive. Then with weather conditions in our whilst alive but U.S. ingenuity kept him The fi rst twenty-four hours from favour we set a course south for the looking his smartest whilst dead. Mallorca to Ibiza were not enjoyable. four day journey to the Canaries. Our The Chinese also decided to preserve We sailed out of the bay of Palma into destination was one of the lesser known the body of Chairman Mao. He lies in the November night. The sea was islands; La Palma. Having become more a mausoleum on Tiananmen Square relatively calm as Igor handed me the accustomed to life aboard, I was now where thousands view him on a daily helm, however as the night wore on the given my own watches on the helm to basis. Mao insisted that he be cremated, constant motion started to affect me do. The watches were divided equally The open sea. Photo by T Giramondo but his wishes fell on deaf ears. The and before long I was doubled over the among the four of us. Three hours on, communist politburo used his cadaver side donating my dinner to the fi sh. “It nine hours off. With La Palma only as we traveled west across time zones, wash - the deepest bathtub I’ve ever away. After delivering Buff to her new for propaganda purposes. happens to everyone the fi rst time” were a day’s sail away, we received a radio each day it would get a little darker used. Due to this lack of wind power, we owners on Tortola, we discussed the In Vietnam the head of Ho Chi Danny’s consoling words. My misery report that a tropical storm was due to when I started my morning watch. resorted to the motor for much of the previous six weeks over a Painkiller Minh is on display. It can be seen in continued all night. I tried sea-sickness hit the Canaries. We needed to get to the When not on the helm, or cooking crossing. cocktail. “Do you remember that storm his mausoleum in Hanoi, northern pills, not realizing they are a prevention shelter of a port, and quickly. Realizing and cleaning, we would pass the day Two thirds of the way across, with off Gibraltar?” inquired Jim. “Of course,” Vietnam’s largest city. The structure rather than a cure. First light revealed that we could reach Tenerife before La reading, or playing cards or chess. Jim fuel levels running low, we realized we answered. “ I was really worried we is located on Ba Dinh Square where was an excellent chess player. Each day we may be spending Christmas at sea. were going to die,” he admitted. Like all Ho had read Vietnam’s Declaration of he would greet me with the familiar Luckily, we came across a generous good captains, he had never let it show. Independence in 1945. Ho wished to be refrain, “Ready for another pummeling cremated in order to “save some land “In the distance, maybe an hour’s sail behind super-yacht. A request for fuel was Noel?”, nodding towards the chess set. accepted, and with the two boats sailing SETTING SAIL for agriculture”.Rather than saving land us, the tall grey funnel of a tornado loomed It was a bit demoralizing to be beaten perfectly parallel, a line was thrown they built a 42m wide building to house so many times, but since my diary was across, and three jerry cans of fuel were his tiny frame. menacingly” a little empty, I always consented to passed across. We were on our way THERE ARE several ways in which If travelling to Russia, China or another beating. again. A day later the winds picked up, one can go about sailing the Vietnam is out of the question, but you a rather pathetic fi gure lying on deck, Palma, we changed course and arrived One of the best experiences of this coaxing us towards the Caribbean. We Atlantic. still have a lust for all things dead fear exhausted and wondering why he hadn’t in the capital, Santa Cruz, twelve hours part of the trip was sailing at night. could almost smell it now, and at about One is to hang around marinas not; there is a dead head here in our stayed on land. before the storm hit. That night all hell Alone, the rest of the crew asleep, with 11pm on Christmas Eve, the faint lights in the Canaries or the Azores midst. The preserved head of St. Oliver But there were more serious broke lose. Nature unleashed her fury, ones hands on the helm guiding the of the island of St Martin crept over from where Caribbean yachts Plunkett ison permanent display in St. problems to contend with. In the boats were smashed and power lines boat to the Caribbean, one could look the horizon. On Christmas morning, typically make their last stop Peter’s Church, Drogheda, Co. Louth. distance, maybe an hour’s sail behind fell, leaving Tenerife without electricity up at the heavens to contemplate a we cruised into the turquoise bay of before heading west. PlP l u n k e t t us, the tall grey funnel of a tornado for three days. Struggling with fenders fi rmament of incredible luminosity and Phillipsburg and docked. Four rather Marinas can be a good waswas the loomed menacingly. “That could smash to protect Buff from being slammed brilliance. Perhaps four times as many bedraggled and not particularly clean source of information on lastlast Roman a boat to pieces, I hope it doesn’t catch against the dock side proved ineffective stars were visible at sea without the sailors stepped off their vessel who is going where and CCa a t h o l i c up with us” mused Jim. Fortunately it in preventing superfi cial damage to the light pollution from land. Whilst in the And onto dry land for the fi rst time may need a spare hand. martyrma to die didn’t, but as we eased into Ibiza that yacht’s starboard hull. I was grateful we water glowing plankton complemented in 23 days. Bliss. I did a John Paul II Another avenue in England. evening, the thought of catching a plane weren’t at sea when the storm hit the heavenly display. and kissed the wooden dock. Then I are web-sites such as L o r d back to Mallorca did cross my mind. We were now ready for the longest We dragged a line behind the boat telephoned my mother to wish her a w w w . f l o a t p l a n . c o m ShaftsburySh We left Ibiza the next morning and leg of the trip, at least three weeks cut with a lure and managed to catch a happy Christmas. She hadn’t known and www.7knots.com, orderedord his headed for Gibraltar. I was given the off from the rest of the world to cross regular supply of fi sh to supplement the truth about what I had been up to; which regularly have convictionco job of ship’s cook for the fi rst couple of one of the biggest oceans on earth. our provisions. Igor, never the most I had told her that I was working on a advertisements seeking forfo treason days while we sailed towards the Rock. After re-provisioning the vessel and gifted crew member when it came to his transatlantic cruise ship. It was time to crew, not just for crossing a n d Cooking at sea proved to be one of the fi lling the water and fuel tanks, we set turn in the galley, was given the task of come clean. the Atlantic but in all partss rebellion.re biggest challenges. A swaying saucepan a course of approximately 240 degrees cooking after we landed a large wahoo. “Mum there’s something I really of the world. P l u n k e t t of boiling water on a boat heeling up and slipped out of Tenerife. Sailing past He cooked it well enough and was just need to tell you” I began. Another option is to joinn wasw hung, to 30 degrees from side to side can be the Canary island of Gomera I realized about to serve it when I noticed the “Don’t tell me you’ve gone and got a crewing agency, such ass drawnd and a dangerous thing. I learnt to keep the this was the place where Columbus bottle of oil he had been using. A closer married without me being there” (her www.reliance-yachts.com quarteredq meals as simple as possible. made his last stop before his own inspection revealed it to be wood polish worst fear) she answered Agencies usually have a The head of St Oliver in 1681. The next leg of the journey proved crossing (in a rather larger vessel than oil. The wahoo was back in the sea ten “I don’t even have a girlfriend, how list of vacancies that they need Plunkett on display in St Some of his to be even more perilous. In Gibraltar, ours). I managed to send off a few last minutes after it had left. could I do that? No it’s about that cruise fi lled in order to assist captains Peter’s Church. r e m a i n s we refueled and enjoyed a beer. A storm texts to friends before the coverage Our main problem now was lack ship, well it was more of a boat really” I in the delivery of yachts from the are in a had been forecast, but the captain faded and Gomera disappeared. of wind. The fabled trade winds failed admitted. Med to the Caribbean. Positions Benedictine elected to head up the coast to the There was no turning back now. to blow. One day, without the motor She answered that she had suspected are usually unpaid and it is the monastery in Germany. His head is on small fi shing port of Barbate in Spain The days became warmer as we headed running, the speedometer read zero. We all along. crewmembers responsibility to display in Drogheda and has proven to rather than remain at the Rock and southwest, leaving Europe’s winter weren’t moving, so we took down the The British Virgin Islands, our fi nal fund their return. be a leading tourist attraction over the deal with the hassle of immigration behind. We stayed on Canaries time sails and went for a swim and a proper destination, were a further day’s sail years. Backpacking the world for the long haul

By Derek Larney routes- the Trans-Manchurian which the most amazing scenery to be found Giza await. Travel Editor snakes from Moscow to Beijing, visiting on the planet as well as an indigenous These are just three of the classic only Russia and China; the Trans- population that are both warm and overland routes that have been pioneered SOME JOURNEYS can be eventful, Mongolian, which traverses Mongolia, welcoming. The capital Lhasa is home over the years. Others include Route 66 some can be complicated, others can and the classic Trans-Siberian, which to the Potala, one of Buddhism’s most in the U.S. which is mainly done as a road be rewarding. But then there are goes from Moscow to Vladivostok in far revered monasteries. trip from Chicago to L.A. Another is the the journeys that are truly epic and eastern Siberia. From here it is possible Appalachian Trail which is considered take months of travel, planning and to take a 36-hour ferry to Japan which Capetown to Cairo the world’s longest walk- it cover over execution. Trips like these tend to be for won’t seem like such a big ordeal after THIS TRIP involves more than 2,100 miles from Maine to Georgia. the backpacker who is in it for the long nearly a week spent on a train. The 10,000kms of some of the world’s Bill Bryson wrote about his experience haul, for those that know a shower is a Trans-Siberian involves what were once bumpiest roads - in other words you’ll on it in the book A Walk in the Woods. luxury and who know a hitching thumb quite luxury train carriages, built in the love it! The route spends some time in Finally for a really long road trip check can be the best source of information Soviet days; fi rst class compartments Capetown, perhaps the jewel of South out www.oz-bus.com This recently and adventure. With this in mind we have two beds apiece and come with a Africa which offers scuba diving with formed travel company is offering bus decided to take a look at some of the radio to listen to some Russian classics. Great White Sharks and awesome views trips from London to Sydney- they take world’s classic backpacking routes and Along the route there are a few places from Table Mountain. It then traverses in 20 countries in 13 weeks, costs are fi gure out why they are still so popular. of interest to hop off and spend a few Botswana, Zambia and Malawi from from €4500 per person. days- Lake Baikal, near the Siberian city where one can take a dip in the tropical Trans-Siberian Railway of Irkutsk, is the largest freshwater lake A Bull Elephant on the Plains of Africa. Photo: John Spooner Lake Malawi. The plains of the Serengeti MANY PEOPLE think the Trans- in the world as well as the deepest. It are also on offer as is an attempt on EPIC INFO Siberian is the world’s longest railway reputedly holds one fi fth of the world’s life and thousands of dreadlocked ones of Iran where one can view remnants of Mount Kilimanjaro, which at 21,000ft journey which might help to explain fresh water and is also known as one went in search of fi nding themselves Alexander and Darius the Great at the is Africa’s highest mountain. Other CHECK OUT the Lonely Planet its popularity. The world’s longest of the coldest lakes in which to swim. and cheap dope. There is no set route ruins of Persepolis as well as some of the highlights include opportunities to see books Istanbul to Kathmandu and single scheduled service actually runs Those on the Trans-Mongolian trip per se but most people take in Iran, most stunning mosques in the Islamic the near extinct mountain gorillas in Capetown to Cairo to get a sense from the Ukraine to Vladivostok but won’t want to miss out on a stop off in Pakistan, then travel the Karakoram world. Turkey holds the magical tundra Uganda and Rwanda as well as Kenya’s of what these journeys involve. that doesn’t put people off plumping the Gobi Desert of Mongolia which, as highway to Kashgar in western China of Cappadocia where visitors spend famed wildlife safaris. The problems Online forums such as the Lonely for the Tran-Siberian instead. It is one of the coldest deserts in the world, before making a beeline between Tibet nights in fairy chimneys or cave houses begin here though as Sudan, just to Planet’s Thorntree also offer possible to go all the way from southern offers visitors a chance to see snow and Nepal. There are of course many and explore bizarre rock formations by the north of Kenya, has been facing some excellent information from Portugal to Singapore using only falling on sand. different variations to this, some take a day- the area was used by George Lucas political turmoil for a good few years travelers who have been there. railways (this journey incorporates the ferry across the Caspian Sea from Iran in Star Wars. Pakistan has plenty to see now. Travel there is possible but best The website www.seat61. Trans-Siberian) but for most people Istanbul to Kathmandu to Turkmenistan and then onwards and do for the trekker, there are any avoided. It is possible to take a ferry to com is an invaluable source of a 9,000km journey across the Ural THIS A route fi rst made famous by to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan before number of walks both east and west of Yemen however Saudi Arabia is closed information, not only for the Mountains and into deepest Siberia Marco Polo and Alexander the Great. entering China at its western fl ank and the Karakoram highway- many snake to tourists. The only real option here Trans-Siberian but all manner of before fi nishing in Beijing is enough. More recently the hippie movement proceeding south to Nepal. Highlights of high into the Himalaya to remote tribal is to fl y over Sudan and into southern rail travel worldwide. The Trans-Siberian has three different in the 60’s and 70’s brought it back to this route include the cultural delights villages. Tibet, of course, offers some of Egypt from where the Pyramids and TRINITY NEWS January 13, 2009 SPORT 21

Interview: Trinity Ladies soccer on the rise law graduate Ciara Murphy talks to Soccer Correspondent Niall Walsh has been fol- drive from the edge of the box that found the season. Amazingly this current crop of Trinity bottom right corner of the net. players proved just how far they have come in Johnny Watterson Ryan was delighted with the attitude of twelve months by completely dominating the lowing the fortunes of the Trinity Ladies side since the Ladies in their fi rst game and had seen game and reversing last season’s scoreline. enough to convince him that they could Another superb defensive performance gave about her hockey the beginning of the season. He talks to Ladies cap- mount a genuine challenge in the league. the ladies a perfect platform to build on and Their next game served to reinforce this as his captain Kotschack led by example by getting tain Mikaela Kotschack and coach Cormac Ryan team hammered NCI 0-12 away from home. her team off the mark. Whiteman took her career The Ladies were simply too good for their tally for the season to seven with two more about their successes in Michealmas Term and the Ringsend counterparts and amazingly, under clinical fi nishes and another brace from horrifi c conditions and torrential rain, were midfi elder McGrath left the Trinity side fi ve challenges that lie ahead in the coming months 9-0 up within half an hour. Striker Whitman to the good with twenty minutes remaining. was again on target, bagging a hat trick, and As the DIT players visibly began to tire, in HERE HAS been a massive Trinity to try out” and in their early training captain Kotschack bagged her fi rst two goals form midfi elder Tyrell decided she wanted resurgence in Ladies Soccer in sessions they had almost forty girls taking of the season but the real star of the show to make her own mark on the game and Trinity so far this year. Determined part, making the coach’s life pretty diffi cult. was infl uential midfi elder McGrath. Her promptly set about scoring a fi fteen minute not to be outshone by their male It did not take too long for this to even itself performance, which included an incredible hat-trick, culminating with a sublime volley counterparts, they have achieved out though and he soon had a squad of about fi ve assists and three goals, was one of a from 25 yards out in the 87th minute. Tsome exceptional results in the fi rst part of twenty girls to choose from. plethora of reasons why the referee decided Although their last game of 2008, against the season. The team offi cially began training Their coach was hugely impressed with to call the game up after sixty minutes. Sallynoggin, may have ended in defeat there as a squad towards the end of October but the commitment and enthusiasm of the ladies Trinity thus went into their third game is no doubt that this has been one of the most in reality, the work that was put in before in the early training sessions, as well as with of the league campaign on a high but soon successful terms of football in the history the beginning of the season by their captain, the footballing abilities on show. Kotschack realized that Drogheda would provide of Trinity Ladies soccer. In the New Year Mikaela Kotschack, laid the foundations for has highlighted the importance of their new a much stiffer test than their previous they have a quarter fi nal with Tralee to look the success that has followed. Kotschack, a coach’s role in getting so many of the girls out opponents. The midlands side boasted two forward to in the cup as well as a semi fi nal on the training fi eld. “The trainings are great Ireland players in midfi eld but right from playoff date with Dundalk in the Leinster quality and there is a great turnout because the fi rst whistle at College park Trinity got League. The Ladies are confi dent they can “The trainings are great obviously all the girls really enjoy it”, she said. in their faces, not allowing them any time on progress in both of these competitions and I STARTED playing hockey in Galway at six years of “He has introduced some new elements to the ball and putting in some fi erce challenges both their coach and their captain were age. Actually I’m still playing with Galway HC for quality and there is a great training, amongst others spinning and yoga, all over the pitch. Trinity were without top bullish about their chances, claiming they can the Indoor European Championships, which are and is full of good ideas to make it as diverse scorer Whiteman due to injury but thankfully beat any team on their day. on next month in Portugal. Galway are travelling as turnout because obviously as possible.” their midfi eld stepped up to the plate with Kotshack’s role in the Ladies’ Irish champions, and during the Christmas break I all the girls really enjoy it” There was to be no easy transition from some crucial goals. Midfi eld general Hannah transformation cannot be understated. She have been training with them. But I’ll be going back the training fi eld to competitive football, Tyrrell scored an impressive hat trick and had a vision for where she wanted the team to to Bruges this week and will continue to play with however. In their fi rst game of the season on winger Aoife Merrigan, herself making a be since she took over the captaincy and she Ghent. second year BESS student who hails from the 23rd October the Ladies faced a tough return to the team on the left wing after a believes that all of the girls on the team have When I went to Trinity to study Law and French Sweden, was elected as captain by her peers league game against Maynooth, league long absence out injured, popped up with two bought into it. “My goal was that there would I initially began to play with Old Alexandra. But I at the end of the 07/08 season and instantly fi nalists the previous season, at home in very well taken goals. Even though Drogheda be at least 15 girls at every practice who love took a break in my second season to sit exams in began devising a strategy aimed at revitalising College Park. The coach admitted that his pulled a late goal back to make the fi nal score the game and enjoy being on the team”, she March and then in my third year I went to France ladies soccer within Trinity. Having spent half expectations were not too high, given that 6-1, nothing could take away from Trinity’s said. “I wanted the team to be a good social on Erasmus. I went to study political science in of the previous season without a manager, many of his team had never played with each superb all-round display. group that got along both on and outside the Sciences Po, Paris. Kotschack was well aware that fi nding an other before. However, it was the Trinity side The team then left aside their league game pitch. If we could win that was a bonus but I When I was there I played for Stade Français. enthusiastic and committed coach had to be that started the game the brighter, creating to play DIT in the fi rst round of the cup. For wanted every player to be proud of being on I thought that we’d be able to get to some of the her number one priority and it did not take fi ve or six clear-cut chances before the half the more experienced players this was a the team. Hopefully the girls agree that we club’s rugby matches but the hockey was based out her long to fi nd her man. hour. They were unable to put any of them chance to gain some revenge as the Glasnevin are quite close to that goal now…And we’re at a golf club at Haras in a suburb of Paris. It was Cormac Ryan was then in his fi nal year of away though and were made to pay the price side had thrashed them 8-0 the previous winning too!” very different from hockey in Ireland. an Irish degree in Trinity and himself a long when Maynooth took the lead against the run It took an hour and a half to get to training, but serving member of the Trinity men’s soccer of play. In the second half the coach switched I got to play indoor hockey there too, which I really team. Kotschack spoke to the manager of the pacy Molly Whiteman, making her debut for enjoyed. However, it was a transitional team and we men’s soccer team, Jimmy Cummiskey, and the side, from right wing to striker and the didn’t have a good season. I’m enjoying Belgium discovered that Ryan was about to embark move paid off almost instantly. much more. on a one year postgraduate course in Trinity Whiteman made a terrifi c run in behind The challenge and she thus outlined her vision for the the Maynooth defense and was picked out in Paris was to coming season to him and spoke about his with a perfectly timed ball by midfi elder keep going potential involvement. The Trinity striker was Sarah McGrath, allowing the fl edgling striker It was a most because of the “hugely impressed with her enthusiasm and to calmly slot the ball past the onrushing travelling and determination” and following an interview, keeper. Trinity re-assumed control of the rewarding time, sometimes I’d promptly accepted the job. Since then the game and began to push for the winner. They great camaraderie, arrive and only two have been working in tandem to ensure were denied by a couple of superb saves from four others that 08/09 would be a season to remember the Maynooth keeper and then with fi ve great fun and a would turn up. for women’s soccer in Trinity. Both had very minutes to go, disaster struck. Maynooth’s great coach That drove me positive things to say about their respective no. 9 jumped highest after a corner from the mad. But, in our impacts this year and Kotschack went so far right hand side and headed the Kildare college international as to say that Ryan was almost the model into a shock lead. Determined not to come student coach with his only imperfection being his out of their fi rst game empty-handed Trinity environment, the only French people I met was “language with the referee”! threw everything at the Maynooth defense through the hockey. My friend Emily Balbirnie Many of the problems the team had faced for the remaining minutes and, well into played for Racing Club. I then went back to Trinity in previous years had been down to the small injury time, they got the goal - and the result for fi nal year and played with the college team. We pool of players available, a situation which - that their performance deserved. American were able to get to the fi nal of the Leinster Senior Kotschack was keen to rectify. By the time the striker Whiteman picked the ball up on the Cup but lost out to Hermes. trials arrived in early October Ryan told me half way line, ran straight at the centre of the After my fi nal year at Trinity I chose a masters that she had “coaxed nearly half the girls in Maynooth defense and unleashed a rasping Team members show off some early season silverware. Photo: DU Ladies Soccer course in European Law in the College of Europe in Belgium. There is a second division club located in Bruges but I had decided to take my car with me this time and was able to make the hour-long drive twice a week for training in Ghent. There are about 300 of us in a tiny little campus in Bruges and they now mostly know me as the girl who plays hockey. It is a real trek to Ghent Bleak December for First XV but worth it for a serious club. We have two Argentinean players on the team who are full time professionals, while we get things like our petrol paid for. Once they heard I was a hockey player they came looking and so far it has been really good. They speak four languages at training, English, French, Dutch - because it is a Flemmish region of Belgium - and Spanish for the girls from Argentina. The Dutch people in college laugh at me because all I can say in Dutch is “run faster” and “dribble left”, in a Belgian accent. The coach is a guy called Pascal Kina, who was the assistant coach for the Belgian men’s team when they played in the last Olympic Games in Beijing. The game is so well supported over here and it gets three or four pages on a Monday morning in the papers. The league is full of foreign players from all over the world and you regularly hear accents from New Zealand and Australia. The main difference is it is very, very professional. There is a lot more money in the sport here. We have a full-time team coach and full-time fi tness coach. The team do three sessions a week, although I only do two, but I do a lot of my physical Christmas didn’t provide much in the way of cheer for the Trinity rugby team. Photo: Martin McKenna training in Bruges, where a group of us go running. FIRST XV The main difference between Belgium and Paris is to a frustrating afternoon; having gone ahead that here there are a lot of kids playing and in Paris While the rest of us were on holidays, the Trinity through a try from the set-piece, Wanderers 15. P. Gillespie there were very few. Here there are also a lot of never relinquished their advantage, and 14. C. Jebb mixed clubs and clubhouses with a big community rugby team was still soldiering on, albeit to little avail; another losing bonus point was the best Trinity 13. C. Colclough feel. could do, Jebb kicking a penalty towards the 12. R. Brady There is no way I would like to be a full-time James O’Donnell reports on a bad patch for DUFC end to claw back to within seven points. 11. C. Murphy/S. Hanratty professional. Hockey has always been something Trinity haven’t beaten UCC since dropping 10. A. Wallace that complements my travelling and studies, as an ANY LINGERING vestiges of the euphoria Limerick club had been sitting in second place back into Division 2 in 2006/07, and another trip 9. E. Hamilton aside to everything else. If it came down to it study surrounding the Colours victory in November in the league at kick-off, and weren’t about to down the country on December 13th yielded no 1. T. Goodbody would have to come fi rst. I played with the Irish A were well and truly dispelled over the run-in let a bunch of upstart students put a spanner more fruitful a return. There wasn’t even the 2. M. Murdoch side in Wales last August. I really enjoyed it and it to Christmas, as DUFC endured a profoundly in the works of their dream season. Aided by sniff of a bonus point in this last game before 3. J. Gethings opened my eyes. disappointing three losses on the trot. Despite the departure of Chris Jebb to the sin-bin, they the Christmas break; Gavin Dunne kicked the 4. C. McDonnell/J. Byrne Your team-mates are your best friends as well having a settled team and few injuries to came back strong to come within a score at representatives of the People’s Republic into a 5. S. LaValla and if I look back now, playing for Trinity in my fi nal contend with, Trinity picked up just two points halftime, and spurred on by their supporters 12-3 halftime lead – Jebb being unable to match 6. M. Cantrell year would have been the most important year for from their games and now sit a relatively proceeded to turn the screw in the second half. him with the boot despite several opportunities 7. S. Young (c) me. mediocre 11th place in the AIL Division 2 table. Despite a brave defensive effort by Trinity, they – and was the architect of a fi ne UCC try soon 8. B. Coyle. It was a most rewarding time, great camaraderie, Having dispatched Division 1 side UCD just a were at the wrong end of a grandstand fi nish after the interval. Trinity responded with a great fun and a great coach (Fingal’s David Bane). couple of weeks previously, Trinity would have this time around, as Bruff fi nally crossed the converted try, but were unable to add to their But wherever I go in the world, I always somehow had every right to be confi dent as they traveled whitewash to leave the First XV departing for total before UCC punished further infractions fi nd myself back playing at Dangan in Galway to Killballyowen Park on November 29th to civilization with only a bonus point with which to record a 23-10 victory. where I started out. face Bruff, who played their rugby in Division to console themselves. Memories of last year’s end of season slump, 3 last year. A Colclough try from the set-piece, In a somewhat ominous sign, College Park during which the side lost seven league games Reproduced with the kind and Tristan Goodbody’s try from nowhere, put was a washout the next week, so the clash with on the bounce, must surely be surfacing. The permission of The Irish Times them 12-3 up and in the driving seat near the Wanderers had to be played at a neutral venue. fi rst opportunity in 2009 for DUFC to halt their end of the fi rst half. But the impressive Co. A poor performance against poor opposition led slide comes this Saturday against Thomond. TRINITY NEWS 22 SPORT January 13, 2009

Athletics: (SF Engineering) – last year’s Fresher has represented both Munster and rower boasts Leinster Schools Junior Bryony Treston (JS Medicine) – Helped of the Year in the GAA club has Ireland in age grade hockey, but and Senior Cup medals from his days Trinity to second place in the IUAA experience with St. Sylvester’s of played for Leinster at U21 level. Also at Belvedere College SJ. Played for Cross Country Championships in Malahide and Dublin U21s. This is his won a scholarship in 2007/08. Trinity U20s last year. March last year, and represented Irish second year to be awarded a sports 2008/9 sport Universities at the Celtic International scholarship. Craig Moore (SF MSISS) – another Colm Moore (JF BESS) – the scrum- Cross Country event later that month, graduate of Midleton College, Moore half played for Ard Scoil Ris in his coming in runner-up again. Hopes to Paul O‘Neill (JF Engineering) – also was selected for Irish Universities in schoolboy days, showing suffi cient be selected for the Senior Irish side and a full forward, the Kildare man plays 2007. Has represented Munster at all promise to be called into the Munster win the Intervarsities with Trinity. for Leixlip and Kildare minors. Also underage levels, and aims to make the U16 and U19 squads. Captained looking to play senior inter-county breakthrough into the senior squad. Shannon U18s and has appeared for Aoife Byrne (Postgraduate) – a football in the future. their senior squad. scolarships former full-time athlete, Byrne has Orienteering: represented Ireland at European level Therese McCafferty (SF Pharmacy) – Niamh O’Boyle (Postgraduate) Harry Murphy (SF BESS) – a fi xture and is the current holder of the Irish plays for Termon in far-fl ung Donegal. – another repeat winner and an on the U20s last year in the side that U23 record for the 800 metres. Has Looking to win the Lynch Cup with exception to the norm of only awarding reached the McCorry cup fi nal, the By Conor James McKinney scholarships in 2007/08, says that “the getting to the London Olympics as Trinity this year. scholarships in team sports. O’Boyle out-half also won a sports scholarship College Sport Editor scholarship student must represent her next target while she studies for a has won intervarsities six years in 2007/08. UCD and only UCD in competition”. HDip in Education. Hockey: running and represented Ireland at THE COLLEGE Sports Scholarships for However, the example of rugby player Maebh Horan (SF Medicine) – another the World University Championships Sailing: 2008/09 were announced on December Rob Kearney, who plays for Leinster Cycling: one in her second year of scholarship, in Estonia in 2008. Claudine Murphy (JS Engineering) – As 9th at a ceremony in the Pavilion Bar. A and Ireland with such frequency that Melanie Spath (Postgraduate) – a Horan came to Trinity with a glittering Mr. McAuley pointed out, Trinity has a total of 25 awards were made to athletes he would rarely has time to tog out German PhD student, Spath has only underage career under her belt, Squash: “big tradition in sailing”, and Murphy representing some 13 different sports. for UCD in the AIL, would appear been mountain biking since 2006, representing Ireland at all levels Sarah Corcoran (JF Pharmacy) – one was on the team that won the World Benefi ciaries receive a grant as well as to indicate that the rule is merely to but has already won a clutch of Irish to U18, and was nominated for the of the top female squash players in Student Yachting Championship in being provided with extra support and prevent scholars from competing competitions, including the Elite U18 Player of the Year in 2005/06. the country, the Tipperary native is 2006, and was awarded a University training from the Department of Sport. against UCD in competition, and not Women’s K-Capital Cup and Elite Qualifi ed for the Leinster Senior Cup an underage provincial champion Pink for that achievement. She is Terry McAuley, head of the to positively compell them to represent Women’s NPS, also took the British Final with Trinity last year. and came runner-up in the Irish U19 a benefi ciary of the International department, who was at the helm, told their college. National 100km Marathon. She Championships in last year. Carding Scheme, run by the Irish those present that supporting sport in Mr. McAuley also mentioned that the was judged “Most Awesome Caroline Murphy (SF Law) Sports Council to support elite Irish Trinity throws up unique challenges. College “tends to target [our] traditional, Racer” of 2008 by her club, – a native of Cork, Murphy Rowing: athletes. Unlike certain other universities, he strong sports” in order to “keep our Mountainbiking Association Eoin Mac Domhnaill (SS Engineering) said, Trinity requires all students to go teams at the very highest level”, going of Dublin. – a shade off 2 metres tall, Mac Tuathal MacColgain (SF Law and through the CAO system and achieve on to single out rugby, hockey and Domhnaill has represented Trinity German) – again a repeat sport scholar the points requirements for their course rowing in that category. Camoige: in three Gannon Cup races and ISC athlete, MacColgain is aiming regardless of their sporting ability. While these three disciplines Rachel Ruddy (JS (winning two). Hopes eventually to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in Futher, those who are subsequently accounted for 9 of the 25 scholarships Physiotherapy) – the to compete in the World Rowing London. recognised with a scholarship must awarded, athletes from pursuits as Ballyboden St. Enda’s Championships and the 2012 represent the College for their club. diverse as squash, volleyball and woman is also a games. Soccer: Other Irish Universities which award orienteering were also recognised. fi xture for Dublin Niall O’Carroll (SF Engineering) – sporting scholarships, such as NUI Pat Hickey, President of the both at corner back, Sarah Dolan (JF The Trinity goalkeeper started in the Maynooth, make similar stipulations, the Olympic Council of Ireland and and a 2008 All- Engineering) – having Collingwood Cup while still a fresher, while DCU requires a more vague the European Olympic Committees Stars nominee, cut her teeth at the and was selected for Irish Universities “appropriate level of commitment to (and a black belt in Judo), made the along with Commercial Rowing last year. Hopes to play for Ireland the DCU sports club” and a contribution presentation to the new sports scholars, A n d r e a Club, Dolan has her in the World University Games in to “the administration, coaching, and was in turn given a DUCAC tie and F i t z p a t r i c k , sights set on the World Belgrade this summer. promotion and development of the DCU a copy of The Bold Collegians by the in recognition U23 Championships. club”. UCD, which awarded 83 sport author, Dr. Trevor West. of her Will compete in the Evin O’Reilly (JS BESS) – also called performances Corcoran Cup for up for Ireland Universities last season, last season. Trinity this year. midfi elder O’Reilly is the captain of PAT HICKEY ON THIRD-LEVEL SPORT DUAFC for 2008/09. Equestrian: Iseult Finn (JF “WE IN the OCI believe strongly that more and more attention has been N i c o l a Medicine) – has clearly Christopher Allen (JS BESS) – the succeeding in studies and having a focused on athletes’ career planning FitzGibbon (JS been marked out, former Man United trialist is having good balance between sport and and education during their sports Engineering) - alongside her school- a superb season for Trinity this year. other important commitments in career. It has been recognised picked up the mate Dolan, as the Former Home Farm man Allen is also life make a positive impact on the that athletes need comprehensive Young Rider future of the ladies’ on the Ireland futsal (indoor soccer) sporting performance. So in order support in order to succeed in Trophy for her boat club. The medical side, the only non-League of Ireland to succeed in the complex world combining training with education p e r f o r m a n c e s student has previously member of the team. of elite sports one needs to be and other commitments in life. in the 2008 rowed for top clubs educated. The Irish Institute for Sport has National Grand Commercial and Volleyball: Fortunately the success is not taken up this challenge on behalf of Prix League. Neptune. Fionnuala Nevin (JF Pharmacy) – a wanted at any price. In Ireland – Ireland’s sporting community and is Currently on new addition to Trinity’s team in what as well as in many other countries developing special education and Erasmus at the Rugby: Mr. McAuley described as an “up and – it is strongly recommended that career programmes for third level University of Caolan Doyle (JF coming sport in Trinity”, Nevin has athletes’ academic progression elite athletes. I know this work is Lyon. BESS) – the back played for the Ireland Junior team must not be unnecessarily sacrifi ced ongoing but hope that it will not be and is looking to make the logical to the needs of athletic performance affected by the current cutbacks in Gaelic Football: Craig Moore progression to the U21 and senior and success. government expenditure.” Eoin Fanning accepts his award national sides. Therefore, during recent years

MEN’S HOCKEY DU Sub-Aqua MEN’S RUGBY LEINSTER DIVISION 2 AIL DIVISION 2 SPORTS given Branch Pos Team P W D L F A Pts Team P W D L F A TB LB Pts ROUNDUP 1. Clontarf 6 6 0 0 29 7 18 1. Ballynahinch 7 5 0 2 207 85 3 2 25 2. Skerries 8 6 0 2 29 15 18 of the Year 2. Lansdowne 7 5 1 1 146 91 2 1 25 3. Bray 7 5 1 1 17 9 16 3. UCC 7 5 1 1 136 88 1 1 24 4. Suttonians 6 3 0 3 29 12 9 4. Bruff 7 5 1 1 109 73 1 1 24 5. Dublin University 6 2 0 4 17 17 6 DUBLIN UNIVERSITY Sub- 5. Bective Rangers 7 4 1 2 129 102 2 2 22 6. Weston 7 2 0 5 9 25 6 Aqua Club has won the inaugural 6. Malone 7 4 0 3 91 78 0 3 19 MEN’S SOCCER 7. Avoca 5 1 1 3 7 9 4 Branch of the Year award from 7. Greystones 7 4 0 3 123 141 0 2 18 8. Navan 6 1 0 5 6 23 3 the sport’s governing body. 8. Old Crescent 6 4 0 2 90 85 0 1 17 SAT MAJOR 1D 9. Naas 5 1 0 4 3 29 3 The British Sub-Aqua Club 9. Belfast Harlequins 6 3 0 3 69 81 0 2 14 (BSAC) has over 1,000 affi liated 10. Highfi eld 7 3 1 3 71 108 0 0 14 Pos Team P W D L F A Pts A disappointing loss to Bray, in which Trinity conceded branches in the UK and Ireland, 11. Dublin University 7 2 1 4 97 110 0 3 13 1. DUAFC 13 11 1 1 57 10 34 three goals in the second half, sees the students languish in and gave the award based on 12. Wanderers 7 2 1 4 72 124 0 2 12 2. Templeogue United 12 8 3 1 34 12 27 mid-table with a game against Suttonians to come. participating clubs’ diving, 13. Clonakilty 7 2 0 5 81 87 1 2 11 3. Swords Celtic 11 8 1 2 34 17 25 training, recruitment, instructor 14. DLSP 7 2 0 5 94 109 1 2 11 4. Brendanville FC 12 8 1 3 28 18 25 10/01/09 Bray 3 1 DUHC training and skill development 15. Thomond 7 1 0 6 78 130 0 4 8 5. Clonee United 9 7 1 1 35 15 22 17/01/09 Suttonians v DUHC activities during the year. 16. Instonians 7 0 1 6 83 184 0 1 3 6. Dunboyne AFC 12 4 3 5 25 23 15 24/01/09 DUHC v Weston As a reward for their efforts, 7. Garda FC 11 4 1 6 15 36 13 DU Sub-Aqua will now receive 17/01/09 Dublin University v Thomond 8. Confey FC 11 3 3 5 11 13 12 LADIES HOCKEY fi ve sets of diver starter kit, 24/01/09 DLSP v Dublin University 9. Verona FC 11 3 1 7 24 35 10 worth over £4,500. They 10. Boyne Rovers 12 2 4 6 19 35 10 LEINSTER DIVISION 1 were presented to the club by LADIES RUGBY 11. Rush Athletic 12 1 4 7 25 36 7 sponsors Scubapro at the annual 12. Greenhills AFC 10 1 4 5 19 31 7 Pos Team P W D L F A Pts Diving Offi cer’s Conference last LEINSTER WOMEN’S LEAGUE 13. Loughshinny United 9 1 3 5 10 27 6 1. Railway Union 10 9 1 0 21 2 28 month, 14. Rathcoole Boys 11 1 2 8 11 39 5 2. Loreto 11 6 4 1 26 5 22 Dublin University Sub-Aqua’s 18/01/09 St. Mary’s v Trinity 3. Hermes 11 6 3 2 28 12 21 Diving Offi cer, Padraig O’Flynn, 10/01/09 Loughshinny United 0 5 DUAFC 4. Pembroke 10 5 3 2 17 13 18 said he was delighted by the 5. Old Alexandra 10 5 2 3 18 14 17 news and that the new kit would MEN’S SQUASH LADIES SQUASH 6. UCD 10 4 3 3 12 8 15 make a real difference. ULTIMATE FRISBEE 7. Glennane 10 3 2 5 10 19 11 “We will put the equipment PREMIER DIVISION FIRST DIVISION 8. Bray 11 1 3 7 8 20 5 straight into club service. We’ve UNIVERSITY LEAGUE 9. Corinthian 10 1 1 8 9 32 4 had a big drive this year to Pos Team P Pts Pos Team P Pts 10. Trinity College 11 0 2 9 9 33 2 try and recruit more student 1. Fitzwilliam A 7 95 1. Total Fitness 8 83 24/01/09 UCC v DUUFC members... the new equipment 2. Fitzwillam B 7 88 2. Trinity A 8 76 There’s no let-up for the First XI this week; following a brave will go a long way towards 3. Sutton A 7 83 3. Westwood B 8 60 TENNIS effort against Hermes, the ladies will face a similar calibre reducing costs for students by 4. Westwood A 7 83 4. Mt. Pleasant A 8 60 of opposition at Santry on Saturday when they entertain avoiding the need for them to 5. Mt. Pleasant A 7 67 5. Fitzwillam B 8 53 WINTER LEAGUE Loreto. buy their own equipment”. 6. Curragh A 7 60 6. Aer Lingus A 8 35 The judging panel, led by 7. Old Belvedere A 7 51 Ladies: 10/01/09 Hermes 2 0 Trinity College BSAC’s National Diving Offi cer 8. Trinity A 6 10 14/01/09 Aer Lingus A v Trinity A 25/01/09 Carrickmines 2 v Trinity 1 17/01/09 Trinity College v Loreto Sean Gribben, were impressed 21/01/09 Trinity A v Fitzwillam B by the response to the new 14/01/09 Trinity A v Fitzwilliam A Men’s: initiative and by the sheer 21/01/09 Trinity A v Sutton A 25/01/09 Trinity 1 v Carrickmines 2 volume and standard of diving activity being delivered. TRINITY NEWS January 13, 2009 SPORTSPORT 2323

Paul Shanahan THE SCIENCE OF SPORT

THE Sport, college and the ESRI COMMENTARY BOX they have more opportunities to develop At the severe risk of having too much fun for one contacts, off-fi eld skills, habits and fi tness THE FIGURES that ensure a much more signifi cant role ANYONE WHO has digital television may have, issue, Conor James McKinney takes a break for sport in their future lives. Those who THE STATISTICS below show the at some stage, stumbled across CNBC Europe leave education at a younger age miss out percentages of (i) those who “play on a Sunday afternoon, when they have a slot from Santry to examine the statistical links on these contacts, opportunities and habits. sport” (ii) those living a “sedentary” purely devoted to “executive sports”. There is It is the time spent in the education system lifestyle within different catagories of undoubtedly a special hell being made ready between attending university and playing sport rather than the qualifi cations gained that educational attainment. for the person who devised this concept. It produces the impact on sport.” The fi rst measure is defi ned embraces the likes of golf, tennis and sailing, The fi gures are remarkable in their as having physically participated none of which are calculated to be of much HAT, YOU don’t play more sport as the level of educational linear progression: those who have primary in a sport at least once over the interest to such of the world’s population as sport in college? Strange. attainment increases. Meanwhile, within education are more likely to play than previous twelve months. For the does not wear a suit, carry a briefcase and put Statistically, you’re much each category, those with a higher income those with none, those who have Junior second measure, respondents were the world’s economy into the shredder every so more likely to if you’ve are also more likely to play sport... the Cert are more likely to play than those with asked whether they had been on often. That, indeed, is their appeal to the elitists managed to reach the impacts of fi nancial well-being and primary education only, and so on, right a recreational walk of greater than of the world. headyW heights of a university education. educational attainment on playing sport up to postgraduates being more sporty two miles within the previous twelve No doubt there are responsible adults out Research carried out by the Economic and are substantially separate.” than those with a plain old BA or BSc. This months. Respondents who had not there capable of playing tennis or golf outside Social Research Institute (ESRI) shows that Which means that education doesn’t is admittedly on a decidedly undemanding done so, nor played any sport, are the confi nes of a snooty club, and without among the four factors that are relevant in make you more sporty because it gives defi nition for “playing sport”, reckoned as defi ned as “sedentary”. thinking themselves to be a cut above the great determining whether or not someone plays you the time and money to participate - physically participating in sport at some There is a consistent correlation unwashed. Still, in this column’s view the world a sport is education. That age and gender between education and the likelihood would be a better place if they just played have an infl uence will come as no surprise; of playing sport (the fi rst percentage) something else (and cut down on their carbon it is however interesting, and worrying, and a similar but reversed relationship footprint a bit, but that’s not strictly the business that the richer you are, the more likely you The ESRI published its report entitled Fair Play? with living a sedentary lifestyle (the of the sports section). One regrettable statistic are to tog out; those in the richest 25% of Sport and Social Disadvantage in Ireland in March second percentage). is that most people who play sports in Ireland the population are twice as likely to play as do not play team the poorest quarter. Even more intriguing 2007. Authored by scientist and economist Dr. Pete » No education : 14/51 sports, despite is the infl uence of education: the crop of the huge media » Primary only : 15/43 there’s a reason sports participants, as it stood in 2006, Lunn, the data for the report came from a survey of coverage that is included only a quarter of those with no 3,080 adults carried out in late 2003, involving face- » Junior Cert (or equivilant) : 33/26 why nobody lavished on these Leaving Cert and half of those who had as compared with to-face interviews about their involvement in sport. » Leaving Cert : 50/17 turns out to see only completed second level. Among third » Diploma/Cert: 59/8 individual pursuits. level graduates, however, the fi gure stands the up-and- Although at at an impressive 64% - meaning that something else is at work to explain the time over the 12 months prior to survey. » Degree: 67/8 secondary school almost two thirds of people with a college tendency of college graduates to keep The pattern is however the same when is » Postgrad: 73/4 coming stars at most participation degree play some sort of sport. playing. Something, presumably, to do question is whether someone plays sport some track and is in team games, This would appear, on fi rst sight, with the range of sports on offer in our regularly, or whether they have never The same picture emerges among by the time to dovetail with the income statistics, third level institutions and the facilities played a sport. Only 7% of postgrads fall those who said they had never played fi eld meeting in people reach given that third level graduates will they provide, as well as being on of three into the later category, for example, as sport in their lives: Ballydehob adulthood they make more money than those without key social outlets - societies and class opposed to double that for people with » No education: 46% will have switched such qualifi cations, and to indicate that groups being the other - that students only a Leaving Cert, and 45% for those to something like swimming, jogging, cycling » Primary only: 45% the increased leisure time that comes have. The ESRI report draws pretty much with primary education only. or one of the three mentioned above (which, with material comfort is a factor in this conclusion, albeit in fancier language: The upshot is that third level » Junior Cert (or equivilant): 23% although they can be played in something sporting participation. However, the “[At third level,] people establish graduates contribute 43% of all amateur » Leaving Cert: 15% resembling a team, don’t generate the type of ESRI assures us that after subjecting the connections with adult sports clubs, make sportspeople despite being only 28% of » Diploma/Cert: 10% common atmosphere found in soccer, rugby or data to “multivariate statistical analysis contact with a wider range of alternative the population as whole - those who have hurling). Around three quarters of adult sports [whatever that might mean]... two sports they might explore, and are more attained the Leaving Cert or below, 72% of » Degree: 9% participation is done in this spirit of rugged distinct relationships can be discerned. likely to maintain their fi tness through the population, make up the other 57% of » Postgraduate: 7% individualism. There is a general trend towards playing continuing to play. The result is that players. So there. Which is a pity, because at the risk of over- simplifying things, team sports are just better. Even disregarding the eternally outrageous Never played a sport in their lives Likelihood of playing a sport Sedentary lifestyle notion of “executive sports”, in which the chaps from Deloitte can put the top brass of Proctor 50.0 80 and Gamble through their paces before all retire to the clubhouse bar for a well-earned brandy and cigar, giving thanks that they don’t have to 37.5 60 tog out with the plebs on some ghastly soccer pitch, everyone likes games that are played on pitches and involves a decent level of running around. That’s why they get far more coverage 25.0 40 and attract more fans (with the obvious and

Percent inexplicable exception of golf) than do individual Percent games. Athletics, for example, gets its fi fteen 12.5 20 minutes at every Olympic Games, and is one of the great showpieces of that impressive event, but there’s a reason why nobody turns 0 0 out to see the up- No education Junior Cert Diploma/cert Postgrad No education Junior Cert Diploma/cert Postgrad and-coming stars while the at some track and individual athlete fi eld meeting in Ballydehob. It’s not can learn only interesting, it’s not HOCKEY dramatic and you how to master don’t fi nd yourself themselves, the wishing you had that kind of talent. captain of a team And there’s a must learn to strong case to be Spirited display not quite enough made that a team trust others, to sport is technically better. If golf is skill delegate and to SCORE and managed to put the shooter under whose precise shot from close range A brief, retaliatory, Battle of the Bulge without athleticism, lead enough pressure that her powerful shot was cleared off the line. Dave Bane’s THE TEAM style resurgence followed – Horan and sprinting or HERMES 2 fl ew just wide. judgment that the champions were Hearnden again hard at work to win the marathon running could be described as DULHC 0 Off the hook, Trinity set to work, and “takeable” seemed more and more J. Elliott ball in good fi eld position to set up half- athleticism without skill. By contrast, the broad aided by some Hermes rustiness (“too justifi ed as the game wore on and Trinity A. Coyle chances – but eventually, as the game range of talent involved in running with the ball By Conor James McKinney much turkey in the belly”, groaned their held their own. V. Buckley opened up, tired legs and bruised spirits at feet, giving the pass, going for the return, College Sport Editor coach) were dominant for large periods Ailbhe Coyle, making a rare start C. Murphy took their toll. Under less pressure in controlling with the head or chest, playing of the fi rst half, stringing the passes at right back, was making the most of C. Boyle possession, Hermes were free to display the through ball off the outside of the foot or THERE WEREN’T much grounds for together and playing some excellent her opportunity with a sound defensive K. O’Byrne their admirable range of skills, and laid curling in a shot, well… there’s no comparison. optimism as Trinity went out to face hockey. display in a backline that gave little away R. Scott siege to the Trinity goal for the fi nal The same goes for rugby, Gaelic football and, a crack Hermes outfi t at St. Andrews Although it was by no means all one- in open play. Unfortunately a lapse in M. Horan 20 or so minutes. Murphy broke up a especially, hurling, the fastest fi eld game in the on Saturday afternoon, a vicious and way traffi c, it was evident that Hermes concentration from Caroline Murphy as C. Hearnden number of attacks single-handed; Boyle world and also surely one of the most technically unrelenting wind reminding all present were feeling more under pressure, as she deliberated over a long ball led to a (capt) send one dangerous ball just around demanding. Boxing might be an exception to of the joys of winter sport in Ireland. two of their players were carded, and short corner; Boyle, again hounding the I. Gorman her own post; a borderline goal-mouth this general rule, if one were to consider that The home side had come out 5-1 victors despite Jessie Elliott needing to be on takers ferociously, paid the price with a D. Costigan melee was resolved by the umpires in hitting people in the face is much to be proud of in a Jacqui Potter Cup match just her toes to make a great double save, blow to the wrist that at least had the Trinity’s favour. in terms of sporting endeavour. I don’t. weeks before, and such was the quality more half-chances came Trinity’s way. A effect of denying Hermes for the third Subs: On the sideline, the inadequacy of The process of competing in a team sport also available to them that the best hope marvellous Hearnden run saw her evade time. At the end of a half containing far the second runner on the short corner teaches the virtues of cooperation, teamwork seemed to be that the plentiful Hermes her marker to put in a fast cross that fewer unforced errors than in previous C. Costigan, defence was adjudged to have been as and leadership. So while the individual athlete Ireland A internationals didn’t want to Danielle Costigan was just about unable outings, things were looking good. N. Douglas, responsible for the fi rst goal as bad luck, can learn only how to master themselves, the wear themselves out too much before to get on the end of, and it took a well- Alas, Hermes came out strong in L. Small and the problem wasn’t resolved in time captain of a team must learn to trust others, to their midweek fi xtures. placed Hermes defender to intercept the second half, created a number of to prevent Hermes eventual second goal delegate and to lead. In terms of the example Happily, the ladies of DULHC another ball bound for Katie O’Byrne, chances in the opening minutes. The being defl ected in by former Trinity star set by elite sportspeople, it is also surely more exhibited fl agrant disregard for both unmarked in the circle. Trinity defence was equal to them at Linda Caulfi eld from the set-piece. worthy to honour the achievements of a group form and reputation in a pulsating fi rst For all that, they didn’t manage to get fi rst, but after Buckley had put in a With less than ten to go, Trinity of people working together than a solitary half played at a frenetic pace, putting in in any shots on goal in that promising seemingly impossible tackle to prevent didn’t give up – Nadia Douglas being victory. After all, in the real world, the only way to a strong performance to deny Hermes spell. Rachel Scott’s skills were being a certain score, the ball was worked introduced to give the fi nal effort some accomplish anything is with the assistance and the walk in the park that – with only a negated by a well-organised Hermes across the circle and short corner No. 4 vigour – but couldn’t fi nd their way cooperation of others. Even a star in a purely single sub on the bench – they must midfi eld trio, and when one of them was awarded. into the opposition half, and rarely solitary fi eld such as sprinting must rely heavily have been expecting. was allowed too long to loiter between It had looked all along as if Hermes threatened. The fi nal whistle blew on a plethora of coaches, sports psychologists, Maebh Horan, pulling the strings in 25 and circle, Trinity conceded a free were going to need something special through more defensive heroics from physios and nuitritionists. The increasing midfi eld, and captain Claire Hearnden which was quickly transformed into a to get past Elliott and her defence, and Murphy and O’Byrne. tendency to fete particular sports stars, divorced in particular caught the eye with short corner. Thankfully, Hermes fell that something turned out to be luck; Although a loss, this was a far cry from the team around them, is largely a media committed displays. The two linked up foul of the umpires for crossing before the shortie was mis-hit badly and the from the tame capitualtions to Bray and creation – it is simply easier to deal with and early down the right to put Hermes on the shot was taken in another let-off. ball bobbled up, evading the on-rushing Glennane. Pride intact and with a good analyse individuals, rather than superb teams. the defensive, before a pretty egregious Trinity came right back to create defenders, and fell kindly for Aoife performance under their belt, Trinity So take heart; even the lowliest social team is foot-block gave the champions a short what was probably, in retrospect, their Mitchell, who showed her appreciation will go into another tough fi xture more worthy, on this viewpoint, than any number corner opportunity. Christine Boyle best chance of the game. The ball glided of Fate’s offering by sticking it away for against Loreto this Saturday with more of Olympic victories. was quick out of the blocks, however, from Small to Hearnden to Costigan, a demoralising goal. cause for optimism than despair. TRINITY NEWS 24 January 13, 2009 SPORTING Trinity News attends glitzy awards ceremony for 2008/9 recipients SCHOLARS Page 22

TRINITY NEWS SPORTTuesday, January 13, 2009 MATCH STATS

SCORE DUHC U21S 2 AVOCA U21S 4

DATE 11 JANUARY

VENUE SANTRY

UMPIRES DAVE ADLEY CHARLIE BROWN

TEAM ANDY STEVENSON DANIEL RYAN DOUGLAS MONTGOMERY CHARLIE NAIRN Douglas Alexander tangles with the Avoca attack as a depleted Trinity strive to keep their opponents at bay. Photo: Martin McKenna DARRAGH MANGAN TOLLY HUMPHREYS HAL SUTHERLAND ANDREW BEVERLAND (C) U21s lose glamour fi xture LOUIS JAMIESON MAN OF THE MATCH

a stray Avoca foot in the circle; umpire Avoca an imposing three-nil lead. beat three men before winning a short HAL SUTHERLAND Despite far better individual skills, an injury- Dave Adley was quick to give a relieving A lesser side might have given corner, which the Avoca keeper had free to the home side. up hope. But the halftime huddle to get down low to save. The resulting A TIRELESS performance from hit Trinity hockey outfi t prove unable to cope Trinity were able to get into good was anything but sombre, despite sideline ball was worked up the right the midfi elder was duly rewarded positions a few times in the fi rst half Sutherland’s hacking and coughing by Beverland, and Humphreys’ vicious with two goals. Alongside with 11-man Avoca and miss out on chance for and play the ball into the circle, but after a metronomic fi rst half, the very reverse was on target but again saved. partner in crime Humphreys, rarely had enough men forward to get exemplar of one suffering for his art. Another fruitless short corner followed, tormented the Avoca midfi eld silverware in Under-21 Cup the vital touch. Their only short corner Those able to speak were undaunted, but the partisan crowd could sense that all day; at times, his dribbling opportunity of the half was fl uffed – the discussing the amount of gaps to be it was only a matter of time before the has to be seen to be believed. By Conor James McKinney still get a result”. uncertainty as to their set-piece tactics found in the Avoca defence – “let’s just breakthrough came. After Montgomery Never gave up the fi ght and College Sport Editor Unfortunately, the plucky Trinity before kick-off possibly a factor – and go get some goals” was the rallying cry had pulled off a huge defensive tackle, deserves to be given a shot on Eight were a goal down by the time apart from a long-range effort from as Beverland led his troops back out to the ball was worked upfi eld to Mangan the fi rst team this season. WITH THE vigour typical of students player number nine had arrived at Charlie Nairn the main threat was the the battlefi eld. They had some grounds on the left, whose delayed pass to Louis on a Sunday morning, Trinity’s Under pitchside. Ginger goalkeeper Andy running of Hal Sutherland and Tolly for optimism, if you were to listen to the Jamieson allowed the forward to switch 21s strode out at a remarkably dark Stevenson – as he was christened for the Humphreys out of midfi eld, where their Avoca coach prowling the touchline, it inside for Sutherland to dispatch the Sutherland’s refl exes were the sharpest and typically miserable Santry to day lest his side fall foul of age-related vastly superior stick skills were starting who expressed the view that “it’s always ball coolly into the bottom right-hand when the ball came to ground. It was face Avoca in the First Round of the technicalities – had warned his team to shine through. Beverland was close diffi cult when you’re playing against 8 corner - fi tting reward for a great day’s too late too matter in terms of the U21 Cup. Captain Andrew Beverland, mates not to “expect any miracles in to defl ecting in a Sutherland cross on or 9 guys” with an impressively straight work from the midfi elder. result, but cemented a brave effort himself rather the worse for wear, was goal”, and was duly beaten at his inside around the twenty minute mark, making face.As if out to prove the truth of this As the rain began to fall, Trinity especially given the team’s litany of optimistic as he surveyed his side’s post by a well-struck Avoca shot in a the Avoca goalie work for the fi rst time. affront to common sense, Humphreys upped the work-rate yet again – disadvantages: neither fatigue nor desultery attempts at a warm-up. “We bright opening for the away team. It was still easy for Avoca to play the came close to setting up Beverland Jamieson’s relentless hounding of the numerical disadvantage nor their have quality, they’ve got quantity” The only chance Trinity were able ball out of defence, however, despite with a ball in from a free won himself, Avoca back four was a sight to behold captain’s obvious need to vomit kept the was his verdict as his eight-man line- to create in the opening period fell the tireless efforts of the undermanned but the Northerner was just unable to – and took a stanglehold on the game, U21s from making the game a contest, up took to the pitch against a more to Darragh Mangan, who miscued, Trinity midfi eld. Another good run by connect. Avoca then fi gured out how manufacturing a host of chances. A and playing some lovely hockey to boot regular number of opposition players, and Avoca were still revelling in the a white shirt down the left-hand side to overcome the handicap of being long reverse from Sutherland and a – honourable sportsmen all, showing whose pre-game routine was markedly space afforded them by their two-man won a short corner, which was tucked two players up and struck again on the short corner attempt from Humphreys the true Trinity spirit. Long may it sharper. The Avoca coach was more advantage. Good close control by an away easily for 2-0. Scenting blood, break, a stretched Trinity defence easily were the highlights, but a combination continue! cautious than his numerical advantage Avoca forward led to a short corner, more pressure followed; a goalmouth broken to leave the scorer with an easy of bad luck and good goalkeeping kept seemed to warrant, past heroics from but fresher Douglas Montgomery was scramble went Trinity’s way, but they close-range fi nish. the students from adding to their tally More TN hockey coverage inside: under-strength student outfi ts clearly on hand to block. The ball was worked were caught napping by a quick free on Determined not to go down without until late on. Ladies First XI in brave effort against weighing heavily with him: “Trinity back in to give them another bite at the edge of the circle, which was deftly a fi ght, Trinity stepped up a gear. A A ball in from Montgomery took champions Hermes, p23; Ciara seems to be able to play with seven and the cherry only for the ball to come off angled in by a waiting forward to give mazy run from Sutherland saw him the usual defl ection in the circle, and Murphy interview, p 21. SOCCER Graduate XI no match for eager students

SCORE Trinity striker Cormac Ryan was fi rst tradtional 4-4-2 set-up and back to the squeezing under his body. having successfully rounded him. to try his luck, hammering a header diamond formation that has served THE TEAM With the teams at level pegging, the As the competitors trudged off the TRINITY CORINTHIANS 1 against the bar from 6 yards out after them so well this season. Trinity managers brought on some more frosty pitch at Santry, the players and DUAFC 2 a superb cross from full back Jonathan The college quickly took control of 1. M. Schroll changes to freshen up the side and the management will most defi nitely have Cummins and moments later his strike the game in the centre of the park and it 2. O. McMahon students rallied superbly, getting back been encouraged by a determined partner Niall Walsh rattled the crossbar did not take long for the breakthrough 3. J. Cummins on top in the game by moving the ball performance that belied the friendly By Niall Walsh with a thunderous drive from 20 yards to come. Walsh raced through the 4. C. Molloy quickly around the center of the park. nature of the game. Soccer correspondent out. Danny Trimble and Conor Molloy Graduate defense after a fl icked through 5. D. Trimble (c) Captain Danny Trimble urged his team Trinity followed up with a were keeping things tight at the other ball by Chris Allen and smashed a fi rst 6. L. Guerin onwards and led by example at the back comprehensive win over Loughshinny DUAFC BEGAN the new year with end and Trinity almost went in front time swerving left foot volley into the 7. C. Farrell with some crunching tackles at crucial United in the Leinster Senior League on a promising win against the Trinity just before the break. Walsh laid the ball top corner of the net. 8. C. Allen moments. Saturday 11th. The students ran out 5-0 Corinthians, themselves at the top of out to Cormac Farrell on the wing and Moments later Walsh could have 9. C. Ryan Trinity created chance after chance victors in an impressive performance; their own respective league, the UCL his pinpoint cross found fellow winger doubled his tally after a defensive mix- 10. N. Walsh but had to wait until the 75th minute two goals from Niall Walsh, along with Premier Division. The Corinthians side Fergal Mullins in acres of space at the up but his tame shot was cleared off the 11. F. Mullins until they got their noses in front again. strikes from Ryan, Guerin and Lawler is made up of a collection of Trinity back post. His fi rst touch let him down, line by a Graduate defender. They then A neat passage of play in Trinity’s sees Trinity sitting pretty at the top of graduates who all played for the college however, and his close range strike fl ew swept up the pitch on the counter attack Subs: M. Storan, L. Martin, E. midfi eld led to substitute Ed Tinnsley the league. soccer team during their time at over the bar. and after a missed header at the back Keegan, E. O’Reilly, E. Tinnsley, playing a peach of ball with the outside university. The college side began the At half time managers Terry McAuley found themselves two on one, bearing L .Keogh, C. Lawler of his left boot perfectly into teammate More TN soccer coverage inside: brighter of the two under the Santry and Jimmy Cummiskey changed things down on Trinity goalkeeper Michael Chris Allen’s stride. He ran directly at Our correspondent examines the fl oodlights, creating plenty of chances around, bringing on a plethora of Schroll, and the German keeper was Man of the Match: D. Trimble the keeper, feinted left and right and recent success of the ladies soccer in a fi rst half played at a frenetic pace. substitutes and moving away from the helpless to prevent the a low shot from ended up walking the ball into the net team, page 21.