Edition 23 - January 2018 Aontas na Mac Leinn University of Limerick Ollscoile Luimnigh Student Union Edition 23 Semester 2 AY 2017/2018 Whatever the Weather, We Adventure Together! BY RACHEL MALONE, PRO Another fun semester was climbing skills. We finished our door. Climbers of all shared by the members of the day in the gorgeous Old levels are welcome to come the Outdoor Pursuits Club! Monastery hostel where along and test their skills. We We had a mixture of trips we enjoyed a hearty and regularly change the climbing throughout the semester delicious meal followed by routes to challenge our which covered all our core some casual socialising and a members and we encourage activities: hiking, climbing, few sing-alongs. The next day everyone to try them all. We orienteering, caving and we relaxed some more for a had our extremely popular mountaineering. We started while, cleaned up and headed OPC Open Days event here off our semester by climbing back to Limerick. The now which spanned over four in the Burren and we couldn’t yearly trip to Letterfrack was days. We had a different have asked for better once again a success! weather! The sun shone However, the big trip of the activity planned for each night down of us as we scaled up semester must to be the which included: a movie night, climbing routes and got to Scotland trip. A group of a games night, a social night know our newer members. It members ventured out to and a climbing workshop. was certainly a brilliant way Scotland to enjoy ten days of In addition to this, we had to start off the new year! climbing and mountaineering. regular training workshops This was part of our weekly It was a beginner friendly run by our own members Sunday trips where we drive trip that allowed members to teach newer members to different parts of Ireland of all levels to develop their the basics of rope work and to hike, climb or orienteer mountaineering skills. The mountaineering. It proved to around the countryside. The harsh winter climate didn’t be a massive help in preparing trips that followed were deter our troops from people for trips away and was equally as enjoyable and enjoying themselves as also a fun experience! allowed members to see the they took on routes which The club has loads planned Irish landscapes at its best! included Scotland’s largest for this upcoming semester As well as our weekly trip, the mountain, Ben Nevis. They so if you are interested in club travelled to Letterfrack in battled snow and ice as they contacting us, you can e-mail Co. Galway to enjoy an OPC- worked together to complete us at uloutdoorpursuits@ OPC Does Tartan style weekend away. We the variety of routes. BY CONOR WALTER travelled up Friday evening Not all of our activities gmail.com or message us on a bus which gave everyone involved travelling around on our Facebook page “UL January 2018 Saw the OPC’s (Conor McCarthy) who a chance to mix and mingle. though. The climbing wall Outdoor Pursuits Club”. If you most successful Scottish guided us on his 8th Scottish The bulk of the group spent located on campus was as want to chat to us in person, Winter Climbing trip in recent Trip with the club. A moment the second day hiking around busy as ever! We were open drop in to our climbing wall years. The land of Buckfast that stands out for me, was at the beautiful landscape of three days a week and we which is open every Monday, and Haggis treated us to the end of a long climbing day Galway while some members continuously saw a steady Tuesday and Thursday from 7 powdery snow, frozen turf mid-trip. It was a beautifully spent the day improving their flow of people come through – 10 PM. and tasty sunsets. Admittedly, crisp morning as we made our I was initially reluctant to go approach. Jangling of gear to Scotland on my Christmas on our Harnesses split the Break. The Highlands are frosty air like a herd of Swiss a harsh environment, Cows. Approaching the finish with some of the highest of our ascent, we clambered rainfall in Europe, freezing over the snow slopes of the temperatures, and wind that amazing Stob Bán. Still in the would knock a cuppa from shade, I looked forward to see Mrs. Doyle’s hand. It became two flying Ice Axes land at my apparent to me early on, that feet. Mac up ahead, shouted Scottish Winter is special sighs of joy and dropped all he however. The mystique that was carrying. When I reached surrounds the highlands left him, I could see why. Culann bagpipes playing in my head joined us from below and all every time I saw the hills. of us stood there, 3 specs on Some who visit can never the hill, basking in what was a leave, despite the changeable sunset to end all sunsets! weather. Shout out to Mac 2 ULSU CLUBS & SOCS NEWS ULSU CLUBS & SOCS NEWS 3 Welcome back everyone... Youthful Vikings Battle For Another BY NIALL HOULIHAN, ASSISTANT PRO And a special welcome to all The plan is for three full size- this process moves along but Shamrock Bowl In this Issue: Semester One was busy for players it is great to see the The Wolverines are a British our International Students, playing pitches, equivalent suffice to say the delivery date round of the playoffs where invite anyone interested in the UL Vikings American future of the Vikings is bright Premiership team and gave us CLUBS It has been an eventful couple in size to a GAA pitch. GAA to walk in the door of the new we beat Cork Admirals once joining the team, whether Football as we prepared for and talented. a very strong game last year. of months since you all went being the largest sports field facility is summer 2020. again. you would like to play, help Outdoor Pursuits 1 the Intervarsities in Dublin. In Semester two we will be With a small inexperienced into Christmas exam mode. So dimension. One of these will The new Outdoor Pursuits PAUL LEE We will also be facing our SBC with sessions or in the role American Football 3 The first 7 weeks were spent preparing with our Senior squad and some exceptional South rivals and Shamrock just a quick update on some be a natural grass surface with climbing wall is at an advanced Head of Student Engagement of media or sponsorship to teaching a large group of squad to compete for this performances, we came Bowl Champions, Dublin Archery 3 exciting developments. the other two being articifial stage, and discussions University of Limerick contact the club on Facebook rookies how to play Irelands year’s Shamrock bowl. Every within a field goal of beating Rebels twice this year. Both Capoeira 3 The development on the grass. They will be fully floodlit continue on the upgrading Students Union or email. fastest growing sport. In Wednesday we will be training the Wolverines and this year the Vikings and the Rebels Athletics 4 projects from the Student and fenced off as well. It will of the sprint track. Although [email protected] February 4th will see us hold November, we travelled to on the Kilmurry Astro turf we will be looking to win when finished top of the SBC with 7 Referendum in 2016 have also have a “hurling wall” and the sprint track does not 086-0435307 our annual Super Bowl Party, Basketball 5 Trinity sports grounds with a pitches starting from January we return in February. – 1 records and after two tight clicked into gear and moved the plans include a jogging form part of the referendum Limericks biggest super Boxing 5 have once again been blazing squad that included almost 25th at 8pm sharp and on After Lancashire, we will then and heated games last year from meeting rooms to the area around the perimeter projects, a UL Sport project bowl party by Limericks only Equestrian 6 a trail across Europe and 30 players who hadn’t put on Sunday afternoons starting start your campaign to win we are looking forward to planning and construction as well and a spectator area will obviously benefit student American Football team. pads before September. January 28th. The UL Vikings the Shamrock Bowl when we more battles with the Dublin GAA 6 phase. Many of you will have too. Therefore, by the start athletes and the athletics club the world with their training The UL Vikings started the is Limericks only American play against SBC South Rivals side. Super bowl LII will be live In Kayak 7 noticed the “Maguire’s” of the next academic year amongst a host of others, on and development exploits game against UCD well and Football and you don’t need Cork Admirals away. Last This year will also see us Flannery’s bar Limerick, see training pitch development AY 2018/2019 the synthetic Ireland Sporting Campus. The to countries such as Africa, Krav Maga 7 were leading for most of the to be a student to play as our year we faced our Munster play the Belfast Knights, Facebook for more details. began just before the exams. aspect will be available for refurbishment of the second Belgium, England, Germany, Ladies Rugby 8 game before a late score for squad has a large age range rivals in the regular season Belfast Trojans, South Dublin We look forward to seeing you That is the area of grass fields at use.