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Tuesday, 8 October 2013 | www.uccexpress.net | Volume 21 | Issue 3

EXPRESS
London Tweeting
Page 17

Status of Classics Department under threat

Ellen Desmond| Entertainment Editor @ellen_desmond

The status of the Department of Classics in UCC has been put in peril in recent weeks. Current restructuring plans would involve the Department of Ancient Classics being merged with the School of History and losing its identity as a separate Department or Discipline. The Department is one of the oldest in the College of Arts and teaches three main subjects: Latin, Ancient Greek, and Greek and Roman Civilization. The agenda for the forthcoming meeting of the Academic Council of UCC, to be held this Friday (the 11th) at 2pm, was published last Friday evenTaking to the streets: Students partake in the USIs Day of Action which saw anti-austerity protests take place around the country ing on the internal staff network. Item 10 of this agenda includes Amendments to the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences Rules. Audrey Ellard Walsh | Editor who Podge notes, has never attended This amends Schedule 1 to the Rules money is being reinvested, particularly The matter was decided by Finance of the College, which is the allocation a meeting. in student administration. Committee, on which Haughney sits in @AudreyEWalsh of Departments and Disciplines to Podge takes issue with the manner Overall, it is expected that the fee attendance as a sole student representaSchools. As UCCSU President Podge Haughney will generate 100,000 a year. The cost in which this new fee has been pubtive, but does not have a vote. He was This indicates that the School of announced in an all-student email last licised. He claims that students have of the new software is circa 840,000 invited to speak, and outlined the finanHistory will now contain one Departweek, the University have taken the not been fully informed. in total so the University expect this to cial struggles faced by students, which ment, History, including Politics and decision to introduce exam re-sit fees, My argument was you cant just be covered through fees in about 8-10 was noted in the committee minutes. Classics, and what appears to be one effective from August 2014. dump this on students, they have to years. It has not been specified what the Finance committee went over by Discipline, Art History. The fees, set at 35 per 5 credit mod- fees revenue will be used for after this have prior notice. So they came back half an hour because I wouldnt let the Classics will be reduced to a ule capped at a maximum of 245 per time period. issue drop. I dont want it to be seen that to me and said that its on the website. programme with no independence student, will be used to pay for the inAccording to Podge Haughney, the I didnt fight this, I did everything within I said thats not good enough, the whatsoever and lecturers, Dr David troduction of a new web system, CRM, SU have always stood up against the website is atrocious and why would my power to fight it. Woods and Vicky Janssens, will to improve the admissions process for students look up exam re-sit fees on introduction of this fee. A report generated by Finance become members of the Department students. the website if its never been known He claims however that when he took Committee was brought to Governing of History. According to Cormac McSweeney, to them previous to this? over as SU President he was told that Body. As Haughney explains, GovernDr Woods, Head of the UCC Head of Management Accounting the He assures however that if students Classics Department, said of the the issue had already been negotiated ing Body has up to 40 representatives, planning for the introduction of this have exams deferred or receive miti- amendment: I do not see the subjects with the previous SU President, Eoghan all University Staff, who pass items in fee began last January. Were the only gation, they will not be charged for re- [of Classics] surviving long in that consensus based on what is deemed to Healy. This, he maintains is impossible institution in the country, bar Trinity, sits. He also encourages any students context. benefit to the University. The SU has as according to his knowledge, Eoghan that doesnt have an exam resit fee. The Healy never engaged in negotiations with fears about exams to contact the three representatives on Governing decision was taken because we have a Students Union who maintain an Body- the SU President, the Deputy about a fee, maintaining that the Union Continued on Page 5 difficult financial environment but the President and the Post-Graduate Officer, open door policy. was fully opposed to its introduction.

Exam re-sits to cost 35 per module

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INSIDE TODAY

Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

EDITORIALS

Implications Student of Westgate Accommodation

Where do we go from here?

Audrey Ellard Walsh | Editor @AudreyEWalsh

Page 7

Page 10-11

College Dinners

Student Protests
DOW THIS N WIT SOR H THIN T OF G

And I have to wonder if we are in part to blame

So silly season is over, or perhaps its just beginning. News just in: The Peoplewell, about 635,000 of themchose to ignore the populist and opportunist slogans; Austerity sucks- lets save money and Politicians- who needs em?. Or perhaps people simply chose to vote against the Government out of spite. We Irish are nothing if not awkward. Perhaps in times such as these, when we have had so much taken away from us, we are eager to cling on to anything that we can. Be that an antiquated, middle aged, white male dominated talking shop or no. One thing that is clear, is that the debate around Seanad aboli-

Chicken wrapped in Bacon with Sweet Potato and Parsnip Wedges

Page 13

Page 5

The New Corker After Trappatonni Eoghan Scotts

I started something I couldnt finish

tion raised the important point that its broke, and we need to fix it. Now more than ever it is evident that we need more democracy, not less. And democracy means accountability. The Seanad in its current state is not representative. A body thats suffrage is limited to a privileged few is not compatible with a modern Irish state. And certainly not conducive to the level of political engagement that would drive turnout above the 50s. However, what Fridays no vote means is that legislators now have the opportunity to work towards real reform. A directly elected Seanad with the power to hold the upper chamber to account on real life issues is necessary. Accountability is important. Having a voice is important. This weeks news section shows that decisions can, and are, being made which affect us in an everyday way, with little or no student input. The introduction of contraceptive service charges

in the health centre, and exam re-sit fees are two examples of changes which, arguably target students, and which were introduced with little forewarning. It is regrettable that just weeks before a budget which is rumoured to cut 100million from the education budget students learn that they are to be hit in the pocket in yet another way. And I have to wonder if we are in part to blame. An annual march in matching t-shirts is all well and good but if the student body are to be taken seriously, we need to act it. We need to educate ourselves about who and what makes the decisions that affect our daily lives. Write letters, speak to your representatives, run for class council, SU exec, local government. It is the duty of an electorate to question and hold representatives to account. And we need to do so robustly and consistentlyin all arenas.

Page18 Page 20
Features 7-9 Gaeilge 12 Photography 14 Fashion 16-17 The New Corker 18 Colour Writing 19

Another Brainstorm
Stephen Barry | Deputy Editor @StphnBarry

Editorial Staff:
Editor: Audrey Ellard Walsh Deputy Editor: Stephen Barry Deputy News Editor: Heather Steele Features Editor: Grace O Sullivan

Contributors:
Harvey Fitzgibbon Rachel Power Aaron Noonan James Grannell Gavin Lynch-Frahill

Deputy Features Editor: Claire Crowley Randy Marx Eilis O Keefe Photo Editor: Emmet Curtin Morgane Conaty Irish Editor: Rachel N hAodha Rachel N Chrthaigh Fashion Editor: Nicole Clinton Fiction Editor: Eoghan Scott Sport Editor: Barry Aldworth Designer: Cathal O Gara Aoife O Connor Aoife Stapleton Timmy Collins Patrick Murphy Tara Higgins Clare Werner

I swear I had plans for this piece, I really did! Big plans too. Plans so big they wouldve filled the Croke Park, dwarfed Carrauntwohill and been added to the Constitution. Plans so hot the wouldve pulled in the Old Bar, evaporated the Shannon and had to switch to Airtricity to maintain their intense heat at a more cost-effective lower standard rate. Plans so... And so begins the weekly battle with the word count and time. But rather than a three-way battle, its more of a word count and time combining forces to bully a humble writer seeking inspiration. However, it seems that I did finish my last editorial with a message, as natural a place to start the next episode as any. That message was feed the world. Well no, actually it was really me saying Id think of a way to drag this out in the future. So what better way to drag one column out, and sustain these time-leeches into the future, than by having an interactive brainstorm

(interactive insofar as you can write suggestions on the paper, leave them lying around Boole Basement, and the cleaners will pass on your ideas to my PA). Of course, there are loads of ways to do this thing: For giving due time and consideration to discuss an issue of the day in a bid to furthering the public

writing off of the top of my head Hmmm I did think I could try to have a message in each one feed the world but due to the extreme lateness with which I type this, literally minutes before you read it, while our Express minions hold hairdryers to each copy to dry the ink, it wouldnt seem as thought-through as Id like it to appear i.e. misrepreBut rather than sentatively thought-through. a three-way...its I have also considered just more ...forces to writing about whatever show I am bully a humble watching to take my mind off of writer seeking writing these pieces this week its Derek a sensitive comedy drama inspiration. about a man with learning difficulknowledge and awareness of it; ties who works in an old peoples look up. home but even there I just ripped For being all nice and helpthat description from a Radio ful and filling your head with the Times review. wisdom of my worldly ways; look So perhaps my message should inside Verge. be that I have no big message to With both of these effects essen- give. tially achieved by other editorials Or better again, my message for in the paper, I guess I will attempt this issue is to the designer; please to continue to try to carve out my make sure to pull out the most niche; or as it has been described controversial, or aggrandising, or by others you talking about the dismissive quote you can possibly stuff you write about, which in this find in this piece. I know you will! case is this editorial, which I am Ta-ta!

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

Health Service introduces contraception fee

Heather Steele | Deputy News Editor @HeatherySteele

NEWS

The UCC Health Service has introduced a fee for all contraceptive consultations due to financial reasons. The fee will be levied at 20 per consultation and is to be paid following appointments. The service has also had to increase fees for appointments that already were charged such as Physiotherapy. The fee for STI testing remains unchanged at 20. The health centre gives approximately 20,000 consultations a year; of these 3,000 are contraceptive appointments. The charge was announced via the Student Health Departments Facebook page in a YouTube video. Dr Michael Byrne, Head of the UCC Health Service, said that the charge was unavoidable: it is necessary to ensure that we are able to provide staff; doctors, nurses and admin, in these challenging times eco-

UCC report leads study of Irish emigration

Harvey Fitzgibbon | News Writer

in the SU of the financial hardship facing some students. Any student who requires a contraception consultation but cannot afford one is encouraged to contact myself and we can discuss the options available. Berry also wished to remind students that condoms are also available from the welfare office: Students can receive four free condoms at a time and although condoms are not a one hundred per cent effective contraceptive, their use is an important measure for dents would find this good nomically for the university. University for the continuation students to take. value for money. We hope He added that the charge of the service. He also hoped that stuensures that acute illnesses, for that students continue to enjoy He added that the service dents will make use of the STI a high level of service in the which a student is unable to in UCC is one of the best in testing at the health centre student health centre. budget, can be treated free of the Irish university system: and practice safe sex. While Students Union Welfare charge. By levying a charge UCCs medical service is of contraception is an important for contraception, it means that Officer David Berry stated that the highest quality and comissue for students, I urge them while a fee is unfortunate, it we can continue to provide pares competitively with its to take a revitalised interest in is a symptom of the times the other services when youre equivalents in other universitheir sexual health also. STIs university faces. acutely ill for free. ties. such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia While it is regrettable that Dr Byrne also stated that The Students Union will and HIV are once again on in a fifteen-month period, this a fee has been levied towards also endeavour to help students the rise and it is everyones students for contraception con- who are unable to pay the conwould only be three visits on responsibility to tackle this sultations, this fee is one that average and hoped that stusultation fee. We are mindful issue. is deemed necessary by the

A project undertaken by researchers at UCC entitled Emigration in an Age of Austerity was recently released, and has been described as the most comprehensive and representative survey of emigration in Ireland to date. The survey is built upon a solid statistical foundation, with data from 1,500 emigrants and 500 intending emigrants, and provides an all-encompassing portrayal of both the effect that emigration has on the people of this country on a personal level, and that which it has on an economic level. The brain drain, or the loss of our most educated youth, is a phenomenon that is very evident from the findings of this survey. The survey tells us that 47% of Irish people aged between 25 -34 hold a tertiary qualification of three years or more, 62% of recent Irish emigrants hold the equivalent qualification. This phenomenon can be detrimental on an economic level as there is less incentive for large multinationals to come to Ireland if we do not have a highly educated work force to fulfil their employment needs. On the other hand we need companies like this to come to Ireland and provide jobs for our highly educated or else they will leave. This economic catch-22 is

both the cause and caused by the brain drain. On the level of the family, emigration also causes a plethora of issues, though, due to advances in the technology of the modern age, not as many as it did in other periods of increased emigration. The report tells us that over 70% of emigrants use Skype and telephone calls to regularly maintain contact with family and friends in Ireland. Over 90% of emigrants use Facebook and other social network sites to keep updated. This does not mean that losing a close relative to emigration is any easier than it ever was before. The report determines that although emigrating can sometimes be a positive experience for many emigrants, there are very little positives for the family members left behind. It is clear from this survey that the results of emigration on an economic level could be severe. This country is in dire need of its educated youth to rebuild the economy, and the 31.9% of adults who have had an immediate family member emigrate since 2006 will also feel that these youths would be better served at home. The report was lead and authored by Piaras Macinr, Irial Glynn and Toms Kelly in association with UCCs Department of Geography and Institute for the Social Sciences in the 21st century.

13% of emigrants were working in part-time jobs before their departure. Many were recent graduates who left to attain job experience abroad. 47% of today's emigrants were in fact employed in full-time jobs before leaving. Just under 40% of these emi grants left because they wanted to travel and to experience an other culture. 43.6% of them left to find an other job or to attain job experi ence not available to them at home. 15.9% of households said that it was extremely likely that someone from their residence would emigrate in the next three years. At least one extremely rural household in four has been directly affected by emigration since 2006. Over 17% of Irish emigrants worked in Ireland in the construction industry. Almost 23% of those leaving were unemployed before departing. Although 39.5% out of all recent emigrants would like to return to Ireland in the next three years, only 22% see it as likely.

Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

NEWS

UCC pair take prestigious awards

Rachel Power | News Writer

Two UCC students, Siobhan O Connor and Jessica Kennedy have been declared top of their respective fields by the Undergraduate Awards. Fourth year nursing student OConnor was highly successful winning both the Irish and the overall award in the Nursing and Midwifery category. Her paper entitled The scourge of chronic venous leg ulcers is topical zinc the answer? saw her beating of competition from other highly commended students in the category. The idea for her essay was developed based on her course work from a wound management module taught by UCC lecturer Siobhan Murphy of the School of Nursing and Midwifery. OConnors overall win in her category will see a publication of a review of her literature in the Undergraduate Awards 2013 academic journal. This publication will see her join the other 21 overall category winners selected from almost 4,000 project submissions in over 180 third level institutions across 25

Audrey Ellard Walsh & Stephen Barry

News in brief

UCC has spent more than any other Irish university on external legal fees according to recently released information. Between 2005 and 2012, almost 2.9m of UCCs 4.6m expenditure on lawsuits was on Human Resource related cases or staff disputes. However, this figure does not include all of the costs of settlement, payment of other parties costs and mediation fees.

UCC tops legal fee table

different countries worldwide. When commenting on her recent achievement OConnor stated: Its fantastic to have an opportunity to compete at an international level and to demonstrate the impact nursing research can have on our health and well-being. She aims that her literature will provide nurses and other healthcare professionals on the ground with better evidence for treating this

condition. Kennedy, an occupational therapy graduate, beat off stiff competition to win the Irish leg of the Social Innovation Category for her paper on teenage internet use and social participation entitled A Shift from Offline to Online: Adolescence, the Internet and Social Participation. Eleven UCC students were successfully shortlisted in total and

were highly commended across seven categories, including four in the Life Science category which saw the highest UCC representation overall. The winning duo will attend the Undergraduate Awards Global Summit in Dublin this November in recognition of their achievements. As the overall winner of her category, OConnor is set to receive the Bram Stoker Gold Medal.

Those studying in the College of Science, Engineering and Food Ellen Desmond | Entertainment Editor Science will be eligible for the A trial run of undergraduate work for students in the trial attempt Following on from UCCs slide in new Dr Elmer Morrissey Scholarplacements has begun for 30 of running this module but the the QS University Rankings, UCC ship. Morrissey, who died in a UCC students of the College of placement may be paid or unpaid, sailing race in the Pacific Ocean has been boosted by the release of or even funded by an external Arts, Celtic Studies and Social the Times Higher Education (THE) last year, achieved a Doctorate of Sciences for the current academic body, similar to an Erasmus. A World University Rankings which Engineering in UCC and friends of minimum of 150 hours of engage- the energy engineer have set up a year. These second year students see the college climb from 345th are required to gain the approval ment from the student on the into the 276-300th range. scholarship in his honour. of their Head of School before placement is necessary as part of The significant increase was utilizing the assistance of the the minimum pass requirement. due to increases in UCCs rankRetired S to coach Careers Service to arrange a work Though this will not contribute to ing across a range of categories college Freshers absolute performance scores are placement or internship. the awarded result of the stuincluding Teaching, Research and holding up but better resourced Participating in the trial run dents eventual BA degree; their Citations; each of those categories for the coming semesters are participation and performance in Recently retired Kerry footballhaving a 30% weight in the ranking universities, especially in Asia, are ing legend Toms S will take surpassing us. the Schools of English, History, this module will be recorded on calculation. charge of UCCs Fresher footIf Ireland is ever again to feaEconomics, Languages, Litthe student transcript of their fiCitations, as in the QS Rankerature and Cultures, and Music nal result - subject to satisfactory ballers for the coming year. The ings, were an area of huge improve- ture in the top 20, or even the top Gaelic footballer with the most 50, we will have to take bold deciand Theatre. This placement completion of the module. ment for the Cork College with a championship appearances ever, sions on a new funding model and is a 5-credit second-year-only Students will have to parlarge amount of progression also module, designed to enhance the ticipate in a series of compulsory S announced his retirement on seen in the lesser weighted Industry a new architecture for our university system. employability skills of students pre-placement preparatory work- Thursday, a fortnight after acceptIncome category. ing the offer to enter management However, the only black mark of CACSSS taking part in the shops and will also be assessed Commenting on the rankings, with UCCs first years. was seen by the fall in UCCs InBA, BMus, BA Arts-Music, BA in the form of a continuous Dr Michael Murphy, President of ternational Outlook, an area which International and BA Drama and assessmenta 3,000 word project UCC remarked: What we can take the college have put huge effort into Theatre Studies programmes. involving 1,500 word employAlly Week from this result is that different improving upon. It involves both preparation for ment log, a 1,500 word reflective Ally Week, organised by the UCC ranking systems clearly measure In addition to this, UCCs the workplace and a subsequent report on the placement experiLGBT society, will take place on different aspects of university perpositive performance in THE work-placement. ence and a satisfactorily updated campus next week. Featuring talks, formance. World University Rankings has This module is taken in adand designed Curriculum Vitae. stands and film screenings, the Taken in the round, the rankreceived less media coverage than dition to the students regular It is thought that this trial is society will also launch its #AskMe ings give the clear message that their QS Rankings fall due to the 60-credit workload for the year a stepping-stone towards a fuller campaign to encourage allies to Irish universities are performing more prestigious nature of the QS and not as a substitute for any programme of work experience help erase any stigma surrounding very creditably in the face of very survey. academic module. There is no fee for Arts Students. the LGBT community. difficult austerity challenges. Our
Stephen Barry | News Editor

Timely ranking boost for UCC

Arts modules trialling internships

UCC's new Director of Sport Declan Kidney and Health Matters co-ordinator Dr Michael Byrne will launch UCC Health Matters Day at noon in ras na Mac Linn this Wednesday, October 9th. Running from 12-3pm on UCCs main campus, a key focus of the day is the launch of the UCC Health Matters Events Calendar for the coming year. Activities will include student vs. staff treadmill relays for charity, free health checks and hugs, an aerobathon, free Indian head massages, yoga, charity buskers, live music and random acts of kindness.

Health Matters tomorrow on campus

New scholarship for SEFS students

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

Thousands march ahead of Budget Day

Emmet Curtin| Photography Editor

NEWS

Students from UCC took part in the National Day of Action last Tuesday (the 1st), along with colleges across the country, as part of three regional marches in Cork, Sligo and Dublin. Approximately 3,800 students across the country took part in the regional protests against cuts in third-level education, with an estimated 1,000 students taking part in the Cork protest, approximately the same number as did so one year previously. The protests received coverage in the media with outlets including RT, TV3 and the national broadsheets. CIT Students Union President, Danny ODonovan, was one of the college presidents interviewed by RT on the day of the protest. The marches were part of the USIs Fight For Your Future Now campaign, which has also included voter registration for students across USI-affiliated colleges in the country. USI plan on mobilizing 50,000 student voters to show that targeted cuts to student services will be met with targeted voting, in the run up to the local elections next year. Speaking with the USI Southern Area Officer, Ciara Guinan about the protest, she remarked: We were delighted with the numbers considering the unfortunate

Around the Colleges

Stephen Barry News Editor

weather conditions. It was a testament to all the students involved and showed great spirit in the fight against increased fees. UCC Students Union President, Podge Haughney, spoke about the USI strategy saying: I dont think the previous years have been failures. Any attempt by student lobbyists to speak to the government is a good step forward, but this year especially has seen a great effort by the USI and SU presidents to lobby the government. We made a huge effort to make poli-

ticians aware of student concerns, student problems and student welfare issues, and this is the first year I have seen politicians give feedback and show that they realize students are being affected a lot. They understand student problems and are ready to engage with students. The government gave little public reaction to the protests ahead of Budget 2014, to be delivered on Tuesday the 15th of October, with Ruair Quinn expected to cut 100m from his education budget as part of Irelands on-going austerity measures.

The next part of the USI plan against third-level cuts is a pre-budget briefing in Dublin this Wednesday. Every TD in Ireland has been invited to the event, where the USI will present those who attend with their pre-budget submissions and get them to re-consider increasing fees and slashing grants. According to Guinan, this is just part of the considerable amount of lobbying that has been done in the run up to the National Day of Action and what USI will continue to do in future.

An apparent miscommunication between Trinity Students Union and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) was blamed as the cause of a poor turnout of 800 for the National Day of Action protest. In wet conditions, approximately 50 students were present on Molesworth Street from Trinity as the overall figure came in well below the forecasted 2-5,000 and was a significant decrease on previous years numbers. UCD and DCU were not represented at the USI-organised protest leaving DIT, IT Tallaght, IT Blanchardstown, IT Dundalk, Maynooth and the National College of Ireland as the other main constituents of the crowd.

Dublin protest disappoints

Status of Classics Department under threat

Ellen Desmond | Entertainment Editor

Continued from Front Page The UCC Classics Department, in particular, has suffered some major blows as a result of the Universitys financial situation; it has lost five permanent full-time members of staff since 2007, including its professor, and is now is in a very unusual situation in that over 50% of its teaching is supplied by parttime, hourly-paid teachers, whom they are highly dependent upon. Were not asking for any type of special treatment here or any extra money, said Woods, the Head of the Department, but it wouldnt cost the university anything for Classics to maintain its current status as a Department or Discipline within a multi-departmental and multi-disciplinary school. All the other traditional departments have their status as Discipline, why should Classics be the exception? The problem in this University, for some reason, is that the management do not seem to support the entry of Classics as a Discipline; Im not clear why. The debates concerning a departmental move are the latest evidence of the ever-decreasing level of support being given to the area of Arts Studies.

The Carlow and Waterford Institutes of Technology have announced their plans to pursue the creation of a Technical University for the region. The proposed university would have campuses in Wexford and Kilkenny, as well as Carlow and Waterford, with the capacity for 15,000 students and 1,300 staff. It would house subjects within the disciplines of business, engineering, science and the humanities. The move is seen as crucial in the development of the South-East with an estimated worth of 250m to the area.

South-East Technological University in the pipeline

Following the recommendation of a UCD Health Promotion Committee, the Belfield student body has voted in favour of a smoke-free campus in a UCD Students Union preferendum. All departments, bar the Faculty of Arts, voted in favour with an overall Yes vote of 1,413 The CAI has established an online directly, he is worried that the DisAt the present time, following (55%). cipline wouldnt be fully compatible petition against the proposed plans. the closure of the Classics DepartIn a coinciding abortion preferenAt the time of print the petition ment in Queens University, there re- within the School of History and dum, students voted for Option B, boasted 750 signatures, with an main only five universities offering that subject lecturers will be cut UCDSU should adopt a policy back further, with whoever remains aim of 1000. The Association also Classics in Ireland, with UCC and of legalising abortion in Ireland being be stretched too thinly across drew up an online open-letter to NUIG being the only ones outside upon request of the woman. This the President of University College the broad course. of Dublin. option received 1,135 (45%) first Dr Woods also displayed some fear Cork, which it encouraged followers preferences in the four-way ballot, Ancient Greek and Roman Civilization student, Robert O Sul- that Classics could be vulnerable to to copy and paste in an email to the resulting in UCDSU becoming a further cutbacks if the department is President. The Classical Associalivan, informed the UCC Express: pro-choice union. tion of Ireland was quoted as saying: not afforded the status of a Discithe lecturers are not allowed to Meanwhile Trinity voted in favour Classics is in danger in Ireland and tell us about the impending closure. pline: the problem is if we join of pursuing Seanad reform and we have to let our voices be heard on a School, which is already under Students had to find out from the same-sex marriage. Both options financial pressure, then the tempta- this matter. Facebook page of the Classical scored large majorities in the reProfessor Caroline Fennell, Head tion for them will be to try and cut Association of Ireland (CAI). That spective votes. of the College of Arts, Social Sciencour part time teaching budget and really isnt good enough. es and Celtic Studies, was unavailThough OSullivan does not feel perhaps substitute modules of their able for comment on the situation. own. the change will affect his degree

UCD move closer to a smoke-free campus

Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

COMMENT

The Case for Free Fees

Whats free about education?

The French Novelist and Social Commentator Victor Hugo wrote that He who opens a school door, closes a prison. How right he is that education is linked how our society performs. The more educated a nation is the more progressive her people become, the better industry and investment they attract internationally. This is the main case for a free third level fees system in Ireland. Although some would comment that Hugos comments would not reflect well in the United States America which has a rich University sector yet a record high prison population for a developed country. This leads us to a question of who are we letting through the school door and who are we stopping. When a country charges for education it divides the population into the haves and have nots . If you have a large financial backing you will succeed in education better than the person without money. This has been documented by numerous items of research most notably by Paulo Friere. A reintroduction of fees would widen this gap. Hugos door would be shut to those from lower means and the large amount of middle class people just above the grant threshold. Furthermore if one looks at the educational standard that higher education has achieved Ireland through increased numbers after former Minister Niamh Breathnach removed third level fees in the mid-1990s it speaks for itself. According to the Central Statistics Office the amount of third level students in Ireland has increased 105% between the years 1990/91 and 2003/2004. The amount of females in higher education also increased as a result of this where in 2003 61% of 19 year old females were in full time education compared to 24% in 1990. The impact of free fees has drastically shifted our society where major companies such as Google, Apple and Microsoft have set up European Headquarters in Ireland as a result of us having a higher educated workforce. An attempt to reintroduce fees would only reverse those statistics.

Let us first abolish the present myth that higher education is free. It is not; somebody must pay for higher education. The question therefore arises as to who should pay for our education? Should the responsibility fall on the taxpayer or on the individual who best profits from that education? I contend that the present situation of funding is not only blatantly unfair, but that it ultimately fails to advance education among large swathes of the populace. At present the cost of higher education is paid for by the government, who in turn raise the necessary money through the levying of taxes. This system is completely unfair. This is a system in which individuals who do not themselves profit from higher education, who have not themselves attended university, are forced to pay for those who do. Why should my friends who have never attended college be forced to pay for my education? There are those who will raise the objection that society surely benefits from having a class of Gavin Lynch-Frahill is VP for well-educated individuals and therefore society should shoulder the burden of paying for this Education at UCC Students luxury. Yet these same people do not carry the arUnion gument any further. For instance, there are many businesses and private enterprises that benefit Many supporters of full fees would also society, yet there are few who call on the governargue that student numbers in England and Wales have not dropped since the reintroduc- ment to subsidise their foundation. Indeed, banks play a valuable role in any modern society, yet tion of fees. Yet when one analyses this data how many of those who calmer for free educacloser the amount of debt that students are tion were happy to see them bailed out? in has increased at an alarming rate and may Were we to rest the responsibility of payment have large repercussions for their economy as for higher education on those who most directly the debt acquired in Ireland during the Tiger benefit from it we would find ourselves in a better Years has damaged our economy. Finally Education is a right not a privilege. position all-round. Were students to pay for their education, not Free fees countries like the Nordic counonly would it alleviate the financial burden from tries have led the way with higher educated those who do not have the opportunity to do so, workforces driving economies and low crime but it would also give students more power over rates. Let us not strive to be like our European their education. neighbours but to surpass them in the ideal At present students have little or no control that if we open all doors and not charge a toll for entry to that door we will close all prisons over their own education. Students cannot, for instance, influence funding in their own universiand achieve an equal society which Hugo ties. Were fees to be reintroduced then students would envy.

James Grannell studies Medical History at UCD and is former Editor of the College Tribune
would play a valuable part in the educational marketplace. Students could vote with their money and thus force institutions to better suit their needs. Whats more, with the burden of university funded being alleviated, society could better concentrate on the adequate reform and funding of primary and secondary education. Indeed it is at these levels that inequality truly exists. Were people from lower socio-economic backgrounds to receive better education in their formative years it would benefit them better when it comes to their access to university. A system of student loans could be introduced whereby education would be free at the point of access with graduates re-paying their fees through income tax when they enter employment. This would alleviate the immediate financial burden on people attending college.

EXPRESS VOXPOPS
Why are you protesting today?
Postgrads like myself have felt the pain; I think we have suffered too much and any further cuts would be unbearable.
Luke Field, Masters in Social Policy

Will the protest have any effect?

Theres been a consistent rise in fees but no rise in the standard of colleges. Yes because all the people here are voters; the government should be worried.
Colm Lynch, First year in Environmental Science

Claire OConnell, Masters in the Analysis of Pharmaceutical Compounds

Im trying to get a grant and if it gets cut I cant afford to pay anything else.
Megan McDowell, First year in Drama and Theatre Studies

To oppose the governments proposals of cutting, slashing and impacting on students lives. Cuts just take people out of the education system.
Stephen Cunningham, First year in Government

Im not sure if it will impact on politicans thinking but it may get more students engaged in the political process.
Luke Field, Masters in Social Policy

It shows everyone that we do care because there is this perception that students are always out drinking. I think it shows we are serious about our education.
Lisa Marie Sheehy, Second year in Government

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 8, 2013

Westgate: a new model for terror ?

Aaron Noonan | Features Writer

FEATURES

On September 21, up to fifteen terrorists entered the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya and began firing at shoppers and employees, while allowing Muslims to go free. The attack left at least seventy-two people dead, including five of the assailants, with the number expected to rise. Not long after the incident began, the Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility through its Twitter account, in what has now become the latest in a series of terrorist assaults by the group in and around the Horn of Africa. The incident has caused major outcry around the world, and has Western leaders worried. The United States has sent dozens of F.B.I. agents to Nairobi to comb through the rubble in the hopes of finding evidence that may bring those who instigated the attack to justice. At a glance, the incident looks self-contained within East Africa, but the United States and its Western allies have reason for concern. To understand why the incident takes on such an international form, it helps to understand the al-Shabaab organisation, and its motives. Al-Shabaab is a cell group based in war-torn Somalia, with close ties to Al-Qaeda. It sprang up in 2006, opposing foreign intervention along with Somalias interim government during the countrys civil war. Today, it is estimated to have upwards of 8,000 members. While its control of Somalia used to be far greater than it is today, having been banished from major cities, it remains a formidable force, controlling large swathes of countryside. Its goals as an organisation pertain mainly to banishing foreign troops from Somalia, and establishing strict Islamic law within the country. To accomplish these tasks, the group regularly attacks civilians of countries that have a military presence in Somalia. In 2010, it carried out a double suicide bombing in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, killing seventy-six people. Its reason for doing so was due to the fact that Uganda has provided troops for the African Unions mission to Somalia. In 2011, it carried out a car-bomb attack near government buildings in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, killing up to seventy people. The latest attack in Kenya, earlier this month, was in retaliation for Kenyan troops being stationed in Somalia. Recently, al-Shabaab has become an affiliate of al-Qaeda, something which is of great concern for Western allies. In February 2012, a joint video from the leaders of the two groups saw alShabaab pledge allegiance to al-Qaeda under its leader, Ayman al- Zawahiri. This poses a number of problems for the West. With al-Qaeda being forced to retreat in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States believes its members are increasingly taking refuge in Somalia with the aid of al-Shabaab. Al-Qaeda, along with other terrorist organisations are also suspected to be providing funding for the group. Another problem, perhaps more alarming, is al-Shabaabs penchant for recruiting Westerners to its cause. In 2008, Shirwa Ahmed, a Somali born, naturalised American citizen, detonated a carbomb in Somalia killing himself and scores of others. He was the first modern day American suicide bomber. Having become radicalised in his hometown of Minnesota, he travelled to Somalia, and became a member of al-Shabaab. Today, it is

Maps: Political Geography Now, NYP, Quartz.com, BBC.

Al Shabaab-controlled area since May 30th, 2013

Allied advances between Dec 13th, 2012 & May 30th 2013

A woman terrorized screams for assistance following gunmen who stormed the Nairobi Westgate Shopping Mall on September 21, 2013.
21st September 2013

TIMELINE
12pm East Africa Time (EAT):

WESTGATE SHOPPING MALL

estimated that upwards of one hundred Americans and Britons are members of the organisation. This includes Samantha Lewthwaite, a British woman born in County Down, who was married to one of the London 7/7 bombers and fled the country for Somalia shortly after the attack. She is colloquially known as the the White Widow, and in the wake of the Westgate mall bombing in Kenya, Interpol issued a warrant for her arrest, suspicious that she may be a member of al-Shabaab. While it is not thought she was one of the terrorists to attack the mall, suspicions remain that some of the assailants were indeed Westerners. This translates into a very real issue for the United States, because it is entirely possible that some of these fundamentalists could bring the terrorism tactics they learn in Somalia back to the United States. Having an American passport would allow a terrorist to enter the country with relative ease. The United States is a target for al-Shabaab because it has been fighting a proxy war in Somalia, providing upwards of half a billion dollars in aiding African Union troops in the fight against terrorism since 2007. But an al-Shabaab attack does not necessarily need to take place on American soil in order for it to affect American interests. Attacks in countries such as Kenya are of direct concern to America, as thousands of Americans live there, working for huge multinationals such as General Electric. The choice of the upscale Westgate mall as the target for the recent attack was well thought out. Al-Shabaab chose a location that was frequented by the affluent citizens of Nairobi,

along with being a place where Western tourists congregated. The targets werent government officials, or military personnel, rather they were non-Muslim citizens. The Westgate mall was a soft target, intended to inflict maximum damage and gain maximum attention. That the death toll would contain a relatively large number of foreign nationals (twenty, including six Britons) was no coincidence. Several Americans were injured, but none were killed. Such a large number of foreign nationals killed has cemented al-Shabaabs place as a terrorist organisation on a international level. It is no coincidence that al-Shabaab has become one of the most attractive terrorist groups to disaffected Muslims in the West. It produces slick, high quality English-language propaganda, and actively seeks to attract Westerners. At this stage, the United States and its allies understands that just because a terrorist attack happens in a far away land, it does not mean they are immune to attack themselves. In 1998, a relatively unknown Al- Qaeda killed hundreds in terrorism attacks on Tanzania and Kenya. In 2001, it blew up the World Trade Centre and went on to define American foreign policy for the foreseeable future. The added danger of American citizens becoming radicalised adds a further sense of urgency to the terrorism threat. The Westgate mall attack was not the first terrorist incident by al-Shabaab, but it was certainly the most high profile. Western leaders will need to keep a close eye on the organisation as it builds its profile internationally, and continues to attract Western Muslims to its cause on a scale not seen before.

A kids festival with more than fifty young children in attendance is underway. The shootings start downstairs and outside. Five gunmen and at least one woman attack customers at an outdoor cafe in the mall. Eight gunmen with their faces masked with scarves begin shooting at shoppers and then up towards Kenyan police officers, who were shooting from a balcony above. Muslims are allowed to leave. 12-3pm (EAT): Small numbers of shoppers are seen to escape the mall as undercover kenyan military and police move in. Blood-soaked victims are loaded into ambulances. The local hospital soon fills and the overflow of victims is moved to a second facility. Late Afternoon: Tweets from accounts associated with al-Shabaab claim full responsibility for the shootings The terrorists are thought to have stored belt-fed machine guns in a shop they rented in the mall. These are uses to stop Kenyan military from entering the supermarket September 22nd 6.45pm: Two helicopters land on the roof, followed by a big explosion on the inside. September 23rd Gunfire and explosions continue. Plumes of thick black smoke are seen coming from the building as militaryattempts to clear the mall throughout the night. September 24th Police sources state that the building has cleared, though media outside the building report loud explosions and continued gunfire. A fire causes part of the car park to collapse. Al-Shabaab tweet that 137 hostages have been killed owing to chemical weapons use by government forces. This isnt verified. Kenyan government admit to causing the collapse of the car park as a result of soldiers firing rocket-propelled grenades into the building. President Kenyatta announces the end of the military operation, saying that 61 civilians and 6 security force members had been killed at the mall. 5 attackers were killed and 11 remain in custody. The Kenyan Red Cross state 63 people are still missing.

Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

FEATURES

Try it, Test it, Taste it.

use it you may ask? Well, I thought Id save myself the embarrassment of flailing about, and potentially falling flat on my face doing something else. However, this week I manned up I didnt just walk through them the weights room to go up stairs, I actually stayed there. Big deal? YES! At first I was a tiny bit (huge bit) overwhelmed! All I could see were massive weights and a large proportion of people who knew what they were doing. I reckon I felt exactly like those lads that go shopping with their girlfriend, and feel really awkward in the lingerie section. I genuinely didnt know where to start, or where to look for that matter. After a few minutes of sheer despair and wandering around I thought to myself I better do something or people are going to think I was just there for the gawk. I decided it would probably be best to ask someone for some help, so I did. And I would like to make a formal apology to guy sans the English language that I confused a great deal whilst asking where the dumbbells were. A word of warning to all you weights gym first timers there is an area for teams, and you cant go in unless youre on a UCC team. To the other man that provided me with much entertainment when he asked if I was a member of a team the smirk on his face when he saw the cut of me said it all. Perhaps I wont be the next Mike Tyson, or, erm, Jodie Marsh but at least I have given the weights thing a go. I may venture in there again but I think Ill stick to the treadmill. She may not be as humourous as the weights gym but at least the only thing I can bruise is my ankle, and not my ego. Whats my advice to you all? Well, go in there and give it go if you havent already. Life is too short to stick to the sports bra, go on, and add a bit of padding your life.

Grace OSullivan | Features Editor

Hello one, hello all. Here we are, well settled into college at this stage and the routine has probably hit like a tone of bricks? Oh routine the enemy of fun, spontaneity and general mad craic. For those of you who werent too hung-over to pick up a copy of the last issue, you will know all about my vow as features editor to try/sample/taste/test or do one new thing for each issue. Its my mission to experience as much as I can before the final curtain falls on my time in UCC. I hope that youre brave enough to join me on my attempts to try, taste and test what UCC, and the city at large have to offer. This week I decided to start small well, small but seriously strenuous! Im not sure if youre aware but there is a wonderful gym on offer to all college students included in your capitation fees. Now I wasnt a gymvirgin however I was a weights room fresher. So there I stood, my water bottle in hand, towel washed and motivation music (2am nightclub style) at the ready, but was I? For those of you that have ventured there, you will be familiar with the layout. Basically there are two rooms; one for cardio, and one for weight lifting. Being your typical girl I decided for the past few years to stick to the treadmill. The treadmill is like a sports bra; reliable, dull and a little bit boring. Why

Morgane Conaty| Features Writer

Every citizen has a vote

Even if restrictions are put in place, Irish citizens abroad need to be given the right to vote.

With two upcoming referenda the inevitable campaign of persuading people to go out and vote has started again. The Referendum Commission has released a video stating that only the people have the power to make the decision to change the Constitution, which can only be achieved by using our right to vote. The video declares that every Irish citizen has a vote, which is true but unfortunately is an idealised impression. They overlook the fact that not every Irish citizen is capable of exercising their vote, as the right is restricted to those residing within the state, the only exception being Irish officials on duty abroad and their spouses, who are entitled to a postal vote. This issue is of particular concern for me as I am currently on Erasmus in France for the year, and so will be impacted by Irelands disinclination towards voting from abroad. Despite being an Irish citizen who will be affected by the potential changes in the Constitution, I cannot exercise my right to vote. The question of expatriate voting is not a new one, but has recently been brought to the public attention. The Constitutional Convention will meet on the 28th and 29th of September to consider giving citizens resident outside the State the right to vote in Presidential elections at Irish embassies, or otherwise,

and no doubt there will be much debate on that subject once they publish their report. There are many reasons why there would be reluctance to allow voting from abroad yet expatriate voting is not uncommon. In fact Ireland is one of the few countries that does not allow its citizens abroad to vote (apart from officials, as mentioned above). The UK, USA and France are among many countries that allow their citizens resident abroad to vote. There is a reasonable opinion that only the people who are going to be affected by the result of an election or referendum should be given the right to exercise that vote, namely those residing within the state. A nod perhaps to the American pre War of Independence argument of no taxation without representation. Yet who is to say that those living abroad will never be affected by the results of an election? Emigrating does not bar a person from ever returning to their country, and in relation to students studying abroad as part of their degree, this argument does not hold any water, as they will return to Ireland to complete their studies. Serious objections would also be raised to expatriate voting as many fear that the number of people who claim, or could claim Irish citizenship, would far outnumber the population of Ireland. Even if voting were limited

to citizens born in Ireland, there would still be an estimated one million people eligible to vote. In other countries we do not find such a disparity. Americans living abroad amount to 2% of the total population of the USA, while in France, those registered in foreign embassies amount to 1.6% of the French population, statistics that would hardly impact election results. Perhaps the best solution would be to extend the voting right to Irish citizens abroad but adopt some restrictions, as have been done in other countries. The UK only allows its citizens to vote if they have been away for less than 15 years. Another option would be to extend the right to vote in certain elections. This seems to be the mindset of the politicians at the moment, as the mandate of the Constitutional convention is to discuss the right to vote in the Presidential election. Even if restrictions are put in place, Irish citizens abroad need to be given the right to vote. When I return to Ireland it may be to a changed parliamentary system, and unfortunately, this pivotal decision (or not), to abolish the Seanad and move to a unicameral legislature will have been made without my say. It is clear that the current stance on voting rights is untenable and hopefully this will be the view of the Constitutional Convention.

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

An Erasmus Diary: Bienvenue Stras(bourg) Miley Cyrus

Eils OKeeffe| Features Writer

FEATURES

The past few weeks in Strasbourg (or Stras for those who dont have time for two syllables!) have been the busiest of my life. Living in a foreign country takes a bit of getting used to! Between the joys of French bureaucracy, the foreign nature of French lectures and meeting a new person a day, Erasmus has so far proven itself to be an exhausting business. I began to regret my decision to prioritise winter clothes in my packing as soon as I stepped off the plane into 30 degree heat. Normally I would be delighted with this kind of weather but your attitude towards the sun changes when your suitcase is bursting with woolly jumpers rather than t-shirts! Strasbourg is an amazing city, so vibrant and full of life. Its a city rich in history and unique in France due to the proximity of the German border which has had a strong influence over its development. My first encounter with this came in the form of a conversation with French students when I began to panic as I couldnt understand a single word that they were saying. Someone later reassured me that this wasnt entirely my fault as they were speaking in a mixture of French and German along with a few words of the Alsace dialect thrown in for good measure! There is always something happening in Strasbourg a fact that I have discovered after inadvertently stumbling upon two festivals so far (I seem to have acquired some sort of radar for detecting them!). Les Europhonies was a music festival which had a parade that put our

St. Patricks Day parade at home to shame. Strasbourgs street performers and dancers definitely beat Dungarvans assorted St. Patricks Day floats. I was also a huge fan of the open air concerts that took place in the beautiful setting of La Petite France, definitely the prettiest area in Strasbourg. The other festival involved a park being taken over by all the different clubs that exist in Strasbourg. The atmosphere was brilliant with performances by dancers from Martinique and the Strasbourg Gospel Choir. There is plenty in Strasbourg to keep you occupied beside festivals as free entry is granted to museums all over Alsace thanks to a student culture card. Boredom clearly isnt an option here.

The Universit de Strasbourg is absolutely bursting with international students Ive met people from all across Europe and beyond including the US, Japan, Kazakhstan and Iran. There are loads of Erasmus events organised including a forthcoming trip to Munich for Oktoberfest! The university itself is much larger than UCC the huge number of people everywhere was a bit of a shock on the first day. It makes queuing for food in the student restaurants a bit of a nightmare particularly considering that the art of forming an orderly queue seems to be an Irish trait! On a positive note the restaurants are really good value for money - 3.15 for a starter, main course, desert and some bread. Although it is a matter of luck as to whether your choice is edible or not they have a very unfortunate habit of putting pickles on everything! The quality of the student restaurants is a crucial issue as I share a kitchen with 30 other students. Although I have been reliably informed that this is a good deal better than some student accommodation in China where there is one hob for an entire building! Student accommodation is basic but a major plus is the fact that the majority of Erasmus students are living in the same area complaining about the accommodation appears to be a favourite pastime of all nationalities! In a nutshell Erasmus is already living up to my expectations although it has been slightly more hectic than expected. Nevertheless its been a great three weeks and with several trips in the pipeline to Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris Ive a feeling the next few months are going to be unforgettable.

-Where Did It All Go Wrong?

Adam OReilly| Features Writer

Blending into c o n f u s i o n
humping a random person and covering them in the awful stench of sweat and regret. I love Ireland. As I laid in bed the other night, Irish social habits astound me. In Nebraska, ears ringing, belly full of stout, throat hoarse people tend to drink ad nauseum, with great from shouting at the person next to me, I began relish, but usually only on weekends and special slinking into a soft, quiet rendition of Fields of occasions. Its often a negative comment if you Athenry (I bet most of you hate that song). I notice someone drinking heavily on a weekday. I laid there, my eyes fixed on a spot on the ceiling used to work in a liquor store, and regular, daily as I crooned it out in quiet baritone, and began to customers tended to be closet addicts. However, wonder how many times I had relived this expe- in Ireland its remarkably different. I literally rience. At first, the niggling thought burrowed went out every night for the first two weeks I was deep in my head and simply fled from mind. Yet, here, and I was always amazed at how full the it kept coming back to me, again and again, until bars were on a Tuesday or a Wednesday. Its not I was finally forced to ask myself, how have I a criticism per se, but for a country with a strugbeen drinking this much for two straight weeks? gling economy there are a lot of people here who I have, and have had for years, a drink limit fail to appreciate how much cheaper it is to drink (maximum, not minimum). I keep it light, two at home with some choice friends. to three drinks in a night, mostly because I see I have always had a hard time enjoying myself no need to pour myself gloriously into a bottle. at clubs (I prefer a quiet pub with a few friends), In Nebraska I maintained a large collection of but it seems to be tres chic for women to put on top shelf liquor which mostly existed for the their highest heels and shortest skirts and stumble purposes of introducing my friends to quality out awkwardly to the clubs, and for guys to put drink. In all, I rarely get drunk and have never on their least wrinkled shirt (thus ends all effort had much patience for loud, angry, violent drink- and energy expended by most Irish guys in a ers. If your night ends in a jail cell being bear given night). (Side note: if you look like a stoned hugged by a burly guy named Bubba, and not giraffe in heels, you cant pull them off and never giving your best bud a hug or crashing to bed will.) I know: getting drunk, making out, getting with a beautiful someone (unless Bubba fits that laid, all fun. But the long slog through countless category), then youre doing something wrong. pubs, bars, and clubs is a custom I have difficulty Then again, there is some kind of art to dry acclimating to. Im too much of a gentleman, apRandy Marx | Features Writer

parently, to grope some girl and grind up on her in some mad, drunken frenzy (it doesnt help that Im uglier than sin). I have ranted about Irish dating habits before, so Ill let it go. I am curious, though: am I the only one who walks into a pub and is overcome by the immediate urge to sing? Low lie the fields of Athenry, where once I saw the small free birds fly... Please dont hate me.

Randy blogs at idiotinireland.blogspot.ie

Miley Cyrus, if you heard the name five years ago you would think of the adorable young girl from Disneys Hannah Montana but alas, that girl is no more. Hannah has ditched the blonde wig for a short cropped haircut, similar to that of an early Beibs. Mileys hair however, was just the beginning of a long, controversial year ahead for the young star. Whether we approve of Mileys crazy antics or not, she is undeniably an expert at maintaining the medias focus. Take for example the 2013 VMAs (Video Music Awards), Cyrus performance consisted of three whole minutes of twerking and posing with a foam finger inlets say various provocative positions. Funnily enough the actual creator of the foam finger made a public address where he went on to express his disgust that the performer perverted his pride and joy. For those of you who have been living under a rock or locked in the library watching Breaking Bad on Netflix for the past few weeks; twerking can be defined as shaking ones derriere in an enticing manor to draw in the Beors and Feens. While were on the topic; if I ever happen to rise to power in this college, anyone caught twerking on campus shall be expelled, immediately. Anyhowback to Miley! The latest drama in the stars life came shortly after the release of her new single Wrecking Ball which by the way happened to break the YouTube record after receiving 100 million views in less than six days, the video depicts a naked Miley swinging on a wrecking ball, as you do I suppose. Although the song has been received generally well by critics there has been some backlash amongst the general public and even from Irish-born Sinead O Connor, in an open letter posted on OConnors website addressed to the We Cant Stop singer she slates Mileys behaviour and tells her she is being pimped by her record label and lashes out saying you unwittingly give the impression you dont give much of a fuck about yourself. And you employ people who give the impression they dont give much of a fuck about you either. Not all celebs however share Sinead O Connors view on the troubled young teen, a number of high-profile star jumped to the defense of poor Miley, including Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and chat-show host Alan Carr. You can love her or hate her, but I can say with some confidence, the bizarreness that is Miley Cyrus is only beginning.

10

Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

FEATURES INVESTIGATES

Features investigates: UCC Accommodation

Maura recommends having a house meeting once a week to stop any problems in their tracks. In order Maura says that in recent years to protect your deposit, she also housing around UCC has gotrecommends taking photos of the ten more affordable. The average house when you move in and keepproperty for student rent around ing a strict written itinerary of the UCC is between 70-85 per week, property in the house. Always be but this year seen an increase in conscious of guests in the house as the number of houses available for any damage they cause will have to 60-65 per week. In order for a be paid for by all members of the house to be advertised on the UCC house. Another area to be mindful accommodation website the rent of is dealings with the landlord All per week must include everything contact with the landlord should be but heat and light. In most houses recorded, emails are ideal as they we see now heat and light is paid by provide written proof . a separate utilities deposit of 300. Problems that can occur at this Maura also adds that in recent years time of year in student houses are students have started moving back rodents and condensation which to complexes. can lead to mould. Maura advises to Maura recommends avoiding avoid drying clothes inside and alchoosing a house early in the year as ways open windows for ten minutes this way you could be paying above in the morning to prevent mould. odds. Oftentimes younger students Food should never be left out as this look for housing earlier in the year can led to a rodent infestation and and end up paying on average 10 ensure bins are emptied regularly. more than they should. They also If there is a problem in your dont see the house empty or clean house and the landlord is failing to and thus it can be hard to gauge deal with it, you can visit the UCC the true state of the house. Maura accommodation office to seek their recommends looking for houses for advice. Also Maura is available to the next year no earlier than May visit your property to see if there is a and to always view the house empty, legitimate problem. even if that means coming back for a An area of difficulty that some second viewing. students discover is the danger of In terms of keeping a house group contracts. UCCs accoma good environment to live in modation service only allows single
@HeatherySteele Heather Steele | Deputy News Editor

Maura O Neill, UCCs own accommodation officer met with me to discuss the pitfalls and problems of private rented accommodation. The UCC accommodation office, located on College Road, is open Monday to Friday and is contactable on 0214902353.
contracts, whereby each person in the house signs a separate contract with the landlord. This type of contract ensures that the student is protected from any problems that they might encounter if another person renting leaves. Some landlords use group contracts where everyone in the house signs the contract together. There is a danger in this as if one person leaves, the rest of the group is responsible for their rent. Landlords found using these contracts are suspended from the website and are formally warned. 2013 was the first year the accommodation office seen a problem in which students failed to pay rent and their deposits were retained. It seemed to happen in the latter part of the year and led to the landlord retaining their deposit. Students who fail to pay their rent may have a formal case taken against them, which if lost sees a public record of the event being made. A public record like this could affect them adversely in the future.

"The good, the bad and the ugly of student living. Features Investigates student accommodation; tips, tricks and horror stories"
One of the many issues we had with our landlord was to do with a problem with our electricity company; completely their fault. The landlord rang me at 8 oclock on a Friday evening, fucking me out of it. She came straight over to the house and threatened to call my head of department and have me kicked out of my course. She completely attacked me saying she couldnt imagine me working in a professional environment, that I should never be allowed deal with the public and how she couldnt understand how I got into my course because of the mistake she was blaming me for. She told me to contact my solicitor and wanted a letter of apology from everyone in the house that night, even though they were gone away for the weekend. I said that wouldnt be possible and offered to sort out the problem on the Monday morning. She rang me at 9.01am that Monday, while I was trying to get onto the company, having already tried, and failed, to access our household account a minute earlier. It turned out to be a complete non-issue and not our problem, but she went absolutely nuts until it was sorted.

The Landlords perspective

Claire Crowley | Deputy Features Editor @clairecXD

A third landlord stated that some students could be an absolute dream to have as tenants, but if you had one heavy During the week, I met with some partier in a house of five, it could ruin landlords to discuss what troubles they the experience for everyone involved. I have had with tenants. One landlord, had a house of five boys last year; four who rents several properties to students, of them were extremely hard working, said that the previous academic year was and never caused any hassle. The fifth one of the worst for her. I had several liked to throw impromptu house parcomplaints a week about the noise level, ties, smoke a lot inside the house, and parties and reckless behaviour. A lot of was late to pay rent at each instalment. the neighbours in these areas are elderly He moved out shortly after Christmas, people, who are sometimes too afraid to and his room and his en-suite were deleave their own homes, especially during stroyed. It wasnt fair to his housemates, Freshers week or RAG week. or to me. Another landlord commented on Another landlord stated that he would the condition of houses after a year of Not house first years and sometimes student activity. I discovered that one second years whenever possible , having of the walls upstairs had been partially had multiple problems with them in the knocked through, had to repaint a lot of past. I have found that, in the past, third the kitchen due to graffiti, and also had or final year students dont cause as much to reupholster the living roomand havoc to the houses, they have fewer that was only one house! I understand house parties, and study more. It might that student embrace freedom, and colseem unfair to not take certain students lege life, but these students wouldnt act based on their year, I know not all first like this in their own homes. I dont see and second years are like that, but it has why they should do so, especially when, cost me too much in the past few years. the majority of the time, its their parents During my interviews, it was clear who are paying their rent. that accommodation closer to campus

can be more expensive. I commented on this during one of my interviews, garnering the response Its true, students will pay more for extra convenience, and some landlords do take advantage of that. Rent can be ridiculous. But also, the closer the accommodation to college, the more likely house parties and destruction are going to happen. Landlords arent stupid. They have been in the business long enough to know what happens in college. So, they increase the rent to try and ensure that their property stays decent. After hearing the testimonials, I do see why some landlords charge the price they do - they are trying to ensure they get their house back in a similar condition to the way they left it in September. Some words of advice from these landlords; Make sure you read anything before signing it, guarantee that the rent is per person and not for how many should be in the house (for example, if there are four students living in a five bedroomed house, make sure the four arent paying extra rent for that spare bedroom), and finally, treat your landlord and the accommodation with respect.

Never live with people you vaguely know. One year I lived with seriously crazy girl. Its hard to describe the everyday things someone does to drive you crazy but here are a few; The noise she made chewing will haunt me for the rest of my life; it sounded like a pug eating even liquid items such as soup. She would regularly lock herself in her room for 24hours or more and when she emerged stomp around like a banshee. She would lie compulsively about things and invent elaborate stories. She would leave her half eaten dinner plate on the floor and come back to it the next day and eat it, or if she didnt eat it shed use her half eaten dinner plate as an ash tray. Needless to say we no longer live together, or speak.

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

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FEATURES INVESTIGATES

BROADBAND

WASTE COLLECTION

TELEVISION
Never live with someone you know It makes things all the more horrifying when they go all Johnny a la The Shining on you I lived in a house with five friends and it was great at first. Family meals, movie nights, parties. Then slowly, almost too slowly to notice, one of them began to change. The first issue was the house kitty, the second a cleaning roster. Things which should have made life plain sailing had turned into massive bones of contention. How those little issues ended up with none of us speaking, someone moving out and me calling my uncle mid final exams having a panic attack because she had threatened to assault me is still unclear. That whole frog in a pot of water analogy springs to mind... In any case, choose your housemates very carefully. And invest in pepper spray.

Nicole Clinton does the legwork for you on vital price comparisons

k a e y

CASE STUDIES

I once suffered from a pretty strong/terrifying cough for an extended period. Sharing a wall in student accommodation with a guy whose girlfriend often stayed over I woke up one morning to the sounds of the happy couple going at it. As hard as I tried to not cough and spoil their activities I managed to hold a cough session right up until the worst possible time, when they both finished up (by the LOUD sounds of it). After hocking a lung up for multiple minutes everyone went quiet before laughter erupted from the other side of the wall. Needless to say any time I coughed in the living room or in the housemates presence from then one we smiled a little to ourselves.

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Tuesday October 08 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

GAEILGE

Nta Oifigeach na Gaeilge Scolireachta Gaeltachta 2013

Timmy Collins | Oifigeach na Gaeilge Hey gach inne! T filte is fiche romhat ar ais chuig UCC, agus filte faoi leith roimh na Freshers ar fad at anseo linn anois. Timid ar bs go bhfuil sibh anseo, agus t sil agam go mbeidh craic den scoth agaibh (an stuff dlthiil!) agus sibh ag danamh staidir anseo. Is mise Timmy Collins, ach is fidir libh Timmy a ghlaoch orm, agus is mise Oifigeach na Gaeilge ar Aontas na Mac Linn, Coliste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh (UCCSU). So, cad a dhanaimse? Bhuel, an cur sos at ar an bpost n "promote and protect the Irish Language". Go bunsach, eagram imeachta Gaeilge ln le craic agus cinntm nach bhfuil inne ag messeil thart lenr dteanga agus an fd a sheasamh di. Ach fg sin liomsa, seo an stuff go gcaitheadh a bheith ar eolas agat! I gColiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh, feicfidh sibh an Ghaeilge ar bhealach r nua! Anseo, n labhramid faoin Modh Coinnollach n An bloody Spailpn Fnach, bonn an banter againn li, agus s' an rud is fearr n go bhfuil an banter seo do gach inne, is cuma cn caighden Gaeilge at agat! Oibrm go rialta le Cumann na Gaeilge sa Choliste, An Chuallacht, chun imeachta a reachtil i rith na bliana ar ns r Hangouts seachtainila CLUB CAINTE (D Luain @ 1 | Dardaoin @ 6 SU Common Room) chomh maith le imeachta ar ns Tg Amach M, An Bl Gaelach, agus ar ndigh, SEACHTAIN NA Rachel N Chrthaigh | Scrbhneoir Cuireann Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha scolireachta ar fil do mhic linn UCC chun seachtain a chaitheamh sa Ghaeltacht gach aon bhliain. Turas go Corca Dhuibhne at i gceist, agus i mbliana, bh an t-dh orm dul ann. Ar an Aoine, thosaomar an turas fada go dt an Ghaeltacht. Ba mhise an tiomna do thrir againn. Thg s timpeall tr uaire go leith sular shroicheamar an tigh ceart, agus bhomar traochta. Bh s sin dreach dearmadta againn fach, nuair a chonaiceamar an bile a bh ag fanacht linn ar an mbord- bh s thar bharr! Bh bean t an-chairdiil againn agus ritomar go hiontach l n dts. Tar s an dinnir agus nuair a bhomar socraithe sos, chuamar go Halla na Feothana chun bualadh leis na mic linn eile, agus freastal ar r gcad chil. Bh oche iontach againn, agus c go rabhamar go lir ag cur allais i ndiaidh an chil, chuamar ar aghaidh go Tigh TP's i mBaile na nGall chun leanint leis an spraoi. Bh deireadh seachtaine ln le spraoi againn: trthnna D Sathairn, bh silid againn le fear itiil, TP Conchir. Cnocadireacht a bh dhanamh againn in ionad 'silid' is dcha ach fs bh s go bre an it a fheiscint bharr an chnoic. Bh mrn eolais ag TP agus chualamar a ln scalta faoi mhuintir na hite. Bhomar go lir fliuch bite agus muid sa bhaile, ach ba thaith iontach . Chuamar go lir amach sa Daingean an oche sin agus ar an Domhnach, dfhachamar ar an gcluiche idir Contae Chorca agus An Clr. C go raibh dma ar fhrmhr orainn i ndiaidh an chluiche, leanamar ar aghaidh agus bhaineamar sult as an oche. Ar feadh na seachtaine, bh mrn imeachta agus cainteoir eagraithe dinn, chomh maith leis na ranganna. N rang r-acadil a bh i gceist, ach rang a bh ag baint le

GAEILGE (Eanair 20-23). Tabhair gawk don leathanach Facebook agus suomh Twitter, agus seol r-phost chugam m t aon cheist n aon fhadhb agat, n fi m t comhr Gaeilge uait! Geallaim daoibh go bhfuil sil agam go mbeidh am cuothach damanta agaibh anseo i UCC agus go mbeidh #Gaeilge mar chuid d. Fgfaidh m sibh anois le SEANFHOCAL agus tim ag r libh go gcabhridh s libh; Feisigh go mall / ach feisigh go maith / Is fidir libh bhur dtuiscint fhin a fhil as, b go maith ;) Le gach dea-mhin, Timmy

gaeilge@uccsu.ie facebook.com/UCCSUGaeilge twitter.com/UCCSUGaeilge

Abair as Gaeilge !

cultr agus oidhreacht na gaeltachta. Bh na ranganna sin againn gach maidin, seachas an Domhnach agus bhaineas fin taitneamh astu. Thinig daoine chun caint linn cosil le Aoife Granville, Fergal S agus Toms Ling. Bhodar ag labhairt faoina saolta ag fs anos i gCorca Dhuibhne, agus a saolta ghairmila, ag seinm cheoil, ag imirt peile agus a bheith ag scalaocht. Bh s an-spreagil iad a fheiscint ag caitheamh a ngnthshaolta tr mhen na Gaeilge. D Cadaoin, chuamar ar thuras timpeall Ghaeltacht Corca Dhuibhne. Bh ceannaire sr-mhaith againn darb ainm Simon Faolin. Labhair Simon linn faoi stair agus oidhreacht na hite. An pointe ba mh a sheas amach domsa n nuair a thugamar cuairt ar uaigh Mhaidhc Dainn S. Bh s an-dheas r meas a liri do Mhaidhc Dainn go pearsanta. Fth amhin go raibh seachtain den scoth againn n na daoine as an gceantar ina rabhamar. Bhodar chomh filteach agus thugadar aire iontach dinn ar feadh na seachtaine. Is dcha go bhfuilim ag caint ar son na mac linn go lir a bh ar an scolireacht liomsa, agus caithfear a r go bhfuilimid for-bhuioch as an tseachtain. Go raibh mle maith ag Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha as na Scolireachta a shocr, go hirithe ag Marian N Shilliobhin agus ag Claire N Mhuirthile as a gcuid ama a chaitheadar ar an Scolireacht inr dteannta. Caithfimid buochas a ghabhil chomh maith leis na ceannair a bh againn ar feadh na seachtaine, dheineadar jab iontach leis na himeachta. Mar fhocal scoir, mholfainn do mhic linn UCC go lir cur isteach do na Scolireachta Gaeltachta. Fi muna bhfuil Gaeilge lofa agat, seo seans chun feabhas a chur ar do chuid Gaeilge gan aon bhr, ach le spraoi. Tim tar is rimse chairde nua a dhanamh, agus t s ar intinn agam dul thar n-ais an bhliain seo chugainn agus go lir a dhanamh ars!

Ceist: Cad as duit? (Where are you from?) Freagra: Is as _____ dom (Im from _____) - Corcaigh (Cork) -Baile tha Cliath (Dublin) -Port Lirge (Waterford) -Luimneach (Limerick) Ceist: An bhfuil t i do chna i listn? (Are you living in accommodation?) Freagra: T m / Nl m Ceist: An dtann t abhaile gach deireadh seachtaine? (Do you go home every weekend?) Freagra: Tim / N thim

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

13

FOOD

The home of student cooking!

C h i c ke n w r a p p e d i n B a c o n w i t h S w e e t Po t a t o a n d Pa r s n i p We d g e s
Preparation Time 5 mins Cooking Time 35/40 mins Hi Guys! Hope you are all now well settled into College life, youve made a million friends and have joined many of the wonderful Societies and Clubs that are on offer in UCC. For those of you living away from home for the first time, we hope this business of fending for yourself (on a budget) is going to plan and youre managing to eat reasonably well over the course of the week. We at Collegedinners are passionate about good food, made easy...so this week we would like to offer you the chance to try one of our Meal Deals for Free!! We are all about the social enjoyment of cooking with your friends and theres never been a better time to test our theory for yourselves! Just grab two of your friend and cook up a storm! So whats on the menu with CollegeDinners this week? How about a tasty oven dish, thats deliciously easy to make and hits the spot every time? To the genius who came up with the idea of wrapping a humble slice of bacon around a juicy chicken fillet, we salute you!! Fresh Ingredients 1 Parsnip (Peeled and Cut into Strips) 1 Chicken Fillet wrapped in Bacon Glug of oil (approx. 2 tbsp. (dessertspoon size) 1 Sweet Potato (Scrubbed and cut into wedges) Dash Salt/Pepper Cooking Instructions 1. Preheat your oven to 190C. 2. In a bowl combine the sweet potato and parsnips with your oil and add a dash of pepper and salt. Pour onto a baking tray. 3. Place your chicken fillet wrapped in bacon on the corner of baking tray and cover with tin foil. 4. Bake for 35/40 minutes until knife inserts easily into vegetables (Re move the tin foil for the final 10 minutes cooking time).

Delicious and it really does not get much easier than this!
Enjoy with a dollop of Mayo or for a bit more sp ice sprinkle a tsp. of cumin over the parsnips and swee t potato!

THIS WEEKS SPECIAL OFFER!

In association with UCC Express Order 3 Meal Deals in one transaction and only pay for 2 using the following promotional coupon uccexpress Orders must be made online at www. collegedinners.ie and are only valid for CollegeDinners deliveries on 14th & 21st October 2013. Have a great week!

tain a higher amount of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, as well as a wide range of antioxidants, than ordinary potatoes

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Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

EXPRESS PHOTOS

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

15

EXPRESS PHOTOS

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Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

FASHION

SHARP DRESSED
Nicole Clinton examines some of the most stylish members of the male species to have graced our screens over the last few years
ZZ Top once sang every girls crazy bout a sharp dressed man and although it is hard to admit that a couple of eighties rock stars with extremely long beards have any clue about fashion, they were right. While sharp dressed male movie characters do have the extra bonus of displaying the good-looks, charisma and general other-worldliness of the movie star that portrays them, the right style only serves to enhance their personas and appeal. And even though the majority of the noughties biggest films had Hollywoods actors donning spandex/ mechanical armour (Iron Man, Spiderman) or crazy period costumes (Johnny Depp, Im talking about you), there were still some examples of male characters who epitomised modern style. In recent screen outings, the character situation that produces the most fashionable consequences is the double-life leading character that is the billionaireplayboy (who may occasionally dabble in philanthropy) by day and crime fighter (or crime-causer) by night. No recent character embodies slick style more than Christian Bales Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight trilogy. Although Michael Keatons suits were very in vogue during the late 1980s/early 1990s when he starred as Wayne in Tim Burtons Batman movies, Bale definitely wins the glamour battle. While being Christian Bale (with particularly good hair in the second and third instalments) might win it for him all on its own, his sartorial supremacy can surely be attributed to his Giorgio Armani Made to Measure tailoring. He models a series of dashing looks including a grey pinstripe number and a glen plaid suit, all complete with custom Giorgio Armani for Bruce Wayne labelling. His Armani designs create a desirable and sophisticated poise that could only be associated with the overindulgence of Waynes public persona and allow for an efficient disguise of his night-time masked- vigilante habits. But Bale is no stranger to elegant suits. He appeared decked out in designer flair back in 2000 when he starred as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Although Batemans smart suits display excessive wealth and act as a distraction for the characters nocturnal pursuits, his afterdark persona is at the opposite end of the spectrum to Waynes. Cerruti agreed to design the suits for Bales serial killer Bateman but refused to allow him to wear the label while engaging in any of his sinister murders. A sense of panache is not limited to the billionaire though. Andrew Garfields portrayal of Facebook CFO, Eduardo Saverin, in 2010s The Social Network was the perfect demonstration of how the suit can be worn casually. His smart shirts and dashing peacoats perfectly compliment his clean-cut black suits. His appreciation for glamour is commented on extensively in the movie and highlights his best friend Mark Zuckerbergs laidback aura and zoned out attitude. Eduardos reputation for excellent dressing culminates in my favourite scene when his enemy, Sean Parker, makes a dig at his penchant for style, to which Saverin replies (in a true f*** you, you jealous, unfashionable people manner) Sorry! My Pradas at the cleaners! Along with my hoodie and my f*** you flip-flops!. Eduardo therefore not only demonstrates how men can dress up on a daily basis but also tells us that you dont have to apologise to the non-

MEN

believer for being clothes-conscious. Ryan Goslings character, Jacob Palmer, in 2011s Crazy, Stupid, Love is another guy whos suits and general get-up ooze flair. In fact, he is so smooth that he looks like he is a permanent part of the glossy furniture of the exclusive bar that he haunts night after night. But he is not greedy with his sophisticated taste. He recognises the cry for help that Steve Carrells runners and suit combination screams and decides to impose some of the style that he seeps on him. If thats not charity, I dont know what is. As the modern world drowns in a sea of hoodies and tracksuit pants, it sometimes becomes difficult to remember that glamour also exists for the male population. Therefore, I would like to thank Christian, Andrew and Ryan (plus the other actors who have portrayed stylish characters who I didnt have space to mention) for highlighting the appeal that mens style can exemplify through their chic movie characters.

CAMPUS S T Y L E
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UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

17

London Tw e e t i n g
Aoife O Connor discusses how London Amps Digital to Make Fashion Week More Public Than Ever
The fashion universe has always seemed a bit of a self-contained bubble to outsiders. Those extremely tall models in acres of silk? Those outlandish shoes you can't walk in? The dresses that cost as much as a small car? Nice to look at, but hardly a part of the majoritys lives. Thankfully the organizers of London Fashion Week sought to change all that by going about things differently this year. The twice-a-year extravaganza of London Fashion Week was once a trade only event aimed at a fashion buyers, editors, celebrities and fashion elite but has now increasingly become an opportunity to reach out and speak directly to consumers. The British Fashion Council CEO Caroline Rush says the goal is to raise British fashion's profile by making the event more accessible by getting more people talking on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. This is especially the case at this years event headquarters in Somerset House, where an "Instabooth" was set up to celebrate the best of the capitals street style. Elsewhere, a social media wall provided a running commentary on the shows, its aim to provide a visual insight into the experience of Fashion Week, through catwalk looks, front row pics or celebrity sightings. Subsequently, when it came to this seasons shows themselves, the two big moves came once again from Burberry and Topshop. Teaming with the electronic giants Apple Inc, to capture its Spring/Summer 2014 collection,the Burberry team used a set of unreleased iPhone 5S devices to record events and share details via social media. Elsewhere,Topshop,having partnered with more established technology players in the past, sought out a young mobile startup called Chirp to create a new experience for its show. Chirp is a mobile app that transmits images, notes or links through "digital birdsong". The app was used by Topshop to send out images, including prep and backstage shots to attendees of the show via several "Chirp locations" around the event site. Even its flagship store at Oxford Circus featured a Chirp and Twitter "garden" full of digital content for shoppers to explore. Adding weight to this self-proclaimed movement is the argument of former CMO of Topshop, Justin Cooke. Cooke believes that fashion brands who fail to embrace digital trends are likely to find themselves struggling to engage their customers in the future. However, as the recent flurry of activity from a diverse range of brands seems to suggest,

FASHION

more and more are recognising the opportunities offered by the digital sphere. Up until this year, the London Fashion Week shows attracted less than 50,000 attendees while an online broadcast carried out in February, using YouTube and Google+, reportedly reached an audience of 4 million. With fashion brands, industry bodies and digital businesses all getting in on the action, it seems a safe conclusion that online and mobile innovation will continue to drive forward the increasing popularity and significance of London Fashion Week.

Fashion from the G r a s s r o o t s

Street style is a term that has become widely known in recent times due to the hashtags and the headlines of the fash pack, most notably on social media sites, blogs and magazines. Deemed as fashion which comes from the grassroots, as opposed to the designers studio, it is a burgeoning trend and a bandwagon that more people seem to be jumping on everyday. Many believe that it is an honest insight into the everyday wardrobe of real-life people that we can all identify with. No airbrushing, no stylists, no hair and make-up team, just raw,original, personal style. It is this which makes it appealing to the general public as we sit there, doe-eyed in front of our laptops and iPhones contemplating Why dont I dress like that? As street style photography grew over the years, it ranged from the prestigious publications of New York Fashion Week attendees donning designer gear, to the student fashion blogger utilising their camera phone on the streets of their home town. The phenomenon began in the form of Bill Cunningham who was essentially the architect of the street style photography that we recognise today.

Aoife Stapleton explores the nature of street style, its origin and its place in the future of fashion

Working for the New York Times in 1978, he captured images of people from all walks of life, big and small, young and old on the streets of the Big Apple, stunningly exposing the fashion of the era. While Cunningham's pictures grew increasingly popular, the emergence of the fashion blogger began, with blogs like The Satorialist and Stockholm Street Style cashing in on the movement. No longer a niche, street style features regularly appear in magazines, on television, in newspapers and on almost every fashion blog to grace the Internet. These days, youre almost sure to spot a street style hunter scanning the public, camera in hand, in search of someone with an organic style, at any fashion event, music festival or simply walking down Grafton Street on a Saturday afternoon.

With the media slowly taking over the world, it is probable that street style will continue to evolve even further. It is an exceptionally viral and addictive craze, which is the reason its popularity is continuing to breed among the modern fashion- junkies of today, as well as inspiring the fashion industry itself . Many designers have appropriated street style as influences for some of their more recent collections. Several fashion critics believe that this has led to people showing up to events, dressed extravagantly in order to be pictured and noticed. Which raises the question of whether these people are really dressing for themselves and their enthusiasm for fashion, or is it simply for the camera and the fame? It seems, either way the influences of street style are only beginning and will undoubtedly be treated as a landmark in noughties fashion.

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Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

THE NEW CORKER

THE NEW CORKER

ANALLY RETENTIVE
By Eoghan Lyng

Eoghan Scott | Fiction Editor @EoghanScott

I Started Something I Couldnt Finish...

By Eoghan Scott
He was unsure of what to expect. Would it be the same girl he had come to love walking in through that door? The one with the flowers in her hair, always laughing and never smiling; a girl lacking in emotion or sentiment... He hoped so. But he knew better. The doorbell continued to ring. Why was he so unsure? He was scared probably, though he didnt want to believe it. Real men didnt get scared. He went to the door, every step of the way imagining the worst possible outcome, hoping against hope that things would go well for a change. The door handle felt cold to the touch, as though it had not been grasped in days. Had it? Had it really been so long since he had left the house? No, but of course he opened the door just yesterday to check the post... Maybe it was his weakened, malnourished state, or maybe just simple reluctance out of fear, but it was a struggle for him to open the door, simply to pull the handle in a downward motion... Yet, he managed it. And upon opening the door, he saw... he saw...um, he saw... What did he see? John certainly didnt know. He just made it up as he went along, certain in the knowledge that the story would somehow work itself out, building up to some sort of satisfying conclusion. That was how his first novel had worked out. It was easy. Back when he could take a pile of dirt, smear it on a sheet of paper and the critics would lap it up as art. It felt so long ago now for him. The days of wine and comas as he now thought of them. He probably would have referred to them as the good old days if he could bear to accept that they were actually, definitively, over. In short, he was no longer the hotshot writer he wanted to be, the writer he used to think he could be. Sentences no longer came to him immediately, being at once both profound and relatable... He missed what he used to be. He was an artist for the jilted generation, depicting the everyday struggle between good taste and mass entertainment; portraying life on the street as though it were a thing of beauty and, yet, getting it just right all the same. Or so that was how he liked to see himself. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe that critic that one time had it right. He was just a hack, a no-talent, long-winded waste of paper. But what did that guy know? He was just a critic. And Im just a writer. He had been working on a second novel for close to two years now and, despite his chronic procrastination, he was almost finished. Three hundred and forty-two pages of the kind of writing he used to read with contempt: faux-intellectual, humourless nonsense... Where was the wit, the life, the passion? Was he even capable of it anymore? Did he even have it to begin with? Why did he feel compelled to end every single fucking sentence with a question mark for dramatic effect?? He just made it up on the spot. Or at least he tried. Far too often, the things he wrote on the spot didnt work...leading to hours and hours of painstaking work back-peddling over what he had previously written, just trying to write something somewhat coherent. Here he was now, though. Three hundred and forty-two pages into a novel he wasnt proud of; a novel he was only desperate to finish in order to put a stop to the, at this stage almost daily, phone calls from his publisher... Did quality really matter to him at this stage? He truly wanted to think it did... his younger self would certainly have rather lived in poverty than have anybody think of him as a hack. He never did care for the money. It probably sounds strange, but it was true. Then success changed him. He never realised how easy it could be just to coast by...regardless of integrity, of quality, of everything. His pride no longer mattered to him. For a long time now, he had felt this way. Sure, he resented himself for it, but it was never enough to stop him. It was never enough to make him try again. All he needed was an ending. It didnt have to be good. He pleaded with himself just to finish it, finish what he was doing so he could finally stop. Hed had enough, he needed a break. Just an ending, it didnt need to be subversive or interesting or even halfway believable, it just needed to take the plot forward...to end it... mercifully. He took another look at the screen, and began typing. Without thought or consideration, the words seemed to flow out... He knew it no longer mattered, and that seemed to relieve the pressure. Writing felt somewhat easier now... And upon opening the door, he saw her. There she stood in a white golden gown. On anybody else, it may have looked out of place in such an informal setting. Not on her. He struggled to find the right words to say to her... He opened his mouth, yet nothing resembling speech would come out, no matter how much he stammered. She looked sadly at his aged face, her beautiful frown revealing nothing, and placed a finger to his lips. Nothing needed to be said. John wasnt sure whether to laugh or cry. He was finally finished. At the cost of quality though? He couldnt even tell whether it was good or not anymore. There was a time, not too long ago, when his integrity actually meant something to him. But, really, how many people would choose their integrity over money? Not me anyway. He disgusted himself. He realized that, and he realized that he would never change. And despite all his misgivings about the path his career had taken, he genuinely felt okay about it. The rush of the amphetamines slowly beginning to fade from his system, he gathered his finished manuscript and took it with him to go see his publisher, safe in the knowledge that it would do for now. At least until the reviews start to come in.

(My Regards to Mr. Zimmerman)

V1:

When you walk into a room, Time ticking on your watch, You clean the dirty dust away, With one hand on your crotch, It`s time you bought a miracle, To help you with your stocks, Take control of your snobbish attributes. No one loves a loser when they stick around, Expecting coronations, and salutes. You date certain types, Flocculating stereotypes, Who might or might not be conducive, But you think it`s an aperitif, So bourgeois, quite mystique, To date someone so elusive! To hell with your jewels and those clothes, Tolstoy`s books and fantastic robes, It`s just the mirror that seems impressed. But never will you walk away, From your overindulged perfumed daze, For a world that is silly and repressed.

Bridge:

V2:

When you walk out of a room, With a chauffeur by your side, You escape mercilessly, And dream of nitrocide, Walk off with prince charming, May he make you his bride, Let him take your hand and place it on his throne, No one misses fortune, that is known by you and I, But it lacks your anal chromosome!

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

19

COLOUR

Thousands wander around Cork for an hour

1,000 students were spotted walking the streets of Cork and chanting in unison last week in a move contrary to their usual behavioural patterns. The walkabout-cum-sing-along, sources say, was targeted at the government who have been cutting the student grant while increasing college fees. These actions, which sparked the students into the carefully regimented action, are a part of the governments continuing five-year austerity policy which involves cutting expenditure from the national income in order to decrease the excess of expenditure over income in the state budget. In this way the state hopes to be able to balance the books and stop increasing the National Debt. The turnout for the march, small enough to be insignificant to the government, was just large enough to cause traffic chaos on inbound routes along Merchants Quay and Lavitts Quay, backing onto Leitrim Street to the north, and on Washington Street to the west, going in both directions. Patrick Street was also a no-drive area for the duration. Some students believed the primary function of the protest would be to raise awareness of their plight. When speaking to commuters affected by the traffic jams, drivers acknowledged the existence of the protest ahead of them before making some choice remarks about the campaign. What other students hoped to gain from the protest remains a source of mystery to many. It was quite kind of them to go out and protest on my behalf said 17,000 other students who had lectures, coffee meetings, sleep, afternoon drinking or FIFA to attend to. To be honest Id skip any of my usual activities for a boozy-trip to Dublin, said one anonymous commenter, but theres no attraction in a stroll around Cork. Organisers were quick to notice the importance of getting students engaged in such matters to be taken as a credible force by government. One speech remarked: Students are often seen to be drink-

ing their education away. So were here today to show how serious we are about our education, how highly we value it and how passionately we will fight to retain it. However a downpour turned the majority of the students away as the protest continued, leaving only the most ardent placard-holders and protest-lovers, with Father Ted admirers heading home early having enjoyed ample opportunity to shout their favourite quotes without the pressure of being judged for one-day of the year. Passers-by were impressed by the resilience of the students, remarking that some other protest groups had packed it in long ago, when they realised that these types of things dont seem to change anything. One spectator speculated that the decreasing college standards might have the effect of students being a bit slower to realise these things and that students would, in the coming years, realise the folly of the protests. UCC, the Express can reveal, was also dissatisfied with some of the chanting which occurred on the day. The college has been trying to engender a spirit of independent thinking among its students, but were disappointed to see an element of groupthink or herd-mentality enter the crowd as they responded to questions and prompts from Students Union leaders in unison. Reporters on the ground in UCC say that nothing has changed since the protest.

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Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

SPORT

TRAPATTONIS LOSS COULD BE IRELANDS

GAIN

Among the many criticisms levied against former Irish manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, was his apparent refusal to take a shot on some younger, up-and-coming players. However, despite only taking over the post on a caretaker basis, it appears Noel King is doing everything in his power to avoid going down the same path. Following the announcement of Kings squad for the upcoming matches with Germany and Kazakhstan, critics of Trapattoni will finally get to see what some of the young, seemingly exiled players can do.

Anthony Stokes
Robbie Keane is still delivering in the MLS, and he owes his country nothing, with 60 international goals to his name. However, the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign could be a step too far for the Tallaght native, and his absence may have an impact on goal-scoring. This is where Stokes comes in. The Celtic striker has been in impressive form this year, notching up four goals as well as praise from Neil Lennon. He is the only Irishman involved in this year's edition of the Champions League. Having fallen out of favour with Trapattoni after pulling out of the squad, complaining of fatigue, Stokes' all-round attitude was called into question. But Lennon has noticed a big turnaround in the striker this year. Hes really tidied himself up now and become a good professional... I dont know why the penny finally dropped with him. Maybe it was the injury last season and missing out on the whole Champions League campaign. Stokes has learned from his mistakes, and looks like a new man on the pitch. A partnership with Shane Long looks like a viable option going forward.

Darron Gibson
There is going to be competition for a centre-midfield berth under the new manager. Gibson will have to battle with the likes of James McCarthy, Glenn Whelan, Andy Reid, Wes Hoolahan and Stephen 'You-Know-Who' for his spot on the team. Gibson is a fine player, capable of driving a team, as he showed in Paris having come on as a subsitute. He travelled on Ireland's ill-fated mission to Poland for Euro 2012, but was an unused substitute. He pulled out of subsequent Irish squads, unhappy with Trapattoni's regime. However, a move away from Man United has given him more gametime with Everton, making 26 appearances last season. He will be given a chance in the new set-up, and if he can strike a partnership with McCarthy for both club and country, Ireland will be a better team for it.

Keiren Westwood

Now that Trapattoe ni and Tardelli hav tures left Ireland for pas takes a anew, Brian Barry e playlook at some of th beners most likely to f efit for a change o manager.

Westwood spent the beginning of his international career as an understudy to Shay Given. The Aston Villa shotstopper hung up his gloves after the European Championships, but it didn't take Trap long to decide that David Forde was his man to get the team to Brazil. Forde put in some impressive displays for Ireland between the sticks, most notably away to Sweden and England. But things did not work out last month, being neaten at the near post by Anders Svensson beat him at his near post to effectively end Ireland's qualification dreams at the Aviva Stadium. Westwood has finally nailed down a starting position at Sunderland, and is getting ample practice at the top level; Sunderland are struggling so shots are flying at him from all angles. The country needs a keeper who is playing consistently in the Premiership, and Westwood fulfils exactly that.

Ciaran Clark
Clark was starting to edge his way into favour towards the end of the Trapattoni era. The Aston Villa man has matured as a player over the last year. Paul Lambert stuck with him when Villa were struggling last season and he looks a better player for it. Richard Dunne is not going to be around forever, and will leave a big void to be filled. It was Dunne himself who alerted the Ireland set up about Clark's eligibility, so it would be fitting if he slotted in as a long-term replacement. He has all the qualities of a centre-half like Dunne, but has the versatility of John O'Shea. There will be space for Clark in the team. The new manager will most likely put him in the centre, as Seamus Coleman and Marc Wilson are probable to be on the flanks.

Robbie Brady
Is Brady, the player that the whole country is talking about, set to become Irelands new favourite Robbie? The 21 year old has been in explosive form for Hull City. He announced his arrival on the international scene with an emphatic display against Oman last year, scoring a goal and providing two assists. However, Trap did not fancy the Dubliner when it came to competitive action, putting his faith in Simon Cox and Jon Walters in their unfamiliar position of the wing. There were times in this qualification campaign when the game was calling out for Brady to put his stamp on it. He has been delivering in the Premier League, and he will deliver on the international stage when given his opportunity by the new manager.

Wes Hoolahan
The Norwich City playmaker fell victim to Trap's philosophy. There was never going to be room for a player of his kind in the Italian's system. And unfortunately he may have lost his best years at international football. The 31 year old Dubliner has been vital to Norwich for life in the Premier League, and it is another case of 'what might have been' if Trap had backed him going into this campaign. Hoolahan has never featured at international level, and is considered a late bloomer. However, if he can keep up his form from last season, the manager won't keep him surplus to requirements of a system, but rather build a team around him.

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

21

Mission Impossible - New Members Wanted

Kevin Galvin takes a look at the problem faced by many UCC clubs each year. Finding new talent.
On a wet and windy September afternoon, with temperatures dropping and the days getting shorter, the University College Cork Olympic Handball Club has begun its first steps towards another season in the Irish league. The four remaining members from last years team sit down with an iPod flickering images of the 2012 Olympic final. Next to it sit about three or four sheets of paper, probably one of the most important documents the team will have all season. Theyre not league registration papers, or orders for new equipment; these sheets contain information far more valuable than any of these things, names. Due to University regulations, players come and go at a frightening rate. Player turnover is alarming, with perhaps one or two men living permanently in the Southern Irish city to provide continuity from the season previous. The rest of the side is made up of students visiting the college, primarily as part of the ERASMUS programme. This makes for a truly international team, which has both its perks and pitfalls; depending on how trips are organised for these visiting students, a team for Saturdays game might be obliterated with players-cum-day trippers off taking in the scenery of the Cliffs of Moher or being entertained at Temple Bar. On the flip side, the University nature of the team brings some hugely talented players who have come to Ireland not even realising they would get the chance to continue where they left off at their clubs. In the last few years UCC OHC has welcomed a number of semi-professional players to their ranks, bolstering the first team, and also improving the native players skills. The club has fallen at the final hurdle in the National Cup for the last two years. The national league meanwhile is somewhat of a sideshow for the side, whose visiting students have long gone home before the final playoffs in the middle of June, something that is hoped to be changed this coming season. Finishing second place in the Cup enabled UCC to qualify for the EHF Challenge Cup, despite being unable to compete due to the expensive made prohibitive by the lack of funding for a sport that doesnt register in the Irish consciousness. Despite this, the niche sport has grown in the country due to the hard work and dedication of a handful of individuals, who have endeavoured to not only strengthen but also

SPORT

expand the game on a countrywide level. They have seen the fruits of their labour flourish over the past few years, with new clubs sprouting up, as well as an establishment of a womens national side. As the lights of the gymnasium were turned on and the balls pumped up, the side began their first training session in a typically haphazard fashion. Semi-professional players lined up alongside native Irish who had never held a handball in their life as the troupe began their warm-up. Theres something heart-warming about this levelling of the playing field though; whatever reputation and

ego a skilled player has made at home is left on the plane as they adapt to life where the word handball is used to describe a totally different game altogether. With the first training session over there is lots on the horizon: Long bus journeys around the country will be endured, games will be won and lost, and UCC will be hoping to finally take home glory this season. Whatever happens, the long list of names on the sheets at sign-up day shows the future is bright for Olympic Handball, not only in University College Cork, but Ireland as a whole

Back of the (volleyball) net!

In the second instalment of our feature designed to promote UCCs smaller clubs Arts and Literature Editor Eoghan Lyng finds out Volleyball is harder than it looks!
Back of the net has to be one of the more popular phrases used in the sporting world. Succulent, emotive and celebratory, it seems to encapsulate a certain moment of pure greatness in most games/matches. However, one sport where this phrase is totally inappropriate is volleyball. Certainly, my exclamation of such a phrase was met with derision and angst after my repeated failed attempts at a passable attempt at a pass. It was during this volleyball session that I made two revelatory discoveries about myself. Firstly, I am not, nor ever shall, be Alan Partridge, and I have not got the natural charisma to pull off such comments. Secondly, and more importantly, volleyball is much, much harder than it looks. True, I`m no sport fanatic, nor will I ever claim to be, but under my professed ignorance, I never thought there was anything more complex to volleyball other than simple hand to eye co-ordination. Silly mistake. Volleyball requires stamina, technique and good balance. A crouched position is key to a successful game of volleyball and as I, fatally, learned the most amount of focus must be placed in the feet. For all of us un-practiced in Zen meditation, this strenuous emphasis on the feet was quite taxing (which begs the question; could the Dalai-Lama have been the greatest volley ball player the world has ever seen?). Hand co-ordination has to be similarly intricate. Volleyball only allows for the team misses it. It`s all very exciting stuff. The game is only successful, as I learned, if everyone works as an ensemble. The back row of team players must be on guard at all points, while the front team need to ensure the ball is served over the net. It`s a strategic sport; indulgent performances are completely out of place in this game (as many a time I foppishly discovered). I take my hat off to Lisa Rosmeman and co. at the Mardyke for their highly competent session. Yes, the two and half hour session was boring at points, and yes, we were more heavily squashed together than those poor Londoners who frequent the Tube during Rush Hour. But upon leaving the Mardyke arena with sweat pouring absolutely everywhere, I did not hear any person complain about the Volleyball training session. Ultimately, volleyball is a really fun sport, but do not make the fatal mistake I made in thinking that is easier than any other ball sports. Upon leaving the beginner`s group (and finally having stopped myself from sniggering at the fact that I was the only male within this cluster), I felt that I had learned tactical techniques as well as physical ones. So happy was I, I shouted Jurassic Park out of sheer delight upon leaving the arena (only to discover, once again, that I am not Alan Partridge and cannot pull off such comments). Volleyball training occurs every Tuesday from 18:00 20:30 in the Marydike Arena. Go. You will have a ball of a time!

thumb, index and middle finger be used for such a game. Despite popular opinion which suggest otherwise, GAA skills seem to be of little to no use when playing this game. Where Gaelic football fist passing involves subjugated strength, passing in volley ball requires a more regulated style. Advised to allow my opponent enough time to wash their hair in the time it took for the ball to fall to them (admittedly, this was during a drill session), the ball needs to float over the net in a straight manner for maximum impact. Patience and concentration, I learned, are just as important to a successful game of volleyball as physical prowess. Once I learned these basic techniques, I began to thoroughly enjoy myself. Once the training session began after an hour of drills, everyone within the Beginners teams let their hair down and made sure they had some fun. The chemistry felt between my team mates

was one of courtesy and mutual respect. Tactically, the six of us marked our corners/ lines with great passion. Yes, my team lost most of our rounds (I fluffed up a considerable amount of throws myself), but the adrenaline rush released running to catch the ball was one of great feeling. Our team skills progressed as the game went on through a combination of hand signals (polite ones, of course) and indicatory shouts (examples of these include pass to me, catch the ball, I`ll grab it etc.). For those who do not know how a game of volleyball works, six people adorn a court. The person situated in the back left corner serves the ball over the net to the opposing team. If the shot is successful, it should fall in the opposing courtyard. It is thrown in the hope that the opposing team mates does not catch the ball in time, which, in that case, they return the throw in the hope that your

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Tuesday October 08, 2013 | UCC EXPRESS

SPORT

UCC Badminton boosts team at club trials

Clare Werner | Sports Writer

Its that time of year where man of UCCs clubs attempt to replace players lost from the year before. With the club finding its teams somewhat depleted, UCC Badminton held trials last week for all open positions across several divisions. Last year UCC Badminton finished off the season on an absolute high with one of the clubs most successful years to date. Not only did the club win Varsities by a single point, but some of the clubs highest divisions went on to represent UCC in AllIrelands. At the All-Irelands the Division 1 team emerged as champions, with the Division 3 team displaying their strength and determination before ending the tournament as runners up. This years teams are:

6 Mixed:

Gregory Ryan Darren O Brien Ronan O Mahoney James Delaney James O Nuanain Junaid Amin Debbie Foott Katie Hetherington Fiona Durkin Linda Jansen Aurore Bois Olba Zhem

6 Ladies

Katie Hetherington Fiona Durkin Debbie Foot Aurore Bois Kate Glasheen Linda Jansen

4 Mixed

6 Mens

Sibou Padmanabhan Junaid Amin Muizz Muizzidin David Maybury Gregory Ryan Darren O Brien

Jerome Antonyraj Peter Kinsella Rehan Ahmed Mark "Cheese" O'Brien P-Chong Wei Dunne Mick Moore Clare Warner Joy Dunne Sinead Barnett Orla Coghlan Vicky Weathers Avril Dunlea

5 Mixed

Padraig Dunne Michael Stack Everard Ives Junaid Amin Ammar Adnan Sibou Padmanabhan Saskia Ahrens Kim Marie Philip Rebecca Corbett Aisling O Connor Edel Firth Linda Hearne

2 Mixed

Maeve Twomey Pascalia Barnett Monica Hochbauer Elaine Hudson Sinead Barnett Clare Warner Allan Tong Fergal Hannon Mick Power James Buckley Gary Goh Ishan Lanjewar

2 Mens:

Allan Tong Mick Power James Buckley Gary Goh Ishan Lanjewar Fergal Hannon.

2 Ladies:

Monica Hochbauer Maeve Twomey Elaine Hudson Pascalia Barnett Sinead Barnett Clare Warner

4 Ladies

Clare Warner Joy Dunne Orla Coghlan Avril Dunlea Aisling O Connor Vicky Weathers

5 Ladies

Rebecca Corbett Saskia Ahrens Edel Firth Kim Marie Phillip Aisling O Connor Linda Hearne

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Tennis Club PRO Tara Higgins highlights the clubs upcoming tournament in aid of Breast Cancer Ireland, Set for a cure.
UCC Tennis are feeling Set for a Cure with their upcoming event in aid of Breast Cancer Ireland. Set for a Cure is a two day tennis tournament which will be held in Sundays Well Tennis Club on the weekend of 12th-13th October. The event will see a Mens draw and a Ladies draw take place, with all matches lasting for one set to make sure everyone gets plenty of court time! Set for a Cure is open to players from any club and teams can have players of mixed standards and ages. It is also a perfect excuse to invite friends/ parents up to the club from your hometown or for any UCC Tennis alums to come by and check out what is going on with the club. The tournament is in aid of a Breast Cancer Ireland and every cent of the money raised will go directly to raising awareness and finding a cure for breast cancer. The UCC Tennis Club chose this charity to tie in with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which runs throughout October. Entry to the tournament costs 10 per player or 40 per team and for this you get a lot of matches, a chance to win some prizes, to meet new people and that warm fuzzy feeling from doing something good!

Tennis Club to hold 'Set for a Cure'

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Sundays Well Tennis Club is located on the Mardyke between Fitzgeralds Park and the Cricket pitch. The club has a full bar, changing facilities and a car park, with food and drinks available on both days. Following the conclusion of the event, UCC Tennis club will be hosting a social event at UCCs New Bar. All you need to do to apply is get a team of 4 together and email the names to tennis@ uccclubs.ie. The hardest part will be picking your team name!

UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday October 08, 2013

23

Is match-fixing snookers breaking point?

Brian Barry looks into the growing problem of match fixing in professional snooker.
Snooker was rocked last week when Stephen Lee, formerly ranked number five in the world, was banned for 12 years on seven counts of match-fixing, including a game in the 2007 World Championship. World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn was quick to condemn it, trying to prevent the spread of what is a growing problem, following John Higgins ban for a similar offence three years ago. The sport of snooker can be an easy game to fix. The margin between missing and potting a ball is minute, and if missed at the wrong end of the table, your opponent is likely to close out the frame. It is extremely difficult to notice if a ball was missed deliberately, and therefore it is little surprise that there have been several cases of this in the past. Of course, like most controversies in snooker, Ronnie OSullivan had to get involved at some stage. He suggested that this is not a once-off. There are many more players who throw snooker matches.. I suppose Steve Lee was just caught out. The Rocket went on to say that he has nothing to hide. But this is an eye-opener for what a big problem it really is. In 2010, John Higgins was banned for 6 months after match-fixing allegations. A sting video by the News of the World showed Higgins, and his manager Paul Mooney, negotiating to purposely lose four frames during the World Series. The undercover newspaper team had discussed the mechanics of fixing a game of snooker, and how to transfer a sum of 300,000 to the Scot in return for this. A full investigation was conducted and Higgins back-tracked, alleging that he was forced into it for fear of his safety. He was well received after his comeback, and won his third UK Championship that December. In the 2011 World Championship, The Wizard of Wishaw faced Mark Williams in the semi-final. A heckler shouted out from the crowd, How do you swallow that three hundred thousand, John? [a reference to the sting video] ... Youre a disgrace to snooker. The heckler was removed from the arena to a round of applause. The snooker world had spoken, they were supporting Higgins. The question therefore arises, why was Higgins supported, while Lee is universally, and rightfully, condemned? Former UK Champion and World Number 1 Judd Trump said in recent days I think it should have been a life ban but 12 years pretty much puts him

SPORT

[Lee] out of his career. Snooker has universally stood up against Lee, and he wont be missed. The blaring point of this is that Lee, as opposed to Higgins, is not one of the games biggest stars, and has not been for a number of years. If what OSullivan has suggested is true, then Stephen Lee may have been an easy target to convict; a washed up player at the end of his career. He wont be particularly missed from snooker, but it is nevertheless a powerful message from the top. A twelve year ban to John Higgins, one of the biggest stars who brings a big Scottish audience, would provide considerably more damage to a sport which is only recently recovering from a decline in popularity the last decade. So is it possible that Stephen Lee was not only just the unfortunate one be caught out, but also a scape-goat tactically chosen from a host of top-class players? Whether or not this is being overanalysed, there is no doubt that snooker is facing a tough year ahead. The sport has been rocked, and has naturally lost some fans in light of the recent findings. It needs a big season if it is going to recover.

Top GAA stars to play no part in International Rules Series

Patrick Murphy | Sports Writer

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As Irish manager Paul Early gears up for this years International Rules series with Australia he will have to do so without some of GAAs star players. Last week, Early confirmed that All-Ireland winners Stephen Cluxton, Bernard Brogan, Michael Drrage Macauley, Cian OSullivan, as well as Kerrys Colm Cooper will play not part in either the October 19th or October 26th matches. At the announcement Early stated: Stephen has ruled himself out. This year he just isnt able to make the commitment. Bernard spoke to me a few weeks ago as well and hes been carrying the knocks during the season. In his case, he needs a month off. Cian OSullivan was a guy who was very keen but hes got an injury at the moment. Michael Darragh MacAuley as well. Meanwhile, Kerrys Cooper, who has not featured in the series since 2005, has previously stated that he has little to no interest in playing a role in any International Rules match-ups. In the past the series has featured many Australian bases players suit up for Ireland. However, this time around only one Australian based player has been selected, in the form

of Laois born Carlton player Zach Tuohy. While a training squad has been practicing for the last 5 weekends, fans may have to wait for a final announcement on who makes the team is made. The key problem faced by Early is the commitments many of Irelands stars have with their respective clubs. Furthermore, while efforts have been made to reduce the level of aggressiveness seen in the sport, players still have to contend with an increased risk of injury any time they partake in the series. Having dominated in the last series, Ireland will be looking to retain the Cormac McAnallen Cup, named in memory of the late Tyrone captain Cormac McAnallen who died aged 24.

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24 UCC EXPRESS Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Trapattonis loss, Irelands gain

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SEE PAGE 20

Barry Aldworth | Sport Editor @Aldworth_Barry

the side trailing by one point with seven minutes to go. However, as they have in the past Cork found their saviours in two talismanic The weekend of the 28th/29th presented players, Juliet Murphy and Valerie Mulcahy. Cork, and in many ways the whole country, Murphy, who earlier in the season performed with a rare occasion, as within the space of a u-turn on her decision to retire, took control 24 hours both Corks senior hurling team of the ball in midfield before drawing the and the senior ladies football squad would sides level with a long range point. The point represent their county in an All-Ireland final. set up a tense final few minutes which saw Whilst the men would ultimately taste defeat, a Mulcahy free give Cork a one point lead. for the eighth time in nine years Corks Whilst Monaghan had a chance to tie the senior ladies team lifted the Brendan Martin game with just seconds left, Catriona McCup. Connells free kick sailed wide, just seconds For the third time in just six seasons later the full-time hooter sounded and Corks Cork found themselves squaring off with jubilation was met with Monaghans despair. Monaghan in the final. In a match that was In the end, Cork truly deserved their victory. always going to be a tight affair, only one However, following the result Monaghan point separated the teams at the end, with the manger Gerory McGonigle aimed his anger sin-binning of Monaghans Eileen McKenna, squarely at referee John Niland. with 12 minutes to go, proving to the pivitol McGonigle criticised the late sin-binning moment. insisting that far worse tackles had gone Despite coming into the match as the ununnoticed in the game. However, his main derdogs, with many bookies giving odds as grievance related to the sounding of the short as 13/10 on a Monaghan victory, Cork hooter as McConnell was set to take a free entered half-time with a three-point lead kick that could have forced a replay. courtesy of a Valerie Mulcahy goal. He said: The hooter shouldnt have been However, despite playing with a favoursounded before she took the kick. He added able breeze in the second half, Cork began that as a result of the hooter sounding, that to lose control of the match. A penalty from kick became more pressure for McConnell Monaghan keeper Linda Martin brought the who already knew her countys hopes were favourites back into the game. Following resting on her shoulders. the goal, two quick points, one from Laura Meanwhile, Cork boss Eamonn Ryan was McEnaney, the daughter of former Monaleft to celebrate yet another All-Ireland vicghan and Meath senior football manager tory, saying following the win: We played Seamus, gave Monaghan the lead on a score very well in parts... We were haunted to get of 1-8 to 1-6. out of the Armagh match and after it I knew Cork were misfortunate in the second half we would beat Kerry in Thurles. I knew we as a total of eight wides and a controversial had our act together by then. decision to take a goal off the scoreboard left

A l l-Irel and we ekend l e aves C ork tasting su c c ess and d efe at

While the ladies team were set to celebrate, Corks senior hurling squad was already on their way back to Cork, without the Liam McCarthy cup. Following the drawn final between Cork and Clare, many expected a slow, boring match compared to the heart-stopper provided to us in the first meeting. However, not only did the replay live up to the standard of the first final, in many ways it exceeded it. Clare had been criticised all year for their use of packed defences and soccer style sweepers. However, in the replay the key decision proved to be taking a chance on a 19-year-old forward. With Darach Honan carrying an injury, Davie Fitzgerald gave the nod to Shane ODonnell, a star of the countys under-21 team. ODonnell rewarded his manager for the decision by securing three goals in the opening nineteen minutes of the contest. The hat-trick secured the 19-year-old a place in All-Ireland history, joining Lar Corbett and Eddie OBrien as players with three goals in an All-Ireland final to their name. Despite the three early goals, and the shock of seeing such an attacking display from a usually defensive-minded Clare side, Cork slowly edged their way back into the match. Following points from Pat Horgan and Lorcan McLoughlin Cork were awarded a free just outside the Clare 21. All of a sudden the silenced Cork supporters erupted as goalkeeper Anthony Nash raced down the field to take the free. Despite Clare putting most of its starting line-up on the goal-line (at one point it even

seemed that Davy Fitz was going to make a return to goal-keeping duties, albeit in a different countys colours) no-one could stop Nashs shot. The goal, which subsequently sparked its own Facebook page, brought Cork back into the game and left just four points between the sides at half-time. Having largely struggled in the first-half, Cork upped the tempo in the second half and by the 52nd minute the sides were level. However, to their credit, Clare never game up, as ODonnell put them ahead once again. With just ten minutes left, the Banner County had re-established a three point lead and it appeared to be game over for Cork. Just as the celebrations were beginning, however, Corks Harnedy capitalised on a loose ball, as he put the again with a well-taken goal. With extra-time, and the prospect that these two sides would be forced to give even more of themselves to this years championship, looming Clare again returned to the attacking style of play seen in the first half of the match. The sides traded a goal a piece before Darach Honan, who played a key role in getting Clare to the final scored a late goal on a solo run which finally killed off a tough Cork side. For Cork, this impromptu All-Ireland weekend represented both the continuation of a lengthy dominance of ladies football and a realisation of the possibility of All-Ireland success in the future of hurling. Meanwhile, for Clare there is no wait for All-Ireland glory. A team billed by many as one to watch for the future had tasted success is in the present.