The Print Volume 3, Issue 12

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The official publication of Maynooth Students’ Union

Tuesday 8th May 2012 - Volume 3, Issue 12

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USI To Run Third Level Funding “Preferendum” Via USIVote.com CONOR O’BRIEN News Co-Editor @ConorWOBrien

This week sees the USI launch its new “Preferendum” campaign, which seeks to establish once and for all the route which students wish to follow to fund Irish third level education.

Commencing Monday 30th April, materials for the information campaign have been distributed throughout campuses nationwide. This phase of the campaign (including extensive promotion via social media and a website listing the pros and cons of each option on the ballot) will persist until the 20th of May, with members of the USI upper echelons available to attend town hall meetings and debates across the country if need be over this period.

Voting will take place online from the 13th – 20th May at usivote.com, with usi.ie also redirecting to this site for the duration of the campaign.

The conclusion of this will see colleges across the country delegate one of six options as their choice for the funding mechanism for the third level system. The possibilities are a graduate tax, one hundred percent exchequer funding (frequently referred to as “fee fees”), upfront fees, student contribution fees, a student loan scheme or none of the aforementioned options. Once voting has been completed and tallied, a special session of USI Congress will transpire in Dublin on May 23rd.

The issue of funding remains one of the fundamental question in Irish third level sector and has been under scrutiny now for a number of years given the unsustainable nature of the current model. Despite this, a Preferendum like this has never occurred due to their being no provision for one within the constitution of the USI.

That would change with the creation of a new constitution allowing for a question to be put to the union’s membership with multiple answers as opposed to the simple yes/no dichotomy provisioned for under its predecessor.

A few months prior to the latest USI Congress, the tender subject of funding was discussed at the union’s council, with high-ranking members subsequently attending town hall meetings nationwide to discuss the topic at grassroots level.

Colleges complained about not having enough time to consult with their membership about funding prior to the latest congress. As such, the union agreed to conduct another congress in May after the results of the vote have been registered at which funding will be the key topic of discussion.

The campaign has not been without its detractors. NUIGSU – alone in the country – is opting to abstain from taking part in the Preferendum, citing the timing and means of the vote as its core contentions.

“We think it is pointless” NUIGSU President Emmet Connolly told the Print. “It is ridiculous to ask students to vote on the most fundamental issue in Irish third level education at a time when most of them will be working, travelling or going on their J1’s.”

NUIGSU raised these concerns previously with the USI, putting a motion to council that any vote on the issue should be delayed until September or October. It argues that any conclusion reached from the election results will be illegitimate due to a predicted low rate of participation in May’s online vote.

The USI – while refusing to advocate a particular preferred outcome of the vote – was dismissive of such criticisms.

“We have facilitated [the student unions] in every way we possibly could” USI vice-president Colm Murphy told the Print.

“The SU’s will have two full weeks [from Monday] to give out the materials we send them.”

Maynooth Students’ Union’s council sanctioned the HETnet system as a valid method of gauging

its members’ opinions on the issue of third level funding, with the MSU delegation receiving a mandate from the Maynooth-specific results once they’ve been measured.

Judge Rules Against Students In Grants Case SHANE McNALLY @thobiasinkblot

On April 25th Mr Justice Hedigan ruled against USI in the case they took on behalf of three students who were affected by the grant cuts of September 2011. These cuts affected 25,000 families, with the average student losing €1700. In some cases this figure was as high as €4000. These cuts were as a direct result of the distance required to qualify for the non-adjacent rate being changed from more than 24Kms from their college to qualify. As part of Budget 2011, this distanced was increased to 45km.

These students have had their grants reduced from €6,355 to €2,545 a reduction of €3,810 or 60%. Traditionally, mature students automatically received the non-adjacent rate of the grant to reflect the fact they often have additional costs such as childcare, mortgages etc. Following Budget 2011 mature students no longer automatically qualified

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for the non-adjacent rate.

The three students who took the case all lost between €2440 and €3900 and were in either their second or third year of study. The students argued that they were already committed and had invested a lot of both time and money on a college education that would now be impossible for them to complete as a result of these cuts. The court, however, rejected the student’s case and it will be up to the students and the USI to decide whether or not to appeal the decision.

USI President Gary Redmond was immediately onto Twitter when the story broke stating that Mr Justice Hedigan had stated, “there’s no guarantee of grant payments and students must have been aware of the worsening economy”, suggesting that the worsening economy is justification of any cuts to education grants and effectively marginalising those most in need of financial assistance to access higher education. Following this Redmond released a more detailed statement to USI members;

“USI and students across the country are disappointed with today’s verdict and what it will mean for thousands of hard pressed families across the country, who are struggling to keep people in college.

It was a disgrace that the previous Government would target the most vulnerable students for cutbacks on this scale, and a further indictment of the current Minister for Education & Skills, Ruairi Quinn T.D. that he reneged on the Labour Party’s promise to reverse the cut once in Government.

USI again calls on the Minister to do the decent thing follow through on the pledge he made as Labour Party Education Spokesperson prior to the last election and reverse these cuts for students who were already in courses and allow them a fighting chance to complete their education and gain a qualification.”

Indications are that USI is set to appeal the decision and is discussing this with their legal team.

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Maynooth Students Win Titanic Centenary Marked By Festivities Irish Leg Of Imagine Cup

MAJELLA ROGERS @majrod

Last month marked the 100th year anniversary of the sinking of the passenger liner the Titanic which sank on 15 April 1912 after it collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean.

1,500 of the 2,223 passengers and crew lost their lives on the Titanic, which was carrying some of the wealthiest people in the world. To mark the anniversary, a memorial cruise was organised with the exact number of passengers on board as the Titanic, however a BBC camera man on board the ship, Tim Rex, suffered a heart attack during the 12-day cruise and had to be air-lifted to land for treatment. Tickets for the cruise cost up to £8,000.

The boat travelled what the Titanic was meant to travel and a memorial mass was held when they arrived in America. Many of the passengers arrived for the cruise wearing clothes similar to what the passengers would have worn aboard the Titanic in 1912. A memorial concert was held in Cobh to commemorate the ill-fated ship as Cobh was the final ever port call of the Titanic. President Michael D. Higgins attended the event as well as Oscar nominated actress Fiona Shaw, historians, Sonia O’Sullivan, marines, TD’s from throughout the country and a considerable media presence from Ireland and abroad. Memorial masses and

celebrations were also held in Belfast, America and Southampton. The Titanic story has been made into a film, documentaries and a TV programme also however many people thought the Titanic story was fiction. On the 100th Anniversary, hundreds of people took to twitter to tweet about how ‘shocked’ they were that the Titanic disaster really happened.

One tweet said ‘Only just found out the Titanic was real #wtf ’ another tweet exclaimed ‘The Titanic was real? Holy shit I am never going on a cruise.’

On April 30th 2012, the Titanic trended on twitter again with the news of a Titanic II. Clive Palmer, a Queensland billionaire, unveiled his plans to build the Titanic II to add to his tourism portfolio. Mr Palmer said his new company Blue Star Line Pty Ltd had commissioned the state-owned Chinese company CSC Jinling Shipyard to build a near replica of the ill-fated Titanic. Mr Palmer said the companies had signed a memorandum of understanding to build the cruise liner in China, with the ship’s maiden voyage from England to North America scheduled for late 2016.

“It will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic but of course it will have state-of-the-art 21st-century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems,” Mr Palmer said.

Mr Palmer said the rebuild was a tribute to the spirit of the men and women who constructed the original Titanic.

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NEWS 1 FEATURES 6 WELFARE 9 ENTERTAINMENT & CULTURE 11 PROCRASTINATION 15 OPINION & COMMENT 16 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 18 SPORTS 20

AOIFE THOMAS Three NUI Maynooth students have successfully won first prize of the Irish leg at the Microsoft Imagine Cup Finals for 2012.

Cosmin Siclovan, Donal O’Sullivan and Marie Farrell competed against 600 other students from around Ireland to develop a new creation.

They successfully developed an innovative cloud based application that can be used during medical treatment. The new technology focuses on doctors becoming synchronised with their patients by use of a journal or log of reminders for the patient, while also providing client and management features for the professional. They call their design; DocTek systems.

Paul Rellis; managing director of Microsoft Ireland congratulated the young innovators suggesting that: “it’s a great concept with real potential…”

Microsoft Ireland will mentor the team as they work towards the finals in Australia where over seventy teams from different countries have locally competed in the hope of advancing to the final stages being held in Sydney, Australia.

The Imagine Cup allows young innovators to use technology based ideas in order to help solve some everyday problems. The company held their Irish finals this year to coincide with their inaugural national cloud week as so many students are

using the cloud based innovations to develop new technologies.

The innovative and educational race to Sydney celebrated its 10th anniversary on April 23rd where 1.25 million students were accounted for becoming involved with Microsoft’s signature competition over the last ten years.

Mark Hindsbo is vice president of Microsoft’s US developer and platform evangelism group that believes the Imagine Cup is majorly important for encouraging young scientific and creative innovators to come to the fore in helping to develop new ideas and potential technological concepts that will be of benefit in challenging situations.

He further went on to inspire students to; “pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.”

The theme behind this year’s Imagine Cup was to; “imagine a world where technology helps solve the toughest problems.” Each team of students must create a technology based concept that can be used to solve world challenges. The ideology behind the theme for 2012 is to simply be ambitious in wanting to promote change in your local community or even on a world scale.

More information about the Microsoft Imagine Cup can be found at; http://www.imaginecup.com/.

We wish our NUI Maynooth innovators the best of luck in Sydney.

Editor In Chief / Production Editor: Keith Broni News Editors: Conor O’Brien & Áine Kirwan Features Editor: Grainne Hallinan Entertainments & Culture Editors: Lyndsey Farrell & Christina Murphy Opinion & Comment Editor: Kate Phelan Science Editor: Enda Shevlin Technology Editor: Shane Kiernan Sports Editor: Conor Phelan Additional Proofing: Robert Munnelly Contributors: Aibhin Austin, Ronan Bergin, Tara Byrne, Dylan Colley, Darren Crowe, Micahel Conneely, Michael Devine, Mark Dillon, Cathal Óg Donnelly, Alan Flood, Dara Folan, Rob Gilmour, Dean Healy, Alan Horan, Shauna Louise Kelly, Aidan McNally, Shane McNally, Aine McManus, Matthew Mulligan, Eamonn O’Neill, Fiach O’Neill, Robert O’Reardon, Patrick McMahon, Rowan Moorkins O’Reilly, Majella Rogers, Cillian Shields, Glen Spratt, Aoife Thomas.

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NUI Maynooth Law Department Host “Women And The Law” Conference GRAINNE HALLINAN Features Editor

The inaugural ‘Women and the Law’ conference took place here at NUI Maynooth last month, hosted by the Law Department. Numerous high profile speakers came together on the day representing a wide range of occupations within the law, including TDs, solicitors, barristers and judges. Chief State Solicitor Ms. Eileen Creedon was also present for the conference.

Each of guests spoke of their experiences of pursuing a career in law as a woman. Many recalled the struggles for women’s rights over the last century in Ireland, noting how far we have come as a nation in terms of equality. However, all of the speakers agreed that it was necessary to have more women occupying senior positions within the law, in order to maintain balance and close the narrowing gap between male and female representation. Ms. Kathleen Lynch, Minister for Equality revealed she strongly believed there was

a place for women at the top within the law in Ireland.

Problems with equality begin as soon as law students begin their careers, it was observed.

Despite a higher proportion of female law graduates, fewer women were employed in law firms than men. It was also noted by several of the speakers that women were not being promoted as quickly as men. It was agreed that discrimination is still prevalent within society today, and often young women will have to work harder than young men in order to prove themselves.

Many of the speakers vocalised the difficulties of balancing parenthood while pursuing a career within law. Justice Elizabeth Dunne noted that the year’s women consider becoming partners in law firms often coincides with starting a family.

Changes in attitudes towards a woman’s role as a parent and additional support structures for working mothers were cited as key to overcoming these issues.

However, it was also acknowledged that a positive mindset shift has occurred in society regarding women and work, were not long ago the question was asked “should women work?”

All speakers agreed that a career in law was as rewarding as it was challenging, and encouraged women to assist each other in their struggles as they rose to the top.

PleaseTalk Celebrate 5th Graduate In Washington Anniversary In R.C.S.I. Ireland Programme 2012 KEITH BRONI

SHANE KIERNAN

On Friday 27th of April PleaseTalk celebrated its fifth anniversary with a short ceremony in the Royal College of Surgeons. President Michael D. Higgins was in attendance, meeting with Students’ Union welfare officers before addressing the wider group of attendees gathered regarding the importance of organisations such as PleaseTalk.

Opening the event, co-founder Barry Colfer reflected upon the history of the organisation, explaining how the service was first launched in January 2007 in UCD in response to the deaths of a number of students by suicide.

“Please Talk is a positive mental-health initiative with two main objectives,” Colfer explained.

“Firstly, the campaign has a core proactive message that ‘talking is a sign of strength’... Secondly, the website highlights the extensive supports available to students — counsellors, chaplains, support groups — on their respective campuses throughout Ireland, as well as other external information and services.”

After Colfer’s opening address, a new PleaseTalk promotional video was screened. Directed by Declan Casey, it featured a variety of students stressing the important of sharing and talking about

In keeping with this year’s trend of prestigious achievements set by Maynooth students and alumni, in this case a postgraduate student and former chairperson of the then-NUIMSU Guardianship, Philip O’Callaghan, has been chosen among the successful 30 of the 350 applicants who put their names forward for the organizations two month internship each year. The organization itself has been established for seventeen years and provides students from Ireland and Northern Ireland with a unique opportunity to work with various companies, governmental agencies and non-profit organizations in Washington DC. With connections as high as President Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the programme is held in the highest esteem by many in the US government, with Secretary Clinton herself stating that “many of WIP’s alumni are now emerging as a new generation of leaders committed to peace, stability and prosperity in both Northern Ireland and the Republic”. In conjunction with this, the executive director of the programme, Bryan Patten, has also stated that the incoming class of students are already extremely

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problems, academic or otherwise.

Next President Higgins took to the podium.

He continued the praise of the organisation, commending its members for aiding in the changing attitudes towards mental health issues in Ireland over the past few decades.

“Please Talk sets out to encourage students and young people to talk, and to look for help as and when they need it. Equally, it encourages students to be mindful of those around them, in their classes, colleges and communities. It’s about keeping an eye out for your friends.”

Please Talk is supported by the HSE through the National Office of Suicide Prevention, and is part of the National Mental Health Strategy.

For more information please visit PleaseTalk.org.

accomplished and exemplify what it is to be a community leader. As Philip says himself, “I am really honoured and privileged to be chosen to be on the Program. Working in Washington with other leaders is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m determined to make the most of it. The other 30 members of the 2012 team all have unique skills and come from different backgrounds, this I hope will make this summer in DC so engaging and challenging.”

Having this in mind, Maynooth can be nothing but proud of what a student has achieved, and those achievements should not go unnoticed.

As Maynooth in recent years has become a nationally renowned University, this is could be considered a big step in the direction of our University becoming even more established on an international level.

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Economics Students Welcome Three Experts To Campus As Guest Speakers AIDAN McNALLY

On Tues 3rd April the newly established Economics Students Committee welcomed their inaugural guest speaker to Maynooth. A full CS1 waited patiently as Dan O’Brian, Economics Editor or The Irish Times, arrived in, albeit late.

After a brief introductory welcome for yours truly he began speaking on the rising importance of economics within the media and of how nowadays more light is being shone on the discipline than ever before. “The worse or more high-profile a problem becomes the more information and commentary people want, and the media offers a great way to explore various viewpoints”. However Mr O’Brian described the newspaper industry as a “dying one” and commented on the growing role of the internet as a source for people’s news.

A lively Q & A session followed and when asked, he said he’d advocate a yes vote to the Fiscal Compact Treaty which will be put to a referendum in this country on May 31st .The internationally renowned journalist was then asked whether he considered the decision to refuse access to the European Stability Mechanism to those countries which don’t sign the treaty as being “economic blackmail”; he replied “no, these guys are playing hard-ball now. Either you’re in, or you’re out. ” An intriguing economic discussion was enjoyed by all as were the refreshments provided afterwards, courtesy of Chill.

The following day, with a large crowd the

committee hosted Alan Dukes, former Minister for Finance and chairmen of the board of The Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. The Fine Gael man spoke about the Banking Crisis in Ireland and the Euro Crisis. He also drew parallels with his own crises during the 1980s when he was Minster for Finance, with negative growth and rising unemployment. The Kildare man admitted jokingly “I’ve recession printed across my backside!” Interestingly, when asked where to lay the blame for the reckless spending during the Celtic Tiger, Mr Dukes pointed in particular to the regulators who were supposed to prevent such behaviour but “simply didn’t”. A lengthy debate was again topped off with refreshments from Chill and the former farmer even hung around for a coffee and a photo!

The final speaker in the ESC’s trilogy was broadcaster, author and economist David McWilliams. In front of a wedged JH3 the celebrity economist who predicted the Irish Banking Crisis entertained and educated, with anecdote after anecdote. The underlining theme to his speech was that we need to ‘define our reality’ which is ultimately that we haven’t the money the pay back so we should simply default and return to the punt, hopefully before what he believed to be the “inevitable” Eurozone implosion.

Clearly comfortable in front of a crowd, the Dun Laoghaire native was happy to answer questions before happily talking to students’ one on one afterwards.

Proposed Abortion Bill Anti-Gay Laws Defended

By Peace Prize Winner Defeated In The Dáil SHAUNA LOUISE KELLY @YourTextHere

A Bill on legalising abortion in the case of threat to the life of the mother was defeated last month in the Dáil by 109 votes to 20. The Bill, introduced

by Socialist Party TD Clare Daly, and supported by members of the technical group and Sinn Féin, was in response to the twentieth anniversary of the X Case earlier this year. In 1992, the Supreme Court overturned an injunction that had been placed on a fourteen year old girl who wished to travel to the UK for an abortion after she became pregnant as a result of rape. The girl, referred to as Miss X, reported that she was suicidal due to her situation.

The Court ruled that abortion was legal in Ireland when there was a substantive risk to the life of the woman, including the risk of suicide. However, this ruling has not been legislated on to date.

Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, announced on Wednesday that the government would not be supporting the Bill. The findings of a report on the matter authored by an governmentappointed expert group made up of medical and legal professionals, due to be released later this year, were seen as too important to pre-empt according to Dr Reilly. He added that he believed

the group’s findings would be “sensible, practical and implementable”. This saw coalition partners Fine Gael and Labour, as well as Fianna Fáil and a number of independent TDs, vote against the Bill on Wednesday evening last.

The debate around the legislation was lively and emotive, with a large number of TDs speaking both for and against the Bill. Fine Gael TD for Mayo, Michelle Mulhern, was thrust into the spotlight when she brought a theological view on the proceedings, saying that fornication was the biggest reason for unwanted pregnancies in Ireland today.

This remark was met with derision by deputies Clare Daly and Luke “Ming” Flanagan. A number of TDs voiced their disapproval of the Bill, believing that it did not go far enough. Others were of the opinion that it was premature to introduce the Bill before the expert group released their findings.

There was also some discussion on the matter in the Seanad, with Labour senator Ivana Bacik saying that she hoped legislation on abortion would be passed by both Houses during this year.

Presentations had been made to elected representatives by the National Women’s Council and the Irish Family Planning Association involving the stories of four women who had travelled to undergo terminations after discovering their pregnancies were not viable. The experience undergone by these women was described as “harrowing” by a Fine Gael senator. A protest, organised by the group Action on X, also took place outside Leinster House before the introduction of the Bill on April 18.

DARREN CROWE In a joint interview with Tony Blair for the Guardian, President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf openly defended a new law that criminalizes homosexuality stating that Liberia has “certain traditional values in our society that we would like to preserve.” Sirleaf has long been held up as an example of progressiveness throughout Africa. She was the first woman elected president in modern Africa, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for her contribution for securing peace in Liberia, for promoting “economic and social development,” and strengthens the position of women in African society.

However this is not reflected under her support of the new anti-gay legislation whereby “voluntary sodomy” would be punishable by up to one year in prison. This is not uncommon within Africa as homosexuality is illegal in as many as 38 African countries and in 3 of them it is punishable by death, whereas the rest impose punishments that range from life sentences to probation. Even simply displaying sexual intentions with someone of the same sex can lead to a conviction.

Blair, former British Prime Minister turned founder of the Africa Governance Initiative

( a charity that aims to strengthen African governments) refused to comment on the remarks made by the Nobel Peace Prize winner stating that “One of the advantages of doing what I do now is I can choose the issues I get into and the issues I don’t. For us, the priorities are around power, roads, jobs delivery.” This is a comparison to his legacy as PM where, over his 10 year career, he campaigned for equality and rights for the gay population, helped push through laws on civil partnerships in the UK and was a major contributor on the lifting of the ban on homosexuals in the armed forces.

In a follow up query he was asked whether he believed human rights and good governance went hand in hand to which he replied “I’m not going to give you an answer on that.”

Even though Blair had pleaded for a reevaluation of “entrenched” views towards homosexuals, he was quoted to have said that gay rights were not something he was prepared to get involved in as an advisor to Liberian officials.

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Video Games & Violence: The Debate Continues To Power Up GLEN SPRATT In recent years, newspapers, parental groups and religious groups have made reports against electronic entertainment companies who produce video game hardware and software, including game developers.

Statistics gathered by ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board, the international game age rating organisation) stated in a published document that 93% of the time, parents are present at the time games are purchased or rented.

It also goes on to state that 86% of the time, children receive their parents’ permission when buying or renting a game.Furthermore, parents reported that they always or sometimes monitored the games their children play 97% of the time.

These statics essentially contradict issues raised by lobby groups against video games. For example, when parental groups lobby against making games of high violence as it causes violence in children is peculiar. Statistics show that parents allow and permit their children’s playing of games, even when they know the content of the game. This issue has been argued across the world, since the shootings in the United States several years ago.

When video games are purchased they have an age rating, which retailers are supposed to adhere to.

These ratings state what content is featured in the game and the minimum age the player should be in purchasing and playing it. Parents statistically are inclined to allow the purchase of these games.

So, when the lobby groups attack the developers of these games it is not fair to attack the creator, instead it is more logical and statistically correct that parents should be the group’s targets. Parents statistically allow their children to play violent

video games where as they should not be allowing their children to play these games, as they’re not recommended to play with them.

If a parent is going to question a developer’s content of a game their child is playing, it’s entirely illogical, instead that the parent should be question why they purchased and provided this game in the first place. Furthermore, statistically they’re inclined to monitor what they’re playing, yet they do not stop it, but allow it, then blame the video games for the influences they may have on a child.

Though, according to data, only 25% of gamers are below the ages of 18. 49% of gamers are between the ages of 18 and 49. Which raises the question of whether video games influence adults on any serious level. Following the 2011 Norway attacks, newspapers reported that Anders Behring Breivik was influenced by video games Call of Duty: Modern Warfare , a firstperson shooter (FPS), and World of Warcraft, a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). It was implied that the shooting and violence involved with the former was a reason for his attacks, or his state of mind. Similarly, that the MMORPG was to be held accountable for his actions. Some sources speculated that the game’s community, which is a massive online community of forums and related websites, led the man to become introverted and some of the game’s content influenced his views which led to the attacks. Though these accusations have since been disproved in the trial that followed the man’s arrest. Breivik’s manifesto was was shown to state he used the FPS as a training tool and the MMORPG as a cover for his isolation. Though upon trial, Breivik denied using video games to train for his homicidal rampage. As with the revelation of the using World of Warcraft as a cover for his extended period’s of isolation and not that the game caused it, it has contradicted the statements made by news sources.

It raises many questions as to why the industry is attacked following events such as these. How can a game developer be blamed for one man’s

questionable sanity? Why does an something now hailed as an art form take the fault of parental failure to monitor their children’s gaming and fail to restrict the games which they play?

Society is often looking for a totem upon which blame can be placed, from music, to cinema. Is it that the popularity of video games in the current generation is somehow so vital to what we are as a society? Or how humanity in a developed

society is influenced by any form of entertainment, and not purely entertained by the mediums of entertainment?

These questions are yet unanswered, and most likely will change upon the growth of the next generations medium of entertainment.

fuel prices Conor Faughnan from AA Ireland says “This is obviously out of our control but it affects us more than it affects many other countries”. As a small, open economy, Ireland is at the mercy of international energy prices so not only is the cost of getting your tank filled being dominated by the rising price of oil but other parts of our lives are equally affected by these issues from airline fares and home heating costs to the cost of groceries.

Last month Aer Lingus chief executive Christopher Mueller said the airline was reviewing whether or not to impose a fuel surcharge on its routes, however Ryanair has stood by it’s “no fuel surcharge ever” guarantee it issued back in 2005 when other airlines began introducing charges to compensate for higher fuel costs.

Grocery shopping too has felt the sting of rising prices as energy price increases feed in at every stage in the food chain, from producer to retailer to the price that the consumer pays thusly increasing the weekly cost of feeding a family putting pressure on many homes in Ireland.

In terms of light and heat for homeowners and businessowners, Larry Donald of Bord Gáis Energy explains that “the vast bulk of electricity in Ireland

is generated from natural gas and that oil is a “reference fuel”, which means ultimately the price of oil has a knock-on effect on the price of gas over time. So if oil continues to trade at high levels then both the price of electricity and gas for home and retail heating and cooking will also rise.

Perhaps one of the less publicised effects of the elevated cost of oil is the reduction in consumer confidence which, let’s face it, is already pretty low and it doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon.

Rising Oil Prices & The Irish Consumer DARREN CROWE Increasing from 5c last month petrol is once again on the increase and is so far costing the Irish motorist on average 162.1 cents per litre. This seemingly never-ending increase in oil prices comes from several different factors. Such as the Iranian crisis and tension caused by uprising in certain Arab states leading to uncertainty among investors and the questioning over whether or not the flow of Arab oil may be restricted to the West have caused a steady increase over time.

On average oil prices have risen by 10% since 2011 and a whopping 56% 3 years ago. Irish people are heavy users of oil per capita and so are badly affected by these rising oil prices. Due to Irish freight’s heavy economic dependence on fuel and

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The Graduate Job Hunt Jeopardy CONOR PHELAN Sports Editor @conorphelan1

There are 15 tabs open on my browser; Facebook, Gmail, Twitter and 13 different job-seeking sites.

A general-assignment reporter in the Maldives, a researcher in Riga and an editor in Cleveland, these jobs all have something in common; I applied for them weeks ago and still haven’t heard anything back. There is something drastically wrong when you get excited by a rejection email, any recognition is better than the automated response telling you that “X company would like to thank you for applying for the job of Y and we are currently reviewing applicants for interview”. Every single one of these emails has the same monotonous tone that tends to resign you to the fact that this is the last you will hear from this company.

Ireland is in debt to the EU and is essentially under the thumb of Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarcozi, Irish banks are afraid to give loans because of the lessons they learned over the last few years, and companies are struggling to pay the high wages that Irish unions fought for during the Celtic Tiger years.

Students leaving college are facing one of the toughest job markets we’ve ever seen in Ireland, with many looking abroad for work as the main option. The Central Statistics Office reported that between June and September last year unemployment increased by 5 percent; that’s the

time when newly-graduated students are throwing their CVs at anything that resembles a career opportunity.

The interesting paradox about an economy where people are being made unemployed is that businesses have to get rid of employees because they are not getting the customers they used to, the customers are not coming because they have no money to spend, they have no money to spend because they lost their jobs because their business wasn’t getting customers. Using this logic, all we have to do to get up and running once again is to get companies to employ more people, right? The organisation “Hireland” are pushing this idea and trying to convince businesses to pull together and to employ one extra person to kickstart customer spending. This noble and seemingly logical idea has some major flaws in it. It disregards the main issue of the fact that so much of Ireland’s income comes from trading with abroad, and that you can’t simply create money by setting up a few jobs and boosting customers’ spending power, we need other countries to buy our exports so our currency has some material value beyond the coin or note it is printed on. We’ve seen a noble and seemly logical attempt to fix economies from within before, and that was called Communism, which to be honest, didn’t go that well.

Last December’s budget saw a brighter 2012 for people seeking employment, with our gross domestic product (GDP) predicted to rise by 1.3 per cent, however they just revised that figure to be almost half that to 0.7 per cent. The IMF have predicted that it will be closer to 0.5 per cent. By not hitting our targets, we are in breach of the goal of bringing our budget deficit within three per cent of the GDP, which potentially means more cuts, meaning less jobs and less money to invest in Irish business.

With employment at 14.5 per cent, what can we

graduating students do? There are jobs, we simply have to find them, and when we do, find our way into them. We could take a leaf out of Minneapolis native Bennett Olson’s book. He bought advertising space on a billboard with the words “Hire me” emblazoned across it in the hopes that he would get a job offer. The 22-year-old paid $300 for one day and according to him, he has several leads for jobs

for when he finishes college.

The billboard thing has been done, that’s old news. Emailing CVs, business cards, references are not enough to make us stand out anymore. It’s an employer’s market, they can pick and choose from the many applicants vying for one of those elusive jobs. On a positive note, I just got another rejection email.

Global Traditions Of Biblical Sacrifice AIBHIN AUSTIN Traditions are important in all countries around the world. However, there are countries where these traditions are taken to the extreme. We have seen during Easter week especially how humans were sacrificed to re-enact how their God was killed.

In some countries, men feel the need to partake in such events as a penance to God for something they may have done in the past or sometimes they are looking for a petition. Different countries have different traditions and customs, and celebrate the same feast or festival in different ways.

During Easter in Malta parades are held. They are very true to life with Roman soldiers on horses, men dressed completely in grey and white cloaks with only slits for their eyes similar to the Klu Klux Klan attire, carrying massive crosses to demonstrate what Jesus did when he was walking to his death.

Other men walk bare footed with chains that weigh stones around their feet. At the end of the parade most of the men’s feet are bleeding from accidentally stepping on their own chains or those of the person’s beside them. The larger and the heavier the chains are, the greater a person’s belief in God. They carry massive statues displaying the Stations of the Cross which are antiques, made

hundreds of years ago and worth thousands of Euro. They are decorated in gold paint and covered in expensive flower arrangements. Local people dress in black suits and mourn the death of their God. The sombre feeling in the air where clergy men are carrying candles and followed by statues of the crucifixion make you feel like you have time travelled two thousand years back in time. On Easter Sunday however a different mood is seen, a mood of celebration when the Risen Christ is paraded around the town fanned with palm leaves to the joyous sound of the local band.

This is similar to celebrations held in Spain.

People who take part in the Spanish parades dress similarly to people in Maltese parades.

Their attire is supposed to represent Nazareños, people from Nazareth. The religious fraternities and brotherhoods are responsible for carrying the statues and organising the penitents and musicians.

The Nazareños follow the people who carry the floats bearing sculptures and models of biblical scenes. The people who carry the weight of the floats are called “costaleros” and are expected the carry these “thrones” with solemnity and grace.

They use a small cushion, a “costal”, to protect them from getting sores from the wood rubbing against their skin during the long processions.

From parades to the next extreme - in the Philippines, Catholics are nailed to crosses while recreating Good Friday. This is frowned upon by the Church; however, they cannot stop voluntary crucifixions. People walk around carrying crosses and having their backs whipped to re-enact Jesus’ final walk. Monsignor Pedro Quitorio, the spokesman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said that the church

Aw has discouraged the rituals which were been undertaken because the penitents were expecting rewards for carrying out such rituals on themselves.

“We only encourage the faithful to fast, pray and confess their sins,” he told the Reuters news agency.

“We can’t stop the practice. It is not necessary, but the church has no police power”. This was taken to an extreme in Cutud, a small village fifty miles away from Manila, where men carried crosses weighing 110 lbs. while their backs were being scorned and ripped apart in bloodshed. When their walk was finally finished they were nailed to their crosses. All eleven of the men suffered three inch nails piercing their hands and feet.

Obviously, the people who are doing this to

their bodies feel that it is a necessity that they carry out these traditions for themselves and their family. Some of the people who suffered that day said they were carrying it out for a reason such as thanking God for all that he has granted them and their families. Others believe that God has helped them recover from situations which they were highly unlikely to survive from. One stated that he believed God was using him as an instrument to show the world the Filipino’s devotion to God. Some of the penitents were not male; an eighteen year old woman underwent the pain filled tradition to show her devotion to her religion. These people feel that they have a closer connection with their religion and their God.

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Exam Stress Management Top-Up yourself or to a friend.

Ten Traps of Studying 1. “I Don’t Know Where To Begin”

FIACH O’NEILL

Vice President for Welfare & Equality

Coping with Exam Anxiety

For most Maynooth students, exam time is particularly stressful. Paradoxically, many students attempt to deal with this stress in ways that are counter-productive or even self-defeating; their behavior and attitudes tend to lessen their performance on exams rather than enhance it.

While there is no guarantee for an easy time on exams, there are some specific guidelines that students can follow which will help them learn more efficiently during exam time.

Before the Exam • Get plenty of sleep the night before • Diet and exercise properly • Eat a hearty breakfast the morning of the exam • Avoid panicking the last minute • Avoid last minute interference During the Exam • Be confident! You can do it!

• Look over the entire testfirst • Follow directions!

• Answer questions that are easy or questions you know first Essay Questions • Outline what you plan on writing first • Read over all the questions carefully first • Write the “easy” essays first • Underline your main idea • Answer the question in first sentence or paragraph • Be direct and specific • Answer the question!

Learn the course material! It sounds simple, but “original learning” needs to take place before you can review it effectively.

Review early. It’s the most efficient and most productive method, and it’s much easier to review what you already know than to relearn everything.

Before you attempt to learn new material in class or through reading, glance over previous chapters or notes and recall what you know already.

Immediately after learning, rework your notes and add material that comes to mind (but don’t recopy them – that’s a waste of time). Order and organize what was learned, using whatever works for you (e.g. stars, arrows, additional comments, etc.). Integrate the new material with what you already know.

Review often. Space your review sessions. 60 minutes used in 3 review sessions of 20 minutes each is more effective than 60 minutes used all at once. This avoids fatigue, strengthens previous learning, and increases motivation and better concentration.

Review before your final exam. Remember, your final review is a REVIEW, not a cramming of unlearned material. Don’t learn anything new unless it’s to draw together the final main currents of though. Be brief, and review an entire semester’s work in a few hours (set a limit and stick to it.)

Outline and organize everything from memory.

Don’t bother copying. Also, try reciting what you know, either by writing it or saying it out loud to

Take Control. Make a list of all the things you have to do. Break your workload down into manageable chunks. Prioritize! Schedule your time realistically. Don’t skip classes near an exam -- you may miss a review session. Use that hour in between classes to review notes. Interrupt study time with planned study breaks. Begin studying early, with an hour or two per day, and slowly build as the exam approaches.

2. “So Much To Study... So Little Time”

Preview. Survey your syllabus, reading material, and notes. Identify the most important topics emphasized, and areas still not understood.

Previewing saves time, especially with non-fiction reading, by helping you organize and focus in on the main topics. Adapt this method to your own style and study material, but remember, previewing is not an effective substitute for reading.

3. “This Stuff Is So Dry, I Can’t Even Stay Awake Reading It”

Attack! Get actively involved with the text as you read. Ask yourself, “What is important to remember about this section?” Take notes or underline key concepts. Discuss the material with others in your class. Study together. Stay on the offensive, especially with material that you don’t find interesting, rather than reading passively and missing important points.

4. “I Read It. I Understand It. But I Just Can’t Get It To Sink In”

Elaborate. We remember best the things that are most meaningful to us. As you are reading, try to elaborate upon new information with your own examples. Try to integrate what you’re studying with what you already know. You will be able to remember new material better if you can link it to something that’s already meaningful to you. Some techniques include: Chunking: An effective way to simplify and make information more meaningful. For example, suppose you wanted to remember the colors in the visible spectrum (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet); you would have to memorize seven “chunks” of information in order. But if you take the first letter of each color, you can spell the name “Roy G. Biv”, and reduce the information the three “chunks”.

Mnemonics: Any memory-assisting technique that helps us to associate new information with something familiar. For example, to remember a formula or equation, we may use letters of the alphabet to represent certain numbers. Then we can change an abstract formula into a more meaningful word or phrase, so we’ll be able to remember it better. Sound-alike associations can be very effective, too, especially while trying to learn a new language. The key is to create your own links, then you won’t forget them.

5. “I Guess I Understand It”

Test yourself. Make up questions about key sections in notes or reading. Keep in mind what the professor has stressed in the course. Examine the relationships between concepts and sections.

Often, simply by changing section headings you can generate many effective questions. For example, a section entitled “Bystander Apathy” might be changed into questions such as: “What

is bystander apathy?”, “What are the causes of bystander apathy?”, and “What are some examples of bystander apathy?”

6. “There’s Too Much To Remember” Organize.

Information is recalled better if it is represented

in an organized framework that will make retrieval more systematic. There are many techniques that can help you organize new information, including: Write chapter outlines or summaries; emphasize relationships between sections.

Group information into categories or hierarchies, where possible.

Information Mapping. Draw up a matrix to organize and interrelate material. For example, if you were trying to understand the causes of World War I, you could make a chart listing all the major countries involved across the top, and then list the important issues and events down the side. Next, in the boxes in between, you could describe the impact each issue had on each country to help you understand these complex historical developments.

7. “I Knew It A Minute Ago”

Review. After reading a section, try to recall the information contained in it. Try answering the questions you made up for that section. If you cannot recall enough, re-read portions you had trouble remembering. The more time you spend studying, the more you tend to recall. Even after the point where information can be perfectly recalled, further study makes the material less

likely to be forgotten entirely. In other words, you can’t overstudy. However, how you organize and integrate new information is still more important than how much time you spend studying.

8. “But I Like To Study In Bed”

Context. Recall is better when study context (physical location, as well as mental, emotional, and physical state) are similar to the test context.

The greater the similarity between the study setting and the test setting, the greater the likelihood that material studied will be recalled during the test.

9. “Cramming Before A Test Helps Keep It Fresh In My Mind”

Spacing: Start studying now. Keep studying as you go along. Begin with an hour or two a day about one week before the exam, and then increase study time as the exam approaches. Recall increases as study time gets spread out over time.

10. “I’m Gonna Stay Up All Night ‘til I Get This”

Avoid Mental Exhaustion. Take short breaks often when studying. Before a test, have a rested mind. When you take a study break, and just before you go to sleep at night, don’t think about academics. Relax and unwind, mentally and physically. Otherwise, your break won’t refresh you and you’ll find yourself lying awake at night. It’s more important than ever to take care of yourself before an exam! Eat well, sleep, and get enough exercise.

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Star Wars Day: May The Bedroom Jam Letting Fourth Be With You The Feather Pillows Fly GLEN SPRATT Every year the world over celebrates a day that is held dear by people of all types. May the Forth, is known as Star Wars Day to people from many countries. It is celebrated in many ways, such as people dressing up as their favourite character, having large and small scale lightsaber battles and watching six of the most influential movies of our time.

It comes as a play on words from the famous line from the movies, “May the Force be with you.”

May the Forth is a phenomena. It is a day in which nerd culture can be celebrated fully without shame or fear of being belittled by society. It’s a day which has received notable press and news time, highlighting large gatherings of Star Wars fans in costume from Jedi and Sith to aliens, like Wookies and Twi’leks (props to those who recognise the latter!)

Star Wars, released in 1977, is the third highest grossing film of all time after inflation. Star Wars is huge thirty-five give years on. With new content still being released in form of an animated TV series highlighting the events of Star Wars: Episode II and III, named The Clone Wars (as it’s aptly called), it’s not only older people, or even older teenagers of the prequel trilogy who love Star Wars, but a whole new generation to love both sequel and prequel Star Wars trilogies, as this animated series introduces them to the universe of Star Wars.

Star Wars is huge, it’s indescribable to convey how massive the influence of Star Wars is, or how expansive its content is. It has grown so large from just one film, to six feature length live action movies and one feature length animated film. From uncountable video games to numerous novelisations, graphic novels and comics, the format in which people absorb the universe of Star Wars mind boggling.

The influence of Star Wars has become so great, that it has been validated as having an official religion Jediism. This religion is known to be held on census forms by tens of thousands in Australia, Britain, Czech republic, New Zealand and even recently, Ireland. In Ireland, there has been a call for the publication of Census figures for the number of Jedi in the country, though the Central Statistics Office declined to publish the figures.

It’s hard to ignore the fact that this culture is so huge when it has its own religion. The fact speak volumes that hundreds of thousand across the world state their religion as Jedi or Jedi Knight. Even if it is a joke, there are some who actively engage it and wear the Jedi robes featured in the universe.

I myself, can say I’m a proud Star Wars fan, and I celebrated May the Forth. It would be almost impossible to ignore this cultural event.Did you celebrate May the Forth? A watching of the films, perhaps quoting the movies to your friends?

MICHAEL O’TOOLE The Red Bull Bedroom Jam competition has finally come to Ireland. This online Battle of the Bands has, over the past few years given young bands the ultimate opportunity to play some of the best festivals all over the world. Now, in 2012 Red Bull has finally brought the event to Ireland and young bands up and down the country have been competing for a slot at some of Ireland’s biggest festivals.

The competition is unique in that it is all done online. The competition is open to all bands aged 17+ with at least one member under 26. In order to compete, the band must upload a video to the competition website www.redbullbedroomjam.ie.

Every two weeks the site’s Bedroom Jam Buzz Chart will reveal which act has been most popular based on video comments and views, as well as activity on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

From this, 6 bands are then filmed live from their own homes (hence the name) for the world to watch.

From these 6 three bands will be chosen to leave their bedrooms behind for the stage at some of Ireland’s biggest festivals. Finally, one band will be crowned as winners in the live final in Autumn and they will go on to record for a week with a top producer in Red Bull studios.

“Red Bull Bedroom Jam is on a mission to unearth explosive talent that has been jamming away behind

poster clad bedroom doors until this point.”

The competition is a unique opportunity for young bands to get a head start in an extremely competitive business. Since the 19th of January when Dublin rockers, The Minutes launched the competition five bands have already broken through the first stage to perform a show from their home; that leaves only one extra slot so the competition is heating up. Show no.1 was performed by Bundoran rockers, Stonefree followed by Dingle-based Walking on Cars. Since then Icon on Fire, In the Willows and Possibly Intoxicated Gents have topped the Buzz Chart and played their own shows.

With only one slot left for the bedroom shows the competition is nearly at an end for new entries but for any bands looking for a shot it would be well worth considering for next year. In the meantime keep an eye out for this year’s chart toppers as you may well see them playing in some of the top festivals this summer.

Sleep To Reissue Hour Maynooth Students Long Song ‘Dopesmoker’ Starting A New “Project” DYLAN COLLEY @DylanColley

DYLAN COLLEY @DylanColley

Stoner-doom metal band Sleep has announced that they are to reissue their iconic and legendary song/album ‘Dopesmoker’. The hour long odyssey is to be released as the band had originally wanted, remastered as intended. According to the band’s press release, the audio will be “clearer, louder” and will “at last [bring] a true representation of SLEEP’s hour-plus weedian chronicle”. Replacing the previous bonus track, a live version of a song called ‘Sonic Titan’, is a live take of ‘Holy Mountain’, which appeared on the 1993 album of the same name. Along with the new bonus track, the reissue is to include different artwork on the sleeve by Arik Roper, who designed the sleeve for the original release of ‘Dopesmoker’ in 2003.

Originally recorded in 1996 after extensively touring in support of ‘Sleep’s Holy Mountain’, the album/track was set to be released under London Records. However, the company refused as they felt an hour and three minute long song was unmarketable. Sleep refused to edit it down, but in 1999, Rise Above/Music Cartel released an unauthorised edited version called Jerusalem,

which came as 6 separate tracks. In 2003, Tee Pee Records released the full version of Dopesmoker on CD. Bassist and vocalist Al Cisneros was content with this release.

The song itself consists of incredibly slow hypnotic riffs with doom-laden vocals. It is lyrically trippy and very stoner-heavy: “Drop out of life (with bong in hand)”. This version will have been produced by Sleep themselves and is set to be released under Southern Lord records. Sleep will be playing Dublin’s Button Factory music venue on Wednesday, the 23rd of May. Tickets are available to buy now.

TheProject are a group of musicians, mostly all NUI Maynooth students, who since March this year have been playing together acoustically and posting videos of their own unique versions to video sharing website Youtube. At this point in time, the collective have posted 5 videos, including their first video, recorded during Seachtain na Gaeilge in the college’s Cuallacht HQ, of One Republic’s Good Life and another of Lisa Hannigan’s Lille. Each video consists of a different combination of musicians and instruments, though mostly it’s fronted by leading man, Ryan Cahill – the science and engineering rep elect set to take power in the 2012/13 year at NUIM. Core members of the band consist of Ryan, Conall Mac Connaith, Emma Carroll, one of the only non-NUI students (though can often be caught around campus), Jenny Ní Ruiséil, Graham Douglas, producer/camera-man Stephen Lovatt, and Ian Smith who is part of the Píosa Ceoil duo famous for their song “The Shift” but is yet to record a video with TheProject. At times, however, TheProject will be getting in other musicians to perform with them, of which some have been planned.

TheProject has grabbed plenty of attention through its short lifespan so far. In its first day of being open, the group’s Facebook page already had 100 likes and the next day, their first video hit its 1000th view on Youtube, a site on which their page has over 40 subscribers. When looking at the

statistics of the videos, you can expect to find there have been views not only from Ireland and the UK, but also Spain, Portugal, France, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Italy, Australia, USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Singapore and many others.

TheProject performed their first live gig at NUIM Dance Soc’s “REWIND – End of the Year Show” and have more shows planned. The collective have even been given the chance to play Berlin during the summer and have been RTÉ 2Xm’s guarantee that they’ll play their originals if some are released.

You can check TheProject out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/theproject102 or on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/theproject102 .

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CAFÉ DE FLORE

Brochu) struggles to pick up the pieces. Their turbulent relationship is retold to great effect through flashback Film. 120 minutes. Directed by Jean-Marc moments, spliced with music and imagery of their childhood courtship and set to the music of bands like Vallée. Starring Vanessa Paradis, Kevin The Cure and The Smiths. The music is what brought Parent, Hélène Florent, Evelyne Brochu. them together and the generous, constant use of music Released 11th May 2012. and sound is truly one of the defining hallmarks of this film.

Vanessa Paradis plays Jacqueline, a mother in late60s Paris whose son Laurent (Martin Gerrier) suffers from Down-Syndrome. Paradis gives a remarkable Jean-Marc Vallée’s ‘Café de Flore’ is an exercise in performance as the tough as nails eternally loving love, loss and renewal, set to a backdrop of beautiful Jacqueline, a hardy woman who wants the best for her 1969 Paris and present day Montreal. Vallée creates son and has no-one else to help her; fighting to ensure a rich immersive world in which the viewer can lose he lives past the life expectancy for a child with his themselves; an early ethereal long shot of an airport condition, enrolling him in boxing lessons, teaching him terminal set the music of Dark Side of the Moon curse words so he won’t have to use those boxing lessons sets the tone for the film to follow. The relationships in a fight and most importantly constantly showing her drawn out in the film are those of mother and son love for him. and childhood sweethearts; stories which take place Though both stories take place in different decades in differing decades but are united in a way which and on different continents, Vallée brings them together will leave the audience hugely in awe of the editing in a beautifully simple yet poignant way which is masterpiece and artistic beauty that is ‘Café de Flore’. certainly worth the pay-off of watching the stories This split narrative film tells two stories, the first of which is focused on the life of Antoine (Kevin Parent), unfold, however fantastical. His directorial technique is a jet-setting international DJ living a good life. Antoine flawless, music and scenes blend seamlessly from one to another and a sparing but powerful use of silence creates spends his time between his sun soaked Canadian strong moments. In the words of Antoine the DJ, cutting residence in the company of his daughters and the sound gives more punch to what is coming. A great girlfriend and the clubs of the world, playing to huge film. audiences in perfect style. However we soon learn Matthew Mulligan that things are complicated for Antoine, visits to the @_mattuna therapist tell the tale of the complicated relationship with his ex-wife Carole (Helene Florent) and her inability to let go as his girlfriend Rose (Evelyne

SALMON FISHING ON THE YEMEN

Film. 107 minutes. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom. Starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Kristin Scott Thomas, Amr Waked.

Released 20th April 2012.

As far as ‘feel good films of the year’ go, I never pass much heed on that particular title, not since The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was promoted as the ‘feel bad film of the year’; although with Lasse Hallstrom’s Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, I was struck with cheesiness, awe and stereotypical rom-com pastiches.

In this case, that is far from a bad thing.

With the premise of the film being exactly what it says on the tin, a rich sheikh (Waked) wishes to introduce salmon fishing to the Yemen, with the aid of reluctant office drone Dr Alfred Jones (McGregor), accountant consultant Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Blunt) and the press secretary to the PM, Patricia Maxwell (Thomas). The three talents provide reflective versions of each other and add to the overall story-telling, without it becoming stale too fast. In particular, Kristin Scott Thomas’ PR secretary is a stand out performance which encapsulates a

government in need of good press. Given McGregor’s recent spate of smaller performances on the big screen, this picture does remind us that the 41 year old Scotsman is still in his prime and gives a performance that can make us laugh and just as easily make us cry. Blunt, on the other hand, I became disillusioned with, her performance sometimes comes off as naïve and over-simplified for the character which she plays.

Although, her chemistry with McGregor is unmissable.

While the undercurrent theme of a rom-com is always close to the surface throughout the film, the mainstay of the film is that of an adventure. The rollercoaster of the magnitude of transporting ten thousand salmon from Scottish highlands to the Middle Eastern deserts is a task that you truly want to see accomplished during the course of the picture. As well as having shot on location, Hallstrom provides us with some fantastically astounding shots of Scottish countryside and magnificent desert canyons.

On the whole, the film defied my presupposition of a feel good film, with the screen adaptation coming for the penman of Slumdog Millionaire, how could it not be a feel good film? Yet, that alone doesn’t make it a perfect film, the talent on and behind the camera make it a good film, not the greatest, but it is fantastic in its own way.

Shane Kiernan @shanezor101

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JACK WHITE BLUNDERBUSS

However, he returns to more recognisable numbers with “Sixteen Saltines” which is the heaviest song on the album, and harks back to the White Stripes more famous tracks such as “Blue Orchid” or even “Seven Nation Album. 41:52 minutes. XL Recordings.

Army”. The track contains a lot of memorable lines and a Released 24th April 2012. chorus which is extremely repeat friendly.

“Freedom at 21” is possibly the best track on the album with its scattery drum beats, guitar chugging and shrill vocal quivers. White even throws in a delectable talking, perhaps even rap style skit mid-song on one Dare I say it, but apparently Jack White has been holding back from us. The excessively over productive of the albums stranger moments. The guitar work on musician, who has been churning out music since 1997 this album falls into two categories; fast strumming or with such bands as The White Stripes, The Raconteurs dirty electric, both of which Whites previous fans will be well used to hearing. “I’m Shakin” is one of the more and The Dead Weather, has recently admitted that straight-up blues numbers with White tackling a Rudy he feels that working as part of a band set up is quite restricting. So in the respect, Jack White’s first ever solo Toombs cover in his own distinct style. Interestingly, the more this album progresses the more the tracks seem album must surely be mind blowing? Well, you’re not half wrong. Jack White sure lets go on this record, and to be more intoned with his early blues interests. It is as in ways that some of his average fans may not be quite if the musical maestro is not confident in his fan base “getting” the musical style which he has so dearly relied expecting. on throughout his career, and so he decided to slowly Blunderbuss is undoubtedly his first fully fledged ode to the blues (with a rock twist thrown in every now integrate them as the work progressed. This album is perhaps simultaneously some of the most basic and and again). First single “Love Interruption” featuring exciting music Jack White has made in his career, but Ruby Amanfu is a call and response story which has he ever really let us down? He certainly has not on goes against the love song grain which a blues album might more traditionally have aimed for. The song is a this effort.

DEAN HEALY pleasant piano keyed and brass led jingle which is not @OnaedInSpace instantly as likeable as some of his earlier first singles.

DEATH GRIPS THE MONEY STORE Album. 40:08 minutes. Epic.

Released 24th April 2012.

Many today argue that Hip Hop has gotten awfully stale. All artists are either spitting about looking for or having wealth, drugs or women and a lot of the edge of Hip Hop has exited stage right in the eyes of many.

This changed with last years arrival of Death Grips, a group from California, which has certainly rattled the cages of Hip Hop aficionados and has somewhat reignited the flame of the mixture of punk and antiestablishment rap by also adding elements of noise and scoops of electronic.

First some background. Death Grips is a collaborative project between rapper MC Ride, and producers Zack Hill and Andy Morkin. The group exploded in popularity online after their release of their debut mixtape “Exmilitary” last year, all achieved with little advertising and mainly through positive reviews and word of mouth and blogs online.

“Exmilitary” is simply a rip roaring, no holes barred, raging album, filled with anger and violence with dark attitudes to the brim. “The Money Store” equally achieves this feat but in several different ways. Now before you slam this album as something from an Emo or Screamo typical end of the world sort of scene, please don’t. If you have any decent interest in current day Hip-hop, you almost owe it to yourself to give both titles a listen, at least on your favourite Streaming

website, “Exmilitary” is even free on their website.

“The Money Store” and Death Grip’s violence can be considered in the same caliber as Wu-Tang Clan’s magnum opus, “Up From The 36 Chambers”, renowned for it’s portrayals of anti-social and violent acts, but what people don’t see is that the violence mentioned is so over the top it’s almost portrayed ala Tom and Jerry style. If you ever read a narration of Tom and Jerry and left out the fact they’re cat and mouse, its sounds a lot more brutal than it is. Death Grips does the same. The violence MC Ride talks about isn’t factual. In fact the whole album is a portrayal of the dark side of a human being. MC Ride becomes a sort of evil anti-hero, slowing going insane and paranoid over both his addiction to drugs and women.

The things he has done in his past and the conflict between the sane and insane parts of his mind and what they want him to do, boil over as he spews out intense lyrics about the extremes of humanity and the world. Slowly isn’t even a good term to describe it, I mean he already starts off pretty “Insane in the membrane” so to speak. The opening track “Get Got” is basically Ride imagining he is being chased by the Police and contemplating bailing out of a moving car and rejecting the sane part of his mind preferring to live in his dark fantasy world. While this may seem like a mouthful for a Hip-Hop album, this is delving in extremely deep into the subject matter. The album gives an awful lot of substance even after several listens but is still as shocking and intense the first time listening though as the tenth time.

On it’s surface, the beats are heavy and harsh, with Synths piercing through your mind just like the Rhymes that Ride spits out at you venomously and constantly. Compared to “Exmilitary”, the production

is on a different level. Drums are more fitting and are stronger and compliment the uncontrollable theme of the album and stand out on their own a lot more. For me, the whole albums strongest point is the lyricism in Ride’s Ryhmes. I might have described the album as brutal, vile and harsh, but that does not mean that it is unintelligent in anyway. I mean, how many times have you heard the term Lycanthropic on a rap album? Equally top notch is MC Ride’s hooks, and I really mean it, this guy can write some seriously catchy

hooks. Listen to the album once through I swear and you’ll be shouting “Get Got”, “I’ve Seen Footage” and “In My Area” for the next week.

This album is such a solid effort and while it doesn’t totally rewrite the book of Hip-Hop or “Change the game” as all the cool kids say these days, it does bring a lot to the table, and then breaks the table in half, and then beats you over the head with the pieces of it... but in a good way of course.

ALAN FLOOD

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A Blog From Abroad: Pat Byrne Victorious Berlin, Germany In Voice Of Ireland MAJELLA ROGERS @majrod

ROWAN MOORKINS O’REILLY I arrived in Berlin on Friday evening, and my flight out was on Sunday morning, leaving me with one day to savour all that the city has to offer. This is a metropolis that has been developed for the youth culture, providing an exciting and carefree environment for the public. Berlin’s other persona harbours a deep respect for the past – history is integral to the city’s character, with rich memorials coexisting with the techno culture and love parades.

Many argue that by relishing both of Berlin’s personalities, it is possible to enjoy a complete experience of Berlin in 24 hours. Challenge accepted.

Let us begin at what is arguably Germany’s most recognisable landmark, the Brandenburg Gate at Pariser Platz, completed in 1791 during Prussian rule. Inspired by the Acropolis’s Propylaea, the structure became one of eight checkpoints between East and West Berlin. Face north and you will find the Reichstag, once the seat of the Imperial German Parliament, today seen as a powerful symbol of German reunification. To the south is the poignant Holocaust Memorial, a grid of nearly three thousand concrete stelae that invokes confusion and unease.

Facing west you will see the Victory Column, erected to memorialize Prussia’s triumph over Denmark in 1864. The column is crowned by the bronze sculpture of Victoria, made famous in the angelic 1987 film ‘Wings of Desire.’ Bizarrely, the monument originally stood in front of the Reichstag.

Overnight, in 1939, the Nazis dismantled the column, moved the pieces to its current location and rebuilt it to accommodate Albert Speer’s redesign of Berlin.

Now turn around and start walking down Berlin’s most famous boulevard, Unter den Linden. The journey towards the Spree takes you past numerous the grand monuments, including King Frederick II’s statue, St. Hedwig’s Cathedral and the striking Neue Wache memorial.

We now arrive on Museum Island, who’s internationally significant museums entitle it to the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The impressive collection at the Neues Museum cannot be seen all in one day, though visitors from across the globe make the pilgrimage to see the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti. The Pergamon Museum contains numerous ancient buildings that have been entirely reconstructed, including the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, one of the original Seven Wonders of the World.

Museum Island’s gem is the Berlin Cathedral, a 19th century Neo-Renaissance Collegiate church that is frequently cited as the Protestant equivalent to St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Anton von Werner’s touch can be seen throughout, from his stain glass illustrations, to the statues and gilded relief work built into the colossal 70 meter high dome. Down below is the Hohenzollern Crypt, containing nearly a

hundred entombments and sarcophagi that represent five hundred years of Brandenburg-Prussian burial culture. Those who brave the grand Imperial Staircase and the 270 steps to the Dome Walkway can behold a view more rewarding and much cheaper than that of the Television Tower.

While you’re munching on that obligatory currywurst, take the S-Bahn to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, originally completed in 1906, but mostly destroyed in a raid in 1943. The damaged landmark remains as a memorial, preserving the scars of World War II. Then head to Friedrichstraße for some Cold War-flavoured stimulation at Checkpoint Charlie, the most well-known Berlin Wall crossing point, and explore the thought-provoking hands-on museum.

History merges with youth culture as one crosses over the magnificent Oberbaum Bridge to the East Side Gallery; a section of the Berlin Wall decorated with the street art of internationally renowned figures, becoming the largest and longest-lasting open air gallery in the world. It is here that the city progresses into the youth scene; the no man´s land was the perfect playground for Berlin’s new sound, blossoming in between the cracked concrete of the pre-fabricated socialist buildings and the ancient Berlin apartment blocks still scarred by the gunshots from World War II. Reunited Berlin received strong recognition of its importance as electronic music capital, and nowhere is this more evident than in two of Berlin’s dance venues.

Tresor was the undisputed colossus of Berlin’s club scene, originally located in the basement of a bombed out 1920s department store. The Studio 54 of techno, it returned to the world following a two year hiatus.

Now located in the industrial core of a decaying power station in East Berlin, ignoring this landmark is electronic sacrilege. If you meet the approval of the strict bouncers, the extremes of the Berghain & Panorama Bar make for an equally memorable experience - its innovative DMX controlled LED light art installations make the venue seem more like Tron than a nightclub. The club is infamously relentless, as you are thrown in with the hardest of Berlin’s hardcore.

This is but one example of Berlin’s policy of rejuvenation. Once a desolate Cold-War-shocked wasteland, the pulsating entertainment hub of Potsdamer Platz has risen from the ashes.

Alexanderplatz, perpetually in the shadow of the Soviet Television Tower, now features bungee jumping from the communist-era skyscrapers, and a multitude of trendy clubs. One of the most vibrant and liberal cities in Europe, Berlin has become a thriving megalopolis, filled with the most friendly and welcoming people I have ever met on my travels.

After this roller-coaster, I now understand how it feels to be swept away by the riches, quirks and liveliness of this fascinating city. Mission accomplished.

Pat Byrne has done us Maynoothians proud by being named the winner of The Voice of Ireland show following Sunday’s grand final. Byrne who was coached by Bressie, survived blind auditions, bickering judges and risque dancers to become the very first winner of The Voice of Ireland. Pat firstly wowed the judges and the public with his rendition of Bruce Springstein’s classic, The River. Although the judges seemed interested in Pat, non turned around until the end of the song when Pat began to play the harmonica, to which all four judges turned around. Pat joined team Bressie and said after winning the show that ‘It’s been the best experience of my life.’ Bressie was so proud of Pat stating that ‘I’ve never felt like that before, every nerve in my body, I’m so proud of him. Not because of his voice, because of his voice, he deserved to win this’. Pat won a recording contract from Universal Music worth €100,000 for winning the show and appeared on numerous radio interviews and newspaper headlines following his win on the show. Pat’s rendition of ‘What a Wonderful World’ made it to No.1 in the iTunes download chart in Ireland and he was tipped to win ever since. The winner was calculated from a combination of public votes and the number of downloads each contestant received on iTunes. Pat opened the final show with The River on the harmonica before welcoming Bressie to the

stage. After the performance, Brian Kennedy said that Pat was a story teller and that he had made the song his own. Kian was equally impressed with Pat’s performance saying that ‘Pat’s amazing. He’s been amazing from day one.’ Pat’s homecoming to Borris in Carlow is set for Tuesday night and Borris are very excited about welcoming back the winner of the Irish singing contest. Pat’s runner-up Richie Hayes was coached by Brian Kennedy also sang with his mentor but in the end, the best performer won. The finalists opened and closed the show with a group performance, while the results show featured The X Factor winner Alexandra Burke as its special guest.

Over the 17 weeks which the show took place, 2,000 acts were wittled down to 150 who performed before the 4 coaches again. After Brian, Bressie, Sharon and Kian fought it out for their favourite 12, they then had to pair them together for The Battle Shows where they ended up with just 6 acts each.

For the past 9 weeks, the final 24 contestants have wowed Ireland with their performances but Pat had done Borris, Maynooth and himself proud by becoming this years winner. Well done Pat!

The Empty Glass Guide ROB GILMOUR & SHANE McNALLY Cline Zinfandel 2009

Score: (B+) 89, Available in the Mill Wine Cellar for €14.95

Zinfandel gets a bad rap due to the outrageously sweet confected offerings, one of which is the best seller in Ireland … Yes Blossom Hill. Anyways, real Zinfandel is delicious it smells like Autumn, crushed blackberries and raspberries made into some lovely jam. The better ones are complimented by some delicious oak aging, such as the Cline which adds vanilla and cedar to the mix. Try it out, you’ll never look back from this zinful delight.

Longview The Bucket Sauvignon/ Semillon 2010 Score: (B+) 88, Available in O’Briens for May for €10.99.

From the cooler climate if Adelaide Hills in the south of Oz, this wonderful blend is one for a sunny day or maybe the beach party where we all pretend it is sunny. Aromas of lemon rind, apple, and a hint of gooseberry follow though onto the palate. The finish is exceptionally long and full of zesty lemon to feel incredibly refreshing for those lovely hot summer days in Australia maybe.

Catena Malbec 2009

Score: (A) 92, Available in most good Off Licences (in the Corkscrew for €11.95), normally €15-18.

This is serious Malbec that trumps the complexity of any Bordeaux at this price. It is big and bold, but also refined from vineyards at a higher altitude allowing the grapes longer hang time an overall well balanced and serious wine. This needs to be aerated for at least an hour. Aromas of raspberry, fig, plum, cedar, nutmeg and a hint of clove with delicious dark baked fruits on the palate, specifically cherry and fig with a hint of plum. The oak adds a delicious chocolaty finish with a hint of spice. This is one for a steak some barbeque during the summer.

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The Children Of Gaza, First Hand CATHAL ÓG DONNELLY

From the moment you cross the border at Rafah you realise that there is something particularly striking about Gaza. It isn’t the bombed out shells of what used to be peoples homes and places of work that struck you the hardest. It isn’t even the sounds of the fighter jets flying overhead, or the Israeli gunfire in the bay preventing Palestinian fishermen from making a living in their own waters. It isn’t the bullet holes that riddled the cities or the man made poverty and squalor that people were forced to live in. It isn’t the hum of the spy drones overhead. It is the beauty of Gaza and the children of Palestine.

Gaza has a very young population. Over 44 percent of the population are under the age of 14. As you take a look around you would be hard pressed to find a street that wasn’t thronged with small children playing. The first thought that hits you is that Israel air strikes and bombs these streets and residential areas regularly. How many of these children die as a result of Israeli aggression? During the three week Israeli offensive in 2008, Operation Cast Lead, the Palestinian Ministry of health estimates that 431 children were killed as a result of the violence. That’s roughly 20 children per day of the attacks.

We visited a small primary school that was situated next to a three story residential building that was destroyed by an Israeli rocket two weeks before we arrived. The children’s smiles offered the warmest greeting one could receive.

They were so happy to see us and jumped at the rare opportunity to practice their English with Europeans. Needless to say 60 children shouting

their names at you all at once can be a lot to get your head around and if you’re not good with names you have to shape up or ship out. The side of the school was riddled with shrapnel holes and the image of the children smiling and waving at you from a school balcony surrounded by bullet holes is as eye opening an experience as one could possibly have. On leaving the school a young boy was presented to us. Two weeks before our arrival he and his little brother were walking to school when an Israeli rocket struck killing the boy’s small brother. The boy met us with a smile. He had skipped out ahead of his younger brother before the rocket hit, saving his life.

In Gaza the power cuts caused by the Israeli siege affect everyone and everywhere from the streets of the refugee camps to the houses of government ministers forcing people to use candles or other primitive forms of lighting. A couple of days before we left three small children were burned to death in their bedroom, they were using the candle to do their homework, after they fell asleep the candle fell over starting the fire. We met the family of the children in their home. We stood in the burned out room in which they had died only two day before. As I looked at the ground where the charred remains of their homework lay I was struck with a great sense of grief and anger. The siege killed those beautiful little children, the Israelis might as well have put a gun to their heads and pulled the trigger. This event is not unique; the siege actively kills, injures and deprives people and children in particular of their dignity.

The children in Gaza endure immense suffering every day, being back in Ireland and seeing the

kids play and laugh here, Gaza and the problems facing its people seem worlds away. Normality toys with you as if it was all a bad dream, but it’s one the Palestinians cannot awaken from. The resilience of these children in the face of the hardships they live under serves as a beacon of hope not only for me, but also for the Palestinian

people and cause. The smiles of the children of Palestine serve as the sign that the Palestinians will ever truly be defeated. Bobby Sands said, “Our revenge will be the laughter of our children”.

Hopefully one day we will hear that laughter in the streets of Al Quds in a free Palestine.

South Dublin Eviction Summer Is Coming!

MICHAEL DEVINE

AOIFE THOMAS

On April 18th a video was posted on Youtube that immediately garnered the attention of the national media and the sympathy of the general public. The six-minute clip observed the eviction of Brendan (71)and Asta (63) Kelly from their home in Killiney. While initially the video gained widespread sympathy and was declared as a sign that this country had gone too far, the true story behind the eviction would change public opinion overnight.

The following day it was reported in the Irish Times that the couple had owned an extensive property portfolio. In total the couple owned at least 21 properties in the areas of Dublin 2, 4 and 6; all sought after areas of the capital. A week later it emerged that their property portfolio extended to the UK, where they own 13 properties, all in London. This exposure of the couple would lose all the initial sympathy that had been awarded to them.

While the vast majority of people would abhor the idea of an elderly couple being evicted from their home, most found it very hard to have sympathy in this particular situation. Even the Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Finance Michael Noonan both publicly spoke about the eviction. Mr Kenny commented that it was “peculiar” that the couple had not made arrangements to live in one of their other houses while Mr Noonan asserted that as a Government “We have no pledge to keep people in 21 different homes and we must distinguish between people who can’t pay and people who won’t pay.”

The couple had a €2 million mortgage on the evicted property, situated in a gated community in one of the most expensive areas of Dublin. They had also been given nearly 2 years notice (the notice was issued in June 2010) of their forthcoming

When the exams are over, and the end of year parties finish there is only one question looming on every student’s mind; what to do with ourselves now?

For those who were not smart enough or just don’t have the money to save a bit for a relaxing break abroad, try looking over your garden wall for this summer’s entertainment.

With the three summer months fast approaching the search for cheap activities and sunny breaks is a must for many students looking to bide their free time. As the immensely popular Oxygen music festival takes a break after first starting back in 2004, the young generation of Ireland are looking for the 2012 summer line up to keep them from becoming a couch potato. But believe it or not, from local festivities, city breaks and cheap attractions there is much to do in the land of the Irish.

“The fun starts here…” is the logo for this year’s get-up and go style of attitude so if you’re looking for a rewarding break after the exams or just fancy making a to-do list to keep you occupied on a daily basis; www.dealsireland.ie and www.discoverireland. ie is the place to look.

A mountain of upcoming events to fill your summer can be found at every corner of the country for 2012. Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford plays host to the annual Strawberry festival featuring Amelia Lilly and Maverick Sabre. While; from June 22nd Westlife play Croke park for the final time. Tickets were sold instantly for the popular band. However, if you still want to gram yourself some tickets, www.donedeal.ie is certainly the place to find them.

Marley Park also has an attractive line up for August 2012, with performances from Florence and the Machine to Snow patrol, due to popular demand David Geutta plays August 24th. www.ticketmaster. ie has all the details for a weekend of festive fun in the heart of Ireland’s capital.

eviction; they had even been allowed time to sell their other properties in a bid to raise money.

With “actual” evictions occurring to those who do not have the choice of nearly 30 other properties to live in, this could be one of the first evictions that can be seen in a positive light. If we look at how those who were responsible for this crisis; names like Sean Dunne and Michael Fingleton spring to mind, this eviction is one of the first to show justice working in favour of the ordinary person.

The fact that the Kelly’s still camp outside their Killiney home as they refuse to accept this eviction is a major slap in the face to the Irish people. With people struggling to make payments on one home, it is certainly disheartening that this couple would have issue with their eviction considering they own more homes than most people could afford in 20 lifetimes.

For many entertainment won’t fall short during the June weekends as a local beer garden will surely be the place to be when the 2012 UEFA Euro championships gets under way. The championships open Friday the 8th of June and will see sixteen teams battle it out in the group stages.

If however, you feel the crack is to be had elsewhere; London is set to be the place of great ambiance and cultural festivities this summer, the 2012 Olympic Games is the main attraction.

Tourist from every corner of the globe will travel to London for the world event running from July 27th to August 19th. Tickets for the actual games may be limited but London itself is sure to provide some fantastic entertainment in the run up to the First ever Olympics to be held in the British capital.

Everything you need to know can be found on www. london2012.com So before you decide to grab yourself a comfy blanket and a bucket load of junk food to fill in those boring summer days, remember there is plenty of crack to be had right outside your front door.

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China’s Bo Xilai: Chungking Express MICHAEL CONNEELY

The removal of Bo Xilai as Committee Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in Chongqing will have major repercussions for the Communist Party of China, especially as it comes near to the changeover of the Politburo Standing Committee, an event that takes place once every decade. This committee consists of the top leaders for the CCP, which Bo Xilai was a likely candidate to attain a position within.

Mr. Bo’s promotion bid was however torn to shatters when it was uncovered, by confessions from the police chief of Chongqing (who was recently removed from his post) about the death of the British businessman Neil Haywood on November 14th of last year in a Chongqing hotel and its cover up by Mr.Bo (in China, the family name comes first). According to Evan Osnos writing for the New Yorker Mr. Heywood had worked for a corporate intelligence firm founded by former MI6 officers, although part time.

The Times last week stated that Mr. Bo was linked to the death of Haywood, as alleged there was an affair that happened between Mr.Heywood and Mr.Bo’s wife Gu Kailai, who is the prime suspect in the murder case. According to the Times sources, associates of both Mr. Heywood and Mrs. Gu (In Chinese custom, it is common for the woman not to take the husbands family name) displayed a relationship that went beyond the nature of a friendship when the two met in the U.K. when Mrs. Gu was there to enrol her son, Bo Guagua, to be educated there.

The Times has written for the last few weeks on the incident. Wang had told this to the US

consulate in Chengdu, which he visited on February 6th of this year. It is unclear yet whether he had hoped to seek asylum, which the State Department has refused to comment on, or wished to leave incriminating documents about Mr. Bo with the US consulate.

In an open letter written by Mr. Wang, retrieved from Danwai.com, he expressed Mr. Bo as a corrupt politician, who had turned the city of Chongqing and its people into his own little fiefdom. How creditable this letter is is debatable.

Hu Jintao, the General Secretary of CCP, had condemned Mr. Wang as a traitor to the CCP, according to South China Morning Post on March 7.

Initially the death of Mr. Haywood was believed to be caused by excessive alcohol consumption when he was found dead in his hotel room.

Friends of the late businessman have commented that he was not a heavy drinker. Extracts of cyanide were found in the carpet of the hotel room after the investigation was reopened after the Mr. Wang incident.

Questions were raised, raised three months after the body was discovered, by British diplomats over the swift cremation, which happened two days after the body was found. While some locally based businessmen demanded the UK Foreign Office probe the case further, the FO stated that they would not seek to engage with the inquiry till they felt that their concerns were justified, according to a telegram on 29th April.

The swiftness of Mr. Bo’s departure from Chongqing brought to mind the title of a 1994 Hong Kong movie Chungking Express

(Chungking is an alternative Romanization of Chongqing), but despite its speed, the memories of this controversy will not be so quick to fade.

The scandal has caused deep shock waves within the CCP that have not been felt since the Tiananmen Square protests, but it is unlikely to affect the stability of the CCP in any lasting effect. The supremacy of the CCP is doubtful

to last throughout the 21st century, as China demands further reforms that will no doubt effect the hegemony of the CCP. However, the CCP is remarkably adept at facing the problems of the modern world, as demonstrated by its handling of the dynamics of the internet, but for the medium term, the CCP supremacy is here to stay.

EAMONN O’NEILL

with the realization that we are sexual beings and in Rihanna exposing herself to these children she is doing nothing more than stealing one of the most precious gifts a child has, his or her innocence, his or her childhood.

As if these things didn’t annoy me enough, there is the big issue here, her on-going quasi-pseudorelationship with her ex, Chris Brown. This is the same man who left her battered and bruised, and repeatedly punched and bit her during a frenzied assault. And yet there are constant reports that Rihanna still loves this man and wants to be with him. Guests in attendance of a recent party thrown

by Rihanna were asked to sign confidentiality agreements to not disclose that Chris Brown was at the very same party. So what Rihanna is saying to her hordes of impressionable young fans is that it is good and proper to have a man treat you that way, to physically beat you, and then just turn around and act like everything is OK? I’m sorry but this just seems to me that Rihanna is putting the course of feminisim back about a hundred years. It is utterly deplorable in this day and age that women like this are put on a pedestal to be worshipped. Why can’t young women look up to and admire the acts of truly remarkable women? Women like Aung San Suu Kyi or our very own Constance Georgine Markievicz.

Well I’ll tell you why I think it is, ease and wealth that’s why. Young people look up to somebody who can make the most amount of money for putting in the least effort possible and in Rihanna’s case that means opening up her mouth, letting out some garbled inane rubbish that passes for music/ lyrics and taking off her clothes. But then again, in a society obsessed with wealth and fame is this a surprise? Sadly not.

Please don’t think this to mean that I don’t have a problem with the role models that young boys nowadays take, that’s an issue for another day.

Well that’s my rant over, I now gladly return you to your regular scheduled reading.

Grand National Cruelty? She’s A Role Model?

AINE McMANUS

Grand National day in Aintree, a day looked forward to by many whether or not you are an avid racing fan. Every year people will go to their local bookmakers for possibly the first and last time in the year to place a few euro on a horse or two, perhaps having received a tip for from the local ‘expert’. Workplaces and groups of friends up and down the country partake in sweepstakes and will their allocated horse on to the finish line in order to be the victor. I personally look forward to The Grand National. There is a great atmosphere in my workplace where we organise a sweep and it is the main topic of the day. This year however, a debate that arises every year after the race caught my attention more than it usually would.

Activists and animal lovers all urge people to see beyond the sport and excitement of the occasion and question whether or not this is what the horses want to be doing. People question whether the sport is cruel to the horses involved and suggest possible solutions. In response each year the course is looked at and improvements are made to ensure ultimate safety for the horses and riders involved, however it seems this year activists will not accept this sort of response anymore.

This year’s race saw two horses being put down after fatal falls. Both of these horses met their end after falling at the infamous fence, Beechers Brook.

This comes after the Cheltenham festival where five horses were ‘destroyed’ as some commentators put it.

Many argue that these horses are bred solely for races like these, that they love the excitement the races bring. Supporters of the National say that it is obvious these horses love to race, their ears prick as soon as they enter the parade ring and even if they lose their jockey during the course of the race they keep running for the sheer joy it brings them.

Others put forward a different argument,

suggesting trainers of race horses want them to be as light and fast as possible. Their frail front legs are not built to cope with the pressure of landing after a large fence and hence the fatal injuries seen in the National at Aintree. Campaigners especially condemn the National as it is an exceptionally long and testing race lasting four and a half miles and with thirty fearsome fences to face. Animal welfare supporters cannot understand how such an obvious form of animal cruelty is continuing to happen, and are hoping that horse racing will end up being banned, as fox hunting has been in Britain.

I live in the locality of a famous trainer of horses involved in races like the Grand National. I have never come across anyone who knows the man that has said this is cruel to the horses. In fact people involved with horses everywhere will regularly and openly tell you that they love the horses. The carers and trainers of these animals treat them like their own kids and are very upset and distraught to see any of them having to be put to sleep. These horses are cared for at a very high level and they live in luxury, the equivalent of 5* hotels for us.

Admittedly the real reason for the heightened interest in the race is due to the excitement of seeing which horses will pass the test and last to the finish line and which will not. So if we consume this form of ‘cruelty’ in such a blasé form, will anything be done to halt it? Bosses of the sport made minor changes to the course last year but in reality nothing much has changed. Banning the race would do great damage to the sport, and could be likened to banning the World Cup or All Ireland Final.

Perhaps something should be done to reach a happy medium like shorten the course and reduce the field to ease the pressure on the animals involved. Many including myself would be more than disappointed to see the race banned, not to mention the lives of many who commit themselves to this sport would be shattered.

Well I’ve never once claimed to have my finger on the pulse of popular culture but when a friend showed me a clip on YouTube of the seven year old dancers dancing to My Boyfriends Back I very nearly violently evacuated the contents of my stomach through my nose. For those of you who have no idea (thankfully) of what I’m talking about I’ll summarize.

It’s a video of three 7 year old girls wearing very little and dancing suggestively, and it has racked up something like 5million views. So it really got me thinking, what kind of role models are young girls choosing for themselves these days?

Well as a man I have considerable difficulty getting my head around women at the best of times, but after watching that video I really felt like I’d entered the twilight zone. So in looking for somebody to blame I didn’t have to go too far, I flicked through the music channels on TV and low and behold I found somebody that I can vent my frustration at; Robyn Rihanna Fenty or simply Rihanna to you and me. Rihanna’s fame comes from the fact that she can sing (arguable) and that she dances around in little more than her underwear, and this is an example of who the youth of today look up to, some manufactured pop-princess with a harem of PR people and spin doctors who make sure her image is well maintained. Now I’ve no problem with admiring real singers/songwriters, my biggest dream is to go for pints with Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Morrissey, but for admiring a girl who does not write her own songs and sings such verbal diarrhoea as “na-na-na-na what’s my name” seems to be the act of some lobotomized half-wit to me!! And as for the semi-naked nature of Rihanna’s performances I again have a problem with that. Childhood is such a brief passing moment and should be the most joyous time of people’s lives, and it is my opinion, and I’m sure Messrs’ Freud and Jung would have something to say on the matter, that childhood ends

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2012: A Modern Day Space Oddity ROWAN MOORKINS O’REILLY

Below documents what has been an eventful two months in orbit.

North Korea On April 13th, the North Korean Unha-3 rocket disintegrated some two minutes after blast-off.

The purpose of the launch, according to the North Korean media, was to place the Bright Star 3 satellite into orbit around the earth to study the “distribution of forests” and weather patterns.

However, following analysis of the program, a network of amateur and professional spaceflight specialists discovered that the planned flight path was inconsistent with North Korea’s plan to place the satellite in a sun-synchronous orbit.

“I do not see how North Korea could reach a sun-synchronous orbit from the new launch site without risk to populated areas,” stated satellite watcher Ted Molczan – suggesting that North Korea is lying about either the direction or the contents of its impending rocket launch. Molczan added: “I believe that the most reasonable interpretation is that they are lying about this being a satellite launch, which has been betrayed by the incompetence of their propagandists in over-reaching in their cover story.” Veteran space journalist Jim Oberg was allowed to visit the hangar housing the satellite and immediately doubted the authenticity of the program. Most satellites are contained in a controlled cleanroom with a low level of environmental pollutants. Contact can have dangerous implications in the electro-static environment. The North Koreans supposedly did very little to protect their satellite. “I could’ve walked three steps and poked it with my finger”,

said Oberg. “We asked whether this was a mock-up; in fact, we kept on asking them again and again because they insisted this was a real satellite.”

Nevertheless, China’s president pledged strong ties with the North Korean space program, amid serious tensions between the two Koreas following Pyongyang’s failed rocket launch.

Europe-NASA Relations Following a successful launch from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana, on the northeast coast of South America, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) 20,000-kilogram ATV3 cargo freighter successfully docked with the International Space Station on March 29th. It will supply fuel, water, food, and other supplies for the next five months. Impressed with the innovative vehicle, NASA has asked ESA to consider an ATV derivative to serve as the propulsion module for the Orion spacecraft which is in development.

This would supply electrical power, water and oxygen, as well as providing the main engine and the stabilizing thrusters. This makes it arguably just as important a component as the command module. However, the ESA are not confident about the sustainability and affordability of the Orionrelated missions, suggesting that the United States’ reputation as a dependable leader in the field of space exploration has diminished. Former NASA Johnson Space Centre (JSC) Director Chris Kraft shares ESA’s scepticism. “Orion and the Space Launch System are killing JSC. It is killing our national space agenda,” Kraft and former NASA space station program manager Tom Moser exclaimed. “The strategy is unaffordable, since the costs of developing, let alone operating, the system

within a fixed or declining budget has crowded out funding for critical elements needed for any real deep space human exploration program.”

SpaceX Whilst most national space agencies are still relying on technology developed in the 1960s, several future-savvy authorities have taken notice of private commercial space agencies. Virgin Galactic, which now expects to fly its first paying customers in 2013, has been cleared to fly non-U.S. citizens into suborbital height without first obtaining an export license from the State Department. In this new arena, SpaceX is the clear favourite. Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, has recently had its Dragon spacecraft cleared for a test flight to the International Space Station later this week.

South African billionaire Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, originally planned to develop it for space

tourism. This turnaround marks an important milestone for the United States’ space programme’s plan to purchase low-cost flight services for cargo and eventually for astronauts. During the test run, Dragon’s solar arrays will be deployed and the capsule will demonstrate its manoeuvrability in orbit as well as its berthing systems. So far, SpaceX has received $381 million for a program that Musk estimates has cost about $1 billion to date. This is one-fortieth of the cost of NASA’s equivalent program. If manned spaceflight is to continue, we must encourage the development of innovative and practical space technologies to replace the current programs which are draining national budgets.

Only time will tell if SpaceX reaches the stars; the world of manned space exploration has changed utterly and with economy-crippling projects and dubious launches, one wonders if a terrible beauty has indeed been born.

Skydiving From Space Facebook Buy Instagram ROWAN MOORKINS O’REILLY

SHANE KIERNAN

On March 15th, Austrian parachutist Felix Baumgartner completed the first in a series of test jumps in preparation for his skydive from the edge of space. Launching himself from a capsule attached to a high-altitude helium balloon, Felix jumped at a height of nearly 22 kilometres above sea level. He accelerated to a speed of nearly 569kmph before deploying his parachute. The entire jump was completed in under eight minutes.

The practice jump was completed as part of the Red Bull Stratos project, in an attempt to perform the highest sky-dive on record. Later this year, Felix is hoping to jump at an altitude of 37 kilometres above the Earth. It is predicted that he will break the sound barrier as he falls. “I like to challenge myself,” Mr. Baumgartner told The Associated Press in a recent interview, “and this is the ultimate skydive. I think there’s nothing bigger than that.”

In 1960, Capt. Joseph Kittinger set the current world record for the highest parachute jump.

Falling from 31 kilometres, a leak developed in his right glove, and he lost the use of his hand.

Somehow he was able to deploy his parachute and land safely. In this project, Kittinger has acted as a mentor to Felix, and has helped to supervise the jump. “When I saw him on the ground, I was elated.

It was a great experience for all of us.”

All that is protecting Felix during his jump is an advanced pressurised suit. At these heights, water turns to vapour; if the pressure suit fails, Felix’s blood will literally begin to boil. It is hoped that the technology developed for this jump will help to reinvigorate the development of spacesuits, as the current technology used by today’s astronauts date back to the 1980s.

The Austrian is renowned for the particularly

In October 2010, two Stanford University graduates founded what would soon become one of the world’s most popular smartphone apps, with over 30 million accounts having been set up over the course of eighteen months. Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom are the duo behind the creation of photo-filter and sharing application Instagram, a non-profit venture with an employee base of thirteen. That was until, Facebook CEO and the world’s youngest billionaire; Mark Zuckerberg stepped in and purchased the app for one billion dollars, continuing his presumable ambition to own every valuable site and app known to man.

While Zuckerberg’s activities involving the future development of Facebook have been met with an onslaught of unnecessary change, namely in the introduction of the timeline layout and the modification of photo sharing, his decision on the purchase may restore some faith in the 27 year old genius. As Instagram had its Android platform release at the end of March, with more than one million downloads having taken place in only twelve hours of release, in addition to its already established iOS users, Zuckerberg perhaps saw this as an avenue for rejuvenation of his Facebook photo sharing platform.

It is still in the shade on what Zuckerberg’s initial plans for Instagram actually are, yet with his initiative in most matters technology related, we can only assume that we will soon be seeing an Instagram application on our own Facebook pages. Having that said the most recent update of the Facebook Android and iOS app resulted in the installation of a Facebook camera app. This may

Technology Editor @shanezor101

dangerous nature of his stunts. Having performed over 2500 parachute jumps, Felix set the world record for the lowest BASE jump ever, from the hand of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. In 1999 he claimed the world record for the highest parachute jump from a building when he jumped from the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. And in 2003, Felix became the first person to cross the English Channel in freefall using a specially made fibre wing.

I can still remember the adrenaline felt during my first parachute jump. Every skydiver remembers the initial fear that helped to contribute to the experience, and the shock of first discovering the intensity of freefall. Felix likened stepping out of his capsule and hurtling towards the planet to such an experience, enough to stun even the most hardened parachutist. The driving creed that fuels the project seems to be that the only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. Felix sums this ideology up with his chosen mantra; “Everyone has limits – not everyone accepts them.”

be an indicator of the direction which Zuckerberg wishes the app to go; shall we be seeing an amalgam of Facebook and Instagram? I am not so sure.

With Instagram being dubbed one of the most popular apps to have on your smartphone, it was expected to see a certain amount of backlash from original iOS users after the app made its way onto Android. With this in mind, it could take further heat if any changes are made to the user-friendly interface and if it becomes ‘too mainstream’, although an app with 30 million-plus downloads could hardly not be considered mainstream. The acquisition of Instagram, in my opinion, is basically another step in Facebook’s global web-dominance, but will it prove worthwhile? We’ll just have to wait and see.

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Free Info For ALL: Academic Journals PATRICK McMAHON

You know that panicked feeling when you’re finishing that dammed lit. review and you can’t get access to that vital paper? You know, the really recent one with the elusive titbit you spotted in the abstract that might just about cover the outrageous assertions you’ve been peddling for the last five or six pages? You bite your nails, you procrastinate on Facebook, look at photos of people you don’t even know (admit it; you do it all the time!). Then you reach for another can of Monster to keep the energy levels going and search tirelessly but all you hit is a brick wall with the words “Access denied.... subscribe to read the full article”. Well that feeling may be a thing of the past.

Thousands of researchers are currently involved in a boycott of academic journals that restrict the free sharing of research information and which in fact turn a handsome profit from charging for it. Access to journals can cost universities up to €20,000 per year and over the past 20 years, the average cost of subscription paid by universities such as NUIM has risen by 188% while the rate of inflation was 73% over the same period. Journal subscriptions are therefore outstripping the rate of inflation by a factor of 2.5 to 1. This is hard to believe when you consider that Irish universities are coping with a severe funding crisis and must come up with ever more inventive ways of raising cash to adequately fund even basic teaching.

One method has been to increase the annual student registration fee from €1,500 to €2,000. If we continually see increases in this charge over time it could prevent disadvantaged people from receiving a proper education. This is not only in

contention with the National Development Plan to modernise Ireland into a knowledge economy but also goes against the ethos of the academic institutions. I’m not saying that the entire increase in student charges are due to the cost of maintaining library subscriptions but they an undeniable part of it. And although countries like Ireland, the UK and the US are suffering, it takes a far heavier toll in other less developed parts of the world. Take for instance research in countries like Uganda (a site of many anti-malaria studies), where universities can’t afford subscriptions to any journals whatsoever with the result that the quality and impact of their research suffers greatly. (This has been witnessed first hand by the editor).

Sharing of information is the lifeblood of research and the boycotter’s argument is that research which is financed by public taxpayers and achieved independently of publishers (for the betterment of mankind, mind you), should be free for the public to access. Take for example the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953

by Cambridge researchers Watson and Crick who used critical X-ray data collected by fellow researcher Rosalind Franklin to complete their theories. Without the simple sharing of this information, they may never have postulated their famous base pairing theories. At the very least it would have delayed the discovery by some years.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The current effort to change the practices of the publishing industry has been bolstered by the Wellcome Trust’s public backing of the cause.

As one of the world’s largest non-governmental investors in the medical research sector, they

intend to sanction researchers they fund whose work isn’t free to access within 6 months of publication. This isn’t ideal (imagine keeping up-to-date with the news by reading a 6-month old copy of the paper) but it is a step in the right direction. The Wellcome trust are also about to launch a free, high-impact journal called eLife in which all articles will be available online to view as soon as they are published. And it’s not alone as the journal PLoS ONE is already an established

backer of the open-access policy and is fast becoming one of the world’s largest journals in terms of output.

Hopefully the march towards universal access to publicly funded research has reach the final stages.

Researchers and academics within NUI Maynooth should take note.

Team Actimel: Go Home Publish Or Die RONAN BERGIN

ALAN HORAN

It has become very fashionable and profitable these days to advertise foodstuffs as being essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Probiotic yoghurt drinks which claim to be conducive to aiding or ‘strengthening’ the immune system are particularly popular. Some of the most prominent brands being advertised to this end are Danone’s “Actimel” and Yoplait’s “Everybody”. These drinks are touted with what are now household catchphrases such as “replenish your good bacteria” which in turn “strengthens the body’s natural defenses”. Is there any truth behind these buzzwords or is it simply a marketing ploy?

Well firstly, it’s important to understand a little about our body’s relationship with bacteria.

Realistically, we are more bacteria than human. For every human cell in your body, there are around 10 bacteria. There is a large variation among these bacteria also, as there are thought to be around 1000 different species that inhabit your intestines alone. When we are born, we are bacteria free.

However, in a matter of days, millions of bacteria become established in the gut with a profile, in terms of the different strains, that varies between individuals. These are popularly known as ‘good bacteria’ because they generally do not cause an infection but rather act as a barrier against pathogenic or disease-causing bacteria and assist in digestion. It is in fact possible to think of this whole system as a bacterial ‘organ’.

Probiotic drinks generally contain 10 billion live bacteria per serving (not a huge number in bacterial terms), and will be of a specific strain depending on which product you consume. Actimel for example contains L. casei Immunitas or Lactobacillus casei to give it its proper ‘non-marketing’ name. These drinks promote the idea that ingesting their own

In late December, the global media went into overdrive regarding a study carried out by a group of Dutch scientists who transformed particles of the Avian influenza virus, H5N1, into an airborne and more infectious form. The genetic manipulation essentially means that this lab strain would have a much greater ability to spread from human to human, were they to become infected.

As the mantra in scientific research goes, “publish or perish”. The researchers wished to submit their findings to the esteemed scientific journal, Nature, so the information they obtained from their work could be digested by the influenza research community and so aid future work in the field. After all, this is how science operates. When a group discovers a piece of the puzzle, they publish their results, advancing the knowledge and allowing other scientists around the world to build upon their ideas.

Sporadic human cases of bird flu crop up from time to time but as of yet, they cannot efficiently ‘jump’ from person to person. A benefit of publishing the results would mean diagnostic knowledge of the particular genes that allow the virus to ‘jump’.

This would allow scientists to look at a particular human case and decide whether the particular strain is capable of causing a pandemic. An appropriate response can then be taken by the authorities and thus avoid needless panic as happened with during the 2008 outbreaks. However on the other hand, publishing of the study would also mean allowing their research methods slip into the public domain, detailing how one could go about making more lethal viral strains, something the US Government’s National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity objected to, citing the fear of bioterrorism. Should we be alarmed or is this another overreaction by a country whose obsession with counter-terrorism has been heavily criticised internationally?

special brand of bacteria will somehow assist your current bacteria. Your gut has around a hundred trillion bacteria, so comparatively there are a lot less contained in these drinks. However, the bacteria in these drinks are not naturally present in your normal bacterial flora. As a result, they would be recognized as foreign and your immune system would respond with a mild inflammatory response.

This is as close to “boosting” the immune system as these bacteria are likely to come. Any foreign organism you ingest would result in a similar outcome. Even if these bacteria were able to survive detection by your immune system they would not be able to colonise your gut in any meaningful way.

On the plus side, there is some evidence that shows that probiotic treatment may be useful for treating antibiotic-associated diarrhea, where the course of antibiotics has disrupted the growth or metabolism of the gut flora.

Overall, probiotic yoghurts may have a very slim overall benefit in certain situations but as it stands, there is scant evidence for their effectiveness.

Until there is better data supporting their use, I recommend you spend your money elsewhere.

Maybe vegetables and gym membership.

While sounding like a new threat, throughout history there are countless examples of the use of biological weapons against adversaries. Bioterrorism dates as far back to ancient times when Roman soldiers would throw excrement at enemies who would subsequently, and correctly, fear the risk of infection. In 1763, in response to a Native American uprising against the occupying British, Field Marshal Jeffery Amherst approved the provision of smallpox contaminated blankets to the Delaware tribe of Indians. Horrifyingly, the victims became weapons themselves, spreading the poxvirus throughout their community. This was in addition to the ‘foreign diseases’ that were unintentionally spread from the European immigrants to the natives, causing catastrophic decline in population numbers.

More recently, Anthrax has become a bioweapon of choice for malevolent groupings intent on causing the maximum amount of fear. Anthrax, whose biological origin is the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, has an extremely high mortality rate. In 2001, in the immediate aftermath of the September 11th attacks on New York City, a major security alert developed when mail containing anthrax spores was sent to media outlets such as CBS, NBC as well as to two US Senators. Of the twenty two people who were infected, five died.

In terms of the threat posed by this new H5N1 research, maybe the US has been overzealous. It would take a small fortune, advanced laboratory equipment and facilities as well as significant expertise in virology to enable H5N1 weaponisation.

However, with the advent of highly organised terrorist networks such as Al Qaeda, who are intent on spreading fear and disrupting secular life, there’s a case for the protection of sensitive and potentially dangerous information lest it fall into the hands of those who conspire to cause tragedy.

While this article was in press, the study in question has been cleared for publication.

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GAA National League Round-Up TARA BYRNE The GAA season kicked off in Croke Park, where the All-Ireland champions were welcomed home in spectacular fashion. Unfortunately for Dublin this is where the spectacle ended, suffering a home defeat to Kerry set the tune for the rest of their league campaign. Division 1 was consistent on only one front this year, that is the inconsistent results thrown up weekend after weekend. Armagh were the early impressers subjecting Cork and Kerry to defeat and later ending up second from bottom and resigned to Division 2 football next season.

Kerry managed to weather the storm and came through in that classic Kerry way their only other blip, a final round stage draw with Mayo in Austin Stacks Park. This draw ensuring Mayo a place in the semi-finals.

Cork and Down completed the semi-final line up with Dublin and Donegal living to fight another year.

After early promise Armagh and a very disappointing Laois team have found themselves preparing for Division 2 in 2013.

Division 2 proved a hotter contest when we take the rampant Tyrone out of the equation. With a perfect 7 wins from 7 they were untouchable throughout the league, securing promotion and a spot in the league final.

Both promotion and relegation deciders came down to a bumper Easter Sunday. After two early defeats for Kildare, and Meath next, even the most loyal of supporter must have questioned if any

chance of promotion remained. Also a Galway team with new management, who before the league we close favourites for the drop, fought for the final promotion place in Salthill. As Meath took on the old rival Louth in Navan fighting for their Division 2 future. Drama was sure to be a key ingredient. A late penalty in Salthill from the boot of Kildare talisman Johnny Doyle secured promotion to top flight football for Kildare.

Proving that the league is a marathon and not a sprint, and falling to a 1-8 to 2-14 loss in Navan, Meath are now preparing themselves for life in Division 3 along with Monaghan.

Division 3 was a far more calmer affair with Glenn Ryan pulling his Longford side into Division 2 with the unbeaten Leinster outfit Wexford. Division 3 claimed the first manager of the season with Tipperary manager John Evans resigning following their relegation. A similar fate followed for Cavan manager Val Andrews, who made a big impression in his short time over the Breffni county, with the exiling of their forward Seanie Johnston.

A woeful Offaly and even more unfortunate Tipperary are resigned to the lowest tier of football for 2013 after 1 win, 5 draws and only 1 loss this season.

Division 4 saw Peter Canavan ply his trade in Fermanagh, quite successfully winning promotion in his first year. Division 4 was also a place for records this season, with Fermanagh putting 9 past Kilkenny, who finished rooted firmly to the base of Division 4 with no points.

Players to watch come championship: One player who has managed to reclaim his greatest form was Kildare forward Alan Smith who is now a menace with ball in hand.

Also Mikey Conway looked impressive on many occasions as he continues his comeback from injury.

Paul Flynn and Eoghan O’Gara looked impressive throughout the Sigerson Cup, but January forms are

hard to maintain.

Players who disappointed: The biggest disappointment was Dublin half-back Craig Dias who was trialled throughout the league, but does not look good enough to make the team or even good enough to be an effective impact substitute.

Diarmuid Connolly also continued to frustrate as he blew hot and cold.

Teams that overachieved: Galway and Kildare are the two biggest winners from this league campaign.

Galway have managed to transition smoothly under new manager Alan Mulholland and are strong contenders for a Connaught title this season.

Kildare have managed to fix their problems in front of goal, now scoring regularly. They are looking in championship form already. Definitely a team to

watch come the summer.

Teams that should of performed better: The two biggest losers of the league campaign were easily Meath and Dublin. Third tier football is not a promising sign for Meath and will not help them compete in next seasons championship. Promotion back to Division 2 has to be their key priority next season.

Dublin looked slow and unfit throughout the league campaign. It looks like a heavy winter of celebration has took its toll on them, and there is a lot of work ahead if they aim on reclaiming either their Leinster of All-Ireland crowns. It has become clear that without the Brogan brothers Dublin are just an average team.

GAA Championship 2012 All Ireland For August?

TARA BYRNE

TARA BYRNE

It is almost that time of year again, the months of hard training, arm chair analysis, predictions, hopes and dreams are almost at fever pitch. We are six weeks from the first ball being thrown-in for championship 2012, and the final round of ‘experts’ are committing themselves to their big winners and losers for the agony and ecstasy that lies ahead.

The first and third Sunday in September are burned onto Irish sports fan’s brains, but Roscommon want to move one of the biggest days of the GAA year to August.

After already being moved to suit the hosting of the the first American NFL in Ireland this September, as Dublin was deemed not to be capable of hosting two major sporting events in the same weekend.

Regardless of the hosting of the National League double bill hosted in February in the same weekend that Ireland play Wales in the Aviva in the Six Nations.

Roscommon have now proposed they the 2013 All-Ireland hurling final be juggled again this time hoping for the final to be held in headquarters in August.

Roscommon will urge other counties to back a motion to Congress this month, proposing that the hurling final be played on the last Sunday in August, followed by the football final on the second Sunday in September.

Currently we are looking at the the traditional first and third Sunday of September, which are generally filled with the hopes of GAA supporters up and down the country being rather quiet as these finals are now arranged for the 9th of September then to maintain the traditional two-week gap between finals, the football then loses its traditional third Sunday slot, slipping to September 23.

“We feel that the inter-county championships are dragged out for too long. That impacts on clubs at a very busy time of year for their championships,” said Roscommon secretary Brian Stenson.

“Bringing forward the All-Ireland finals by a week would leave a little bit more room for the clubs and wouldn’t take away from the All-Ireland finals in any way.’’

“Even counties who are not involved are affected

Leinster

Leinster is shaping up to be the most entertaining of the provincial championships with 2011 AllIreland Champions Dublin or the newly promoted Kildare the likely choice for the Delaney Cup. Recently relegated Meath face an early opener against Wicklow to restore pride to the Royal county.

Wexford have managed to contest two Leinster finals in recent times, this year the draw sees top guns Kildare and Dublin on opposite sides of the draw leaving Wexford with little aspirations for silver-ware.

It is hard to see past either Kildare, Dublin or Meath to claim championship honours in Leinster.

Munster

Munster as has been in the modern era is almost a foregone conclusion, Kerry and Cork being left alone to fight for the honours. This year with the floundering performances by Kerry in the league, Cork seem to be the stand-out force.

By the end of last season one would have suggested that Tipperary were beginning to get to grips with the big ball game. Their league campaign would leave you wondering otherwise, or even if it will ever happen.

Connaught

Connaught has always been the least respected of provincial championships with Division 3 team Roscommon regularly fighting for honours. This year a rejuvenated Galway under Alan Mulhollond and high flying Mayo are ahead of the rest in the hunt for silverware.

Also for the first time in an age Connaught have a genuine challenger for the Sam McGuire in the form of Kerry conquerors Mayo.

Ulster

Ulster has always been regarded as the most challenging of all the provincial competitions where there is often no front runner and also where almost any of the 9 countries can rise to lift the Anglo Celt Cup. Heated rivalries between Tyrone and Armagh have led to some dominance over victory during these years, but with the standard of football and pride across the province rising consistently year on year this dominance has been smashed. Donegal proved victorious in 2011 with a new brand of defensive football, yet it is hard to look past Tyrone for the 2012 title with a blistering start to the season already behind them.

All-Ireland Championships Most would look to Kerry as the favourites to regain their title on that magical Sunday in September, yet with their performances so far in 2012, it leaves many believing that they may just be found wanting when the real pressure mounts.

This year sees McGeeney begin his fifth year at the helm in Kildare, after already securing promotion to Division 1, this year looks like it could finally be their year.

as they can’t fix championship games on All-Ireland Sundays.”

What is even more interesting is that as Roscommon have very little chance of competing in either the hurling or football final for the foreseeable future, there would be little reason for a proposal of this kind from the Rossies as they would have more time than most to complete their club championships. It is interesting to see how proposals like these will be received in the hurling stronghold of Tipperary, Cork, Waterford and Kilkenny.

If this was a proposal made by a county with real possibilities of success in either the football or hurling championship maybe then there would be a chance it wouldn’t be so ironic.

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Growth Of Legendario Mirandés ROBERT O’REARDON

“The magic of the cup” is often a phrase that was coined to describe the unpredictable nature of the FA cup in England. It is seen as a unique competition where there are upsets not equalled or bettered anywhere else. However, a small Segunda B club from the province in Castilla y León in the north of Spain proved that rain in Spain isn’t the only miracle that occurs on the Iberian Peninsula.

Since their founding in 1927, Mirandés have fluctuated between the 3rd and regional divisions in Spain. They have never played a game higher than the third tier of Spanish football, yet the 2011/12 Copa Del Rey saw them rub shoulders with the cream of La Liga and enjoy, without the doubt, the best season the club have ever had.

It all started on the 31st of August when ‘Los Rojilltos’ made the short journey to ‘El País Vasco’ to take on fellow Segunda B side Amorebieta. The game at the Municipal De Urritxe was a tight affair.

Both sides could have won, but it was Roberto Iván Agustín Suarez who put Mirandés into the hat for the next round. The next tie was played a week later, a home tie at The Anduva stadium in Burgos, where they ran out comfortable 3-1 winners against Linanes. Another 3-1 home success against Logrones ensured that Mirandes would be in the draw for the next round and thus making them eligible to play one of the sides from The Primera Liga who had qualified for Europe. The journey was only beginning for the Castillian minnows.

Two days after the triumph against Logrones, the town of Burgos stood still in anticipation of the draw for the final phase of the Copa Del Rey. Whoever came out of the hat alongside Mirandés would have resulted in a huge sense of gratification amongst the people because, after all, it was a

fantastic achievement to reach the previous phase.

But, everyone wanted a trip to the Bernabeu or The Nou Camp, as is human nature. However, it was a tie against Juan Carlos Garridos ‘Villarreal’ over two legs which was the reward. Despite the Valencian club having such a poor season, it was never suggested that a club with such a limited amount of talent could make their season even worse. Or could they?

In recent seasons, Villarreal had been arguably one of La Liga’s most consistent sides. A 2nd place finish in 2008 was the highlight of the most successful spell in their history. It was not too long ago that the Yellow Submarine were in the same position as Mirandés; ensconced in the 3rd tier of Spanish football with no hope of ever making it to the big time.

But, between the 13th and 20th of December, Mirandés gave Villarreal a timely reminder of what it is like to lose to a side in the lower reaches of the Liga. In the first leg at Anduva, a goal from Arroyo ensured that a shock in the first leg was very much on the cards. Borja Valero scored a late equaliser to spare Garrido’s blushes and that seemed to ensure that the upset had been averted.

Pablo Infante had other ideas, though. The deadlock could not be broken for the first sixty minutes. Two goals in the final half hour sent the minnows into ecstasy and sent the Villarreal manager to the job centre. A long, hard journey seemed to have climaxed with the biggest result in their history. Much to everybody’s surprise, this journey was still only beginning.

Next up was financially troubled La Liga side Racing Santander. Even though the Cantabrians were flirting with relegation, they were still hot favourites to win the tie. Infante, once again, defied the odds and scored a goal in each leg as a tie with Espanyol in the quarter finals beckoned. The dream cup run

began to turn into a fairytale.

The first leg took place at the newly built Cornellá El Prat on the 17th of January. Espanyol, like Mirandés’ previous opponents, were expected to blitz their counterparts and end this crazy cup run once and for all. And like Villarreal and Santander, that plan fell foul. Well, for the first 78 minutes of the first leg it did. The familiar faces of Arroyo and Infante put their side into dreamland once again. Weiss, Rui Fonte and Verdu scored late on to give the scoreline a more unsurprising look of 3-2 to the Blanquiblaus going into the second leg.

That’s how it stayed until the 47th minute of the second leg at Anduva, when Rui Fonte once again showed the gulf in class when he slipped the ball past the Mirandès goalkeeper. The tie was over, Mirandés were abruptly awaken and their dream was finished.

Well, so everyone thought. Everyone apart from Infante, who, once again, refused to read the script and bow to conformity. He equalised 10 minutes later when the space opened in front of him and his long shot bounced awkwardly for the keeper, finding the back of the net. Then in the 92nd minute, Cesar, a former Spanish u-18 international made his way forward from the back for a set piece. Time seemed to stop still for a minute as the thinkable happened.

The ball was floated in and somehow made its way into the back of the Espanyol net after Cesar got his head to it. Mirandès were in the semi final after winning the second leg 2-1, going through on away goals. It was a miracle, and Burgos partied like it was 1999. Everybody, except the top scorer Infante. He made his way home and had an early night, as the bank director had to be up at 7am the next morning to help run the local bank, which is located only 50 km’s from the clubs facilities.

Basque giants Athletic Bilbao awaited in the semis.

The result didn’t matter. The province had their pride

back. The defence lost their composure, the goals from Infante dried up and Bilbao ran riot, 8-3 on aggregate being the final score. Still though, scoring three times against the side that knocked Manchester United out of the Europa League is no easy feat.

While Bilbao marched on to Madrid, Mirandés marched onto modern day legendary status. They had defied the odds and ensured that no matter what happens in future, they will always have these many countless moments of glory, and the scalps of Villarreal, Racing Santander and Espanyol in their lockers.

It would have been nice, even amazing, to see them meet Barça in the final, but that would almost certainly been embarrassing. Who knows? Pablo Infante might just get his big move one day. He will certainly be remembered no matter what happens.

Athletes & Cardiac Arrest Pep Guardiola Resigns From Barcelona FC DARA FOLAN

DARA FOLAN Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba’s recent near fatal cardiac arrest served to once again highlight the unpredictable and lethal prevalence of cardiac arrest; his on-field collapse shook a football and sporting world that has too often witnessed the cruel and untimely deaths of its young athletes. Luckily, Fabrice Muamba is currently making a gradual and potentially complete recovery, however many of his contemporaries have not been so fortunate.

The deaths of Marc Vivien Foe, Antonio Puerta and Daniel Jarque are just some of the most high profile tragedies in recent sporting memory, and sadly on the 14th of April 2012, Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini became the yet another victim of sudden adult death syndrome. He was 25 years old.

Morosini fell to the ground during a Serie B match between Livorno and Pescara in a scenario that eerily echoed that of Fabrice Muamba. Morisini hadn’t made any contact with the ball nor did he collide with an opposing player, he simply fell to the floor unable to break his fall. The crowd in the Stadio Adriatico looked on aghast as medics and doctors desperately tried to revive him while the ambulance was blocked and delayed at the gates of the stadium.

For all the negative press that Italian football has received in recent years, corruption, racism and hooliganism among the chief scourges, the Italian Football Federation has long prided itself on its awareness and provision of cardiac screening technologies, ensuring that players are medically tested twice a year. Piermario Morosini’s is a tale that is not only a heartbreaking sporting accident

but one of human tragedy. Morosini lost both his parents and brother while still just a teenager and his career as a footballer subsequently enabled him to support and provide care for his severely disabled sister. In the aftermath of his death, Morisini’s former Udinese teammate and captain Antonio Di Natale has outlined his wish to provide financial support for the bereaved sister.

In Ireland, sudden adult death syndrome has claimed the lives of numerous young athletes nationwide. As such, the Irish Heart Foundation and cardiologists have been in the media recently urging all sports clubs to provide an on-site defibrillator and the required training to use one. Sudden adult death syndrome is thought to claim the lives of up to 2 people a week in Ireland with athletes especially susceptible to the condition. Sadly, this has been particularly prevalent in the GAA, who launched an awareness campaign in 2006 following the death of Tyrone All-Star Cormac McAnallen.

While Croke Park has defibrillators located all around the pitch, at a local level, many schools and sports clubs around the country still do not have the access to the necessary equipment. Irish sporting organisations should take further heed of the delicate balance that lies between the fortunes of Fabrice Muamba and Piermario Morosini.

What is the source of this melancholy? It is a time of mixed emotions to say the least. With final exams and a deluge of essays on the horizon, there is a part of me who wants it all to be over and fast.

The remaining part of me wants it to continue indefinitely, forever spending my Thursday nights in this Supermacs queue that is college life. It was only upon hearing Pep Guardiola’s resignation announcement last Friday that I realised that his hugely successful tenure at Barcelona correlates almost exactly in timeframe to my largely mediocre stint as a student .

I am by no means a Barca fanboy and I have at various times grown weary of their often perceived (or interpreted) holier-than-thou attitude, but this team have been the greatest exponents of pure footballing class that I have ever witnessed.

When Guardiola first manned the helm, Barcelona were in relative disarray; the club had finished a disappointing third in the league, fading stars and big egos dominated the dressing room, and Ronaldinho was partying far too hard. Guardiola began instil his values and methods on the team and promoted a style of play that was in many ways the logical progression of the ‘Total Football’ ideology that Barcelona have advocated since the days of Johan Cruyff. The success that would follow was unprecedented; 13 titles in 4 years, chief among these achievements were Barcelona’s treble winning season, Guardiola’s first, in 2009.

As a boyhood fan, ballboy, youth team player and eventual captain, Pep Guardiola has epitomised the Barcelona ethos throughout his entire career. His apparent reluctance to sign a long term contract with the club, instead preferring a rolling extension

based contract, was always a minor curiosity during his triumphant reign. It was still a surprise however, to learn of his resignation following the disappointing and decisive defeats to Real Madrid and Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final exit to Chelsea. His career trajectory is now entirely up to him; he has proven himself among the world’s greatest managers in just his first four years in the profession, but Guardiola has expressed his desire to take a sabbatical from management for the foreseeable future.

Tito Vilanova, Guardiola’s long term assistant has been named as his replacement and is due to take over at the end of the season, a decision which in itself should help to carry on and maintain the ethos of play that Guardiola and his team have so studiously developed.

This Barca side have been a near-constant feature of my college life and now that both are coming to their logical conclusions I am now left with two pressing concerns; a) I need to get a job and b) I’m going to have to source my footballing entertainment from elsewhere.

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Euro 2012 Preview And Predictions MARK DILLON Euro 2012, which is set to be held in Poland and Ukraine, is due to kick off on June 8th. This will be the 14th edition of the championship and Ireland’s 2nd apparence, the 1st being in 1988.

Group A contains Poland, Russia, Greece and Czech Republic.

Poland’s squad contains three members of Borussia Dortmund’s Bundesliga winning side and two members of Lille’s Ligue 1 winning team so won’t be short on quality. Have a decent record in recent friendlies and with the home crowd behind them, they’ll fancy their chances in this group.

Prediction: Quarter Final Russia qualified from Ireland’s qualifying group without much difficulty. They are a very good side technically and they’ll hope that the strength of their midfield line with compensate for the lack of a top quality striker. Prediction: Quarter Final Greece were very impressive in qualifying, topping their group ahead of Croatia. Don’t have any real stars but are well organised and won’t be easily beaten. Prediction: Group Stage Czech Republic were lucky to only have Scotland challenging them for 2nd in qualifying, lucky to draw Montenegro in the play-offs, and lucky to be drawn in this group. Lucky, but not good enough to get through. Prediction: Group Stage Group B contains The Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and Denmark.

The Netherlands easily qualified ahead of Sweden.

Fantastic midfield and Robin Van Persie (if fit)

should get them through this tough group. Iffy defence may stop them winning the tournament however. Prediction: Semi Final Germany were unstoppable in qualifying. Have a midfield arguably only bettered by Spain, an excellent goalkeeper, and a strong defence. If Mario Gómez performs up front, they could win the tournament. Prediction: Winners Portugal didn’t play well in qualifying, barely scrapping 2nd ahead of Norway. Might be unfair on the likes of Coentrao and Nani to suggest it, but their hopes of escaping the group rest on Ronaldo’s shoulders. Prediction: Group Stage Denmark topped their qualifying group ahead of Portugal. Seen as the minnows in the group, but have history of shocking the big teams, as in Euro 92. Sorensen and Bendtner are no Schmeichel and Laudrup though. Prediction: Group Stage

Group C contains Spain, Italy, Croatia and Ireland.

Spain cruised through their qualifying group.

Have some of the best players in the world, but also have one or two problems. They have had some very poor results in recent friendlies and their strikers are either out of form, unproven or injured. Should win the group, but, although not many would back against them, may not win the tournament.

Prediction: Runners Up Italy easily qualified for the tournament. Have introduced a few new players, although some of the failures of 2010 are still around. Cassano and Rossi look set to miss the tournament, so they may lack quality up front. Prediction: Runner Up Croatia finished behind Greece in qualifying before beating Turkey in the play-offs. Have an good defence and an excellent midfield spearheaded by Modric. Up front, however, Olic and Eduardo aren’t the players they once were, and Jelavic hasn’t proved himself at this level, while their goalkeeper isn’t great. Prediction: Quarter Final Ireland finished 2nd behind Russia in their group and beat Estonia in the play-offs. Very well organised and tough to beat, but probably won’t

score enough to get through. However, if it all comes down to a match against Italy, anything could happen. Prediction: Group Stage.

Group D contains Ukraine, England, Sweden and France.

Ukraine are co-hosting the tournament. They haven’t been playing well in friendlies and are overly reliant on Shevchencko and Tymoshchuk, two players well on the wrong side of 30. Prediction: Group Stage England topped an easy group to qualify. Lack a captain, a manager, a decent centre defence and Wayne Rooney for the first two games. Have a good goalkeeper for a change though. Prediction: Group

Stage Sweden finished behind The Netherlands in qualifying and finished as best runners up. Have a reasonably good squad but need Ibrahimović to perform. Prediction: Quarter FInal France struggled but eventually topped their qualification group. The fact they qualified at all was an achievement though after their disaster in 2010.

On paper, they have a very strong team, and while ‘on paper’ didn’t help in 2010, they might surprise a few people at this tournament. Predicition: Semi Final

NUIM Students Listed Kildare GAA Recieve A As Future Champions €300,000 Funding Bailout

TARA BYRNE

TARA BYRNE

Comhairle Ardoideachais and the Irish Daily Mail have announced the Irish Daily Mail Future Champions Teams of the 2012 Irish Daily Mail Higher Education Championships.

After a gripping weekend of football hosted

by NUIG, DCU emerged triumphant in the 2012 Sigerson Cup final over NUI Maynooth on a scoreline of 2-17 to 0-07, in Pearse Stadium in Feburary.

It was a successful year for Maynooth, reaching the colleges first final in almost 40 years, unfortunately things didn’t go to plan on the day.

When the team was announced both champions DCU and beaten finalists NUIM were both very well represented with seven and five players being honoured respectively.

Also contributing were Trinity College Dublin, UCC and UUJ with one representative each.

Maynooth were unlucky not to receive more accolades with goalkeeper Shane Connolly and wing back Tommy Moolick excelling throughout the tournament. Especially after the home quarter-final to UCD where both claimed national headlines for their performances.

The five Maynooth representatives who caught the eyes of the judging panel were Captain and mid-fielder Conor Brophy (Celbridge/Kildare), wing back Sean Denvir, centre forward Sean Hurley (Johnstownbridge/Kildare) and corner forwards Michael Newman (Kilmainham/Meath) and David Quinn (Na Fianna/Dublin).

Just last month the GAA made what is being widely touted as its first IMF like ‘bailout’ of indebted county boards.

Kildare County Board being the first to avail of this service, receiving €300,000 in a much needed cash injection. The Kildare County Board chairman John McMahon is adamant that this is not a bailout but an ‘advance’.

“This is not a loan,” he says. “This is money that would have been due to us anyway. Instead of being paid in instalments, it is being paid up front to help tide us over.”

With crippling debts of €570,000 announces following last years convention. “We’ve already done deals with creditors and have made big inroads in the last few months into the €570,000 figure made public last year,” said McMahon. The debt which now stands at €286,000, is planned to be paid off within a three year period.

The money that was received, came with conditions. The main condition that Kildare had to accept as part of the agreement, was former Munster Council secretary Simon Moroney be introduced as an ‘overseer’ who is available for advice on their financial affairs.

This is not how it is being looked at by the County Board “He’s there to advise us if we need it,” McMahon said last night.

The funds received by Kildare are accumulating from training and coaching grants that would be owed to the county in instalments over the next two

This is the second of these awards for mid-fielder Conor Brophy, after receiving an Ulster Bank Rising Star award in 2011.

Those selected were honoured at a function held in Croke Park on April 16.

years.

Locally, the County Board is putting the finishing touches to its ‘thousand-aire’ fundraising drive, which has already received 50 pledges from around the county.

This schemes marketing manager Marty McEvoy hopes that this will raise another €300,000, with this money earmarked for development within the county and possible upgrading of St. Conleth’s Park.

“The debt is still there and will have to be paid back, this just gives us more time,” said County Board chairman John McMahon, when speaking about the money received from the newest IMF on Jones’ Road.

The stark reality is that our County Boards are struggling to come to terms with the levels of debt they have accumulated, you only have to wonder if other cash strapped counties decide to knock on the doors of Croke Park for assistance, will they cope?

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When Did It Go Wrong For Barcelona?

CILLIAN SHIELDS @pile_of_eggs

Graham Hunter wrote a book about them recently – Barça: The Making of The Greatest Team In The World. The Greatest Team In The World. Imagine that. Well that very team may well have been knocked out of the race for the La Liga title and the Champions League, all in the space of four days. All that’s left of their memory now is to wonder; how the hell did that happen?

At one point not long ago, Real Madrid boasted an unbelievable ten point lead over Barcelona in the league table. Pep Guardiola described his chances of winning yet another title as “impossible”. Once Real came up against Málaga, who have found their feet in recent months, and a resurgent Villarreal who’ve been disappointing all season, in quick succession, all of a sudden four points were dropped. A couple of 5-1 wins later, and best-of-the-rest Valencia came to town.

In recent history, Real Madrid have had no problem getting past the challenges of Valencia. This season however, in probably the most exciting 0-0 draw of the season, Valencia left the capital with a point. A further two points dropped, with the gap down to four, while José Mourinho and Madrid were still to visit Nou Camp. Add to that the fact that Madrid hadn’t beaten Barça in the league since 2008, and in a grand total of 14 games (not counting the 2011 Copa Del Rey Final AET.) Pep’s thoughts then?

“Not as impossible.”

But we all know what has happened in the last week. Chelsea beating them in London, Real Madrid turning Nou Camp into Mou Camp, and Chelsea

finishing off their Champions League two-in-a-row dreams. That begs the question: where did it all go wrong?

Chelsea performed superbly in Stamford Bridge.

It’s never going to be easy against The Greatest Team In The World, but they managed to soak up the pressure and one marvelous pass from Frank Lampard sucker-punched the Catalans at an optimum time, for Chelsea.

For the second half, Barcelona were bereft of ideas.

In the past they have admirably stuck to their guns, even at times when going a man or a goal down, and continued to play with their philosophy of quick passing and ball retention. In the past, this has worked for them. In the Bridge, however, it did not.

Chelsea were compact enough and organised enough to deal with what Barcelona could throw at them. It ended 1-0, but not the end of the world for Pep, with the return leg in Camp Nou just a week later.

Before that second leg, would be the small task of El Clásico though. Trailing by four points, it was simply imperative that Barcelona won the match if they wanted any realistic hope of winning the league title again. But love him or hate him, José Mourinho is a genius. He learned a lot from the Chelsea Barça game. He saw what the Azulgrana did when the pressure was stacked against them, and how they reacted.

Mourinho in charge of Madrid has tried all-out kamikaze attacking styles against Barcelona, and very defensive formations too. He never found a winning formula. Last weekend, however, he fielded a formation that the players have been used to all season, with a nice balance between attack and defence.

Much more than that though, was the organisation and discipline that Mourinho instilled in his team. Doing this, is by far his greatest victory since he joined Madrid. Other times against their arch-rivals, Madrid have lost matches due to lapses in concentration, poor defensive positioning, or not tracking runners. Barcelona couldn’t break them down the way they’ve become used to. Mou eradicated this sloppiness from his team, and the

rewards are clear to see; a 1-2 victory and a seven point lead at the top of the table with four games remaining.

A number of moons later came their second leg clash with Chelsea. This is when the team’s biggest flaw became most visible; they have become a very mentally fragile squad.

When things are going well for them, there is a very obvious ‘bounce’ to their play. They are confident, they are willing to try audacious things because it works out for them most of the time, and they play with that swagger that has made millions the world over sing their praises.

But for the second leg against Chelsea, they had just lost two games in a row beforehand, using the style of play that has never failed them before. The confidence shrunk greatly with each of those losses, resulting in a scared team. The local and also Spanish national media slated them after both of those losses.

This clearly played on their mind so much, that it resulted in a team scared to death of losing again.

This fear didn’t drive them to force six or seven past a 10-man Chelsea, but instead it shuck them to their very core, making them question their own style of play, forgetting completely about all they’ve won before with it.

In fact, when they were able to break the Blues down at last, you could see the confidence return immediately. For a while, they felt alright, and perhaps things weren’t as bad as they had thought.

This confidence was evident for the remainder of the half, especially in their second goal – a move so quick and a wave of attack so powerful, that nobody could have stopped Iniesta from collecting Messi’s through ball before slotting it past Cech. Two up in terms of goals, one up in terms of men – Barça were cruising.

Right on the stroke of half time, perhaps their confidence grew a little too much, as one slip in concentration at the back allowed the space for Lampard to feed Ramires with a pass as fantastic as the chipped finish that came right after it. This goal turned the game on its head. Chelsea were now in the position to go through, by means of that away

goal.

The goal did a lot more than just change the scoreboard. It ripped out all of the confidence that the Catalans had grown in the previous twenty minutes. For the majority of the second half – apart from moments like Messi’s long range solo effort off the post, Fabregas winning a penalty from a dive, and Mascherano’s long shot – Barcelona couldn’t create anything. They didn’t expose any space they had on the wings, despite Alves and Cuenca/Tello having acres of freedom out there. They didn’t double up on defenders and play quick one-two passes, something that usually comes as second nature to them. No man in a Barça shirt even had the confidence to take a player on and get past him. Every time the had the ball, it would be pinged from the centre to the right, back to the centre, and over to the left, with a gap rarely opening for them to exploit.

There was no confidence in the team to try anything different, every player wanted to just give the ball to someone else, let a teammate take the initiative. Full credit to where it’s due, though.

Chelsea played immensely, losing both of their starting centre halves to either injury or a red card. Barcelona just couldn’t offer anything of real substance to actually test their visitor’s resolve.

Henson Leaves Cardiff Irish Heineken Cup Final CONOR PHELAN Sports Editor @conorphelan1

TARA BRYNE Gavin Henson has been sacked by Cardiff Blues after admitting to an all night drinking binge, which culminated in him allegedly throwing ice-cubes at passengers on a Saturday morning flight late in March.

Henson had decided to have a night out in Glasgow following the clubs game that Friday night.

It is understood that he had not returned to his hotel room until 5am for a 7am flight that day.

The following Monday morning the former Welsh stars fate was sealed at a club disciplinary hearing.

In a statement by Cardiff Blues CEO Richard Holland he thanked Henson for his services.

‘Gavin admitted himself that his behaviour was totally unacceptable and the immediate termination of his contract sends out a clear message that behaviour like that will not be tolerated at the Blues.’

‘Gavin Henson is obviously a talented rugby player and it’s unfortunate that his career at the Blues has ended this way.

Controversy is something that had followed Henson throughout his career.

In 2005 Henson released a book entitled ‘My Grand Slam Year’ chronicling Wales’ Six Nations success and his experiences on the Lions tour of New Zealand. This included comments that he later had to apologise for in front of his team mates.

In 2011 having left the Ospreys for Saracens and then moving on to Toulon, things appeared to be looking up for Henson when he scored a try on

his debut for the French club. But after his second appearance against Toulouse he was involved in an altercation with two team-mates in a nightclub and was suspended for a week.

Following the latest of blips in his career Henson has also been banned from the airline involved, Flybe for 6 months.

During his career he has often been the architect of his own downfall, leading to his self-imposed exile from the game between March 2009 to October 2010 just as he star was in the accent. During this time he appeared in many reality shows including ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and ‘71 Degrees North’, and also went on to appear in ‘The Bachelor’.

Looks like a future of....’Big Brother’ or ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!’ for Henson... Or in this case “You’re a rugby player, let’s get you out of here”.

Come the 19th of May, thousands of Leinster and Ulster supporters will be flooding into Twickenham stadium to see the first ever All-Irish final in Heineken Cup history.

Ulster have found their form this season, with players like Ferris, Trimble and Pienaar leading the team to their first Heineken Cup final in 13 years.

They have been in impressive try-scoring form this season, leading the RaboDirect Pro12 in tries scored.

The Northern Province have returned to their former European glory in style, playing beautiful expansive rugby and using their strength out wide to run in some beautiful tries over this season. Just look at their quarter-final win that saw homegrown winger Craig Gilroy dance between the Munster defenders for an example of the brand of rugby Ulster are bringing this year.

Although you can never say that one player made Ulster the team they are, much of Ulster’s success has come from the ability of Pienaar both from the kicking tee and as an organiser. The semi-final against Edinburgh saw him score 17 of Ulster’s 22 points and pick up a deserved man of the match award.

If Ulster are showing how well they can play with the ball in hand in their semi-final, Leinster gave a masterclass in defending in their game against Clermont Auvergne. Brian O’ Driscoll, as always, set the marker early on, rushing up out of the line for a big hit on Aurélien Rougerie and stifle the Clermont attack. Although Wesley Fofana did look dangerous every time he had the ball, Leinster’s defense was able to keep him from scoring, even when he made it over the line the Leinster pressure forced him to knock the ball on. As well as being an incredibly strong defensive team, Leinster are one of the most magical teams to watch on offence. Against Clermont

Leinster were attacking from inside their own 22 and causing so many problems. Their kicking game is so strong, with Sexton, Kearney and Reddan all able to keep defenses guessing about what they will do with ball in hand.

Ulster may have the advantage in the pack with their scrum and lineout options dominating Edinburgh’s, although they will face a stiffer test when they go head-to-head with the experienced and dynamic Leinster. The battle between the back rows is going to be an incredible spectacle, with Sean O’Brien’s ball carrying ability competing against the pure power of Stephen Ferris, we’re sure to see some huge hits and some thrilling power plays from both sides.

Leinster will be the favourites coming into this final as they look to defend their title, but Ulster have the players and the belief in themselves that could cause an upset.