College Tribune: Issue 9

Volume 20 / Issue 9

ucd.ie/tribune

5th March 2007

Sabbatical Razorlight Elections THIS WEEK IN

Exclusive Interview

Full Coverage

Page 6

Faulty speaker sets library ablaze

The College Tribune has learned that it was a speaker “well past its sell-by-date” that caused the fire that broke out in the library last Wednesday night and caused both the library building and the arts block to be evacuated.

Head of Buildings Aidan Grannell, who was in charge on the night, explained, “It was the old public address system, which was installed over twenty-seven years ago and was in the process of being replaced.

“One of the speakers, which was well past it’s

Colin Gleeson sell-by-date actually, had a short in it and went on fire. It was plastic so it burnt on the wall and part of it fell to the ground while the rest was hanging by the wire.”

The fire occurred at 9.45pm in a corridor that is through a doorway beside the main service desk area in the short-loan collection in the library. The corridor contains offices that are mainly used for storage purposes.

Just past the Quinn School!

Grannell explained, “The fire alarm was sounded and a library attendant went to investigate. As he opened the door into the corridor, he was able to see it was full of smoke.

“He saw there was a fire there so he picked up an extinguisher and put it out. Obviously, at that stage, the fire brigade had been called and was en route. When they arrived, they investigated it and found there was still a bit of smouldering so they made the place safe and checked everything.

“Obviously, when the fire alarm had been initiated, we checked that all the systems worked and everybody was asked to leave everything behind them as they evacuated the building.

“Because at that stage, we had to just see what would happen. Nobody knew to what extent the fire was, but that went according to plan. So, the fire brigade made sure there was nothing burning anywhere else.”

Continued on page four

MOLLOY’S

MERVILLE

2

March 5th

NEWS

College Tribune 5th March 2007

Expelled ● Peter Mallon disqualified from race for Ents Officer ● Rules breached after beer used for canvassing Ronan Dempsey

Editor Colin Gleeson Deputy Editor Simon Ward Design Editors Simon Ward & Tara Phelan Sports Editor Ben Blake Features Editor Matthew Parkinson Bennett Health & Fashion Editor Caitrina Cody Arts Editor Barra O Fianail Music Editor Hugh Fowler Contributors: Ronan Dempsey, Jack Cane, Mark Canavan, Brian Sweeney, Paul Dillion, Eoin Mac Aodha, John O'Flynn, Aidan Mac Guill, Rebecca Glynn, Dara O'Donoghue, Lorcan Archer, Steuart Alexander, Cathy Buckmaster, Hanna Kousbroek, Susan Cahill, Treasa De Loughry, Jack Horgan Jones, Jordan Daly, Eoin Delap, Kilian O'Connor

Special Thanks To: Gary, Stephen & Billy @ Spectator Newspapers, Eilis O'Brien, Dominic Martella, A&B.

Contact Us: E: collegetribune@gmail.com T: 01-7168501, LG 18, Newman Building Box 74, Student Centre, Belfield, D4.

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The Students’ Union (SU) Sabbatical Elections were plunged into chaos at the close of polls last Wednesday night as third arts student Peter Mallon was disqualified from the race for Entertainments Officer.

SU Returning Officer Morgan Shelley, who co-ordinates the elections, declared afterward that, “No candidate should have an advantage over another as a result of having exceeded the spending limit set by the Returning Office.

Mallon was expelled from the race after a campaign that saw his campaign team hand out bottles of non-alcoholic beer across the campus in a lastminute bid to bolster votes.

Shelley continued, “This extends to having the benefit of having products or services provided to a campaign for free that would not reasonably be available free of charge to other campaigns.

“The production of additional printed material is strictly prohibited, as is the provision of financial or material incentives to voters.”

As well as this, the charter states that “campaigns should not engage in any activities that disrupt campus life, interrupt lectures, classes or club or society activities, breach the public peace or break University rules.”

The disqualification – which was announced at 10pm following the closure of polling stations – was appealed immediately by Mallon’s campaign team but subsequently withdrawn after the results of the election were announced.

Mallon’s campaign team – approximately 35 strong - prompted a barrage of complaints to the Returning Office from staff and other sabbatical candidates by distributing the cans of non-alcoholic beer and other promotional materials on election day as they canvassed for votes.

Shelley responded by warning Mallon’s campaign team to cease distribution and summoning them to consultation with the Returning Office regarding the breach.

Announcement of the decision was postponed until the polling stations closed, at which time Shelley informed those assembled that Mallon was to be disqualified from the election as a result of his violation of Sabbatical Election rules.

Mallon described himself as “shocked” with the decision to disqualify him, “I’m a third year student, I’ve my finals in a couple of weeks and I really wanted the position. I was shocked, absolutely shocked.

I really didn’t think that would be the consequence.

It’s never happened before.”

Brendan Doyle – Mallon’s campaign manager – explained, “Peter had been in negotiations with the distributors of Bavaria and this was to show that he was serious about his commitment to bring

Caught: Mallon's campaign team distribute lollypops in the Quinn School

cheap pints to the UCD bars, as he had promised in the manifesto.

“We haven’t actually been given the reason for disqualification, which I think is unprofessional and uncourteous. The constitution and the election rules are very vague as to what constitutes a serious breach and candidates are quite entitled where such an ambiguity exists to rely on it in their favour.

“We didn’t give out alcohol so it didn’t breach the alcohol policy and we got all the stuff for free so we didn’t breach the expenditure rules. I’m presuming we were disqualified for a serious breach for pulling off a stunt but Morgan (Shelley) never gave us a reason so we’re still in the dark.

“Students have a right to choose their officers regardless of any stunt and to interfere with that right by disqualifying a candidate after people have voted is an attack on democracy.”

Mallon reciprocated these sentiments, “If anyone else had approached them (Bavaria distributors) I’m sure they would have gotten the same response, I was campaigning saying that Bavaria Ireland are on my side.”

According to Shelley, Mallon’s campaign team had been notified of the rules following two previous minor breaches of the rules.

Shelley explained how the Returning Office came to its decision, “We made clear that there would be serious consequences in the event of any further breaches. Within a short time of that meeting, the campaign in question had engaged in a blatant violation

of exactly the same rules, but on a much larger scale.

“This stunt was carried out so late in the election that any punishment in the form of the confiscation of posters or manifestos would have been ineffective in returning balance to the election.

“That consideration, along with the scale and deliberate nature of the breaking of the rules, and the very clear warning that had been given, left the Returning Officers with no choice but to exclude him from the election.”

Newly elected Ents officer for next year, Stephen Quinlivan, who took the position with 74% of the votes, sympathised with Mallon and his team.

“He was a bit unlucky to be kicked out. I think there have only been a few stunts in the past few years and I think this was the straw that broke camel’s back. He was a bit unlucky in that he probably had an example made out of him. It was harsh but I think it was one that had to be made for that reason.”

Doyle, while disappointed with the decision, maintains a stoic attitude towards the whole situation, “Fair play to Stephen, I know he’ll do a good job next year. There are no hard feelings over what happened. ”I’ve absolutely no regrets over what we did. Ents is about being original and having a bit of fun. We wanted to do something different and I think it livened up the elections, which were otherwise very dull to the average student.

“We all put in a huge effort and had a great time on the way, and I think Peter did exceptionally well given the circumstances.”

SU march for climate change The Students' Union is to march on the Dail next month demanding that a climate change bill be put through.

The demonstration will take place on April 13th and it is hoped that it will become a national student movement.

Deputy President of the Students' Union Dave Curran described it as “a demonstration and street theatre event." The march is to begin outside the Department of Environment, and proceed to Leinster House.

“We don't want to just do a typical protest, marching along with placards and getting angry and shouting things," said Curran, “We don't even want to use the word ‘protest'; that's kind of

Matthew Parkinson Bennett negative.

“We want to be really positive and really creative and fun.

Rather than have people just standing around listening to speeches, give them something to do. We want to have costumes and make a real visual impact."

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has shown an interest in getting involved in the movement and all political parties and TDs will be invited to attend also.

The main demand to be made is that a bill be proposed to the Dail that would provide for an end to the trade in carbon credits, and fulfillment of the commit-

ments made under the Kyoto agreement, which would involve a 3% cut in carbon emissions per year.

Curran explained that they see the practice of trading in carbon credits, by which the right to emit can be bought from other countries which emit less carbon than Ireland, as “basically just buying the right to pollute.

It's a way of getting out of taking responsibility for it and actually curbing emissions."

Ireland's failure to curb its carbon emissions has made it the third largest per capita emitor in the world. But Curran is optimistic that a public movement can succeed in getting the government to act, and thereby

inspire other countries to do the same.

“Putting politicians under pressure is actually really easy. I think there's very large potential to build something big," he explained.

“We're very lucky at the moment, given that it's an election year. Also given we're a small country, the people can have a disproportionate influence on the government. It's very easy to get a picture in the Irish Times, for example.

“Everybody is aware of climate change, but people don't know what they can do about it.

When people see that something is being done they will want to be involved."

NEWS

College Tribune 5th March 2007

3

SU budget shows a surplus The Students’ Union (SU) is on course to finish the year with a surplus of cash, according to its official budget, which the College Tribune has seen.

The projected figures declare that the SU has spent €887,450 this year and brought in a revenue of €908,750, and therefore producing a surplus of €21,300.

The figures are down on last year, when the SU finished the year with a surplus of €30,350, bringing in a revenue of €977,500 while spending €947,150.

The budget revealed that the SU has spent a significant amount of its money on entertainments (Ents) this year, with the amount expected to total €140,000, despite proposed cutbacks on the UCD Ball. This is compared to €125,00 last year.

SU President Dan Hayden explained, “It’s not costing more; we’re spending more. We’re doing more gigs and we

Colin Gleeson have more stuff on for students. I see ents as being a very important part of the Students’ Union.

“People pay their capitation fee not just for the Welfare Office and the Education Office but for cheap gigs and stuff as well. That’s part of what the Students’ Union is all about – bringing people together.

“We could make money from ents if we wanted to, but it would mean students paying much more from their gigs, and running stale nightclub events week after week. If you want to run it like a business, you could make money from it, but it’s more a service.”

The budget also highlighted an increase in the wages of the SU Sabbatical Officers since last year, with the total cost jumping from €88,000 last year to

Top Five SU Expenses €140,000

1.

Ents

2.

Staff Wage and Pension Costs €135,000

3.

USI Affiliation

4.

Sabbatical Officer Wage Costs €95,000

5.

University Observer Newspaper €67,000

€97,000

Expenditure: David Kitt plays the Freshers Ball, which cost the SU €10,000

€95,000 this year.

It stated that the SU collects the vast amount of its revenue from the capitation funds from students, tota€625,000. The next best Top Five SU Revenues ling source of revenue is the photo1. Capitation Funds €625,000 copying bureau, which is down since last year from €125,000 2. Photography Bureau €90,000 to €90,000 this year.

3. Ents €60,000 Hayden explained, “We’re 4. Bookshop €54,000 down in our revenue from the 5. Pool & Video €22,500 photocopying bureau, much of

which is down to that loss of the information bulletin from the college, which is now online instead of being printed.

“That was a pity because it was bringing money in and also providing a service for staff and students. Also, there are more notes up online now.”

Other expenses include €25,500 on Belfield FM, Fresher’s Week set the SU back €10,000, phone bills cost €22,500, while Sabbatical Officer expenses come to €3,500.

Hayden meanwhile has declared himself pleased with the SU’s financial position as the year draws to a close, “We’re in a strong financial position; there’s no danger. We’ve cut some costs in relevant areas as well and we’ll have some new revenues coming in from the DVD machines that are coming in later this year.

“We’ve brought some costs down as well. But some of our revenues are down and we need to expand on those.”

4 NEWS

College Tribune 5th March 2007

High drama expected in Queens The upcoming Irish Student Drama Association (ISDA) festival sees UCD Dramsoc aiming to emulate last year’s substantial awards haul when it begins next week in Belfast.

Hosted by Queen’s University, the ISDA 2007 programme will see 24 productions from third-level drama societies across the island of Ireland compete, with four plays from UCD Dramsoc representing the college.

Outgoing society auditor Sara Cregan claims that the “shows are of a very high standard and I think we have a good chance of success.

They’re all very different but they’re all solid shows.”

UCD will be represented by two original scripts, Darren Kelly’s ‘Hotel’ and Stephen Jones’ ‘A Certain Romance’, which will compete for the judges’ attentions for the Best Original Script award. ‘Zoo Story’, directed

by Daithí MacSuibhne, and ‘Fireraisers’, directed by Ciaran Dunphy occupy the other two UCD slots.

Emphasising the benefits of sending original scripts, Cregan added that the “feedback from the judges on how to improve and develop is very important.” Two years ago Dramsoc saw formidable success with Jesse Weaver’s original, ‘The Artist Needs A Wife’.

Jones, a previous ISDA winner with last year’s ‘The Homecoming’ by Harold Pinter, puts the advantage of an original script down to the judges “never seeing it before and maybe having less expectations. If you send a good original script you have a better shout at getting nominations.”

Nominations and awards have come relatively easily to UCD Dramsoc over the past three years, with ‘Hannah and Martin’ and ‘The Homecoming’ performing strongly at last year’s incarnation of ISDA in Cork,

Faulty speaker sets library ablaze

taking the Best Overall Production and Best Director award for the latter.

Ciaran Dunphy, a first-time direc- Continued from page one tor with ‘Fireraisers’, declared himself A speaker described as “well past its sell-by“very proud, it’s an honour to repre- date” was the cause of a fire in the library sent Dramsoc at ISDA in my final year last Wednesday night, which led to the working here. It’s a wonderful experi- evacuation of the library and the arts block. ence” and predicts that there will be Head of Buildings Aidan Grannell ex“good competition” for awards. plained afterward, “The library attendant Commenting on his confidence was taken to hospital as a precautionary in the play, Dunphy believes it “has measure to see he’d been injured from a fighting chance of doing well. It’s smoke inhalation. But he was fine; there not so much about competing as it were no difficulties. is about getting the play to a wider “Once it had been established that there audience.” was no danger, the fire doors were brought Disagreeing with this point was up and everybody was allowed back in to Stephen Jones, who stated that he is collect their belongings. Initially people were “aiming to go there and win, the four only allowed in to collect keys, but then that shows all have potential and I think changed and they were all allowed in to get we can rack up some nominations their stuff and then go home.

Evacuation: Studying students vacate the library while firemen investigates and hopefully some awards.”

“Anybody who went away under the asQueen’s, who are hosting the first sumption that they wouldn’t be allowed a few minutes but then they got up and “By the time I got down to the ground ISDA in Northern Ireland for over back in, their personal belongings were kept started to move.” floor, the smoke was already up to the roof, a decade – UCD last hosted it two safe at the library desk and were held there There are shutters at the base of the es- coming out of the back room in the shortyears ago – have “had a few glitches” for them to be collected the next day.” calators on the ground floor of the library in loan collection. We turned around, and it in their set-up, quipped Aoife Brady, There were some concerns from students order to cut off access, as use of the esca- was pretty much impossible to see into the UCD’s ISDA Representative. that bags and laptop computers had been lators is prohibited during a fire for safety short-loan collection because there was so However, she believes “by the week stolen after returning the next day to find reasons. The shutters did not however come much smoke. There was smoke just billowof the festival, things should fall into that belongings were not where they had down last Wednesday. ing out of that door.” place. It’s a great city as well and it been left the night before.

Grannell added, “There was some conGrannell explained, “They initiate when will be a good atmosphere with all But Grannell assured, “There were initial smoke gets into the stairwell. If you stand cern at the time that the system should the colleges travelling up.” Brady add- reports of things having been stolen, but at the bottom of the escalators and look up, have brought the shutters down, but it was ed she expects as many as sixty UCD it was just that people didn’t realise that you’ll see two smoke detectors. When the tested last Friday and it seems to be workstudents to make the journey. the library staff had collected belongings smoke hits those, that’s when the system ing fine.

On UCD’s chances of success, for safe-keeping. They expected their stuff kicks in.

“Smoke has to be in the stairwell before Brady thinks “they’ve all got good to be where they had left it. So, if anybody “So, the smoke hadn’t got as far as there. it’s closed off because people will normally chances. We’ve got some original has stuff missing, I would urge him or her to It had been detected earlier by the system. evacuate the way they would normally come scripts in there, an amazing set in contact the library desk.”

If the smoke had come out into the open in rather than head out fire escapes and ‘Fireraisers’, some wonderful acting One student who was in the library at the area, the system would have been initiated things like that.” across the board, I think we’ve really time described the scene afterwards, “I was and they would have come down.”

The Head of Buildings was also happy covered all our bases.”

The student who was in the library at the with how the evacuation was carried out, sitting on the second floor and the alarm With UCD Dramsoc’s shows begin- went off. Normally, if there’s a fire drill, the time however, explained, “As soon as the declaring, “From what I gather, everything ning on March 11th with ‘A Certain Ro- alarm goes off and someone comes over door on the second floor where we were went according to the drill. There were no mance’, the question of whether the the intercom and tells everyone that it’s a was opened, you could smell the smoke. It problems. Obviously any fire anywhere on society will live up to its recent his- drill and to evacuate. was in your face. We weren’t meant to go the campus is taken very seriously, but the tory at ISDA will soon be answered.

“But this time, it was a tape recording that down the escalators but did anyway and the systems worked well.”

Grannell concluded that, “It was a very lowas on a constant loop telling people to get smoke was then coming up the escalators Jack Cane out. Some people just sort of sat there for at that stage. calised fire and the damage was minor.”

Offer ends 31st March

Offer ends 31st March 07

NEWS

College Tribune 5th March 2007

5

College to split cost of lift The college has agreed to stump up €30,000 for a lift and a buzzer system to be installed in the Sports Centre.

The money will cover 50 percent of the cost of the installation, with the rest of the money coming from the capital fund, which is used for capital expenditure for clubs and societies in the college.

Initially, the Sports Department had made an application to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for the €60,000 required for the project, but this was rejected as a result of “insufficient funds.”

After the application was rejected, Students’ Union (SU) President Dan Hayden expressed his dismay regarding the fact that the money was now being sought via the capital fund, as “this isn’t in fact what the capital fund is for,” and declared that the college should intervene on the matter.

He declared last week, “The money in that fund is basically for clubs and societies and for the Students’ Union and it’s kind of cheeky of the Sports Department to be applying for that.

“We trumpet the fact that we’re the first college to have a wheelchair basketball team but the fact that we can’t provide access in the sports centre is atrocious.”

Vice President for Students Martin Butler and Hayden met with college authorities last week in order to attempt brokering a deal, and managed to secure half the cost of the project.

Colin Gleeson Hayden continued, “As an act of good faith, the Forum Executive have put forward €30,000. Because they want to see this happen and it has to happen.

“We basically went back and said that this wasn’t on. It’s a necessary basic requirement. So, they said they were prepared to pay for half it. It’s not ideal but it was good because there were members of the Forum Executive who had reservations about it, but said they’d do it because they wanted to see it happen.

“There’ll be a lift and a buzzer system installed to allow access to the second and third floor. There’s still no access to the reception floor but it’s pennies really in the grand scheme of things.

“There’ll be a buzzer system at the front of the building so people can buzz up to reception for the door to be opened and then they’ll have a key code or a video link and the door will be opened automatically.

“It’s about dignity really. You shouldn’t have to ring to get into a building. You should be equalising access. And the Sports Centre is notoriously bad accesswise. It’s up to the college to get the minimum standard up in terms of what we provide.

“The system being put in place is what Jean Daly (SU Disability Rights Officer) and the Disability Support Service is recommending. It’s the best way really. But there’s nothing luxurious about it,

You're able: Access to the sports centre will be vastly improved

it’s about acquiring the basic minimum standard.”

Speaking about the developments last week, SU Disability Rights Officer Jean Daly declared, “It’s great that’s it

finally come through, although it’s a pity that the students still have to pay half of it but at least it’s a step in the right direction.

“We’re delighted it’s come through

and it’s about time it has. But this is only the beginning. We’re having a public meeting on Thursday in the arts block where students can come along and we’ll discuss all the issues on the table,” she concluded.

6

Sabbatical Elections 07 Photography

President

Brian Sweeney

Onwards and upwards: Colfer elected President Outgoing SU Welfare Officer Barry Colfer has been elected president of next year’s Students’ Union by a huge margin, picking up 86 percent of the votes, with just fourteen percent opting to seek the re-opening of nominations.

Speaking triumphantly from the podium of the Astra Hall, Colfer was clearly overjoyed with his landslide victory.

“Thank you for helping me hammer RON (Re-Open Nominations),” he joked, “Running against RON has perhaps generated a great deal of cynicism but I really tried my best.

“This has been described as the great age of apathy, but it’s really wonderful to see these nine young people giving it socks. I know I’ve done this before but this is probably the second hardest thing I’ve ever done. I just want to really commend all the candidates for their hard work.”

In his rousing acceptance speech,

Caitrina Cody he emphasised that he wants to see a change in the atmosphere here in UCD. “In many ways I feel John Henry Newman would be turning in his grave. He described a holistic education but with the dawn of semesterisation and modularisation there is less people involved in everything.

“The challenge is trying to change the ethos in UCD. The Union needs to challenge the lack of respect that the administration shows to students. We need to be treated with respect. We are the next generation. For next year I say, lets give them hell.“ Colfer was passionate about the importance of the Students’ Union, “We are one of the biggest unions in this country and all the other unions look up to us.

This country has always punched above its weight, and together we have the

Colfer RON

14%

College Tribune 5th March 2007

86%

power to change things in this university and this country.”

He paid tribute to the past presidents of the Union and declared himself honoured to be counted among them. “This is a room full of history and I am so proud to be here.”

Afterward, Colfer was more subdued but also revelling in the achievement, “It was exhausting, emotional; it was spectacular and very enjoyable.

“I beat Ron by more than he’s ever been beaten before. I set myself a target of 70 percent before I started and anything below that would have been very disappointing to me. I’m really pleased to have beaten RON in such a manner.

It is so great that once a year the Students’ Union promotes itself in this way and that we get out there and challenge cynicism, because there’s a lot of cynicism out there.”

He highlighted his continued focus on his current office. “I’m delighted to have the experience finished so that I can get back to my welfare responsibilities.

I can’t wait for the year to come but I’m obviously also looking forward to the rest of my job this year as welfare officer.”

Regarding the hard work that’s in store, the Waterford man declared, “I have to hit the ground running. The issues in my manifestoes are issues that I’m very passionate about, there’s things there that I want to achieve, issues that I want to tackle.

“I’m going to enjoy the moment, but onwards and upwards, there are things to do. I’m here for another year and I’m delighted.”

Current Students’ Union President Dan Hayden was pleased with how the elections turned out in the end, “It’s great to see such a great turn out. It’s been the highest voting turnout of any SU election so far.”

Asked about his opinion on the winners of the race, Hayden was in a positive vein of form, “I know it’ll be a strong team next year and I’m very confident in the abilities of all the elected candidates.”

As a former Welfare Officer, Hayden stresses the importance of an experienced president. “It’s becoming a trend that the President is a second term officer. Barry will be a very strong president because Barry has experience; he had my full confidence as Welfare Officer last year and he’ll have my full confidence as President next year.”

Talking about the significance of this trend, Hayden maintained that it was a natural development, “I suppose that the office of president might be seen as less accessible, but personally I think its great that people are voting for experience.

“As a former Welfare Officer myself, I can say that there’s a big difference between welfare and the presidency. It’s not as fun a job. As Welfare Officer, you can have the first month in office before the students come back to learn the ropes.

As president however, you really have to get into it right from the start; if you’re not on the ball you can miss out.

“The officers who go through the experience and learn throughout the year as education and welfare officers are obviously more prepared for the responsibilities of the presidency.”

Sabbatical Elections 07

College Tribune 5th March 2007

Become the change you want to see Colin Gleeson observes that the Students’ Union Sabbatical Elections petered out with a whimper, but argues that nothing should be taken away from those with a vision Franklin Roosevelt once said that the only limits to our realisation of tomorrow are that of our doubts today. This is the concept of a vision.

Gandhi told us to become the change we want to see in the world. This is about those who have the capacity and the drive to fulfill those visions.

Cynicism aside, the Students’ Union Sabbatical Elections are about those people. They are about the people who get up and try to make a difference in something they believe in.

There was, however, a real decline in any atmosphere surrounding the elections this year. The Presidency was unopposed, which didn’t help the cause of generating the ambiance that surrounded last year’s ideological rivalry between candidates Dan Hayden and Enda Duffy.

The closing of polls on Wednesday evening at 9.45pm was about as rowdy as it got. The jaded faces and bloodshot eyes mirrored the fortnight the candidates had endured as they prowled through the arts block in search of prey that had yet to cast a vote.

The unfortunate few – most of which were evening students – were set-upon and led stumbling toward the polling booth. The battle cries – still shrill – to be heard echoing around them as they struggled through the mob.

The tension was palpable as Returning Officer Morgan Shelly prepared to announce that the polls were shut. There were premonitions of the day that was to follow as President Elect Barry Colfer was hoisted onto the shoulders of those who flanked him.

And then came the release. The air suddenly thick with the now useless manifestos that rained down on all around like confetti. The job now done.

Now came the waiting game.

On the Thursday morning of the count, the Astra Hall, last year’s theatre of war, was more like the graveyard where the fallen of some past battle had been laid to rest.

The hustle and bustle that people have become accustomed to in previous years had been muted. There were initially but a handful of people gathered as the ballot boxes were dumped upside down on the tables as those who were counting stretched their limbs and rubbed their eyes in anticipation of a hard day’s work.

As the hours rolled by, the trends began to take shape and the tears began to roll. The emotions on display seemed almost juxtaposed with the stale atmosphere that gripped the room in a hardy, lifeless vice. Talk of an anti-climax was played down by the fact that there had been very little build-up.

The whoops and cheers of the year before were little more than an echo for those who could remember them. The finishing lines were crossed in quick succession as all the races barring that of Education reached the required quota on the first count. It was all over before it began really.

By the end, the only thing the winners and the losers had in common was that the bar was calling. And as the chilling bite in the air outside the Students’ Centre began to niggle at the joints of those who stood huddled in small clusters of support, the lure of small comforts in the Centre Club became too much to continue post-mortems in the cold.

7

Rath

87%

Rath romps home Caitrina Cody In what was the most one-sided race in this year's Students' Union Sabbatical Elections, former SU Disability Rights Officer Vivian Rath was announced as incoming SU Welfare Officer, gaining a staggering eightyseven percent of the votes.

Rath comfortably overcame opponent and outgoing SU Women's Officer Carol Anne Rushe in what was widely expected to be a closely fought race. Cheers rang out across the Astra Hall as Rath made his acceptance speech.

“It's a real honour to win this. I had a super team behind me and I have no doubt that I wouldn't be standing here in front of you tonight if it hadn't been for them. So thanks to all of you for this."

He emphasised his respect for Rushe.

“I want to say thanks to Carol Anne for the great opposition that she was. We got on like a house on fire for the whole campaign.

There was never a crossed word between us, no animosity."

It was a moment of high emotion for the Welfare Officer elect as he called his brother Paddy Rath to the podium and embraced him. “I want to bring Paddy up here, because brothers like this help you through the worst of times, and of course the best of times."

Speaking afterward, the Wexford man was brimming with energy, “I'm delighted with the results. I'm absolutely wrecked and my voice is almost gone, but I'm delighted.

“I'm looking forward to the challenge of starting the new year as Welfare Officer.

Barry raised the bar this year and I hope to continue to do that and to work on all the issues that need to be addressed."

Asked about the election campaign, he was enthusiastic about his experience and the connections that he has forged with students.

“The most positive thing about running was that I was able to meet people and discuss the issues important to them. I found out that there are even more issues that are out there than I thought. People have so many ideas about how to tackle the issues and they've all been so helpful to me."

Outgoing Welfare Officer Barry Colfer was vehement in his support for both candidates throughout the race.

“It was a very well fought battle by two very strong, very electable candidates. I was surprised by the margin at which Viv (Rath) won. I think the fact that Viv has been here for four years may have stood to him; the fact that he knows the place very well and that he knows a lot of people everywhere because he lives on campus. He also had a very strong campaign team.

“In terms of the issues, it was clear that

Rushe

12%

RON

1% both Viv and Carol Anne (Rushe) had similar ideas about the office, they were campaigning on similar issues. They both mentioned STI screening in their manifestos and the night bus."

Regarding the prospect of working with the future Welfare Officer, Colfer was confident that there would be a strong relationship.

“I would have been happy to work with either of the candidates next year and both would have done good things for the office.

“Ultimately I'm happy with the people's choice. All the candidates had very strong character and they were well-fought elections."

Rushe spoke afterward about her election campaign. She was whole-hearted in her congratulations of her opponent and wished him well.

“He won by a landslide so fair play to him; he's going to do a great job. We kept such a good relationship between the two of us throughout the race."

Rushe was philosophical about the defeat also, “Its tough because I had my whole head focused on Welfare Office next year.

But it was such a life-changing experience, you really find out who your real friends are.

You gain confidence by getting up in front of people and by let the students know you're there for them.

“Even though I'm not elected I'm proud that students know that there's students out there that are willing to put themselves up for this, into the student union and into the public domain and work continuously throughout the year for them."

8

Sabbatical Elections 07

Entertainments

Photography

Let me entertain you Mark Canavan

Quinlivan

74%

Greene

15% RON

4% Non Transferable

7%

Business and Legal Society Auditor Stephen Quinlivan has won this year's race for Students' Union Entertainments Officer.

He defeated Irish and Greek & Roman student Laura Greene who was the other contestant for the post.

Quinlivan and Greene were the only two contestants left in the race after election authorities disqualified Peter Mallon. Quinlivan notched up 74 percent of the votes while Greene took fifteen percent. Four percent of voters asked for nominations to be re-opened while seven percent of votes from Peter Mallon were untransferable.

Quinlivan described himself as really chuffed at the results of the election. He attributed a great deal of his success to the experience he and his campaign team received from campaigning in the previous years race which Dave Redmond, who was defeated by Holly Irvine.

“We learnt a lot of things from last year. Last year we thought we had it in the bag but we were really complacent" he said. “While last year we thought everyone we knew was going to vote for us, we learnt afterwards that many of them hadn't even bothered voting. So this year we took no chances."

Both he and Greene commended one another for the manner in which each fought the election. In his acceptance speech, Quinlivan commended his opponent's “courageousness" and described how he had “the utmost respect" for Greene's decision to compete in the election.

Greene described how she expected it would be a “dog eat dog race but it really wasn't. I knew it would be tough but I didn't think it would be this tough. I always said I'd do it and now I've done it, I have no regrets," she added.

In his acceptance speech, Quinlivan took the opportunity to respond to what he perceived to be some peoples' concerns about his intentions for next year. “I want to reassure everyone that I will work for the whole college next year not just one faculty," he said.

Quinlivan also wanted to reassure students that “everything in my manifesto is do-able and I can guarantee that I am going to fulfill all my promises."

He added that “I have the year off this year and I am going to begin working right away, I don't have to wait. Everything will be in place for September and we will be really organised."

Brian Sweeney

College Tribune 5th March 2007

Sabbatical Elections 07

College Tribune 5th March 2007

9

Education

‘Delighted, overwhelmed, humbled' In what was the closest, and indeed the only close race of this year’s Students’ Union Sabbatical Elections, Business and Legal student Ronan Shanahan was elected Education Officer of next year’s Students’ Union.

The Dubliner edged out opponents Paul Lynam and John Regan, in what was the only race to contain more than two candidates.

Regan, an economics student, was the first candidate to be eliminated after the first count, and finished the day with 21 percent of the votes.

Shanahan was leading the polls from early morning however, and it was no surprise when he was elected Education Officer after the second count, dispatching this year’s Arts and Human Sciences Programme Officer Paul Lynam, who collected almost a third of the votes.

Shanahan, who was in buoyant mood after snapping up 43 percent of the poll, declared afterward that he was “Delighted, overwhelmed and humbled.”

The Education Officer elect delivered a collected speech at the Astra Hall last Thursday afternoon and declared his belief that “The Education Officer should be there for absolutely everybody, and that is at the top of my agenda.”

The Templeogue local thanked his campaign team in the speech and explained how they helped him through the difficult times he experienced throughout the campaign, “This has really been a tough campaign and I was actually on the verge of dropping out several times but only for

Colin Gleeson my friends who made me keep my head up.”

He declared afterward, “The other two guys are such fantastic people; it was a pleasure to lecture address and campaign alongside them. They’re lovely guys, definitely going to be two good friends of mine from now on. Definitely, by far the best-natured campaign I’ve ever seen in UCD. “I’m absolutely excited about the coming year. I can’t wait to start working. This is the one time of year when the profile of the union is raised. It’s really brought out to the students of UCD and they can see what it can do.

“You’ve seen today in the results room there; the type of support and movement you can muster when there’s a need to. It’s a really positive step to be moving the union out to the students, showing the fantastic work that’s already been done, and often goes unrecognised.”

The beaten candidates were emotional both on the podium as they delivered speeches to draw their campaigns to a close, and indeed afterward as they were left to reflect on what might have been.

Lynam afterwards spoke of his admiration for the other two candidates in the race, “Of course, I’m disappointed. But I’m very proud, very proud of the campaign team I had behind me.

“There was so much effort; it was phenomenal. I couldn’t believe it; some of the lads really dug deep. But Ronan (Shanahan)’s a lovely bloke and so is John (Regan) and I truly

Lynam

32%

Regan

21%

Shanahan

43%

RON

4% believe Ronan will do a great job; I know a lot of people say that but I truly believe it.

“I think we all know that there are some serious changes that have to be made with the issues that are out there. And we all agreed on those issues; it’s just how we tackled them is where we differed.

“And I think Ronan is a good guy and will be a great education officer.

Part-time fees for evening students and grants are issues that need to be tackled; these are issues that are vital for some people to stay in college.

Hopefully Ronan will keep his eye on the ball and we’ll see a better year next year.”

Regan played down the defeat afterwards, “Sure, that’s the way it

goes, it’s not a big deal really, and it was more about the experience than the winning and the losing.

“Ronan (Shanahan)’s a great guy; he was great the whole way through the campaign. In two weeks, I’d say we became best friends; we got on so well from the very beginning. I wouldn’t say I’m gutted but I am a little bit disappointed but that’s the way it goes you know.”

He also dismissed the prospect of running in the SU Elections for a second time, “I wouldn’t do the Students’ Union again; I said I wouldn’t.

I said I’d do it once and I said that to everyone.

“People thought I might run for president if I won this or something, but I never would have. If I got this

once, that would be it. I could be tempted to run for something else, but that would be years down the line. It’s far off my radar for a while anyway.”

Regan also rejected the Business and Legal factor in this race, declaring, “I would dispel the whole B&L thing, a lot of people think B&L have overthrown the Students’ Union but I wouldn’t think that at all.

“Especially in Ronan’s case, he didn’t get on the B&L machine to win the election and that is really commendable that he distanced himself from Viv (Rath) and Barry (Colfer) and those who were seen to be on the B&L machine and that’s really commendable. He fought the good fight,” he concluded.

Deputy President

Brennan breezes in Final year law student Ciara Brennan was elected Students’ Union Deputy-President for next year after receiving 82 percent of the total vote.

Brennan ran unopposed and revealed afterwards that she is “thrilled and honoured” to be taking up the post.

She highlighted concerns however over how legitimate her occupancy of the position will be perceived, considering that she was the only candidate running for the position.

However, she feels that despite what she described as cynicism on the part of some students, the quantity of votes she received gives her a strong mandate to fulfill this position.

“Obviously my biggest concern was that I wanted to prove to the electorate, that I desired the vicepresidency and I wanted the result to reflect campaigning efforts,” she added.

She revealed that initially she felt there was a sense of cynicism surrounding the campaign, owing to the fact that both she and Barry Colfer were the sole contestants for Deputy President and President respectively.

Colin Gleeson “That cynicism was shattered as any apathy didn’t materialise because the voters came out in big numbers and obviously they chose to vote for the candidates not RON (Re-Open Nominations)” she said.

It was initially expected that the Deputy Presidency was to be contested by both Brennan and outgoing Arts and Human Sciences Programme Officer Chris Bond.

However, Bond dropped out early on in his campaign. Brennan declared, “There will always be some cynicism. I feel people are frustrated that there were only two people going for the top positions but we couldn’t control that.”

Brennan acknowledged, “There was a genuine fear this year that there would not be a strong turnout.

People said that there has been an apathetic mood.”

However, she was impressed with the high turnout at the polls, which was up on last year’s election, and feels that this demonstrates that the student body cares about the elections. “You can be negative all you want but I feel that ultimately these results demonstrate that a majority

Brennan RON

18% of students genuinely do want the best and want to be active.”

The Kilkenny native feels that the high turnout furnishes the incoming SU officers with a strong democratic mandate, “This year we are going change things and really work for the students within a strong democratic union next year.”

82% She is also optimistic about working with the other officers, “The individuals who have been elected are fantastic vibrant energetic people who have no hidden agenda and want do their best.”

However, Brennan was keen to define what she considers the role of the SU should be. In her accept-

ance speech, she explained, “I want to make sure the Students’ Union is not hidden in the Students’ Centre and gets out there to deal with students on the ground.”

Brennan echoed similar sentiment with regard to her role after the count, “My primary focus is the students and I want to find out what matters to them. I think right now we are going with an agenda which doesn’t actually reflect the views of the wider populace of students.”

With regard to Students’ Union involvement in wider national issues, such as the Shell to Sea campaign, Brennan reiterated how she intended to adhere to her mandate, and promised that she “won’t take up any issues off my own bat, but will only follow the students wishes.

“If there is a wider national issue that students want us to be involved in, that affects them, then absolutely we should get involved but the thing about it is that at the moment we are only communicating with some students, not all of them. We have the resources, and I think we need to communicate with all the student body.”

OPINION Five big lies in Irish Politics With the general election fast approaching, Paul Dillon looks at five myths at the heart of Irish Political debate 1. Fine Gael is an opposition party

Why do we put up with the farce of pretending that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael represent something different? True, they emerged from different sides in the Civil War and have traditionally different stances on the North: Fianna Fail being “greener” than Fine Gael.

But the Civil War is too long gone to be an important factor in politics today and the Good Friday Agreement has settled the question of the North in the most comprehensible way possible.

On their approach to all the major issues of the day, you could not put a cigarette paper between the positions of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. In the context of the European parliament, both parties MEPs sit in groups representing right wing parties, though FFs, being composed of some of Europe s nastiest far-right elements, is slightly more sinister.

2. The mass media is fair and impartial

Of all our five myths, this one is the one most heavily promoted. This is because the big media players need to promote it relentlessly in order to preserve legitimacy.

The O’Reilly media is the dominant force in Ireland. But the O’Reilly media empire stretches into every corner of the Irish economy from telecommunications to energy production, property to road building. Why on earth would any O’Reilly media organ promote policies that interfere with the interests of the O’Reilly companies?

There are other factors influencing how the mass media structures a world view that rigidly promotes a doctrine that supports a particular presentation of politics. Chief amongst these is the reliance on advertising from major companies to generate major profits.

3. The people are apathetic

Students Union leaders who are reluctant to organise activities that might lead to a clash with the college authorities use the existence of supposed apathy not to organise campaigning initiatives.

The laws that govern society are stacked against people becoming active in a way that will challenge the dominant interests of society.

For example, it is almost impossible to go on strike in Ireland and laws against dismissal for trade union activity are notoriously weak.

If you wish to promote a demonstration in Dublin city center, you will find the posters you put up will be promptly ripped down by order of Dublin City Council.

Is it surprising that people view many politicians with cynicism? There is a great reluctance to deal honestly with political questions, as politicians rush to ensure people of the legitimacy of democratic institutionssuch as local authorities-which are dominated by city/council managers and not elected representatives.

4. The only way to change things is to get into government.

This argument will be tirelessly promoted in the run up to the General Election in order to encourage leftist parties to enter government with centre right forces and undermine support for candidates who are not likely to form part of the next government.

It is a claim that has little basis historically. Many of the great democratic rights were not won in parliament but won by people campaigning on the ground.

The most obvious example is the right to vote itself. In the present day, the limited number of parliamentarians who make themselves available to assist grassroots campaigns are an invaluable resource.

5. Politics is all about who can best manage the system

The politics of managerialism look likely to dominate the in the run up to the general election.

But there is a great need for genuine analysis of economic issues in particular. There are billions worth of oil and gas off the west coast of Ireland. These billions are available to the state for public spending. Norway nationalised its natural resources in the 1960s and is now the only European country not facing a pensions crisis. Similar resources here are being giving away for a song. There is not a word about this in the mainstream political debate, where the “free” market rules ok and an alternative approach isn t even given the space to be raised.

Paul Dillon is a former president of the SU

My northside Damascus Eoin Mac Aodha was a cynic. He didn’t believe in nationalism. He has however been converted and now tells us why The College Tribune is not in the business of letting its columnists write in the first person.

After all we’re only college students and have yet to reach the grandiose heights that allow one to write ‘I’. In this case it’s going to make an exception.

On the 24th of February 2007, remember this date, I was converted.

Beforehand I was a sinner at the altar of Irish nationalism. Declaring simply that I didn’t believe in it. That all nationalism is a social construct made to fool us into some form of collective identity with our fellow citizens.

Nationalism is inherently racist as it presupposes the greatness of one ‘nation’ at the expense of all others. This can take a relatively benign form in the case of Ireland or a virulent form in cases such as Milosevic’s Yugoslavia, Hitler’s Germany or Pol Pot’s Cambodia.

Even traditional Irish nationalism is pregnant with anger at Britain. Our nationhood is seen through the prism of English oppression.

It is rejectionist in nature and it concentrates on external matters rather than our own innate nationalism.

As a teenager I felt the anguish of Pearce, Connolly and Collins and felt proud of their sacrifices. Naively I felt Sinn Fein were carrying on that proud tradition.

As a college student however, I came to fundamentally reject the hi-jacking of Irish nationalism by Sinn Fein and the IRA. Their nationalism, to me, is not nationalism. It is a rejection of the status quo, it is a difference in political ideology but it has nothing to do with innate nationalism. Nothing to do with what it means to be Irish.

Thus I was left with an almost self-loathing rejection of my nationhood. Why did I have to hate England to be a good Irish man? I liked English people, I have cousins, like many Irish people, who are English. I like English football and I watch English TV, I’ve even been known to buy English newspapers. How could I pretend to be a good Irishman with these sins monkeying along on my back?

Diametrically opposed to these sham patriots are the ‘fior Gaels’ with Gaelgie liofa, who’s kids attend all-Irish schools, play GAA

and attend Irish dancing classes. It would be hard to suggest that those people don’t feel ‘Irish’ but what about the rest of us. Are we just a mongrel anglo-saxon with a hint of Americanisation.

Hopefully the reader can see that my nationalism was between the rock of the fiorGael and the hard place of anti-Englishness.

That all changed however, on the 24th of February 2007, the day England came to Croke Park.

Republican Sinn Fein, led by Rory O’Bradaigh, had led a peaceful protest outside the ground (rather than the natural history museum where they belong with the rest of the dinosaurs).

During the week, as J.J Barrett removed his medals from the GAA museum I began to develop a queasy feeling about the whole affair.

Did nobody remember the ‘Love Ulster’ parade?

Traffic on the way was unusually heavy and security noticeably tighter.

The mood inside the stadium was expectant with Hill 16 full a good half hour before kick-off.

And then the English team entered, not to quite a rapturous applause but its nearest cousin.

The tension mounted further as with echoes of 1973, when during the height of the troubles England were the only team who’d play in Dublin, the Irish team waited for the buzz of England’s reception to wear off amid cries of ‘Ireland, Ireland’.

When they saw fit to enter, the stadium erupted as if the English team were that quiet stranger you got lumbered with at a party and the Irish team were your mates saving you from more awkward small-talk. We didn’t trust ourselves to be alone with the English team, worried about what we might say.

The tension mounted further as Mary McAleese greeted the players. This wasn’t what we were here for.

The crowd, all standing, expectant. Mary took her time to get to her seat stopping off for a warm embrace and a cheeky kiss with Bertie Ahern as catcalls lightened the mood.

And there it was. God Save the Queen.

In Croke Park, facing the stand named after Michael Hogan, the Tipperary player killed by the Black and Tans in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday.

No boos or whistles. And it was over and suddenly every Irishman knew the words to Amhran Na Bhfiann as it echoed out across the stadium.

And as we sang Irelands Call it suddenly struck me that I was comfortable with my nationalism. I suddenly realised that Irish nationalism doesn’t have to be rejectionist but that it can be progressive. In the time it took for the national anthems to be sung at Croke Park I had figured out an existential crisis that had haunted me for years.

It felt great to be Irish. To be part of a collective, able to forget history and act with decorum and respect. This was the Ireland I wanted to be part of, the one with eyes to the possibilities of the future. The one that was self confident and not based on a negativity and rejectionism.

It transpired that I wasn’t the only one to feel this way, even Vincent Browne writing in the Irish Times was proud of his countrymen.

The point now is that we can build on Saturday the 24th of February 2007. We can use it to see our nation in a positive and inclusive light, to portray a confident, open and progressive image of Ireland.

This new found confidence can help us deal with the challenges like the integration of our immigrant communities pose. Perhaps if we’re truly confident in our own skin we’ll be more open.

We’re at a unique point in the development of the Irish nation. There’s peace on the Island as a whole and we have yet to be blighted by the sort of ghettoisation of our immigrants that has befallen other western democracies.

While the rest of the world marvels at our economic brilliance we have a chance to develop social brilliance.

Hopefully the events of the 24th of February 2007 have set us on the right road.

Eoin Mac Aodha holds a MA in International Relations and is a former editor of the College Tribune

EDITORIAL 11

College Tribune 5th March 2007

LETTERS Box 74, Student Centre & LG 18, Newman Building, Dublin 4 Telephone: 01 - 7168501 E-mail: tribune@campus.ie The College Tribune reserves the right to edit all letters. The views expressed on this page are the views of the letter writers and do not reflect the views of the College Tribune.

Contraception Dear Sir,

I just want to clarify a few things in Zoe Faulder’s articled on STD screening and contraception, particularly on contraception.

The pill is 99 percent effective but this does not mean you’ve a one percent chance of conceiving everytime you have sex. Rather it means that one woman in 100 on the pill will become pregnant in one year. A subtle difference often not explained.

The pill is safe, reliable and reversible. It can cause some adverse effects as noted but modern pills cause less of these and less severely. Often switching brands can alleviate these.

Further, the pill has added health benefits such as relief of PMS and decreased cancer risk in some patients.

One particular brand, Dianette, helps treat acne. The benefits outweigh the risks, certainly for most women under 35 years old.

For women unsuitable to the pill (those with high blood pressure, diabetes etc) an alternative pill (the mini-pill) is available.

The pill is free to those with a medical card. For those paying privately for the medicine I would dispute the ‘high cost’ - most pills cost about fifteen euro or less a month and a prescription can give up to six months supply. The pill is just as available as condoms - one trip to most pharmacies in six months is not for most people a major inconvenience.

Alternatives exist to the pill that Ms. Zaulder did not point out. These include an injectable hormone (Lasts three months), an implant (Lasts three years), a patch (Three patches each week and fourth week free), a vaginal ring containing hormones (Inserted three weeks out of every four), and the IUD that lasts about five years but is not generally recommended for younger women.

There is a method to suit everyone and a once off trip to a family planning clinic or your GP (who are very professional and deal with this everyday) will find the one that suits you.

If women are sexually active, these modern pharmaceutical methods will help reduce incidence of unwanted pregnancy and should be considered.

But they don’t stop sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) - screening and condoms are the best measures for these. Condoms are 97 percent effective with regards to contraception with the female condom slightly less so due to problems on insertion.

The barrier effect stops disease transmissible in fluids between partners like Chlamydia and HIV. If you are sexually active, you need to take precautions for your health and your partners. Clearing up these infections are harder then preventing them.

Regards, Barry McDermott Pharmacist & 3rd Vet

got a

CREATIVE

park? s - then join us.

The College Tribune is seeking new design editors. Experience of Adobe Indesign or Quark Xpress useful, but not required. tribune@campus.ie, 7168501, or drop into our office: LG 18, Arts Block

Editorial

Disability Access

T

he college’s decision to cover half the cost of the installment of a lift and buzzer system in the Sports Centre by allocating 30,000 euro is a victory for the students of this college.

The decision must be seen as the first step on a long journey however. Those unhappy that the Capital Fund must foot the rest of the bill for this development have every right to be. Nevertheless, the decision marks a step in the right direction.

The Sports Centre has been the hub of the inequality that exists in this college for people carrying a disability. The building is one of the oldest on campus, and as a result, it is not a straightforward transition to make from inaccessible to accessible. But this move will go a long way to ensuring that there is equal opportunity for all in the Sports Centre and that those carrying a disability will be allowed to maintain a level of dignity as they make their way around campus.

This newspaper has this year documented in detail the many hazards that exist on this campus for those in wheelchairs, and it is imperative that the line be drawn here.

The money being put forward is very little, relative to the budget of this college. It would be seen as a major coup for students, if this deal could be seen as a precedent for what’s to come from college authorities with regard to this issue.

The Students’ Union has done marvelous work with regard to this issue in recent months and it is necessary that the good work and interaction between themselves and the college continues, in order to ensure that UCD can mirror, in a practical sense, the pride it has displayed in being the first college to have a wheelchair basketball team.

SU Sabbatical Elections

T

he future of the Students’ Union looks bright at the moment. Admittedly, last weeks elections were probably the most boring in the history of the SU as a result of a lack of candidates running, nevertheless, the team that is now in place looks very strong.

Outgoing Welfare Officer Barry Colfer has the experience, the drive and the necessary attitude to make the union better than it has been for quite some time. His policy of promotion for the union will bring the SU back to the students, and such is a fundamental issue at this point in time.

The race for Welfare Vice President was possibly considered the most difficult to call during the build-up to the elections, and the margin by which Vivian Rath won the election will have shocked most people.

Both candidates were very capable, but there can be no doubt that Rath’s approachability gives him the potential to be one of the greatest Welfare Officers of recent times.

Next year’s Education Officer Ronan Shanahan appears to be very capable, and the manner in which the race for the Education Office was conducted was refreshing, with three amicable men in the running. It bodes well.

The race for Entertainments Vice President was the only one where any hint of hostilities seemed to creep in, but such is perhaps to be expected when emotions are riding so high. Stephen Quinlivan has proven himself to be capable of the job after his year at the helm of the Business and Legal Society this year.

Laura Greene was unfortunate to find herself up against what was, in the end, overwhelming support for one of the most successful societies in the college.

Next year’s Deputy President will be Ciara Brennan and she seems eager and driven; characteristics that are integral to the role of Deputy President; and it seems clear that she too is capable of carrying on the good work of her predecessor next year.

12 FEATURES

College Tribune 5th March 2007

‘A new form our world'

Barra O F ‘Bloody H harvesting

“I was kidnapped, while with some of my because they don’t believe in violence. fellow Falun Gong practitioners, by secret “But simply that people would cease to police who sent me to a labor camp for believe in Communism by believing in Fafourteen months. I was subjected to vari- lun Gong. That the party’s hold on power ous tortures including sleep deprivation, would rock from within. And that seems to beatings, squatting, and use of electric be what led to all this repression.” animal prods.”

It is undeniable that there has been a These are the words of former Trinity systematic attempt by the Chinese govCollege student and Chinese born Ming ernment to eradicate this practice in their Zho, now an Irish citizen. Despite the per- country. As a consequence, those who secution of the Falun Gong by the Chinese refuse to cease the practice have had their Communist Party since 1999, allegations of human rights violated on a massive scale. the harvesting of its practitioners’ organs Now, put bluntly, they are being killed so only began to make their way out of China that their organs can be sold to people in February of last year. Zho describes the from the West who come to China in need practice as “A new form of evil in our world. of them.

Every human being has a responsibility to Matas explained how this international help stop it.” market for organs works. “What you’ve got Canadian human rights lawyer David Ma- is a market where there is supply and detas explains, “There is organ harvesting of mand: the suppliers are the Falun gong pracFalun Gong practitioners in China. It’s hap- titioners, unwillingly; the demand is largely pening on a large scale, and innocent peo- from abroad. So, you can trace what’s happle are being killed.” pening from both ends. What’s happening Matas was commissioned, along with with the practitioners is that they are arformer Canadian secretary of state for the rested, they are then systematically blood Asia-Pacific region, David Kilgour, to investi- and organ tested to see about compatibility gate the recent allegations by a Washing- for the purposes of organ transplant.” ton-based, non-governmental organisation.

Matas explained why some arrested pracThese were two independent, widely re- titioners, like former Trinity College student spected, and unpaid individuals.

Ming Zho, are released and disappear in the One might expect, given the Chinese system. It would appear that the distinction government’s apparent intention to eradi- is that some detainees are willing to admit cate them, that the Falun Gong would be their identity to the authorities, while othsome form of political movement seeking ers are not. According to Matas, it is the to rise to power. That is not the case: this latter group that supplies the organs for the is a movement based around five sets of wealthy Westerners, and lose their lives in meditation exercises, and despite some so doing. controversial elements, they couldn’t have “The self-identified as far as we can tell been seen as a direct threat to the Com- will eventually get released and sent back munist Party’s regime. home. They are tortured, and some of them Matas explains, “They’re not revolution- are killed through the torture, they don’t all ary, they’re not political, they don’t even use get released, but even if they are killed, we violence in self-defence. So superficially, can trace these cases. But we know from the persecution, which China imposes on the people who get out that there are largFalun Gong, is strange, perverse and hard er numbers who don’t self-identify. to understand, and indeed originally the “They don’t self-identify because they’re Chinese communist party encouraged the trying to protect their family and friends Falun Gong, as it was good for people’s from persecution. But once they don’t, as health. There were people in the party it- far as we can tell, they’re doomed. We’ve self, even among its leadership that where never found, even though they’re much Falun Gong practitioners. greater numbers than the self-identified, “It appears that what happened is that a non-self-identified survivor. So, we have the very popularity of Falun Gong was it’s this huge number of people who just disap- may be told there was consent but they’re own undoing, because at some point it be- pear in the system and as far as we can never shown evidence of it. came more numerous than the communist tell, they become organ fodder. So that’s “Secondly, everything happens very party. The estimated number of practition- the supply.” quickly, waiting times are days or weeks, ers was 70 to 100 million, at a time when Matas explained that would-be custom- whereas domestically they could be years. membership of the communist party was ers can go on the Internet and “contact What happens is that these customers go at 60 million. brokers, and there’s brokers in a lot of coun- over, they get some blood tested, and a “Another thing is that they are obviFalun Gong practitioner with suitously not Communist. It’s an ideology able organs is killed. Then the af“They're not that differs from Communism. of the customer is done revolutionary, they're ter-care “They were organised, mobilised, in the home country. We have committed, and indignant about not political, they don't doctors telling us that they have patients who’ve come from China their own persecution. What happened is that there was some minor even use violence in self- and have basically told them that level repression in one of the regions defence. So superficially, they have done this.”

Matas’ report suggests that in China that led a number of Falun the persecution, which there is heavy military involvement Gong practitioners to come to Beijing in this practice, and indeed many to the Communist party headquarters China imposes on Falun of the hospitals in which they take to object.

“Jiang Zemin (then head of the Gong, is strange, perverse place are military ones. In fact, the Chinese Communist party) saw their and hard to understand" money raised, as well as creating some very wealthy surgeons, may numbers, saw their discipline, saw their commitment, saw their intensity and tries. I don’t know if there is one in Ireland be used to purchase arms.

What is unclear however, is whether this but there is at least one in Canada. basically got very frightened.

“The customers tell us two things. One practice is sanctioned by the Central of the “He saw them as an ideological threat to the continuation of the Communist party. is that it’s run like an under-cover crime. Communist Party, or just how high up in Not that they where going to win power Very often they don’t know the name of the organisation the authorisation of the through the ballot box, because there is no the doctor, they’re not told the time of the practice goes.

However, as Matas explains, “The perseballot box. Or even that they where going to operation until the last minute, they’re not oust the Communist party through violence allowed bring people with them, and they cution of the Falun Gong was dictated by

the Central Committee of the Communist Party. We’ve got Jiang Zemin himself, in his own words, advocating the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. We’ve got the 6/10 order, so called because it was set up on June sixth, which is specifically aimed at the persecution of the Falun

"People would cease to believe in Communism by believing in Falun Gong. That the party's hold on power would rock from within.

And that seems to be what led to all this repression" Gong. That exists throughout China, and worldwide.

“Even the Chinese embassy in Ireland is circulating anti-Falun Gong material, so it is at the highest level and the whole apparatus of the Chinese government is involved in it.

Now when it comes to this particular form of persecution, organ harvesting, which is

FEATURES 13

College Tribune 5th March 2007

of evil in

Fianail speaks to David Matas, co-author of arvest’, a report into the allegations of organ g of Falun Gong practitioners in China

plant ethics, and through shutting-down brokers and breaking-down contact with the relevant people in China.”

This newspaper has focused on the human rights abuses taking place in China in a number of articles this year, as it is the most striking instance of widespread and systematic abuse of human rights in our world today. China’s emergence and continuing development as a major power makes the issue ever more critical.

That China could become the world’s next major superpower is a very real possibility, if not an inevitability.

We thus face a posi-

an under-cover crime, we don’t have any directives, we don’t have anybody saying this should happen. All we can see is that it is happening. But exactly who ordered it or who’s at the top of the chain of command, I couldn’t tell you that.”

Ultimately, it is enough that the government is aware of the allegations and failed to act. Matas’ report has been treated with respect almost universally, and after it was raised in the Dail, Matas addressed our sub-committee on human rights.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs’ statement that he “takes very seriously the allegations relating to the live harvesting of organs from Falun Gong practitioners.” It may not result in the radical action such an inhumane practice warrants, but it has to be taken as a step in the right direction.

And the response of the Chinese government has been ”that it’s not happening, it’s all nonsense and that the Falun Gong are an evil cult,” according to Matas. But he remains hopeful and feels things have improved and that

there are things we can do to improve them further.

“You can see that over time there has been a lot of changes in China. So I wouldn’t say that China is a lost cause or take it as a given that they are going to violate human rights and there is

logue. Whenever business people are in contact with China, they should raise the issue of human rights. The Olympics (Beijing 2008) should be an event to precipitate concern, and governments should raise it bi-laterally whenever they’re dealing with China and in whatever context.

“Demand for organs is largely from abroad, and we can impact on that demand without necessarily changing the behaviour of China through travel advisories, through extra-territorial legislation, through stopping funding for these after-care services, through developing trans-

"So I wouldn't say that China is a lost cause or take it as a given that they are going to violate human rights and there is nothing we can do about it. With every violating regime, pressure works" nothing we can do about it. I don’t really believe that, I think that with every violating regime, pressure works. But it has to be consistent, persistent, and coming from many different sources.

“I think what we have to do is raise it in different forums and not just leave it as some China-EU human rights dia-

tion where all the progress our species has made toward the development of human rights, which all mankind have as a birthright, could be fatally undermined by the world’s leading nation.

One would do well to find a more striking illustration of this than the practice of organ harvesting.

More than anything that has come before it, the development of human rights has allowed us to hold ourselves to be in some way unique, to earn the dominance which evolution has given us over this planet. It is this right, and not just the lives of Falun Gong practitioners, that is threatened by China’s inhumane treatment of its citizens.

14 FEATURES

College Tribune 5th March 2007

Feathered fears Susan Cahill investigates the threat of Bird Flu to Irish birds… and people “It is only a matter of time before it arrives in Ireland - it hasn’t gone away in the past ten years, and sometime in the future, some bird will bring it into the country,” declares Dr. Patrick Wall, Associate Professor of Public Health in UCD and Chairman of the European Food Safety Authority.

Relatively unknown globally until the outbreak in Asia in 2005; the hype surrounding the Bird Flu virus continues.

Ominously, Bird Flu has reached the shores of our British neighbours and if all the hype is to be believed; it is a matter of when and not if it arrives on this fair isle.

Bird Flu is the name commonly given to Avian Influenza. It is a contagious disease caused by a member of a large group of influenza viruses that infect mainly birds.

Wall explained, “This particular strain of the virus, H5N1, was first identified in China in 1996 and to date has infected 275 people, of whom 165 have died.”

And while the risk of catching bird flu is relatively low, when infected the mortality rate is over 61 percent.

Countries affected range from Cambodia to Egypt, to Indonesia and Thailand - the question is where next?

The bird flu virus is in the most part spread between countries by wild birds, some of which carry the virus without showing symptoms. Wall points out that, “With global warming, birds are now migrating to countries where they previously did not visit and at times of the year different from heretofore. This is the most likely route via which the virus could arrive in Ireland.

“It could easily be transmitted from wild birds to free range hens or wild birds could contaminate lakes from where water is drawn for poultry that are intensively reared indoors. The infectious dose for a bird is low and once a domestic bird is infected the virus will rapidly spread to others if they are sharing the same airspace.”

If this disease hits Ireland, there will be worrying consequences. Any bird infected is likely to die within 48 hours, and there is a risk of this disease mutating into other forms that could prove potentially fatal to public health.

“The first big fear is that the virus would mutate to be more transmissible to humans and develop the ability to spread easily from human to human.

This hasn’t happened over the past ten years,” said Wall.

He continued, “The second big fear is that a person suffering from a human flu virus would contract the bird flu virus and the two viruses would get together in the person’s cells and produce an offspring with the virulence of the bird flu virus and the ability to transmit from human to human from the human virus.

The geneticists call this “re-assortment” where viruses exchange genetic material. But this hasn’t happened in the ten years the virus has been around”.

The outbreak among turkeys in Suffolk in England earlier this year is extremely worrying for Irish people. The Bernard Matthews farm was forced to kill approximately 160,000 birds in order to stop the virus from spreading. However, this serious detection was not reported to the authorities until days later.

The Bernard Matthew’s site was supposedly “bio-secure”. The plant also has a site in Hungary where outbreaks of Bird Flu had occurred; hence, allegations that the company has been illegally importing infected animals. Can we be sure that our farms are 100 percent safe? Can we be sure that the same underhand dealings are not prevalent in the Irish market?

We all saw and remember the devastation that followed the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, and for people within the agriculture industry this is a time of much anguish.

In 2000, an influenza pandemic expert group was set up based on the

recommendations of the World Health Organisation. Basically, it is a contingency plan put in place in the event of a pandemic of any kind.

Nobody knows exactly where, when or what that pandemic will be, but the simple fact is there has been a human pandemic three times in the last century and in all likelihood it is going to happen again. Predictions of death rates in a global pandemic range up to half of the world’s population.

In a press release by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Minister Mary Coughlan confirmed that the Management Committee of her Department’s National Disease Control Centre met to review the most up-to-date information available from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in London in relation to the Suffolk outbreak.

Following a meeting in her Department and consultation with UK and Northern Ireland authorities, the minister decided to impose a ban on the movement of birds from Great Britain for gatherings and shows in Ireland.

The ban, which is purely precautionary, will not include poultry travelling from Northern Ireland. The Minister

has also said that her officials were in daily contact with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the issue on the island.

Wall outlines the strategy in place by the Department of Agriculture, “They have an aggressive control strategy if a domestic flock is identified as positive – The farms will be quarantined and all the birds slaughtered to prevent the virus multiplying in living cells, and to prevent spread to other birds and flocks.”

This aggressive approach to disease control was seen in 2001 when they successfully tackled Foot and Mouth disease, a disease that does not infect humans. Wall explains, “Because of the affect posed to trade, the country was immobilised - the same thing is not seen with the Winter Vomiting Bug or MRSA.” “Because of the economic threat with Foot and Mouth, essentially the country was shut down It should also be the same for human diseases,” he claims.

“The Department of Agriculture is well geared up and has actually practiced culls”, he says. “They have contingency plans to protect the birds but also the workers involved.

“They would be given special respirators and tamiflu (the antiviral drug).

Basically, they have certain teams in parts of the country “match fit” in anticipation of this happening.”

Wall is quick to point out, “Most of the people who have died have been in contact with live ill birds. The virus replicates only in living cells and these sick birds shed vast numbers of viral particles. As this is a virus adapted for birds it only takes a few viral particles to infect a bird, but the infectious dose for a human is massive.

“Unfortunately, the people who have fallen ill are poor people in Asia who live in close proximity with their chickens, often under the same roof. The virus is a respiratory virus so transmission is primarily via inhalation.”

He bluntly states, “One has to put this disease in perspective: 164 deaths in ten years. In Ireland more than this will be killed on the roads in six months.”

Of course, the Health Service Executive cannot adopt the same aggressive approach to disease eradication when it comes to the human infectious diseases such as MRSA and the Winter Vomiting Bug. Wall clarifies, “The Department of Health are not involved in a bird flu issue. Yes they have a contingency plan in place for Armageddon and a human flu epidemic but the fact that bird flu doesn’t pose a real threat to humans, means it’s not really their problem.”

Wall skeptically concludes, “Behavioural psychologists talk about a phenomena called probability neglect where we worry about things that might have a catastrophic outcome but a low probability of occurrence and ignore things that definitely will happen.

“For example, people consuming food high in salt, sugars and saturated fats, which will definitely damage their health; while they are worrying about bird flu, BSE or bio-terrorism”.

FEATURES 15

College Tribune 5th March 2007

Drugs, gas and guns Treasa De Loughry exposes the devastating influence of Burma’s military government, and the passive stance of the onlooking international community

Free elections have been held in most corrupt countries in the world, and the South East Asian state of Bur- providing energy to a burgeoning opium ma for the first time in almost 30 industry. Montaut remarks, “Last year’s years. A victory for the National transparency international report found League for democracy precipitated the Burmese regime to be the second a bloody military coup d’état, and most corrupt in the entire world, and the reinstatement of the previ- only Haiti was worse.”

Burma is the second largest producer ous government of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). of opium in the world. This generates a Since then, the tyrannical regime has large amount of money for the regime remained in power, forming trade and its supporters, and has increased links with neighbouring countries China’s involvement in the country. such as China and India, and viciously For local tea producers, opium prorepressing all opposition from pro-De- duction has replaced the tea fields mocracy activists. and encouraged dramatic increases in “We have had recent reports, particu- human trafficking, opium and heroin larly over the last two years, which sug- addiction, and the spread of HIV and gest that forms of ethnic cleansing are AIDs. being used by the regime against ethnic The growth of opium is a relatively minorities. Since 1988 the regime has new phenomenon in Burma, and can been very oppressive and very violent,” be linked to the junta’s regime. Over said Dr Mary Montaut, Co-ordinator of the past four decades as inflation grew, Burma Action Ireland, and Lecturer in the price of tea remained low, becomthe Women’s Education, Resource and ing increasingly worthless. Farmers beResearch Centre (WERRC) in UCD, of came desperate to earn more income, the Burmese military dictatorship or as entire crops barely made enough ‘junta’. money to sustain their families.

Burma, with a population today of To quieten the unrest, the governover 50 million, has been under the ment allowed pro-militia guerrilla control of a military junta since 1962, groups in the Shan region to generate with reports of torture, imprisonment income for themselves however they of student protestors, forced labour, re- wished. In a bid to make money quickly, ligious persecution, and corruption reg- natural resources began to be openly ularly reaching the West. So why has exploited, with proliferating trades in the international community been so logging, mining, and opium production. reluctant to take any serious action?

With China investing in Burma, There is an increasing awareness of and smuggling and money laundering Burma as a military threat. The United flourishing on the Burma-China border, States Burmese Act of 2003 has placed opium licenses were also given to Chifood sanctions, an import ban, and an nese entrepreneurs loyal to the military arms embargo on the state. junta.

The European Union has developed a Local farmers began working as similar policy of sanctions, but Montaut wage labourers on opium fields owned notes that, “The European community by Chinese businessmen, or began to is actually very divided on this particu- grow opium themselves. With wages lar issue.” Some countries insist on as- increasingly being paid in the form of serting their right to trade with Burma, drugs, many farmers facing a desolate while others, Ireland included, refuse to future became addicted. trade with the junta.

Reports from the Palaung WomThe Association of South East Asian en’s Organisation (PWO) operating in Nations (ASEAN) has declared a policy the Shan State, detail how husbands of “constructive engagement,” and have sold family possessions, left en“non-interference in the internal affairs tire families dependent on the meagre of a member state,” but some member wage generated by the women work- man rights abuses, and compulsory Inflation has pushed the price of the SPDC’s censorship rules. states still assert their right to main- ing on tea fields, and in some cases, relocations. Eventually, public pressure electricity too high for most Burmese Journalists are often imprisoned, tain trade links. succumbed to selling daughters to the and court cases pressurised French, civilians, and it is very scarce. Much of while underground press activity has Burma’s natural resources have pro- Chinese human trafficking market as British, and American companies such Burma is relying on infrastructure left died-off due to the torture, imprisontected the regime from external inter- prostitutes or wives. as Total, Premier Oil, and Unocal out of by the British during their occupation, ment, murder, and exile perpetrated ference. Burma is a land rich in oil, gas, Rehabilitation centres were being the project. against many student activists in the which ended in 1948. gems, and teak. Emerging superpowers run by a local resistance group, but But thanks to the millions of dollars Arakan’s capital city of Site-tway, past.

China and India have an insatiable ap- were shut down following the SPDC’s that have since been generated by the with a population of 150,000 people, Members of the National League for petite for oil and gas. disarmament of the group.

Yadana and Yetagun pipelines, the jun- is relying on six diesel generators from Democracy (NLD), which was voted The junta’s use of ‘resource ta has been able to buy arms into power in 1990, have been vicdiplomacy’ means that it can from Russia, Israel, North Korea tims of human rights abuses, in"We have had recent and Pakistan.

"We cannot give barter with its neighbours, alcluding Aung San Suu Kyi, the most reports which suggest up hope, we simply prominent figurehead of Burma’s lowing them to invest in BurThe new Shwe gas project, ma’s natural resources in exwith expected revenue of at cannot do it. In spite of fight for democracy, who has been that forms of ethnic change for arms, money, and least $37 billion, has attracted under house arrest sporadically for cleansing are being used subcontractors from countries the immense personal a period totalling more than eleven political support.

The SPDC now has access to as Norway, Italy, Belgium, years. by the regime against such risks that people tanks, rocket launchers, ammuNew Zealand, Canada, and the Despite the desperate nature of ethnic minorities. face for any political the situation, Montaut is adamant nition, and helicopters, creating United States. one of the most powerful arthe millions of dolthat hope remains for the Burmese The regime has been larsDespite mies in the world. produced by the nation’s activity inside Burma, people, “We cannot give up hope, very oppressive and members of the NLD we simply cannot do it. In spite of Despite being one of Asia’s oil projects, over 90 percent of poorest countries, Burma boasts the immense personal risks that people in the Arakan and Chin very violent" are continuing" the second largest army in Asia, people face for any political activregions of Western Burma have and is among the top military spendThe government has officially con- no electricity. Such conditions are also the colonial era, which can only run for ity inside Burma, members of the NLD ers in the world. As Montaut says, “The demned the use and production of present in the old capital of Rangoon. are continuing. three hours a day. money, and it is huge volumes of mon- drugs, but its lack of action to deal with “They are convinced that the only Montaut remarks, “Ordinary people The people of Burma have little or no ey, is actually going into the pockets the situation exemplifies their prioriti- in Rangoon do not have electricity, outlet for their grievances. Use of com- way forward is through democratic and of the military elite, and secondly, into sation of money over people. they have candles or kerosene stoves puters, mobile phones, photocopiers peaceful means. A regime that is as their pet schemes.”

When the Yetagun and Yadana pipe- for cooking. And all petrol is rationed and fax machines are strictly regulated, corrupt and malign is going to fall apart Greed for money has encouraged cor- lines were being built in the late 1990s, in Burma. It is bumping along on the and newspapers and magazines are of its own evil. In the end, the Burmese ruption in Burma, making it one of the reports emerged of forced labour, hu- bottom.” regularly shut down if they contravene generals will just fall.”

16 FEATURES

College Tribune 5th March 2007

Hopeless?

This time last year, in the aftermath of the ‘cartoons row’ Eoin Mac Aodha travelled to Lebanon and saw a country filled with hope. A year on, the country is on the brink of civil war Roughly one year ago, this writer travelled to Lebanon and returned with a renewed sense of hope for the country. It’s hard to feel hopeful now.

Not only did Israel’s proxy war with Hizbollah decimate the country but now renewed sectarian divisions threaten to reignite civil war in Lebanon.

While previous divisions centred between Maronite Christians and Muslims, a new divide has been created between Sunni’s and Shiites.

The threat is very real. January saw six civilians die and 150 wounded in internecine clashes.

Add to this the rearming of various factions and the further death of three civilians in a bus bomb in the lead up to the anniversary of the death of former Prime Minister, Rafik Harriri.

Even a relatively innocent spat between a Shia and a Sunni student in a Beirut university canteen saw a riot spill out onto the city streets.

In 2004, Sunni King Abdullah of Jordan spoke of a Shia crescent engulfing the Middle East, and while he has since attempted to backtrack on this statement, it is obvious to all commentators that Islam’s age old schism is in danger of igniting into violence.

Given Hizbollah’s (A Shia organisation sponsored by Iran) increased popularity following its ‘victory’ over Israel, the prospects for a strong united government remain slim.

This time last year, the ‘cartoons row’ had engulfed the Middle East, and in particular Syria and Lebanon. Twelve cartoons published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten depicting the prophet Mohammed caused an international crisis.

In Damascus, the Danish embassy was routed and the Norwegian embassy torched, while the notoriously heavy-handed police stood by. In Beirut, the Danish embassy was also destroyed.

The Lebanese seemed almost united in their disgust of Denmark, the West, America, and of course, Israel.

The images beamed into our homes and printed in our newspapers informed us, from a safe distance, that Lebanon was a hotbed of the new and virulent hard-line Islam. The collective media coverage seemed to suggest a region on the absolute precipice, one that was just about ready to ignite in a flame of radical Islam.

This writer found that hard to believe and as a result travelled, not without some trepidation, to Lebanon to see what the climate was really like just over a month after the cartoon row.

He started in Beirut, landing on a muggy Monday afternoon to temperatures of roughly twenty degrees and an inconceivably modern airport.

‘Civil War’ ended in Lebanon in 1991 and what had occurred was a monumental effort in reconstruction.

The city no longer represented a bombsite and the reconstruction of its downtown by the Solidiere body was nothing short of a miracle. The city displayed a marvellous dichotomy between the old shelled buildings and the multitude of emerging tower blocks that engorge the skyline.

No tourist book on Lebanon could fail to mention the Holiday Inn. Built in the 1970’s just before Civil War broke out, it was the pride of Beirut. It dominated the skyline and boasted no less than a revolving restaurant on its top floor.

Now it stood as an absolute symbol of Beirut’s journey, standing beside the plush and impressive Intercontinental Hotel, its presence highlighted the city’s shift from abused to reborn.

The rebirth of Beirut seemed, however, to belong almost solely to the downtown area where Americanised cafes and pizza joints dominate.

This district seemed terminally quiet until Saturday evening when youths congregated at the central square and moneyed families dined happily and gregariously in the outdoor, and not inexpensive, restaurants.

The prospect of downtown Beirut on a Saturday night may sound rather scary. It transpired, however, that it felt considerably safer than an evening in Dublin’s city centre.

Instead of Islamic zealotry, an unabashed sense of money, new and old, pervaded the ‘Paris of the

Even a relatively innocent spat between a Shia and a Sunni student in a Beirut university canteen saw a riot spill out onto the city streets Middle East’. Porsches, BMWs and Mercedes’ were more bountiful than bashed-up Nissans, and virtually every Beiruty was impeccably dressed, flashing the latest labels.

Rafik Harriri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister, a Sunni Muslim, who was murdered by extremists two years ago now, had become a symbol of unity. His death acted as a unifying force that he could only have dreamt about in life. His picture was plastered on bunting and bus shelters throughout the city and his body lies in rest just out of downtown Beirut.

Now his martyrdom is largely confined to Sunnis and Maronites as Shiites worship at the altar of Hizbollah and their leader Sheikh Nasrallah.

With hindsight it is easy to realise that Beirut’s rebirth was simply superficial and that Lebanon’s cracks were merely being papered over.

This should have been made more apparent by travelling away from Beirut on the March snow of Mount Lebanon to Baalbeck, the site of the ancient Temple of Bacchus, the God of Wine.

This is Hizbollah heartland and a far cry from opulent and reconstructed Beirut.

Pictures of the Hizbollah leaders engulfed all entrances to the small town and one could sense what would be harsh to describe as abject poverty but was definitely a more humble lifestyle.

Here, locals attempted to flog tacky postcards

and “authentic” Roman coins, their eyes lightingup at the prospect of rare tourists in a country that has yet to escape the stigma of fifteen continuous years of Civil War. The local café owners welcomed us proudly and served a local dish they mentioned so quickly in Arabic it seemed wise not to insist on knowing what it was. The fact that it was pastry and meat was enough to satisfy.

Gracious hosts, they insisted we sample some Turkish coffee before we left. Still no signs of anti-Western bigotry, not even in the heartland of one of the groups on the United States’ list of terrorist organisations.

At the time, it seemed almost quaint to be eating pastry and sipping coffee on picnic chairs in the middle of Islamic terrorist heartland. Indeed it was almost surreal, as if the western media were trying to con us into some grand conspiracy.

A year on and Lebanon seems a different place.

At the time, even the Economist magazine were printing articles about Hizbollah’s move into politics. It looked like they were going to “do a Sinn Fein” and trade the Armalite for the ballot box.

Wrong. Instead Hizbollah have strengthened their political following while maintaining a form of State within a State. Mirroring Hamas’ successful model in Palestine, they have modelled themselves as a social grassroots organisation providing education, transport, and medical care to their supporters.

In a country with massive disparity between rich and poor and huge ethnic tensions, Hizbollah is a beacon of light for the Shia community and even some Sunnis.

Its aim of a pure Muslim state based on Sharia law, akin to Iran, is obviously anathema to Maronite Christians and many more secular Sunnis.

The future, thus, looks bleak for the region. Beirut’s ability to attract tourists and in turn aid economic development has been severely hindered by the re-decimation of the city by Israeli bombs.

The recent pledge by the United States to help redevelopment may help but it is difficult to understand a situation where they allowed Israel a free hand in bombing the country only to subsequently attempt to plaster over it with an aid package.

Economic problems are the least of Lebanon’s worries however. Tripartite ethnic tensions will not go away. Hizbollah is here to stay and is only getting stronger.

There’s no heady sense of optimism in Beirut now. There’s no unifying leader, only the former accountant Faoud Siniora, who has soldiered on in the face of insurmountable obstacles but is unable to unite the country. Most importantly, there’s no real international will to find a viable solution.

In a year, Lebanon has gone from hope to despair, from a level of ethnic calm to the brink of civil war, and from a supposedly dormant Hizbollah to one that is very much active.

It would take a foolish man to predict what state Lebanon will be in this time next year but it is unlikely to be calm or promising.

TURBINE URBINE THE

VOLUME XX ISSUE IX

IT’S SATIRE, STUPID!

STILL ONLY

31P

CRUISE REFUTES DICKHEAD CLAIMS FULL STORY - PAGE 23

INSIDE

TRAVELLING COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS TO INVESTIGATE AFFORDED BASIC RIGHTS BRITNEY’S ‘NOT A GIRL, NOT YET A WOMAN’ CLAIM THE BIRD FLEW IN IRELAND POT CALLS KETTLE AFRICANAMERICAN CONFUSION AMID CLAIMS THAT TAKE THAT HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE

WELFARE OFFICE TO STAGE ‘STRESS ANGELINA JOLIE ADOPTS AFRICA

Emergency legislation is to be rushed through the Dail this week in order to ensure that the fundamental rights of the travelling community are upheld.

The legislation declares that travellers “cannot be held responsible for the ramifications of their actions. This includes terrorising old men, dumping lots of rubbish wherever they want and taking things out of shops without paying for them.”

A spokesperson for the government told the Turbine, “The legislation is there to stop the discrimination that exists as a serious undercurrent in Irish society today. If travellers want to go around abusing people, then they should be perfectly entitled to do so. The Irish today are quite a racist society and border on infringing traveller rights at times.”

One member of the traveling community, Shane ‘Toad’ McGinty, spoke of his joy after hearing the legislation, “It’s about time. We’re sick of people telling us what to do. Terrorising old men is part of our culture,” he continued, “We’ve been doing it for hundreds of years, who are the settled folk to tell us what we should be doing with our time? It’s part of our heritage and that’s a heritage we’re proud of.”

A spokesperson for The Irish Equality Authority spoke at a randomly organised rally about the legislation, and declared “It is the awareness of the values and lifestyles of the travelling community and their children that makes mutual respect and understanding possible. We are here to stamp out the racism that has taken a stranglehold on travellers who want to do what they want, when

they want, because they should be allowed to do so.”

When it was explained at the rally that the legislation was in fact already (definitely) going through the Dail, the crowd quickly dispersed,

DOWNLOADING IS IMMORAL The Irish Music Rights Organisation today released a statement claiming to have conclusive evidence that the illegal cloning, downloading and listening to of copyrighted songs is directly responsible for the death of at least 300 children a year.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Jim O’ Keefe, spokesperson for the association, presented the much anticipated report. The document also contained the complete plans for the next ‘anti-piracy’ ad campaign to feature on rental DVDs and billboards.

Bearing the title: ‘You wouldn’t fuck your Granny. Downloading is a crime’, the campaign has already secured celebrity endorsement from such names as Brian Ormonde, Metallica and Ebenezer Scrooge.

In a further development, the High Court looks likely to pass the injunction proposed by IRMA which will

make statutory the random thought inspection of Irish citizens.

All people will be expected to yield up the entire contents of their brains for examination by specially appointed Copyright Union Network Terminators (CUNTs).

Commenting on these court proceedings, Stephen Fruit of the organisation was positive about the developments, “This is a good day for really massive business...eh, I mean, artists, and their families. It will put a stop once and for all to people thinking illegally about songs they haven’t bought or ideas somebody else had.”

In related news, the Taoiseach’s ‘Ear/Mouth Tax’, intended to exert a curbing influence over the illegal and currently un-monitored person-toperson importing and exporting of information looks likely to be implemented by early next year.

with murmurs of “You can’t beat a good protest” to be heard, along with, “Shite, what are we going to do with ourselves now.”

John ‘Frog’ Ward was unavailable for comment at the time of going to print.

18 REGULARS

College Tribune 5th March 2007

The Secret World of a Tutor

Going Fishing At some point your tutor will sit down to plan the class. The organised ones have it all planned in advance, others design each week’s tutorials the Sunday before and there are those who favour a last minute dash in the half an hour prior to the session itself. Whenever it happens the most popular approach is to put a series of question onto a sheet of paper and give them as a handout. The trouble with a tutorial designed as a series of questions to which answers are to be elicited is that they can turn into a fishing expedition.

This approach sees the hook baited with a carefully designed interrogative and cast out towards the students. No matter how carefully selected the bait, there is a good chance that what is hooked will be anything but the answer the tutor is looking for. They reel it in again and again only to find… an old bicycle tyre, a plastic bag or some tangled line abandoned in the course of a previous expedition. Frustration mounts as they struggle to land the answer they want and the students in turn become exasperated as the question is flogged to death, with the fishing pole of course - I don’t want to be accused of mixing my metaphors.

At this point it is probably wise to pull back from stretching this analogy any further and recount an anecdote. Your columnist, now a grizzled tutor, recalls an incident from his undergraduate days when he found himself the only talker among a rather hesitant group where the

tutor tended to cast out the questions in this very manner. There would be a plop and some ripples and then the silence would settle as the bait sank. It was often impossible to resist being the person to answer once again. The tutor would roll his eyes and, after some moments of trying to elicit alternatives, supply the answer he had in fact been looking for.

On one occasion the next question came at us and, slightly indignant at the way his last reply had been slapped down your columnist moved to say something, the tutor leapt forward in his chair open palm outstretched, “not you!” he bellowed.

In failing to work with the answers that are offered and getting the students to explain their thinking, tutorials become a catechism style question and answer session, replacing “who made the world?”, with “how does Aristotle’s theory of ethics apply in this scenario?” Regardless of the subject, such an approach only produces people whose ideas are somebody else’s. The follow up questions should be, “why do you think that?”, “what supports your opinion?” not, “does anyone have a better answer?”. Clear questions that have clear answers are easier for both sides to deal with. The proof of a more discursive approach, however, is when you hook one which, once examined and measured, turns out to be that most valuable of specimen catches… a student’s original idea.

Next week: Whose tutorial is it anyway?

T H E I N C R E D I B L E A D V E N T U R E S O F. . .

DOCTOR HUGH

REGULARS 19

College Tribune 5th March 2007

THE COLLEGE TRIBUNE

K E E W E H T F O PUNT It could well be the year of the Premiership clubs this year in the champions league, with the league's four representatives all favourites to qualify for the quarterfinals.

With Italian football still very much on the road back from last year's controversy and the credibility of the Spanish big boys still in question, it might be the best chance for a few years an British club will have to nick the trophy.

Although Celtic have a real uphill task ahead of them to try and secure a win at the San Siro, you can get them at 11/4 to qualify.

But it looks like the task will be left up to their Southern counterparts.

The choice bet for punters seems to be Arsenal, who were disappointed with their first round 1-0 away loss to PSV and look to set the tables straight and secure their place in the quarters on Wednesday.

Form aside however, the Gunners will have the hunger to overcome PSV midweek and 5/6 looks like a fair price.

Man United have really shown their ability to keep going this season and any expected burn out has not come. So, they have the edge over the other teams in terms of winning the cup and at 11/2, they're a fair price.

The team I'd worry about most is Liverpool despite heading back to Anfield with a 2-1 advantage; it would be foolish to rule out the out-of-sorts Barcelona.

It's quite likely to be a high scoring encounter again and Barcelona are too good a team to be looked over and 5/2 to qualify for the next round offers a punt with a bit of money making to it.

If they do qualify, Barcelona will jump up to favourites for the competition so outright betters might do well to get on them now at 12/1.

Finally, we didn't win the Eurovison last time out, so doesn't the law of averages say we'll win it this time? Anyway, we're 25/1. Wouldn't have got those odds in the days of Mr Logan.

And if we don't win, it will surely make Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny's position untenable. He's 5/2 to step down in 2007, now that's value.

TOP PUNTS

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All prices are with Paddy Power

CONSPIRACY THEORY OF THE FORTNIGHT

The Assassination of John F. Kennedy Since November 22 will mark the 30th anniversary of the slaying of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the nation is only weeks away from a media-sponsored wave of nostalgia that could eclipse even 1987’s rerun of the summer of love.

The cottage industry that endlessly theorises about the “truth” behind Kennedy’s death will battle the stodgy “Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone” establishment on a scale not seen since the 1991 release of the controversial film JFK. So, what’s the big deal? Kennedy’s murder is important because it branded the consciousness of the Bill Clinton/ Oliver Stone generation so deeply that we can expect it to disappear into the realm of historical trivia only when that generation is itself trundled off to the nursing homes. Everyone loves a mystery.

Despite volumes of evidence and reams of writing speculating on who really killed the President, only two things

are certain. Kennedy was definitely killed in Dallas by a high-powered rifle.

His probable assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was definitely killed by Jack Ruby in the Dallas jail two days later.

Many however, believe the US government to have been responsible for the assassination of Kennedy.

This sleek, elegant theory is the choice of all discriminating conspiracy hepcats, both because of the hoopla surrounding Oliver Stone’s film JFK and because it’s such a grand theory, explaining away all contradiction while accommodating maximum paranoia.

It also has the advantage of being so shocking and implausible that it just might be true.

The most probable story is that a CIA faction decided to do away with Kennedy for one of three reasons: a) that he gave away Cuba, a country on which the Agency had worked so hard and in whose struggle the renegades had become personally involved; b) to prevent him from doing the same with

Vietnam; or c) as a response to a wave of firings Kennedy had ordered in the Bay of Pigs aftermath, starting with CIA director Allen Dulles (who, by the way, served on the Warren Commission), and out of fear that Kennedy was going to

eviscerate the intelligence establishment for misleading him about Cuba.

In response to the charge that it would be incredible that a government branch could pull off anything as efficiently as the Kennedy assassination

and cover-up, it should be remembered that the CIA of 1963 was an entirely different animal from what it is today.

Oswald is added as a fall guy for the public. As the day approached, sympathisers in the Secret Service or Dallas police were given their instructions and the operation went off without a hitch.

Ruby was tricked into shooting Oswald, and the actual assassins are chopped up and buried by the roadside in Mexico.

The CIA theory, unlike the others, has a satisfying explanation for the Warren Commission’s bungling. First, the interconnected government intelligence agencies that supplied the Commission with most of its information were in good position to mislead their bosses and to destroy evidence and witnesses.

And even if the government higherups learned of the Agency’s involvement, they would hide it from the public for fear that the reaction might cast down the political-business elite from which they came.

SPORT SUPER LEAGUE

DOWN THE LINE

with Jack Horgan Jones Football wouldn't be much use if there were nowhere to play it, so this week's column will look at the various places provided to play football on by UCD in their infinite wisdom.

My own personal introduction to the delights of Superleague came on the charming Old Merville pitch. While this name may sound like a moniker for an unfortunate septuagenarian, the pitch itself holds up under examination like the said pensioner might do against a stiff breeze.

The angle at which the pitch is inclined is something to behold, making the fluent passing football which graces other Superleague venues almost non-existent.

Add to this the cavernous goalmouths, sand-covered surface and constant dogging issue and you begin to realise the nature of the problem facing the erstwhile exponents of football in its purest form.

On to the restaurant pitches. While the angle is by no means of Merville-esque proportions, it's still there. However, the main issue with this pitch is without a doubt the wind. UCD is well known as the windiest place on earth, and nowhere is this more apparent than on the restaurant pitches.

There is nothing quite as disgusting as playing on the restaurant pitches in filthy weather with a hangover that makes the ball feel like it's full of toothpaste when you head it.

Any attempt at a long ball is whipped away by the cruel wind towards the vast expanses on either side of the pitches. If you're really unlucky, it might even lodge itself somewhere in the maze complex of Merville residences where you'll never find it.

There is nothing quite as disgusting as playing on the restaurant pitches in filthy weather with a hangover that makes the ball feel like it's full of toothpaste when you head it.

Last in the illustrious and glittering list of venues to rival any premiership ground comes the astro. The astro, as previously mentioned in this column, is unbelievably good.

It's the perfect size, the goals are the correct dimensions, the wind isn't skin stripping, the surface is level and flat, the floodlights are great, I could go on and on.

The only slight drawback is the gritty substance that grates your arse off if you fall and the prospect of an energetic shove sending you face first into the surrounding cage seems the lesser of two evils.

To finish up, I would like to appeal to UCD RFC to follow in the footsteps of the GAA and finally allow Superleague to use the bowl. For too long have they kept this fantastic stadium all to themselves, surely the world outside the AIL deserves to enjoy the wonders of the bowl?!

An Ocean Apart As Irish rugby strives on and the IRFU last week introduced another youth development programme, Kilian O’Connor weighs up the contrasting fortunes of Ireland and neighbours Scotland Irish rugby is in rude health. Two weeks ago in Croke Park, we inflicted the largest ever defeat on England in the Six Nations, in front of 82000 people with over one million people watching on television.

Furthermore we beat, no, massacred the English, playing a type of rugby which is so far removed from the drivel that we played all through the 90’s.

In teeming rain, we scored one try close-in, one try from a backline move and one from a cross field kick. Glorious stuff and it marked the most significant fruition (so far, roll on the World Cup) of the combined IRFU strategy of youth development, provincial set ups and elite player development.

This week, the IRFU announced the creation of the “high performance group” of twelve young players earmarked for success (Seven have already been capped) among which are UCD students Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald.

This new program is the newest chapter of the IRFU’s development of a “Team Ireland” which hopes to achieve a panel of 35 to 40 international top-caliber players, plying their trade in Ireland, under the control of the IRFU. The members of the high performance group will train with the international squad, learn the moves and become familiar with the set up even before they become fixtures in the squad.

They will be player-cammed during provincial games, have individual skills and strength programs dedicated to them and in general be brought up to top international standard. It is an ambitious plan and furthermore offers another incentive for these, our best young players to remain in the country to play their club rugby.

While it is worrying that there is neither an

out-half nor a prop in the high performance group, we should see the emergence of readymade internationals from the program.

We should beat Argentina which means that

"While we were preparing to trounce England, the Scots were doing what no other team has ever done in the Six Nations, losing at home to Italy. They were laughably bad" if we can reverse the outcome of last month’s encounter with France, we could very well find ourselves in a World Cup Final, as we would have Scotland in the Quarter final and one of England, South Africa, Wales or Australia in the Semi final.

This is quite a contrast from the last time the World Cup was in Europe. 1999 and in particular Lens, was the nadir of Irish professional rugby. People still talk about the nightmare of Lens in hushed tones as if discussing an illegitimate child or a brother who is in prison.

In fact, the 1999 season is useful for another stark contrast. That Five Nations was won by Scotland; while Ireland were languishing in wooden spoon territory practicing our fourteen man driving mauls. Scotland was the best team in Europe.

But two weeks ago, while we were preparing to trounce England, the Scots were doing what

no other team has ever done in the Six Nations, losing at home to Italy. They were laughably bad, displaying a level of play for the first twenty minutes more befitting of AIL division 2.

If they play like they did against Italy, Ireland could put 60 points on them - they were that bad.

This day was coming. Scottish rugby is a mess. Its four professional teams, with the honorable exception of Edinborough, are in dire financial straights and are the whipping boys of the Heineken Cup and Celtic League.

To add insult to injury, of the fifteen which started versus Italy, eight are going or have gone already this season to foreign clubs. The exodus from Scottish rugby may kill the game professionally in Scotland.

The massive divergence of the paths that Irish and Scottish rugby have taken is simply astounding. Huge credit must go towards the IRFU, and now they are reaping the benefits both on the pitch in terms of results and also financially.

You could have sold Croke Park out three times over. Thomond Park has already sold out their season tickets for the next ten years for the new stadium and the old one hasn’t even been knocked down yet.

In Scotland meanwhile, attendances for borders games regularly fail to break the 500 mark and Murrayfield is regularly half-full (or half-empty, depending on your particular take on life), although Scottish jerseys are beginning to have the niche appeal of teams like Tonga and Namibia.

Finally, it is telling that one of Scottish rugby’s brightest stars, Rob Dewey, is joining Ulster next season, it is also telling that he will be on the bench.

22 SPORT

College Tribune 5th March 2007

College mauled at Mary's

UCD failed to overcome a superior St. Mary’s side, whose work ethic prevailed in an AIL Division One clash last Saturday.

Templeville road remains impenetrable for the Students who started brightly but never really seemed believed they could cause an upset.With just three fixtures remaining for UCD in the league, relegation is a real fear.They had to put these thoughts out of their minds as they faced the vocal home support.

From the off, UCD took advantage of the wind, their sluggish opponents, and a late arriving crowd of local support.The students dictated play for the opening twenty minutes.They used the superb kicking of outhalf Ian Keatley to plant themselves firmly in the St. Mary’s territory.

Once there, the power of the UCD pack pushed further on, alowing Keatley to go for a drop goal. Skipper Gareth Logan was on the scene to charge down the attack however.

But the subsequent clearance was weak, and in the panic to clean up, UCD were awarded a penalty kick which centre Fergus McFadden slotted over to open the scoring after twelve minutes on the clock.

The students added more pres-

KILMACUD 27 UCD 20 St Marys Jordan Daly sure with a turnover and a long accurate kick into touch.When the Mary’s number eight tried a quick break, he was isolated and UCD capitalised by setting up their star winger Vasily Artimiev on a darting run down the line.

The Russian brushed off two tackles to put the ball down for a comfortable ten point to nothing lead after the conversion by McFadden on seventeen minutes.

St. Mary’s then woke up and started to play after twenty minutes of constant defending.

Conor McInerney, the talisman of the UCD forwards was sinbinned and the lack of strenght showed as St. Mary’s drove a maul right up to the UCD tryline.

Logan forced over a try soon after and lifted home spirits. The conversion was missed but the home team was lifted.They easily closed down a desperate solo meander by Vas and launched into the UCD half with a massive Garryowen by man of the match candidate Johnathon Sexton.

The Mary’s outhalf lead from the middle to score a try , two conversions and a penalty. He converted the second Logan try on thirty minutes to turn the lead around 12-10.

With the return of UCD

Under attack: St. Mary's put the phases together

second row McInerney, the damage was already done to the visitors’ confidence. In the last five minutes of the first half, UCD scrambled on their try line but were worn down by wave after wave of lunges for the line. On the stroke of forty minutes, the blindside winger Ronan Doherty slid in to make it 17-10 at the break.

UCD once again started well with possession in the opening of the second half. The accuracy of Keatley’s right boot came into play again with a sweetly struck drop goal to bring the deficit to

just four.

Sexton replied with a huge kick that sailed between the posts which seemed to give him a surge in confidence. He attempted an even longer penalty, from his own half, which went just wide and then created the move of the game.

Half way between the 22 and his own half, he burst through two tackles, side stepped another and slipped under the posts for a spectacular try. He topped it off with a casual conversion. The score was 27-13 with twenty to play.

The UCD comeback was visible immediately as Vas caught the ball from the kick off and ripped into the home side’s defenders.

The stronger pack of UCD was patient in wearing down the home defence. Clearly tired, they then gave away a penalty try which McFadden converted on sixty five minutes.

St.Mary’s protected their lead well though, and attacked to the final whistle with some clumsy knock-ons, a missed penalty and a disallowed try. It ended with UCD struggling to survive the onslaught.

Cork Constitution Clontarf UL Bohemian Shannon Garryowen Dungannon Blackrock College Terenure College Lansdowne

PLD PTS 12 47 12 40 12 39 12 35 12 34 12 34 12 32 12 31 12 29

St. Mary's College Galwegians Ballymena Dolphin Buccaneers

12 12 12 12 12

25 24 24 23 17

UCD Belfast Harlequins

12 17 12 16

FOR PETE’S SAKE UCD Soccer Manager Pete Mahon writes exclusively for College Tribune

The league starts this week, and I'm looking forward. Our pre-season has gone very well.

Saturday's win against Wexford Youths was our fourth win from four. We've conceded no goals and scored eleven. Our fitness levels are well up now, and we're raring to go.

Wexford are quite a young team, very enthusiast, they may lack a bit of quality, but I think they will be okay in the league. They'll obviously have a good support at home and with the enthusiasm they showed and Pat Dolan on the line, I think they will be fine.

We had some more good news last week as Ronan Finn was called into Don Given's Under-21 squad for the trip to Madeira. He got 45 minutes against the hosts, although I thought he might have played some part in all the games because of the amount of injuries, but I'm not on the ground over there, so I don't know the full story.

But it's great for the lad and the club. For another one of our lads to get Under-21s caps is brilliant stuff. I can see Ronan being a lot more involved this year; I have high hopes for him.

Congratulations are in order for our college side. They made a clean sweep this year. With twelve scholarship players involved, it is a super achievement for all at the club. Dermot McNally

Close call: Drogheda may pip Derry to the title and Tony Sheridan, who've done a great job, manage the team. To win the Harding Cup, the League and the Collingwood is very positive for the future.

As I've mentioned already, the season's just around the corner. And I think I'd be very disappointed if we didn't equal last year's position if not improve on it. We have to win more games and draw less. We've had far too many draws over the last two years and if we could instead win a small percentage of those; that would be great.

The title race is going to be tight once again; it'll be four or five clubs in for it and

then the rest of the clubs battling. I'd be very hopeful that we could break into that group. Participation in the Setanta Cup or Europe would be a major boost for us.

I think it's between Derry and Drogheda this season, and I have a feeling Drogheda could just nick it. They've been improving all the time; they amassed 22 more points last year than they did the previous one. If they maintain that progress, I think they'll clinch it. Derry might have a bit more firepower however, and that could tip it in their favour.

Let's hope we can carry on where we left off on Friday, with a win under our belt.

SPORT 23

College Tribune 5th March 2007

Conveyor belt still churning talent Ben Blake looks at the ins and outs of all the closeseason action that’s taken place at Belfield recently

It’s finally upon us. After countless planning, deliberations, unveilings, setbacks, and controversies the debut appearance of the eircom League of Ireland is only days away.

The changes have been rung in: twelve teams are now ten; Shamrock Rovers’ life outside the top flight was short-lived, while the champions are now in the First Division and will meet teams named Limerick 37 and Wexford Youths.

For College however, it’s pretty much more of the same. With little financial power and therefore seemingly a lack of appeal for the league’s top quality player, Mahon and his team managed to once again unearth several gems, from which he based last season’s assault on finishing in the top half of the division around.

Gaining sixth place was no mean achievement for UCD’s youngsters, and with another year’s experience under their belts, the future looked a bright one.

However, come close-season, word had spread of this side’s potential and, lured away by boyhood dreams, a couple of significant departures took place.

With Pat Kavanagh and Gary Dicker catching the eye of Steve Bruce and earning themselves six-month deals (Although Dicker’s move a loan), Darragh Ryan will step out in front of the Turner’s Cross faithful this year after sealing a move to

Staying

Out

In

Darren Quigley

Gary Dicker

Shane McFaul

the Rebel County.

Elsewhere, Stephen Hurley has decided he wanted out of Belfield and has been loaned to Bray Wanderers, as the Wicklow club couldn’t come up with the adequate compensation to secure a permanent move, while Keith Doyle has decided to retire from football for the year.

Dermot Keely’s appointment to the Shelbourne hot seat and the subsequent dash to bring in a playing staff before last Wednesday’s transfer deadline prompted both clubs to agree on the exodus of promising striker James Brophy, left-full Kieran Harte and Aaron McEniff who is recently recovering from a series of injuries.

They are all on season-long loans, however, as Mahon explains his reasoning, “We have a number of young boys here, that need to develop. And the only way they will do that is by playing at a high standard week-in, week-out.

“So we’ve decided to help out Shels, while getting some of our lads some valuable first-team experience. So hopefully when they return to us, they will have benefited from it. It also then gives us the opportunity to give a chance to the likes Timmy Purcell, Greg Bolger and one or two more.”

It is not all gloom, however. As good as, if not better than a new signing, is the decision made by goalkeeper Darren Qui-

gley to remain for another year at least.

One of the best young goalkeepers in the league last year, the Ireland Under-21 international will allow the members of the backline to sleep that bit easier with he news that he is sticking around.

New arrivals include Bohemians shotstopper Matt Gregg, who will deputise for Quigley, and in the possible event that the aforementioned eventually makes the switch across the waters, Gregg will be out to prove he is up to the task of filling the number one’s considerably big boots.

The void left to fill in midfield has been addressed by acquiring the services of Shane McFaul and Brian King. The former, an ex-Notts County player who was with

American USL side Virginia Beach Mariners last term, comes with a creditable CV, which includes numerous underage caps for the Republic.

King meanwhile is the son of Ireland Women’s football manager and television pundit Noel, and spent last season on loan to Kilkenny City from Shelbourne.

For those out there for a keen eye for upcoming talent, Ian Bermingham is worth taking note of. Reputed to have been tracked by several eircom League clubs, the seventeen year old left-sided full-back joins UCD from Lourdes Celtic, and Mahon can’t speak highly enough about him.

“I think you will be hearing a lot more about this boy in the near future. He’s a very good prospect, and I would imagine that he will get a look in to the first team some time in the season.”

So once again, College will put all their hopes on youthful potential. It’s a hard ask for the club to continually churn out raw, quality players in their late teens, but if this year’s colleges side is anything to go by, the conveyor belt is on full blast.

● Last week’s Collingwood Cup success over Coleraine was the first since 1994, and capped off a superb season, which also saw them capture the Harding Cup and College’s League.

Riding High Record-breaking track cyclist Louise Moriarty takes time out of her hectic schedule and speaks to Eoin Delap about her exploits, competing in a minority sport and future aspirations On the last Saturday of February, cyclist Louise Moriarty shattered the Irish women's 3,000 metre individual pursuit record in Manchester's Velodrome.

The first year Architecture student set a time almost five seconds quicker then the previous Irish record, auguring well for her future career on the track.

She did so in the World Cup, second only in importance as a competition to the World Championship, offering another encouraging prospect to Irish track cycling on the international stage.

She dismisses the idea that that record could have played on her mind as she readied herself for the race, “I hadn't really thought about the record so much because I had beaten it a few times in training. I guess you're aware of your personal best and that's the fastest I've ever gone."

For most on these shores, track cycling, like many Olympic sports,

is an aberration on a four-year cycle. While road racing has long been a stable on the mainstream sporting diet, the sporting public has largely ignored its Olympic cousin.

This indifference seems to be slowly lifting as a gentle din emerges about the prospect of a competitive team emerging from the island.

Moriarty's history on the track is an indication of her aptitude for the sport; “Originally I was an athlete, but I kept getting injured.

Then I took up cycling about six years ago. My brother was a road cyclist so he got me into it.

“In my second or third year I went to Australia for a month over the winter and started track racing and really, really loved it. I guess it resonated coming from track Athletics."

As anyone who engages in minority sport (or indeed any sport) in this country knows, infrastructure

is a reoccurring difficulty. Moriarty says track cycling faces these obstacles in abundance; “We have two tracks; both of them are in re-

"It's big hours, it's very time intensive.

Before Christmas, I would have been doing up to twenty hours training a week. And that's quite a lot on top of forty to fifty hours of college" ally bad condition.

“It makes it very expensive; you always have to travel if you want to train on a track. And you've got to hire the track yourself. And find a track coach. There are very few

track coaches in Ireland. It makes it very difficult."

Her record is a sign of the times for track cycling in Ireland, with the sport upwardly mobile and riders such as David O'Loughlin competing in the higher echelons of international events; “This year there's a big push on track racing.

David broke the men's national record and he's raced in three World Cups on the track and has done very well."

The move from road to track is no organic process either, more like a nurturing programme with a keen eye on the future of Irish sport; “They see that there's more medals available in track cycling then on the road, they're thinking maybe it's a good way to go."

She struggles with the commitment of a fitness orientated sport but copes well; “It's big hours, it's very time intensive. Before Christmas, I would have been doing up to twenty hours training a week. And

that's quite a lot on top of forty to fifty hours of college.

“It's really a bit of a juggling act and there's really no time for anything else. It makes things very hectic.

“I try to, at any one time, only focus on one thing or the other, and all the time I'm doing a basic amount on architecture and a basic amount on cycling."

Moriarty is riding with the Belgium-based Global Racing Team this year and also backed by a scholarship from the college. Team membership provides her with not only an avenue into international competitions, but also some much needed camaraderie, “It can be quite a lonely sport, it's really nice to be with a group of girls."

Unsurprisingly, Louise Moriarty is optimisitc about the future, ‘I'd hope to qualify for the World Championships and maybe the Olympics.

It's a big ask, but that would be the dream."

Volume 20 / Issue 9

Louise Moriarty

5th March 2007

SPORT

Balancing books and bikes Interview - Page 23

Outgunned St. Mary's pile on the misery for UCD

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Hurlers hockeyed in Limerick UCD Hurlers crashed out of this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup, after a confidence-shattering defeat at the hands of Limerick IT last Tuesday.

Fans who made the trek westward to support the college will have wished they had done otherwise; such was the magnitude of the loss. Manager Babs Keating had rued the considerable number of absentees beforehand, with the depth of the squad was shown up as UCD failed to fill the void left by injuries and unavailable players.

An atrocious start from the Dubs saw them fall behind by 2-1 to nil within the opening ten minutes, despite

KILMACUD Limerick IT UCD

Ben Blake having the advantage of a powerful gale.

Joe Canning, who earned many plaudits throughout with a man of the match performance which eventually accumulated to 2-8, exhibited his lightning quick reactions when he nipped in ahead of a cumbersome UCD full-back line to touch home a goal after Eoin Cadogan had sent in the cross.

Disappointing in attack, the visitors create little by way of goal-scoring opportunities, and relied on putting over

close-range frees to keep themselves in the tie. As Canning fired over yet another to put his side 1-8 to 0-5 in front, UCD showed nothing to suggest a memorable comeback was on the cards.

The game was all but over as a contest seconds in the second half, when the prolific Canning notched his second goal of the day. When Austin Murphy’s puck found the forward’s palm, there was to be only outcome. Swiveling and shooting in one motion, Canning left Fogarty rooted to the spot as the sliotar sent the net into frenzy.

With a turnaround unthinkable at this

point, Limerick stretched their lead further by putting six unanswered points onto the scoreboard as Aonghus Callanan chipping in with three.

UCD by no means gave a good account of themselves on the day. Although depleted, their side still contained a backbone of experienced inter-county players. However, they could only manage a solitary point from play over the hour.

With the exception of a spirited few, Seán Cummins, Paul Ormond and Diarmuid Fitzgerald all battled tirelessly for the cause, the Dublin side failed to perform and paid the price.

2-16 0-06

UCD: D Fogarty; D Prendergast, S Cummins, P Ormond; D Fitzgerald, T Brady, C Billings; D Hayes, B Barry; E O’Gorman, S Nolan (0-5, four frees, one 65), C Lafferty; PJ Nolan, J McCarthy, B Murphy (0-1). Subs: T Fitzgerald for Lafferty; C King for O’Gorman; B Buckley for Billings.

LIT: J Skehill; M Walsh, J Tyrell, A Byrne; S McGrath, C O’Mahony, M O’Brien; J Clancy (01), K Murphy; E Cadogan (0-2), A Murphy (01), I Tannian (0-1); A Callanan (0-3), J Canning (2-8, 0-6 from frees, 0-1 from sideline cut, 0-1 from 65), J McInerney. Subs: D O’Reilly for A Murphy; K Hynes for Cadogan; D Young for K Murphy; P Ryan for Clancy; D Morrissey for O’Brien.