The outcome of the recent UN climate change conference, in Cancun, Mexico, was a disappointing one. Expectations had been very low to begin with, especially following the catastrophic failure of the previous conference in Copenhagen in December 2009. At the conference, countries agreed to limit the global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. However, the target is not legally binding and global temperatures are already 0.8 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The Cancun agreement reinforces the pledge made by rich countries in Copenhagen in 2009 to give $100 billion per year in aid to developing countries by 2020. However, it is still not clear how the aid will be funded. It was also decided to pay developing countries to protect their forests. This is actually a very good idea. Timber logging and the clearing of forest land are both extremely profitable and a major source of carbon emissions. If the monetary reward for protecting forests becomes greater than the reward for destroying them, many of the remaining forests could be saved. Again, however, no one knows where the money will come from.

Many at the Cancun summit, particularly from richer countries seemed to be unaware of how perilously close we might be to irreversibly destroying our planet. Scientists are now finding that the Earth could be heating faster than we previously realised. There is compelling evidence that once global temperatures rise to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, our planet will pass a tipping point. From then on, the planet will heat up all by itself, due to positive feedback mechanisms, in a process known as “runaway climate change”.

One positive feedback mechanism involves the oceans’ ability to store CO₂. The world’s oceans absorb and store about a third of all the carbon humans emit. However, warmer water is less effective at storing CO₂. As the oceans heat up, they will take in less and less CO₂ and might actually start releasing it back into the atmosphere, thus changing from a carbon sink into a carbon source. This release of carbon will make the planet (and the oceans) even warmer, causing the oceans to release more CO₂, and so on.

Positive feedback may also happen as global warming triggers the sudden release of greenhouse gases that have been trapped for thousands of years. In Siberia, a vast area of frozen peat-land known as the “permafrost” is beginning to thaw. The frozen bog is the size of France and Germany combined and scientists believe huge amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more powerful than CO₂, currently trapped beneath the ice will be released as the permafrost melts. There may also be frozen crystals of methane at the bottom of many of the world’s oceans, which could be released as ocean temperatures rise.

Another positive feedback mechanism is the albedo effect. White surfaces reflect more solar radiation than dark surfaces. As the polar ice caps melt, they leave behind dark ocean, which takes in more heat, helping the remaining ice to melt faster, and so on.

The effects of climate change are already being felt around the world. 2010 was the hottest year on record and extreme weather events including flash floods, hurricanes, heat waves and droughts have all become more common and more severe. Those of us who were in UCC last year saw the effects of global warming ourselves when the river Lee burst its banks and flooded large parts of the city, including buildings in the university. If there hadn’t been a dam on the Lee at Inniscarra, the flooding would have been much worse.

Predictions show that as the planet continues to heat, poorer countries will suffer the most. In some parts of Africa, it is estimated that agricultural yields could be reduced by up to 50% as soon as 2020. In Asia, the Himalayan glaciers are the source of all the continent’s major rivers. Two billion people depend on these rivers for drinking water and irrigation. It is expected that over a billion people will be affected as these glaciers continue to recede.

Our own former president, Mary Robinson, who was at the Cancun conference, said in an interview, “the climate issue is the most compelling human rights issue of the 21st century”. She added, “already, it’s destroying the human rights of a lot of people – the rights to food and safe water. It’s going to be the source of conflicts.” On a positive note, Mrs. Robinson asserted, “what encourages me is that young people get it…they actually know it better than I do.” It is vitally important that decisive action is taken soon to reverse the trend of global warming. We need to curb the rise in greenhouse gas emissions during the next ten years and then drastically reduce them. Let’s hope the negotiators at the next UN climate change conference in Durban, South Africa, can reach a better deal.

When this occurs a person has two options. You can make some sort of excuse and belligerently maintain that you are not prejudiced because you have friends who belong to the group in question, actively support their interests, etc; or you can accept you were wrong, apologise and endeavour not to make the same mistake again. When put in those terms it’s easy to see the latter is the only mature response, but that of course requires admitting that you are not quite as prejudice-free as you would like to be. Giving up the ‘I am always perfectly tolerant’ safety blanket can leave one feeling quite cold.

Earlier this month Eoin Furlong, Auditor of the UCC Ogra Fianna Fail Cumann, found himself on the front page of the Irish Examiner thanks to derogatory, homophobic comments made in his blog in February of last year. I spoke to Eoin to find out how much of the content of the blog was an accurate reflection of his beliefs at the time, and whether he still subscribes to those beliefs today.

He claims that much of the piece was intended as a joke – in the original blog he assumes the persona of an ultra-conservative Christian, taking swipes at ‘the scourge of secularism’ and decrying the legalisation of divorce and the use of artificial contraceptives. As Eoin was already in his second year of university at this point it is not hard to believe that these were simply hyperbolic statements aiming at humour rather than a genuine presentation of beliefs.

The comments pertaining to those who ‘have homosexuality’, ridiculing an effeminate stereotype of gay people and suggesting that marriage equality is undesirable in a Christian state, however, were made “half in jest, half in ignorance” according to Eoin. He admitted that “at the time I would have been against adoption [rights for same sex couples],” but went on to fully endorse marriage equality and adoption reform – “I was wrong… A child deserves a good home and there’s no reason why that good home shouldn’t be two loving people regardless of gender or sexual orientation.”

Eoin cited the realisation that people he knew were gay as the main factor in his change of heart. “I’ve had things happen to me in the past year that have opened my eyes… I took a long hard look at myself basically and said ‘Jesus Christ, you can’t be saying this anymore.’” He also pointed to involvement in UCC societies as broadening his perspective – “It’s only in the past year that I really started to get more involved and that in a way helped as well… education isn’t all in books. Education is meeting people, getting new ideas, having ideas, coming in and moulding ideas, changing ideas. There’s a lot more than meets the eye.”

While in the blog post Eoin stated that he was “in no way homophobic” he seems to have since accepted that at the time his beliefs were indefensible, stating, “I was wrong…. I would have been narrow-minded.” I think there’s something we can all learn in this. Accepting that our beliefs are wrong is necessary for them to change, and this change is clearly a good thing in which we all have to engage at some point. Nobody would endorse the original contents of Eoin’s blog, or suggest that to say such things is acceptable. But I think we should endorse people’s right to change their mind, and would agree that it is good that we all do. This means giving up the safety blanket of mere assertions of non-prejudice, and instead living up to the requirement that we actually make good on such a claim every day, learning from our inevitable mistakes.

Luke Dineen

Diarmuid Martin’s recent liturgy in Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral was an extraordinary display of Christian humility and compassion towards victims of clerical sex abuse. In acknowledging that clerics put the ‘institutional Church before the safety of children’ and actively covered up ‘crimes of abuse’, he has hopefully ended the church’s culture of indifference and denial for its culpability for the sexual abuse of children. Furthermore, the passion, honesty and clarity he provided was very genuine and admirable. So too was the bemusement he expressed at how the Catholic Church could behave in such a sinful way.

But is this conduct more explicable than we care to admit? That the zeitgeist of the church has always been a lust for power and domination? Shouldn’t we admit that with all manmade institutions of power, particularly ones that operate within the walls of an accountability exclusion zone, corruption, abuse of power and self-interest are inevitable? So why should this one be any different?

These questions are all the more pertinent when we consider the enormous influence the Catholic Church still wields in areas as crucial to the wellbeing of Irish society as public health and education. Rarely did the church as an institution flourish as in post independence Ireland, yet rarely did it contribute so little to the finer qualities of the Christian faith. The uniquely Irish devotion to it facilitated a legitimisation for the impoverishment of spirit and the barrenness of mind that characterised the post independence bourgeoisie, touting for moral respectability. While the church still claimed to be the defender of the poor in spirit.

The fact that we venerate their lavish displays of papal splendour and a cult of authority instead of recoiling at such symbols of abusive power represents a triumph of humanity’s darker capacities, rather than an appropriate method to advance the beautifully moral message of Jesus. Indeed the very manner in which church hierarchs expect to be addressed is repugnant to many as they infer servitude on the part of the supplicant, not any kind of mutual Christian respect.

Nor can we forget that this is an institution whose conceit brought such devastation and suffering to so many during the course of its own history. It has championed the degradation of women, viciously attacked so many politically progressive movements and gave such an indefatigable energy to ruthlessly crushing dissent (‘heresy’) in ways that subsequently became bywords for barbarity.

The Catholic Church in every respect represents the continuation of archaic Medieval monarchy. It is an institution that supplanted the autocratic model of the Roman Empire. Presided over by a supreme pontiff, unaccountable, unchallengeable, and infused with the ‘authority’ of Christ (which, incidentally, took them centuries to discover). Its stratified structures of complete patriarchy, strict obedience, deep hierarchy and utter subservience to the arbitrary will of one’s superior are justified in of the name of Jesus, whose will this church supposedly embodies.

Central to the idea of the church was that it alone had a monopoly of ethicality, and was thus the divine vehicle for the salvation of humankind, salvation from the fires of hell for our innate sinfulness. As an obvious consequence, protecting its good reputation and power superseded all other human concerns of civil society. Even something as horrific as the sexual abuse of children.

About three years ago I learned of a monstrous event in human history. The genocide of the Cathars 802 years ago. The Cathars were a religious sect that arose in the 12th century in the south of France, and soon became a mass movement. They believed that humans went through a series of incarnations before becoming a pure spirit, which represented the presence of the God of love, as described by Jesus. The inaptly named Pope Innocent III viewed them as a severe threat to papal supremacy and declared a crusade against the Cathars (his fellow Christians), known as the Albigensian Crusade. Innocent promised land and wealth to knights who would join the assault, and thousands did. The crusaders murdered entire populations, men, women and children in towns across the Languedoc in late July 1209, and seized the riches for themselves. This massacre was not a spontaneous occurrence. It had been planned meticulously by a group involving Innocent.

I cite this historical crime not to suggest that anything the church is engaged in now compares at all to it, much less that the Catholic religion which the institutional church has so often betrayed is anything other than a faith based on Christian love and justice. Rather, what I wish to convey is that the conviction that the Holy Roman Catholic Apostolic Church alone is the sole instrument for the salvation of humanity from eternal damnation (coupled with its authoritarian nature) is the pernicious cover for the terrible abuses of power that Diarmuid Martin so rightly condemns.

The first day of the 31^st Dáil made for unfamiliar viewing. Having elected Enda Kenny as the first Fine Gael Taoiseach in 14 years, the subsequent seating rearrangement demonstrated visually the colossal majority of the new Government. Dominating two-thirds of the House, Fine Gael and Labour no doubt found that the view was much more gratifying from that side of the floor. Meanwhile, the diminished Soldiers of Destiny returned from the one battle in which they were comprehensively defeated. With an emboldened Sinn Féin and a motley crew of Independents, Dáil debates are poised to be that little bit more interesting. If only for a little while.

Election 2011 attracted one of the highest turnouts in recent decades. The electorate had a statement to make, and it has been heard loud and clear in the corridors of Leinster House. It also proved to be the election of the superlatives, as while Fianna Fáil suffered the worst result in their history, everyone else had their best. The transformation in terms of seat numbers would indicate that this is one of the most momentous elections in our State’s narrative. However, whether this is to be a watershed period in Irish politics is yet to be decided. Seat numbers alone cannot truly represent the real story of an election, nor can they alone depict a dramatic change in an electorate’s mindset.

Peter Mair, professor of Comparative Politics at the European University Institute, Florence spoke on RTE radio recently. He believes the Irish general election to be the third most volatile in the history of post-war European democracy. Describing this further, he said that there was a seismic shift in voting patterns not normally seen in democratic elections. It was also significant that this was achieved without the intervention of a new political party, as was the case in those elections that beat us to the top of the electoral volatility list.

Volatile it may have been, but its capacity to fundamentally alter our political system goes beyond transient voting patterns. For 90 years, the civil war has held a vice-like grip over Irish politics. Political parties like Clann na Poblachta and the Progressive Democrats will attest to the strength of that grip, as they tried, and failed, to permanently break the mould of Irish politics. To those who are unfamiliar with politics in this country, it must seem an alien thing for an event that occurred generations previously to dominate modern voting patterns. Common sense should indicate that it will take more than one election to emerge from the shadow it casts over us. However, the stage has never been set more perfectly for a shift away from these ancient divisions.

The next five years will be vital in deciding the legacy of the election. Fianna Fáil, despite huge losses, remain the largest party in opposition. Consequently, they should stand to gain the most from the inevitable fall in popularity of the government. It is also dependant on how the left wing opposition parties, Sinn Féin and the ULA, build on their gains. Both parties will probably concentrate their attacks on Labour, as the spending cuts implemented by the government will be at odds with their left wing aspirations. As well as this, the promised political reforms could make the system more conducive to more diverse parties.

If we are to reject the old ways, then the natural progression would be to a more European ideological divide. Proponents of this left/right spectrum say it offers a real choice to the electorate, rather than the illusion of choice we have had in this country over the years. However, the question is do the Irish electorate want to move to this type of divide? Surely the very fact our politics survived this long shows that what we want is consistency and stability. After all, the politicians are representative of the people who elect them.

Ireland is somewhat unique in a European context in terms of its politics. Our history and divisions continue to have a sustained and profound impact on our political structure. These structures have been bombarded over recent weeks, and whether they will remain standing is yet to be seen. But it will be for forthcoming years, not the past few week, to tell us if the walls of our political system are to be permanently torn down.

Given his stature, Ben Honan cuts an intimidating figure. A tall, dark haired basketball coach who  could probably pick most people up with one hand, he is actually surprisingly gentle when you engage him. Wearing his trademark zip-up hoody and blue jeans, he greats me with a friendly handshake and accepts my congratulations modestly. “I’ve spent most of the past few days sleeping to be honest”. It’s not surprising; last week, he was elected the new President of UCC Students’ Union having taken on and beaten the incumbent officer.

“It was a very draining and tiring experience … these elections really aren’t a healthy thing to go through!” He smiles. “But they’re also very rewarding, we had a huge team, a very active  team and I’m really proud, I hope I can restore their faith in me.” He looks earnestly with wide eyes and leans forward in his chair, it’s clear that he genuinely means it. Given the introduction of a spending cap of €500 for all sabbatical election campaigns this year, the mood on campus – though still hectic – was noticeably more civilised than in previous years. “I do think it helped, people were forced to be a bit more innovative in how they approached things; it added a personal touch that I really enjoyed.”

With all the hustle and bustle since the results came in, Honan could be forgiven for not having sat down to work just yet, but he does have a clear plan of action for the year ahead. “I’ve got big picture stuff and small picture stuff that I want to work on,” he enthuses. “In terms of the big picture, I’m trying to reconnect people with the Union as much as possible.” On this front, he is pleased that students voted in favour of splitting the Deputy Presidential position into Campaigns and Communications portfolios. “Now that we’ll have a full-time campaigns officer, someone who can give their full attention to the job, it will help a lot. They’ll be working closely with me, so I think that reconnecting with the students will be very achievable for us.”

He is big on the issue of college pride, which he says has been lacking in recent times. “Ideally, I’d like to work with clubs and societies. There are a lot of things which should make us proud to be in UCC; we’ve got fantastic debating teams and sports clubs. We should make people feel a connection with that.” He also believes that the Students’ Union can play its part in this reconnection process. “The Union, as it is, is quite disjointed.” He clearly feels strongly about the matter. “People are going on solo runs, and perhaps the workload could be a bit more overlapping and spread out, rather than having different people doing entirely different, even conflicting, jobs. That’s not a personal slant on anyone, it’s a structural thing, and I think that from the get-go we need to have a cohesive approach next year and it’ll be my responsibility to ensure that it happens.”

While he is happy to take the responsibility on his shoulders, he recognises that there is a high level of bureaucracy within the University structure that will prove time-consuming once he assumes his new role. “On a personal level, I don’t want to sit on a load of boring committees, but of course students need to be represented. These committees will go ahead either way, so all I can do is try to do my best for students on them. This is a bureaucratic job in some ways, I’ve just got to get on with it.”

In terms of reform, Class Council, the decision making body above the Students’ Union executive consisting of all Class Reps from across the University, is something which he picks out. “I think, for a start, class reps should be primarily accountable to their class and not to the council. It should only be the class who have the power to punish or to remove a rep. In terms of promotion, we need to be doing more than giving free drinks and pizza to encourage people to attend, because it clearly isn’t working.”

Honan also has a renewed mandate for opposition to third level fees, after close to 90% of voters came out in favour of maintaining the campaign. “I’ve said previously that I don’t see fees as being the number one priority in the year ahead. Ruairi Quinn, the new Minister for Education, was part of the government that initially abolished third-level fees, and he also signed USI’s anti-fee pledge recently.” He seems eager to stress the point that he doesn’t take it for granted. “There will be a lot of things to fight, but I don’t see fees as being as big a priority as they have been in previous years.”

Ben answers your questions

“If you could change one thing about the SU this year, what would it have been?”

Brian Byrne

I think the Union needs to present more of a united front. I saw one of the officers this year was publicly attacked on an internet forum board, and not a single fellow officer came on to defend them. I think that the SU needs to be seen as a brand; every thing that an officer does is a public representation of the Union. If an officer speaks, the Union speaks. If an officer is attacked, the Union is attacked. Particularly with the sabbatical officers. If someone does something wrong, the Union should rally behind them but deal with the matter internally. You have to present a united front as much as possible.

“Do you still plan to introduce a Farmers’ Market in UCC next year?”

Tom Smith

This is something that I put in my manifesto, and something that I’m very excited about, I spoke to a lot of people on the campaign trail about the idea. It’s done in UL to great effect, there’s a perfect spot for it in UCC. I think it’s awful that it hasn’t been done in UCC yet, and I’ve already received contact from people interest in getting involved in the running of it. I know a group of students have already been working away on the idea, and I plan to sit down with them and talk to them about it. Hopefully come September, we can have one up and running in UCC.

“What are your plans for Motley next year?”
Audrey Dearing, Motley Features Editor

I’ve no specific plans on a personal level. I love Motley, and I’m happy that there’ll now be a specific Communications officer who will have a bit more time to dedicate to it and to make all UCC publications a bit more financially viable, but I am very keen for Motley to continue next year. Of course, it has to remain autonomous but I’d definitely like to show support in terms of strong Union backing.

“Where do you buy your tall-man hoodies?”

Daithi Linnane, Deputy President Students’ Union

I’ve actually had to reform my dress sense in recent times… I’m only allowed wear my tall-man hoodies once a week now. But if anyone wants some, I’ll have a few lying around that I’m not using anymore. I don’t think they’d fit Daithi though

“How do you deal with your grey hair?”

Paul Keohane

The elections probably haven’t helped, I think it’s rapidly increasing at the current rate … I’d also question why a CIT student is being given space in a UCC magazine!

“Despite there being an SU president from Limerick City serving just the year before last, there was a distinct and disappointing lack of free yokes on campus. As you hail from marginally closer to the national cultural centre of yokes, Shanaboolie, can we expect loads of free yokes next year?”

Julia Healy

My heart goes out to you Julia, but unfortunately in economic terms, by giving out free yokes, we would destroy the yoke trade and a lot of people wouldn’t be happy about that. (Disclaimer, I’m completely opposed to drug use!)

“As a basketball man, who do you think is going to win the NCAA basketball championship this year?”

Tommy Thompson

I think Duke got a bit of a hiding, so they’d. I think I should sit down with you and fill out a bracket some night, but for the moment I’m gonna go with the ‘Tar Heels’, North Carolina University.

“Do you prefer to high-five or bonesed?”

Kevin Curran

I have yet to discover what bonesing actually is! If you mean fist-pumping, then I think it’s highly appropriate for a more low-key celebration, whereas a high five is more exuberant. So it depends on the circumstances.

This year’s hustings for the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Equality Officer saw the topic of violence in youth relationships put back on the table. It has previously seemed to be a bit of a “cake” motion with USI Gender Equality Officer Tomás Conway listing it as one of his main campaign goals for the year without actually engaging in the issue. UCC Welfare Officer Pádraig Rice speaking to me on the issue said that it is certainly something that he has dealt with in the course of his casework. “Domestic abuse is something that isn’t discussed much in college. A nationwide campaign is really needed to address the issue”. It remains to be seen whether newly elected USI Equality Officer Gerard Gallagher, who has stated plans to work with COSC (the national agency for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence) in developing a campaign on the issue, will fulfil this promise.

A myth seems to exist around domestic violence that it is something that only exists in well established relationships and older couples. Unfortunately it is actually a very real and insidious issue amongst the student and youth population. A major problem is the glamorisation of it – particularly in the music industry. Eminem did it first with “Stan” and now again with Rihanna as “Love The Way You Lie” has become a massive dance hit in clubs. With abuse personified as a highly sexualised Dominic Monaghan and Megan Fox arguing and making up, it is hardly surprising that it isn’t generally taken to be a serious issue amongst students.

According to Women’s Aid, who launched their 2in2u campaign this Valentine’s day, 1 in 5 women over the age of 18 experience physical, emotional and sexual abuse in Ireland with 60% of women who experienced severe abuse in intimate relationships reporting that this occurred for the first time under the age of 25. Further, frankly frightening, research conducted by Women’s Aid claims that 95% of young women and 84% of young men reported knowing someone who had experienced abuse at the hands of a partner and 1 in 4 young women know someone who has been forced to have sex.

It is often less obvious than physical abuse though. The campaign slogan “If it feels wrong, it probably is” seeks to highlight how controlling and manipulative behaviour can be just as damaging as physical abuse and to encourage women to rely on their gut feelings in these situations. Unfortunately, the excitement and passion in the early stages of a relationship can mask overbearing behaviour with emotional abuse mistaken for love and romance. Speaking at the launch, Women’s Aid director Margaret Martin said that “In dating relationships violence and abuse are already a feature but are often not recognised as such by the young woman herself, or her friends.”

Actress Charlene McKenna, star of RTÉ drama Raw, launched the campaign.
“I think it’s brilliant to bring awareness of dating abuse to young women as it’s not something you associate with our age group and yet it is as prevalent as it is with older people,” she said.

As well as the radio and print aspect of the campaign, women are encouraged to take a ‘relationship health check’ quiz at the website 2in2u.ie, which asks questions about boyfriend behaviour. Questions include “Does your boyfriend complain about your friends and say you spend too much time with them?” and “Does he pass comment on how you look or dress?” and if certain answers are given, the person is encouraged to notice unhealthy signs in a relationship and to contact Women’s Aid or look for help from friends and family if they feel uncomfortable in their situation. Dating abuse can range from constant texting or other contact and isolation from friends and family, to physical attacks and forcing a person to perform sexual acts.

The USI Equality Standing Conference, which will be held in April, will surely see further debate on this issue. Regardless, however, it is important to continue to raise awareness of it and to not ignore it as something utterly external and removed from college life.

Audrey Ellard Walsh is UCC Students’ Union’s Gender Equality officer, and was recently elected overall Equality Officer.

Aoife Spengeman, the auditor, issued the following statement: “It has recently been brought to the attention of the Psychology Society that our theme may have caused offence. We want to extend apologies to any student who may have taken offence to the ball’s theme. We emphasize that the theme is ENTIRELY unrelated to any form of mental illness or disorder. The theme is about embracing the good and bad in all of us.”

According to the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), the standard text for classifying mental disorders, there is no such condition as Split Personality Disorder. This condition, portrayed in movies and television as someone who has more than one “person” existing in the same body, is a fictional disorder based on several items from existing conditions. A more accurate term found in the DSM-IV for a similar condition is Dissociative Identity Disorder, which includes the following symptoms: multiple mannerisms, attitudes and beliefs which are not similar to each other, auditory of the personalities inside their mind, paranoia, etc. Even DID has come under scientific criticism by several psychology journals, saying that this disorder is over-diagnosed, and even may not be valid.

Other disorders that are commonly mistaken for the fictional “split personality disorder” include schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia is a broad condition that includes symptoms such as disorganized thinking and speaking, auditory hallucinations, paranoia, and inappropriate emotions or reactions. Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, describes someone who suffers from both periods of acute depression followed by a “manic” period of increased levels of activity and mood.

Seeing as there is no such thing as split personality disorder, is it still right for the society to make light of those suffering from mental disorders? The Psychology Society thinks so, as their overall point was misconstrued. They say that the theme of their ball was to have fun with the light and dark within us all, and not to stigmatize anyone with mental disorders at all.

John McCarthy, founder of “Mad Pride Ireland,” an association dedicated to the destigmatization of mental disorders (“ the right to celebrate the normality of madness”), had this comment to make regarding the theme of UCC’s ball: “Being gay in the 60′s was a listed ‘mental illness’ and a ‘mental disorder.’ No wonder we are fighting such an uphill battle around ‘stigma’ when we have people who… believe in this educated ignorance re: ‘the normality of madness.’ The best weapon we have in the face of educated ignorance is humor. Please invite me to your Split-Personality Ball, but we must chat re: a costume.”

As it stands, the Psychology Society is set to keep the theme for their ball, but will include pamphlets containing information about mental illness.

UCC’s inaugural Disability Awareness Week was held on campus recently. From the 31^st of January to the 3^rd of February, a number of events were run around the university to spread awareness of physical disabilities and the challenges met by those who have them. It was organised by UCC Disability Support Student Officer, Antonia Virovska.

“It was run for two reasons”, she explained regarding why the awareness week was organised. “There are obviously students with disabilities in UCC, and some of them might not feel properly integrated with the college society. That was one of the reasons why it was run, just to create a better community of people who have disabilities and bring them together.

“The second reason why it was run was to create awareness so that people who don’t have a disability are more able to relate to someone who does. It was run from two viewpoints; people with disabilities and people without. “

Several different events to help spread awareness were held on each day. An opening talk was given by Mary O’Grady, the head of UCC Disability Support Services, Linda Kelly of the Association for Higher Education Access & Disability (AHEAD), and Sinead Kane, Ireland’s first blind solicitor and a graduate of UCC.

A wheelchair basketball game was held in the Maradyke Sports Arena between a team from the Irish Wheelchair Association and a mix of players from the UCC Demons and Neptune Basketball Clubs. The week concluded with a talk given by Dr. Louise Crowley on the legislation surrounding education for disabled students.

A 24 Hour Wheelchair Challenge was held on the second day of the week. Students who took part in this had to experience life as a wheelchair bound student for a day, while raising awareness and funds of over €300 for the Irish Wheelchair Association. Students who participated in this were UCCSU Welfare Officer Padraig Rice, Ben Honan , Paraig McElligot , Emmet Curtin and Susan O’Sullivan.

“It made me aware of everyday obstacles that I would never have thought twice about before” said Ms. O’Sullivan when asked on her experiences of living on a wheelchair. “Opening doors was a big thing, the lift to the Boole that is ‘wheelchair accessible’ does not have a button to automatically open the door, which makes it very difficult to manoeuvre. The lift in Brookfield is much better as the door opens automatically.

“The only bar which is accessible on campus is the New Bar, even though I couldn’t reach the counter to order a drink. Also, wheelchair ramps are not easy to get up; every little incline feels like a mountain and the arms start burning pretty quickly. ”

“I think (that the Disability Awareness Week) was a success”, said Ms. Virovska. “It was a great success in raising awareness, and is something that can be improved upon in the next few years. I think it will provide a good template for future Disability Support Officers to work from.”

Transition Year Intern

The Rubber Bandits are set to headline this year’s annual Raise and Give (R&G) Week. Starting yesterday afternoon with ‘Cupid’s Love Booth’ at midday, UCC’s own version of Take Me Out and Moulin Rouge, R&G week has gone down a storm so far.

Today is seen to be the most eventful day of the week. As well as the Rubber Bandits concert in the Devere Hall, the  Olympics Games in the Amphitheatre is predicted to be a highly popular offering.

The rest of the week sees events such as Gearrscannán and D.F.T. playing in UCC’s New Bar. A Week Detox is taking place on Friday. All students are welcomed to bring in their duvets and go to the common room to have a relaxing day with movies.

Student Union President Keith O’Brien was keen to highlight the communal events such as the ‘Nearly Naked Mile’, where students are to gather and run nude through campus as pivotal for the R&G week spirit.

When asked how much he was hoping to raise, Mr. O’Brien explained in the days before the recession hit it was possible to raise much more money. Any projected figure would be open to criticism so an exact figure is not given. Whatever amount is raised would be split between the charities as equally as possible, with each getting a third.

Rumours had emerged that The Student Patrol were undermanned and would struggle to keep the relevant areas monitored. Mr. O’Brien informed us that there was, in his opinion, definitely enough members for this year. He stated that if they did run low on numbers there were also backups for the roles.

The Student Patrol attend to the streets where student activities are occurring and ensure that everything is still going safely and reminding students that if they are caught with drink on the streets they will be fined on the spot.

Sergeant Ken O’Connell, who has been community officer with UCC for several years now, was interviewed on what he expects to happen in R&G week and his reminders to students. Sgt. O’Connell posited he believes the biggest issue Gardaí face everywhere is the way students behave during R&G week; he would like to remind students that they will be fined on the spot (€75) if they are found with drink on the streets, and that they should keep in mind that there are other people around.

Sgt. O’Connell added that the residents of an estate would be forced to put up with the noise of parties and just to “remember that they most likely won’t be up to all hours.” The Gardaí informed us that if students don’t co-operate they may have to arrest that student, and remind students that this could affect their eligibility for getting a visa for somewhere like the USA.

Hoodies in aid of Raise and Give week were sold upcoming to this week in various colours for Twenty-five Euros and conventionally account for a large percentage of money raised.

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Student representatives are optimistic a high proportion of students will participate in the upcoming general election, which the Union of Students in Ireland is keen to remind voters will be the government responsible for deciding the future of tuition fees and other university issues.

The USI, along with various Students’ Unions across the country, distributed voter registration forms and provide assistance during the process for students in the run up to the supplementary register deadline of February 8^th.

UCC Students’ Union worked throughout the weeks prior to the deadline, distributing supplemental registration forms and providing Gardaí presence on campus to witness signatures. When asked of the progress made by the union over this time, SU President Keith O’ Brien stated; “I’m happy with the number of students registered, it’s very hard to put a figure on the numbers, the Gardaí Síochána reckon we registered physically through them at least around 600 students. We printed over 5,000 forms, the majority of which have been shifted, so we hope students had them in.”

The election will be held on Friday 25^th of February, the first time in recent history the vote has taken place on that day of the week. It is hoped that this will be beneficial to student turnout, considering that many students living in student accommodation during term time return to their local constituencies on Friday.

It is estimated that 9,000 students in UCC live away from home, and this is a contingent who would have found further difficulties were the election to take place on a more traditional Thursday vote.

Gary Redmond, President of the Union of Students in Ireland was optimistic that the change of day would help, but believes it is still not the ideal scenario; “This will give many more students the opportunity to vote that may not have had it otherwise.

“Now, we really should be getting into a situation where voting takes place on a Saturday as is common across the rest of Europe. Not only does it make it easier for students or people who work outside their constituency, it also means you don’t have to close things like schools.”

Comment was sought by the Express last week from at least one candidate from every party contesting in the Cork South Central area as to the importance of the election for students, and vice versa. Deirdre Clune, T.D. and a member of Fine Gael responded, stating; “I would encourage as many students and young people as possible to vote on the 25th.

“The issues that are at the heart of this election are issues that will come to dominate the Ireland of the next decade, a decade in which the students of today will be finishing in college, looking for jobs, paying tax, buying homes and maybe even starting families.”

She added, “The decisions taken by the next government will have a major impact on what is a crucial time in their lives”. Ms. Clune also advocated student participation outside of voting, by engaging in public debates and forum boards on political issues.

This year students will not only vote on February 25^th, as candidates from universities throughout Ireland are announcing their intention to contest this election. UCC will see at least one candidate to this year’s vote, Green Party’s Malachy Harty, who is currently studying International Development and Food Policy, will be running in the Cork East constituency.

When asked on student participation in the election, Mr. Harty said: “The first thing I’d do is encourage everyone to vote. I don’t think anyone who does not vote has a right to give out about the government… And then yes, of course, it’s not difficult to register yourself to vote or if you’re involved in a political party to run as a candidate.”