2. 2
Byline Editor: Xander Cosgrave
Film & TV Editor: Olivia Brown
Music Editor: Holly Cooney
Arts & Lit Editor: Colm Ferlong
Designer: Robert O’Sullivan
Gaming Editor: Aoife Gleeson
Fiction Editor: Austin Dowling
Humour Editor: Lauren Mulvihill
What’s Inside... Headlines of Byline:
FILM & TV
MUSIC
ARTS & LIT
GAMING
Byline Puzzle of the Week
ACROSS
1. Word you said if we totally guessed your name right
later on in the crossword (4)
4. My favourite colour (4)
5. A paper we didn’t ‘borrow’ this from. (8)
7. Greatest footballer of all time (5)
9. Your name? (4)
14. Greatest actor of all time (6, 8)
15. A Pokémon (9)
DOWN
1. I spelt this word wrong (5)
2. ____ Memes Bro (4)
3. That’s So _____ (5)
4. Name of this magazine (6)
6. Last issue’s puzzle (10)
8. Or maybe THIS is your name (5)
10. The person who is here (that you can’t see) (5)
11. The best Beatle (5)
12. The Book what lives in Trinners (5)
13. This esoteric nonsense (9)
-vs-
3. 3
FICTION EDITOR - AUSTIN DOWLING
The Last Letter of Dr. Edward Curock
by Xander Cosgrave
Hull
16th October, 1928.
Dear Howard,
It has now been almost three full weeks since I received that fateful letter from our old school friend Oliver, and I feel out of fear and necessity, I ought to
commit the events since then to paper. It was a brief scribbled thing that gave me little information bar a hinted location and a feeling that it was imperative
that I go there. I realise now that my initial disconcertion was well founded, and indeed considering events since then, a rather tame reaction to the letter.
Nevertheless, I struck out to find this place, a small village that rather seemed to be no longer existent according to most maps in the library and surveyors
office, though a particularly old one did mention a name, ‘Abernathy’s Place’. Searching for any more information did not bear any fruit, so several days after
receiving the letter I struck out north one morning to find it, and hopefully, Oliver.
My first point of call was York, perhaps hoping Oliver would be home, or at the very least left me some sort of information beyond his letter. At worst, I felt
I could find some more information about this village he was sending me too in York, it being far closer than my own home of London. Instead I found
his home ransacked, the door locked and his hidden key in the place I remember, but his rooms and study torn apart. The most worrisome things I found
here were the gouges in wood, as though someone had released a dog into the house to find something. All was not lost at this stage, as Oliver had left me
a message in the hidden code we had used back in Kings, though my own memory of it was in need of refreshment, and it took me almost an hour to find
the pub he had directed me towards.
A small establishment, when I asked of Oliver I was handed another letter, and told politely to leave. (Indeed, this chain of letters and messages was
becoming tiresome, but I would rather they had stayed around then be part of what happened next.) This letter also had a map, which directed me to a
location slightly different from the first, A small hill by Abernathy’s Place, and a time and a date a few days from then. I decided to wait around the city,
booking a room near to Oliver’s house so I could keep an eye if he came back. He did not, though I noticed several men seeming to watch his house at night
over the course of these few days, deciding on discretion being the better part of valour, I simply watched them rather than confront them.
After a few days of this, I found myself on a small, forested hill in the moors north of York, shivering in the nighttime cold and becoming rather frustrated
with Oliver. As the time I was meant to be there approached, I found myself growing unnerved, and for no particular reason. I was quite startled when a
figure appeared out of the growing dark, and indeed, let out a rather high pitched yelp. I was quieted and asked if I was Oliver’s friend. Upon my assertion
that I was indeed meant to be here, I was given a story that still leaves me with chills.
Oliver had been working for the home office to follow up on some issues with regards to a local vicar disappearing, concurrently with a string
of events that were marked ‘of interest’. Upon his arrival, Oliver had met with the local agent standing before me, who refused to give his name. An
investigation into what appeared to be a small pagan cult occurred, and things promptly went downhill. They had found what appeared to be cultists
attempting to perform some esoteric acts in an attempt to summon some being from beyond time and space. I know how this sounds, but do bear with me,
for there is more to this story.
Apparently, they had kidnapped the vicar for this reason, Oliver, recognising a potential danger, but still being quite suspicious of any possible supernatural
connotations at this point chose to contact me, feeling my background in science at this stage would be useful to debunk the locals of their notions. With
this, he and his fellow agent attempted to infiltrate the cultists den of operations. It was there that they saw horrors that were beyond the realms of man,
creatures not seen by any mortal, half man and half animal, and foul rituals the likes of which have not been committed by any sane person. I was rather
skeptical at this stage, but the agent asked me to wait and watch the moors with him, for Oliver expected this, and planned to show me one of their cult
rituals. When I pressed for where Oliver was, the home office man just shook his head and asked me to wait.
What I saw then I cannot truly describe. At first, it was just lights in the sky, and I dismissed these as the northern lights being just particularly less
northern, as occasionally happened. Indeed, fearful and uneducated people often saw these as signs and portents for some coming apocalypse. But then
chanting began to roll across the moors, and it was of a language that could not be from any human mouths. I saw the first few cultists then, coming around
a nearby hill at the head of a progression, but what followed them nearly tore my mind asunder. Loping creatures that seemed to made of men stitched
together, creatures half human, and things that could only be described as nightmares given flesh. More worryingly, they were not some small disorganised
mob, but were ranked and ordered, few, yes, but they had the trappings of an army.
I saw Oliver then, or what was left of him, and knew why the agent would not speak of his fate. He was stretched across a rack of sorts, and held as some
corrupted banner. The chanting grew more and more alien, and I found myself becoming entranced. The agent pulled me away then, and for that I am
grateful. He told me how Oliver attempted to leave to bring a report back to his superiors, and was captured by the cult. The agent waited for me to ensure I
would not be captured myself, and hoped that with two of us, this information would be brought to the required authorities. It is for that reason that I write
you this letter, for I have made my way south separately from the home office man, and wish to ensure that this information is sent out to others, for I fear
I am followed. I have attached the detail report written by Oliver, and I ask that if you do not see me, you bring this to your contacts in Westminster. Forces
are at work here that I cannot understand, and we must act against them, though I do not know how.
Your Friend,
Edward.
4. 4
HUMOUR
Netflix Set to Launch Porn Streaming Service
Joan Burton joins Taylor Swift onstage in LA
by Langdon Alger
by Lauren Mulvihill
HEADLINES
TV LISTINGS
Politics: Politics students
frantically read Wikipedia
pages ahead of upcoming
general election to seem
informed
Local: Kerry fresher sad to
hear Starbucks is “far from
where you were reared” for
the 17th time
Fashion: Male Top Knot
still somehow a thing
Sport: Conor McGregor
moves to Yamoussoukro,
declaresIvoriancitizenship
Literature: JK Rowling
revealsonTwitterthatnone
of it actually happened,
“stop fucking bothering
me”
Health: Already
overweight student blames
it all on “Freshers 15”
Science: 5 second rule
finally confirmed to
exist says scientist with
suspicious red stains on
labcoat
RTE1, Wednesday
@9.30PM:Somerepeat,
who actually cares,
Netflix has porn now
RTE2, Tuesday
@10PM: Full live
stream of Joan Burton’s
new album performed
live in studio
The American juggernaut of internet
streaming media, Netflix, is set to take
a leap into a new market this year as it
launches a new channel to its existing
service. The newly announced feature
will bring a whole new meaning to
Netflix and chill as the company brings
the biggest names in pornographic
entertainment to your TVs, computers
and smart devices. While the initial
codename for the project, Netfux,
apparently leaked a few weeks ago
today’s announcement reveals the
service to be called Netflixxx.
In keeping with the original streaming
model of the company existing porn
titles will be available on demand
with a number of the world’s finest
production companies involved
including Brazzers, Bang Bros, Adam
& Eve, Playboy, Eurocreme, Bel Ami,
Triga Films and many more. As well
as having a wide array of existing
titles on demand Netflixxx, in a bold
move, have poached a number of adult
entertainment stars and given them
creative freedom to produce their
own original titles including Alexis
Texas, Sasha Grey, Ron Jeremy, Brent
Corrigan and in an even bolder move,
even Kim Kardashian has been given
the invite to create a new film.
In the company’s press release
newly appointed Head of Adult
Entertainment Jennifer Sanders
stressed that “While we will be
surfacing content both popular and
niche to our audience we will also
strive to produce content of our own
in line with the quality of our biggest
original shows, bringing new and
fresh stories and scenario to screens
around the world”. In line with this
the first batch of Netflixxx Originals
is set to feature: Sensual8, Grace and
Frankie and Tyrone, Anal is the New
Black, BoJack Horsehung, Frat House
of Cards and Wet Hot American
Summer.
“While we will be surfacing
content both popular and niche
to our audience we will also
strive to produce content of our
own in line with the quality
of our biggest original shows”
In a quick response to this new venture
Spotify have also announced they will
begin streaming porn audio tracks on
demand. Some of the titles announced
for this platform include such classic
tracks as “Oh look the pizza guy is
here”, “These condoms are going out of
date” and “I’m totally straight bro”.
TánaisteJoanBurtongaveconcertgoers
a surprise last night when she became
the latest in a line of celebrities to join
American singer/songwriter Taylor
Swift onstage in Los Angeles.
Pop princess Swift has made
headlines in recent weeks, having
invited such well-known personalities
as Justin Timberlake and Selena
Gomez to duet with her in a series
of sold-out shows. The leader of the
Labour Party took her place beside
Swift to rapturous applause from the
twenty thousand-strong audience
in the entertainment capital of the
US, before launching into a rousing
rendition of Swift’s international
hit, “Bad Blood”. Burton reportedly
opened by dedicating the tune to the
Right to Water movement.
A source for an Tánaiste
claims the appearance had been “in
the works for some time”, with several
weeks of hard graft involved in honing
the politician’s musical ability and
stage presence. Burton has allegedly
claimed that stepping into the shoes
of Swift’s collaborator Kendrick Lamar
for a hip-hop version of the song was
“daunting, but worth it”.
AyoungfanfromBantry,whotravelled
to the US specifically for the concert,
says she will remember the moment
“forever”. “You really wouldn’t expect
Joan Burton to be much of a rapper,
to be fair, but she killed it up there. I’d
almost go as far as saying she’s the Dr
Dre of her generation.”
Burton’s decision to take
part in the performance is considered
by many to be a political move as the
Republic’s next general election draws
ever closer. Public support for Labour
has seen a drop in recent years, and
inside sources say party leaders are
pushing for a drastic image overhaul.
Many hope that Burton’s upcoming
collaboration with Jeremy Corbyn,
recently elected as the leader of the
British branch of the Labour Party, will
help in boosting support for the party
on both sides of the Irish Sea. “An
album is definitely in the works, I can
tell you that much,” Alfredo Martinez,
a music producer with Politicised
Records UK, revealed this morning.
“And a lot of people are very excited
about it.”
“You really wouldn’t expect Joan
Burton to be much of a rapper, to
be fair, but she killed it up there. I’d
almost go as far as saying she’s the
Dr Dre of her generation.”
Byline can exclusively reveal
that the as yet untitled album is set
to be released in early December
2015, and will feature such songs as
“Straight Outta Corbyn” and “Fuck
the Politicisation of the Healthcare
System”. An explosion of interest in
the project has meant the album will
be available to pre-order from Labour’s
website from the 22nd of September.
5. 5
HUMOUREDITOR - LAUREN MULVIHILL
A Series of Open Letters to All the Characters I Have Met on
Public Transport
by Lauren Mulvihill
The Irish public transport system is nothing to write home about. As a country, we are not internationally renowned for our metro
system or our motorways, and we’re definitely not going to be winning any awards for an efficient and easily navigated bus service.
One thing that’s for sure, though, is that many journeys will introduce the traveller to a wealth of interesting characters. I, myself, have come
across many in my years of using public transport, but we are always ships passing in the night – briefly impacting each other’s lives, and then gliding
past once more. I write this series of open letters as a tribute to those special people who have made my experience of public transport memorable, and
have, perhaps, taught me something about myself along the way.
Dear Kilkenny-bound “Girls Night Out”-ers on the train,
Party time, ladies! Who was getting married? Oh, it doesn’t matter, does it – you
brought enough fun to get you through all six of your hypothetical weddings,
and more than enough for the twenty-odd passengers that shared the train
carriage with you. Gosh, how I wished I was one of you. I longed for a matching
t-shirt in luminous pink with a cute slogan on the back of it. I wished I was in
on the joke, because I’m sure it was hilarious. I wished I was one of you, because
if I was one of you, I wouldn’t have had to put up with you for four hours.
Dear Man Who Whipped Out His Thesaurus For Me on the Luas,
Howlonghadyoubeenkeepingthatthinginyourbackpocket,man?Furthermore,
how long had it taken for someone to give you the chance to use it? Regardless
of your answers, I just want to say, you’re welcome. It must have been fate that
initiated the conversation between my friend and I about whether or not a sign
as Gaeilge was grammatically correct or not. It was more fateful still that I stood
beside you by the door: you, the only man I have ever known to be in possession
of an Irish language thesaurus. I understand that your timing was poor, and that
you were about to launch into a passionate discussion about your love of the
language just as the doors opened, but I assure you, my Gaeilgóir friend, one of
these days, your chance will come around again. Beidh lá eile ag an bPaorach.
Dear Lady Who Refused to Sit Next to Me on the Bus,
What the hell did I ever do to you, you rude-ass hoe?
Dear Girls Who Ate a Can of Pringles on the Luas,
Guys, how did you manage to attract the security guards simply by eating a few
crisps? That takes some major talent. I have to say, I admire your ability to stick it
to the man at such a young age. I think the word I’d use to describe those guards
you came to know as “youse rats” as ‘bemused’. They just stood at the door and
let the train leave, eventually. You Dubs really know your way around town. As I
said, fair dues to you two: not only for figuring out how to work the Luas ticketing
system at the age of eleven, but for being so profoundly anti-establishment while
still in your salad days. Now that we’ve established a rapport, maybe we should
think about taking our Pringles can with us when we leave the Luas next time,
hm? The carriage was pretty packed, and that stuff smells. But, y’know, right on,
fight the power, and so on.
Dear “the Lads” Who Stood at the Other Bus Stop,
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Archbishop of Banterbury and his little clique. All
aboard the Banter Bus, am I right, fellas? I’ve dealt with my fair share of annoyances
in the past, and I assure you, you’re all right up there. I don’t know what it was
about me that day that suggested I was up to dealing with your nonsense, and
yes, I and my friends were aware of you taking those photographs. And I’m sure
your mothers would be proud. If you understand anything, understand this: my
absolute disdain for your personal choices on that day is like a goldfish’s memory
loss, repeating itself in a constant loop.
Dear Lady Who Punched Someone in the Head on the Luas,
I often wonder how you’re doing these days, Lady. I’m guessing you were having a
bad day when I came across you that spring afternoon in Dublin city, because you
were – how do I put this – a tad irate. I’m sure that if you would have waited, the
woman in front of you would have cleared the doorway. I’m not going to lie, boxing
her in the back of a head could have been misconstrued as needlessly aggressive.
A nice “excuse me” could have gone far in your situation. Whatever it was
that caused your outburst, I hope it’s over now. Maybe try some yoga, or maybe
just Netflix.
Dear Everyone Who Watched Me Get Catapulted up the Aisle
Because I Didn’t Wear a Seatbelt on the bus,
You’d better not breathe a goddamn word of it to anyone.
Yours sincerely,
A Fellow Commuter.
6. 6
GAMING
What Happened to Kojima?
The Rise of Youtube Gaming
Jonathan Soltan explains the behind the scenes drama of making MGSV
By Seán Donegan
Once in a while, a game like The Last
Guardian or Duke Nukem Forever
comes along where the story behind
the game is almost more interesting
than the game itself. I believe Metal
Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is one
of those games. Since I’ve been waiting
in vain by the postbox for the last two
weeks for the game to arrive (cheers
Amazon), I’ve had plenty of time to
read over the strange happenings
at Konami involving series creator
Hideo Kojima and his studio Kojima
Productions. It was a saga that spanned
months and had many worried about
the final quality of The Phantom Pain.
We now know that the game turned out
great but things seemed dicey there for
a while.
It all started back in March when
Kojima’s name started disappearing
from Konami’s website and Kojima
Productions Los Angeles was renamed
Konami Los Angeles Studio. There was
also a rumour circulating that Kojima
himself would be leaving Konami
following the release of Phantom Pain.
Considering that Kojima was the Vice
President of the company many people,
including myself, found this hard to
believe but none could deny that it was
a strange situation. It only got stranger
as Konami then put out job listings for
a new team to make new Metal Gear
games. Kojima had been the driving
force behind the series since he created
it and had built up a trusted team since
then. That Konami was looking to
replace them didn’t bode well for the
series’ future. In addition to all this,
Konami removed Kojima’s name from
the Silent Hills website. Up until then
Kojima had been working on a reboot
of the series with Guillermo del Toro,
which was subsequently cancelled a
month after its demo. Confusingly, at
the beginning of April, Konami put
Kojima’s name back on certain product
listings for Metal Gear games but then
later in July removed both Kojima’s
name and the Kojima Productions logo
from the Phantom Pain box art.
According to a composer who had
worked with Kojima on Metal Gear, all
of this transpired because of Kojima’s
attitude with money when developing
his games; with the budget for Phantom
Pain rumoured to be in excess of $80m.
While Kojima’s “money is no object”
attitude may have been good for the
gamers, it’s obvious that it earned
him no favour with the shareholders
of Konami. Now that he’s gone we’ll
just have to wait and see which major
publisher hands him a blank cheque
first. Although, personally, I’m
devastated that without Kojima we’ll
probably never get a sequel to one of
the most criminally underrated games
of the last few years: Metal Gear Rising:
Revengeance.
Youtube gaming is the newest Google
website, poised to take the world by
storm and revolutionize livestreaming
as we know it. However, the real
question on everyone’s minds is: can
anything really replace the Kappa? The
Amazon owned Twitch.tv is the current
market leader with over 100 million
unique monthly users and close to a
billion views a year. Popular streamers
can maintain an audience of tens of
thousands of people at any given time
with large esports events in popular
games, like Counter Strike and League
of Legends, attracting numbers in the
hundreds of thousands. The heart of
Twitch lies in its chat system. It features
unique emotes like Kappa (used to
indicate subtle trolling or sarcasm)
and allows users to converse with each
other and the host streamer in real
time. This can make for some engaging
interactions – for example, Hearthstone
streamer Reckful allows viewers to pick
his numbers for Russian roulette.
What can YouTube gaming bring to the
table, you ask? Running on HTML5, it
brings an interface reminiscent of the
familiar YouTube layout we all know
and love, complete with like and dislike
buttons. However, unlike YouTube, you
won’tbemetwithCarlyRaeJepson’sCall
Me Maybe while looking up a headshot
compilation for Call of Duty. There are
‘landing pages’ for each game, which
gather content related to that particular
game. There’s everything from current
live streamers and popular videos to
let’s plays and game reviews. This makes
it easier to find the specific type of
video you are looking for. The website
uses the powerful Google engine,
which will make finding archived
videos a breeze. A major selling point
is more stable servers and less delay,
making streams more reliable and
allowing for more seamless interactions
between viewers and broadcasters.
Another big opportunity for Google is
the possibility of obtaining exclusive
rights to a big event. A much loved
event with multiple viewing sessions
that takes place over a number of days
would be ideal. A perfect example of an
event of this kind would be the Games
Done Quick charity event. This features
high calibre speed runners from all
manner of platforms demonstrating
their expertise by finishing an entire
game in one sitting in the fastest time
possible – and all for a good cause.
Another possible development is
exclusive contracts for celebrity gamers
such as zany YouTube star PewDiePie.
This could offer streamers a better
deal for revenue than Twitch, where
the gamers’ income is made from
subscribers, with each party currently
taking 50% of profits. This would make
the switch to YouTube gaming more
tempting. Whether Google can secure
these assets remains to be seen, but
there is no reason why it shouldn’t be
doable for a company with the amount
of resources and influence that Google
has.
7. 7
GAMINGEDITOR - AOIFE GLEESON
Should Movie Tie-In Games Stay Gone?
The Changing Face of Multiplayer
by Aoife Gleeson
by Brian Conmy - Editor
There’s a reason that movie tie-in
games have largely disappeared in the
last few years: they sucked. For years,
shoddy developers would crank out
barely functional games to coincide
with the release of the film they were
based on. These games served a basic
purpose: make some extra money from
gullible fans. By and large, they were
dismal, incoherent messes. The reasons
for this were fairly straightforward
– developers had to have the game
out at the same time as the movie,
which meant shrunken development
cycles. Adapting films with plots that
lasted 2 hours into 20 hour games
also produced a lot of a filler. What
resulted were atrociously buggy, boring
and broken games. It’s no coincidence
that a game often cited as the worst of
all time, ET for the Atari 2600, was a
movie tie-in game. Eventually, people
started to catch on. The reputation
of tie-in games became so bad that
many stopped making them outside of
occasional, paltry and critically panned
attempts. Tie-in games became few and
far between where they were once as
ubiquitous as figurines, lunchboxes and
other assorted licensed merchandise.
Yet, we could see a return. The Mad
Max game came out this week and Stars
Wars Battlefront will be released later
this year to coincide with the release of
Episode VII. Is this something we want
to happen? Are we doomed to repeat
a history of really sucky tie-in games?
Not necessarily. It’s important to note
that not ALL tie-in games sucked.
Although people usually say the highest
praise you can give to a tie-in game is
that it’s ‘not terrible’, Goldeneye was
actually seen as revolutionary for its
time and the LEGO games are fun and
consistently positively reviewed tie-in
games.
So, I mentioned already why tie-
in games are frequently terrible.
Mad Max, at the moment, is receiving
mixed reviews with some loving it
and a lot hating it. Had the game been
forced out a few months ago with the
film, it would have likely been abysmal.
So, that’s a step forward I suppose.
With a good developer and a suitable
development cycle tie-in games don’t
have to be terrible. Yet, because of their
image issue, many good developers
won’t go anywhere near them so it’s a
bit of a Catch 22. Also, film studios
won’t want to fund games that won’t
come out alongside theirs films since
this will create arduous and protracted
marketing budgets. In all likelihood,
tie-ins will continue to be frequently
atrocious, often mediocre and
occasionally good. Here’s hoping Star
Wars Battlefront will be an exception!
Multiplayer games have come a long
way over the years. From the bad
old days of spider webbing 12 PCs
together to play Quake or Unreal
Tournament,totheearlydaysofXbox
Live, to MMOs and now to everyone
being constantly connected and able
to play online games against people
around their world on their phones.
With the technological evolution
the past few decades have brought
us the face of multiplayer games has
evolved along the way. It’s gotten to
a point now where types of games
that would previously include local
co-op or multiplayer has shirked this
feature and kept it online only. The
most criticised game to befall this
fate being Halo 5, with initial reports
saying there would be no local co-op
as there was in previous games but
offering a glimmer of hope, “Never
say never”.
In fact there was a time when the
idea of a game featuring local
multiplayer had seemed to die off
altogether. Every AAA shooter
which would usually have the option
quietly announced this particular
iteration of the franchise, or attempt
at a franchise, wouldn’t support the
functionality. The space was thus
left up to the indies to bring back
this much loved type of play, and
bring it back they did. Games like
Nidhogg, Gang Beasts, Towerfall
Ascension, Monaco, Spelunky,
Binding of Isaac Rebirth, Risk of
Rain and hundreds more scratch
the local multiplayer itch. There’s
really nothing better than a skilful
room clearing in Isaac, a lucky stab
in Nidhogg or a “where the hell did
that arrow come from!” in Towerfall.
There is however another form of
multiplayer that’s less discussed
but seemingly on the rise. With the
current resurgence of story driven
games in the vain of older PC based
adventure games thanks in part
to the popularity of Telltale’s The
Walking Dead a new kind of couch
co-op is available, crowd sourced
decision making. For instance with
the recent release of Until Dawn for
PS4 I’ve been playing the game with
a friend of mine next to me as we
swap back and forth the controller.
The gist of this game is to control a
group of teens who for all intents and
purposes have found themselves the
victims in a slasher film. As a huge fan
of that genre who has become savvy
to tropes and conventions I would
play the game in a very specific away,
trying to avoid what I know to be
typical death scenarios and illogical
decisions that so often lead to death.
However, since I’m playing the game
with someone less horror inclined,
my partner’s decisions at times
conflict with my own. In periods
where the
game gives a decent length of time
to make a move we can talk out our
next move but in the numerous split
second decision seconds we often
devolve into a shouting match where
one twitch movement decides our
character’s outcomes. This results in
a unique story neither myself nor my
play partner would have arrived at
on our own. While this playstyle will
only be viable in a very particular
subset of games it’s interesting to
see how we got from LAN parties to
measured/intense moments on the
couch to decide whether or not to go
into the spooky house.
8. 8
INTERVIEW
Tomm Moorewith
This summer saw the release of Song of the Sea, the second feature length film from Kilkenny based production company Cartoon Saloon.
Directed by Tomm Moore (The Secret of Kells) the film has received international praise and it is clear why.
Refreshingly Irish. Those are the two words I would use to describe this film. Moore’s strong roots in Celtic mythology shine through in his
latest production which has earned him the top IFTA award for Best Irish Film. It is rare to find a film so honest and earnest in respect to its
folklore. The instantly recognisable hand drawn animations of Cartoon Saloon, for which the firm are quickly becoming renowned, make
for a breath of fresh air in a stuffy cinematic world of CGI.
Song of the Sea is a story of family, adventure and lore. The story holds its heritage with the legend of the Selkies, a type of shape-shifting
fairies who can transform themselves into both human and seal forms. A selkie appears as a seal while in the water but can shed its seal skin
to take on a human form and live on land, sometimes taking a human lover. This magical tale is then layered with adventure as two siblings,
Ben and Saoirse attempt to make their way home to their father, who lives in an island off the Irish coast. Fairies, giants, witches and talking
owls also make an appearance in a tale of a missing mother, a grieving father and a broken home. Holding true to its Irish heritage, the film
is a perfect example of excellent storytelling.
Song of the Sea is filled with many references to aspects of our culture and society. An Irish audience will find humour and a comforting
sense of familiarity in several scenes throughout the film. While trying to escape the capital the children are delivered a series of complex
directions in the notorious Dublin accent. Granny’s home could be any Irish grandmother’s house, where a myriad religious statues adorn
the surfaces and a fresh pot of tea is always at hand.
Even the language used throughout the film is quintessentially Irish with colloquial terms such as, every mother’s favourite, “Jesus, Mary and
Joseph” making its big screen debut
The Irishness of the film obviously has award-winning qualities as it has received international acclaim. Like The Secret of Kells beforehand,
Song of the Sea was also the product of international co-operation among several studios based all over the world, including Brussels, France
and Denmark. Similar to its predecessor, the film was also nominated for an Academy Award. It is praised as being on par with the animated
greats.
The phenomenal animation, and no I’m not exaggerating here it is really spectacular, is supported by a star studded cast including Brendan
Gleeson, David Rawle, Lisa Hannigan, Fionnula Flanagan and Pat Shortt.
It truly has been the summer of children’s films with the likes of Inside Out and Minions dominating the box offices. I honestly believe Song
of the Sea is an underappreciated gem hidden in amongst the more contemporary productions and is definitely a worthwhile watch, for
young and old alike.
9. 9
Following its recent worldwide success, Byline’s Film & TV editor Olivia Brown sat down
with director Tomm Moore to discuss his film Song of the Sea.
BYLINE: So Tomm you started off
by studying “classical animation” in
Ballyfermot College in Dublin. What
was it that initially drew you towards
animation?
TOMM MOORE: Well, I was part of
the Young Irish Film Makers (YIFM)
growing up. I used to experiment
with animation and types of film
lot at home in Kilkenny. I went to
Ballyfermot with the intention of
improving my drawing skills for
illustrating comics. However while I
was there I “re-caught” the animation
bug and fell back in love with film.
While studying in Ballyfermot
you went off and set up your own
animation studio – Cartoon Saloon
during your final year. That’s some
achievement, juggling college work
on top of a new venture. College
alone can be tough enough!
Yeah, I had done a bit of freelance
work first so I was used to managing
work and college in one sense.
Setting up the studio was, in my
opinion better than a typical job. I
was really lucky that Ballyfermot
were so understanding. They took
the Cartoon Saloon work into
consideration while I was completing
my final year. They really were very
accommodating. In the end I was
young and I had the energy to do
both. I know I couldn’t do it now
though!!
Any advice for those in college
considering taking a similar leap on a
personal venture or something close
to them?
Talk to your college or university.
See can they accommodate you so
that your extracurricular work might
count towards your college score.
I know if I could do it over and try
and do things better, I would focus
on trying to integrate my work more
effectively. It’s also a good time to try
out teaming up with and working
alongside friends. I know you work
together on projects during college
but it’s not the same as when the
pressures of budgets and schedules
are looming over you. They do make
a real difference!
The studio, Cartoon Saloon, is clearly
going from strength to strength,
producing Oscar nominated films
and IFTA award winning series.
What would you say is the studio’s
magic touch?
Persistence and Vision. We’ve been
working a long time now, almost 16
years. We worked hard and stuck
through the rough periods, and there
were a lot of them – more than we
anticipated! We have a clear purpose
and remind ourselves of that during
these rough times. We kept and we
continue to keep ploughing on and
now we have become known as a
reliable business in the market. There
isnowvalueaddedtoourwork.Weno
longer have to hustle to get involved
in upcoming projects. The “hustling”
period was as a rough phase that
lasted longer than expected, but here
we are now!
Your animations are all hand drawn
and it’s really refreshing to see. What’s
it like to hand craft your work in
a world where the likes of CGI are
becoming ever more popular?
It’s become the brand we’re known
for and it makes us unique and stand
out in the market place. Hand drawn
animation works for us. Yet we are not
defined by our hand drawn work but
by our design and our storytelling.
However today, many see CGI films
as the safer bet. They are more
willing to watch something produced
with CGI as though it is guaranteed
to be a good piece. This is our biggest
challenge really.
Your first feature film The Secret of
Kells earned you your first Oscar
nomination in 2009, a year with
one the most diverse shortlists for
that particular category. The stiff
competition included the likes of
Up, Coraline and Fantastic Mr.
Fox. The nomination was quite
an achievement! How has the
nomination influenced your work
and the direction you wanted to take
moving forward?
It was a really tough time for us. The
film didn’t last as long in the cinemas
as was originally anticipated, so
we were a little disheartened. The
nomination gave the film a new lease
of life. It revitalised it in a way. I
myself came close to throwing in the
towel here, however the nomination
reconfirmed my dedication to our
purpose.
Both Song of the Sea and The Secret
of Kells are quintessentially Irish.
They focus heavily on our culture and
mythology. Is this an area that has
always interested you?
I do hold a personal love for
mythology which has definitely
influenced some of my work. Saying
that we’re currently working on a new
film, The Breadwinner, which is not
related to Irish mythology, but tells
the story of a young girl living under
the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Ideas organically flow from one film
to the next. While we’ve moved onto
a different theme, I do know that I’m
personally not finished with this topic
yet.
Just to talk a little about this year’s
film, Song of the Sea. For many
people this will have been their first
encounter with the likes of a selkie.
How did the idea for the film come
about?
Well I’ve always known about selkies
growing up and I was conscious that
my son, Ben didn’t. We’d read Eddie
Lenihan stories and stuff but I was
aware he was ignorant of many of
the aspects of our culture. One time
a few years back we were on a family
holiday on the West Coast and we
came across some dead mutilated seal
pups in Dingle. It got me thinking
about the killing of seals and how
they’ve lost their status in our culture.
In the past our folklore protected
them but nowadays they’ve become
disconnected from people. I’d love
to see that connection rekindled. For
me the success of Song of the Sea is in
knowing that more people now know
of selkies and are exploring a different
area of our culture. These stories can
be used in own lives too.
It has been described as “complex and
subtle exploration of grief”. Was this
intended or did it kind of just come
about?
Yeah I wanted to explore grief. I know
from my own personal life folklore &
religion can give context to complex
feelings, especially for children. The
Selkies were part of this. I believe
that it’s definitely an idea worth
revitalising.
I read recently that you employed
a group of “youngsters” as a test
audience for the film. Can you tell
me more about this experience? Are
children by your target audience or is
it intended for all ages?
This aspect was very important to me
as I wanted to ensure that the film was
easy for children to understand. My
wife is a primary school teacher so at
various stages throughout production
we’d show her pupils rough cuts of
the film. I wanted to make sure they
found it interesting and understood
the plot. Yeah, a few small changes
were made. The children found the
film too harsh in places, so we had
to tone it down. Interestingly the
children responded primarily to
the sibling rivalry between Ben and
Saoirse. While us adults were lost in
deeper ideas of the film , the rivalry
was a big part of the connection for
the pupils so we focused more on that
and then layered in the more complex
ideas of the adults.
WithbothTheSecretofKellsandSong
of the Sea you have been involved
with organisations and worked with
people from all over Europe. What is
like to internationally co-operate on
a film? Do you find that this process
benefits the film itself?
It was a real Joy to do. When it came
to Song of the Sea, international co-
operation was something that the
studio was familiar with from The
Secret of Kells. I found it natural for
me.
Do you find that this process benefits
the film itself?
Yes, it benefits the film and all
those involved. We benefit from
the talents, resources and ideas of
others. Working with people from
all over Europe which gave us the
opportunity to retest our ideas to
ensure their viability. Then because
these people from all these different
places were also investing their time
and their effort into the film, we then
wanted to ensure that the idea would
work in their national markets too.
This created new markets for the film
and gave it access to a larger audience.
And for the final question could you
tell me what your favourite film is?
Oooh, that’s a difficult one. It’s always
changing. I think, at the moment,
it would have to be My Neighbour
Totoro. It’s a Japanese animated
fantasy. Parts of the film inspired and
influenced aspects of Song of the Sea.
‘Songs of the Sea’ will be released on
DVD & BluRay on November 2nd
10. 10
ARTS & LITERATURE
Naruto: Volumes 1-3 OmnibusDarragh McGrath examines the popular Manga Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto
The nation of Japan has given us some
amazing technology, great films and
fantastic music, yet who could forget
one of their greatest contributions to
the world of popular culture: Manga!
Being an English student (or as we are
sometimesbetterknown“AProfessional
reader”) I find myself seeking an outlet
from the heavy classical literature I have
to devour daily. As a result, I looked
into getting some lighter reader for
my free time (yes I break from reading
with more reading, I am aware how
enviable my life must appear). Manga
really must be considered an art form
in its own right. The genre combines
impressive artistic talent with intricate
story-telling. I wanted to move away
from my old favourite; the legendary
Dragonball by Akira Toriyama and find
some new manga/anime series to obsess
over. Fortunately I didn’t have to look
too far. On a friend’s recommendation,
I found Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto.
When the seasoned fan first lays eyes on
the protagonist of this series they must
think: “A spiky haired martial artist in
a bright orange jumpsuit! Where have
I seen this before?” Yes the similarities
are humorously obvious, but we must
remember that Toriyama’s epic creation
played a central role in bringing manga/
anime to the Western audience. As
such, it’s only natural that his successors
in the industry would draw inspiration
from his winning formula. I personally
see it as more of a tip of the hat to the
master. Also, like many manga creators
Kishimoto uses traditional Japanese
folklore and mythology as the backbone
for the story. Naruto takes place in a
world where modern advances such as
electronics and industry are mixed with
the ancient art of Ninjitsu. The majority
of the characters are ninjas, or “shinobi”
to use the technical term. The characters
possess many of the supernatural
abilities which these masters of stealth
have long been associated with and
more.
The main protagonist is the 12 year
old Naruto Uzumaki, an orphan (big
surprise), aspiring master shinobi and
the local prankster. Naruto lives in the
ninja village of Konohagakure where he
trains as a “genin”; a rookie ninja. He
dreams of becoming the next “Hokage”;
the village leader and champion
shinobi. This ambition to be noticed
and respected was born from the years
of ostracization he experienced from his
fellow citizens. This exclusion resulted
from a dark event that took place on the
day of his birth and changed the course
of his life forever. Joining him on his
adventures are the other members of
“Cell 7”. First of these is the handsome
and talented, but dark and brooding
ninja Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke is Naruto’s
rival who has an equally troubled
past and an equally strong ambition.
The other is one Sakura Haruno; the
brainy ninja girl with a slightly different
goal: to win Sasuke’s love! Naturally
he doesn’t reciprocate her feelings.
The relationship between the young
warriors as they grow as a team and
make the transition from bickering
students to young adults provides much
of the story’s heart and soul. Under
their powerful and mysterious masked
master Kakashi, they venture to far off
lands and face new challenges from
enemies such as killer assassins and
evil gangsters to magical demons and
more. That’s just the first 3 volumes in
what is a long and captivating series.
Very few details are left out with
almost every character’s backstory
explored and thoroughly developed
through the use of flashback scenes.
‘Being an English student (or as
we are sometimes better known
“A Professional reader”) I find
myself seeking an outlet from
the heavy classical literature I
have to devour daily.’
Though this could be easily dismissed
as just another run of the mill kid’s
adventure series, it in fact possesses
many themes that make it appealing
to readers of all ages. Here we have
a character who is a clumsy, self-
proclaimed ‘dunce’, living in a world
filled with danger. He grew up without
a parent’s love or even basic respect, is
regularly ignored and treated coldly by
his own people. Yet he never gives up,
even though he has a lofty dream to
follow, and is surrounded by countless
naysayers and people with more natural
talent. We as a reading audience tend
to love a tenacious underdog. All a
series really needs to be a success is a
strong story with lovable characters
and Kishimoto’s creation has these vital
elements in spades.
This attractive omnibus contains the
first three volumes together, allowing a
new reader to get fully acquainted with
the series. Also included in between
chapters are various writer’s notes
and original sketches from the creator
himself.
In conclusion if you are new to the
world of manga/anime or like myself
have been looking to commit to an
enjoyable new series to while away the
free hours, Naruto may be the ninja
for the job (just remember that manga
is read from right to left instead of the
usual left to right!).
‘The relationship between the
young warriors as they grow as
a team and make the transition
from bickering students to
young adults provides much of
the story’s heart and soul.’
11. 11
ARTS & LITEDITOR - COLM FERLONG
Everyman Theatre Autumn/Winter Catalogue Preview
Colm Furlong looks forward to the upcoming productions in Cork’s own Everyman Theatre.
On Wednesday the 9th of September
I attended the launch of the Autumn/
Winter Brochure for the Everyman
Theatre, along with the opening
night of The Outgoing Tide by Bruce
Graham. This play is a fine production
starring Cork Legend Michael
Twomey, supported by Berna Gordon
and Ian McGuirk. It deals with the
highly delicate subject matter of the
onset of Alzheimer’s, making for an
emotional evening of theatre. The
heavy tone of the theme is combated
frequently throughout with comedy
which is brilliantly delivered by the
cast. Unfortunately, at the time of this
publication this play will have finished
its run in the Everyman.
But do not let that get you down; there is
plenty more fantastic productions and
shows coming to the Everyman Theatre
over the next number of months.
Celebrating 25 years in business this
year, the theatre is still going as strong
as ever. The atmosphere at the launch of
the brochure was electric; a great level
of excitement permeated the room and
it was not long until we were treated
to a short speech detailing some of the
key events coming up in the theatre’s
calendar.
There is something in the programme
of events for everyone; from dramatic
plays to musicals, comedy to live music,
and much, much more. I would strongly
encourage you all to pick up a copy of
the programme; as there is certain to
be an event you will not want to miss.
The following are simply some of the
highlights of the theatre’s upcoming
productions.
One of the most recognisable names
in the immediate future is the stage
adaptation of J.M Synge’s The Playboy
of the Western World. Described in the
programme as Synge’s most famous and
controversial play, this is a production
not to be missed by fans of Irish theatre.
Directed by Niall Henry and performed
by the Blue Raincoat Theatre Company,
it is sure to be a fascinating night out.
This autumn and winter also sees some
fine comedic talent grace the stage of
the Everyman. On the 17th of October,
PJ Gallagher (TV’s Naked Camera)
and Joanne McNally (One of Ireland’s
strongest and fastest rising stars) bring
their new show, Separated at Birth
to Cork. The Everyman brochure
describes the show as a fresh, original
approach to traditional stand-up; and
with these two at the helm that’s sure
to be true. Another fine performance
to look out for in the Everyman’s
comedy calendar takes place on the
26th of October, when the award
winning Nina Conti brings her show
In Your Face to the stage. Somewhat an
experimentation in comedy, the show
will see Nina “create a new show each
night by plucking inspiration from the
audience”. The show has been described
as genius, poignant, and uproariously
hilarious, and for fans of comedy
and improv, this is a must see event.
The 28th to the 31st of October
sees a much loved classic by many
generations come to the Everyman
Theatre, in connection with the Cork
CityCouncilArtsOffice.DeirdreDwyer
is directing a new theatrical adaptation
of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The
Secret Garden. A trio of performers will
lead the audience through the magical
tale in showings at both 12pm and 3pm
each day, for people aged 7 years and
up. If you are a fan of this incredible
piece of literature, you should be sure to
mark this down on your calendar and
make the trip to what will certainly be a
fantastic, fun filled afternoon of theatre.
One of the biggest events in the
Everyman Theatre’s calendar each year
is their annual Christmas pantomime.
Thisyear,directedbyCatherineMahon-
Buckley, a genie, a lamp and a flying
carpet will grace the stage along with a
princess, the baddies, and of course the
hero of the tale. That’s right, this year,
the Everyman Theatre is presenting the
beloved Aladdin as their fun-packed
pantomime which is sure to entertain
the entire family. The show will be
brought to us by the same team who
staged the record breaking pantomime
from last year’s programme, Cinderella.
Aladdin is a production that is not to be
missed; it’s sure to be a fun filled outing
for each and every person who attends.
In January, the Everyman Theatre is
presenting a real treat. Irish mentalist,
magician and all round entertainer
Keith Barry is bringing his new show,
Out of Control to the Cork stage from
Friday the 15th until Sunday the 17th
of January. I have personally been to
many of Keith’s shows in the past, and
I can guarantee that his unique take
on performance is highly entertaining,
engaging, and downright outrageous
at times. Not only that, he also brings
a fantastic level of comedy to each
and every show he performs. I cannot
recommend attending this show
enough; it will definitely be worth the
time.
All of these fantastic shows and
performances are a small representation
of the larger body of work that is
coming to the Everyman’s stage in these
next few months. A rich line-up awaits
us all, and if you have the time and the
money to spare, I strongly encourage
you to head out and support the
fantastic theatre that is the Everyman.
They’ve had a great 25 years in this city,
and with our help they can continue on
for many, many more years to come.
This autumn and winter, there is a vast
variety of talent and performance on
its way to Cork City; make sure you
take full advantage and don’t waste the
opportunity. You won’t regret it.
To find out more information
about ‘The Everyman’ Autumn/Winter
programme, visit EverymanCork.com
12. 12
MUSIC
Cork’s Newest Venue Given the Green Light
Hate heading all the way to the capital to see Beyoncé strut her stuff or rock out to Biffy Clyro? Well good news for you, Cork is
finally on the music map with the planned Beamish and Crawford venue finally being confirmed. Byline gives you all the facts
about Ireland’s most exciting music venture.
For years Dublin was the place to be
and be seen. All the greats played there,
with Cork being a quirky second best
to the fury of many. Now it seems the
answer to our prayers has finally come
alive with the confirmed news of a new
entertainment and music complex
planned for the city.
Not only have Heineken provided
us with a wonderful range of (non-
alcoholic) refreshments but they have
our entertainment sorted too! For a
number of years rumours have been
going around about a new venue for
Cork City, meaning that Corkonians
will no longer have to make that long
bus journey to Dublin to see their
favourite acts. After numerous let
downs by Government and Cork City
Council the news has finally been
confirmed that despite a nine month
delay, the Heineken led venture is
really going ahead. On September 14th
Cork South Central TD and Minister
for Agriculture and Defence Simon
Coveney confirmed the news that the
project has been backed by government
who are said to be investing 12 million
euro in this new venture. The remaining
8 million will be provided by Cork City
Council.
Amid concerns from Cork City
Councillors, Chief Executive Ann
Doherty has confirmed that nothing
major is delaying the project and
that it will go ahead as planned. The
developers, BAM and venue operators
Live Nation are merely in the finally
stages of planning this new venue
before construction begins.
This exciting new entertainment venue
will be located at the old Beamish and
Crawford site and plans are to include
a 6,000 capacity music venue, seven
screen cinema complex, tourist centre,
artist’s studio, 360 degree viewing tower
and even student accommodation.
Though a start date for construction
has yet to be confirmed it is thought
to begin sooner rather than later as
the government backing will not be on
the table indefinitely. With excitement
mounting all resources are being
utilised in order to get the complex up
and running as soon as possible.
Autumn Album Releases
Fresher’s week is over and the reality of being back to college has hit us all hard. Amid lies of going to the library and starting that assignment early, all we really
want to do is curl up in bed watching episode after episode on Netflix and entering the phase of permanent onesie habitation. That promise you made to go to
every class has long been broken so to make these rainy autumn evenings that bit better Byline music editor Holly Cooney is here with her recommendations for
the top autumn album releases.
Glen Hansard –“Didn’t He Ramble”.
Release Date: 18th September.
With a career spanning over 25 years,
Dublin native Hansard has achieved a
multitude of success for a busker from
the north-side. This second solo album
is a tough one as how can he re-create
the achievements of The Frames,
Swell Season and the Oscar winning
“Once”? The follow up to his first solo
venture, 2012’s “Rhythm and Repose”
sees Hansard at his most heartfelt. No
longer singing sad songs about girls he
can’t get and the struggle to make it,
“Didn’t He Ramble” is a collection of
emotional offerings to lost friends and
honest recollections.
Disclosure- “Caracal”.
Release Date: 25th September.
The hottest DJs since Daft Punk,
Disclosure’s first album “Settle” was
a revolution of EDM which used
real instruments combined with a
memorable and iconic sound that
achieved platinum status and a
Mercury nomination. Howard and
Guy are the coolest guys in music
with a multitude of famous friends
so their next release was always
going to have high expectations.
So far, based on the high profile
collaborations with artists including
The Weekend, Sam Smith and Lorde
it looks like we won’t be disappointed.
Girl Band-“Holding Hands With
Jamie”.
Release Date: 25th September.
Byline’s first issue ones to watch Girl
Band are tearing up the rule book of
Irish alternative music. With a sound
described as techno rock they’re new
and exciting and hopefully their debut
album, “Holding Hands With Jamie”
will live up to expectations. These nine
tracks are said to truly encapsulate the
rough abrasive energy of Girl Band
that their live performance offers. If
you’re looking to impress in the Bróg
then this is the album you should be
listening to.
5 Seconds of Summer- “Sounds Good
Feels Good”.
Release Date: 23rd October.
After their hugely successful first
album, 5 Seconds of Summer are back
with their second release “Sounds
Good Feels Good”. It seems this
album has been long awaited as based
on ITunes pre orders it’s already at
number one! Written in LA, “Sounds
Good Feels Good” is said to be more
emotional, with the guys calling it a
“very personal album” that features
topics like heartbreak, loneliness and
depression. Based on the first number
one single “She’s Kinda Hot” it seems
like the same bouncy guitar riffs and
teenage angst, reminiscent of Busted
and Blink 182 is on the cards again,
although we’ll have to wait and see.
13. 13
MUSICEDITOR - HOLLY COONEY
The Picnic
Byline Editor Xander Cosgrave went to the Electric Picnic and he wants to give you a taste of what it was like.
6:30 wake up early, want to be there before the crowds.
9:30 Mike, who has the tickets, only woke up now,
plan to get there early still possible. Possibly.
9:35-11:20 Laois is far away, it’s one of the ones in the
middle right? It’s far away anyway, and I bet there’s a
queue.
11:20 There’s a queue
11:25 Seriously, fuck this queue.
11:28 My bag of [non-alcoholic refreshments]
fell apart. All my dreams are dust and ash.
11:30 This queue is so goddamn long.
11:31 I thought this queue would never end.
11:45 Gave up looking for somewhere nice, we’ll camp
here, first can of refreshment comes out.
12:05 This tent is not designed for two people, two
Hobbits maybe.
12:30 Actually check the lineup, haven’t seen the
Coronas, neither has Mike... probably the only two
people in Ireland who haven’t.
12:45 Our other friends tell us they’ll be here by 4, we
throw a towel down for their tent. Go for a wander.
16:00? Probably? We get back to camp, someone has
moved the towel, they have broken the sanctity of
campsite honour.
16:30 Get the others set up, block off two tents
entrances, don’t care, then I remember I brought
[refreshments], I open one of them.
18:00 We’re inside the arena? I think? It’s got a stage
that means we’re inside right?
19:00 No, we’re inside now, painfully middle class
here, and this is coming from someone who’s called
Xander.
Darkness. Darkness is a time? Right? - The Coronas
are playing. It’s pretty good. They’re pretty good? I
dunno what I should actually say here, am I referring
to them or the event? I’m really proving how much I
overthink gigs.
Sometime before the bars closed - I actually bought
refreshments inside the arena, state of me.
4:30 Woke up in a camp chair with a cigar hanging
out of my mouth, people worried about me. I worried
about the cigar.
10:00 Wander into the theatre of food, ate a bug, tastes
alright. Eat magical [refreshment] sorbet, all my
dreams come together at once.
12:30 Meet people I know, it’s nice, we hang out,
I end up drinking cheap [refreshments], can’t
tell if this is better or worse than the equally cheap
[refreshing beverage].
14:00 Got back to my tent, the others are waking up,
finally. I realised I only saw like one band yesterday,
need to work on that.
15:00 Why is it sunny? This is a festival, It shouldn’t
be sunny.
16:00 Finally got to Body and Soul, this is all very
homogenized hippyness, with forty year olds smoking
weed they got from their kids dealer, decide to go to
the comedy tent.
16:30 Found the cleanest bathrooms, cannot stress
how important this is. They also have the smallest
queue.
Sometime after 5? Probably? Alright, at this stage, my
phone died but I can remember the Rubberbandits, I
saw them sometime after half four, that’s it, I may also
have shifted someone in a Willie O’Dea Mask.
Midnight? Maybe? I saw Sultans of Ping, going to
Blur.
Later Blur were shite.
1:00 Found a watch. I think I saw Lucinda Creighton
shifting some beour from Knocka, but I also saw Brian
Blessed knife fighting a Rainbow Unicorn. I may not
be fully lucid at this stage.
3:00 I am lost in a Rave in the woods.
6:00 Found my tent, I thought it was beside a tree.
6:01 Not my tent, running away.
6:30 Found my tent for real, people from next door
are sitting outside, have a chat with them.
10:00 I fell asleep, apparently.
11:00 Mike and I made it to the theatre of food for the
hangover food event.
11:30 I’m making a 72 foot long piece of pasta, there’s
me, the guy organising it, some families, and like four
people who are so hungover they can’t argue when we
tell them to hold something.
12:00 Decided to have a nap in the Irish Times tent,
no one seems to mind.
14:00Wokeup,gotsomemorefree[refreshments],
and two bottles of [pirate refreshments], I feel
like this will taste like regret, or worse, Bacardi.
14:30 There are showers here, this is amazing. There
is also a queue, which is becoming a recurring theme.
15:30 I feel like a new, clean, man. This is great.
16:00 I decide that the best way to enjoy a Villagers gig
is to drink a bottle of [pirate refreshment].
19:00 Does anyone else think the frontman for
Villagers looks like a Hobbit? All woven cloths and
hair and folk music.
22:30 Do I want to go to Tame Impala? I could stay up
the front at mainstage for Florence and the Machine.
22:35 I am being squashed against the barriers by
teenage girls pushing to the front for Florence, I call
my friends and say goodbye. I should have gone to
Tame Impala. Florence is not worth it.
23:30 Florence touched me, with her hand. It’s worth
it.
01:00 I arm wrestled some guy selling pies and won a
free one, it’s great.
Friday Saturday Sunday
14. 14
FILM & TELEVISION
Clash of the Titans
Netflix
Amazon Prime Instant Video
Wave bye-bye to Saorview filled evenings as we dissect and discover the best anytime TV streaming site for students.
€7.99 per month
£79 per annum (approx. €100)
New to college and looking for a cheap form of procrastination? Or maybe you’re just sick of watching the Jeremy Kyle and Judge Judy repeats on Saorview? Well
fear not. Olivia Brown has taken time out of her hectic “New Girl” Marathon to research and review some of the best anytime tv streaming service for students.
(Disclaimer: While there are many other streaming services out there, both Netflix and
Amazon Prime are the two most accessible in Ireland so we’ve just compared the two.)
Everyone’s go to classic, Netflix. What
started off as an online DVD rental
firm has become one of the biggest
streaming websites worldwide. For
the majority of students this will be
the first place they look when on the
hunt for a new series to binge. It boasts
over a petabyte worth of movies and
TV episodes available for streaming,
the rough equivalent to about 223,000
DVDs. Everyone is talking about their
award winning series, from Orange
is the New Black to House of Cards,
BoJack Horseman and Unbreakable
KimmySchmidt.Netflixalsohasalarge
selection of unique documentaries,
which are also pretty ace.
Plans start from as little as €7.99 per
month and the extortionate price of
€9.99 per month for HD. The monthly
price-plan is easy for any student to
budget and there are no cancellation
fees if you change your mind.
The service is available on almost
every possible media device
known to mankind, which means
you can continue your Netflix
binge anywhere, even on campus.
Fun Fact: the ORB and the library
provide the comfiest Netflix viewing
experience in UCC.
On the other hand, Netflix has a sneaky
habit of removing its content. So while
you can look forward to new releases
every month, it also means saying
goodbye to something else. Many of
the films and TV shows released on the
website aren’t exactly the most recent
in the world either.
There is also a significant difference
between the content found on the
UK site and the content available on
the US one. While this can be easily
overcome with a bit of googling and
some technical gobbledegook, which
I cannot understand and thus know
nothing about, it is still a bit of a pain.
I’m not going to lie, when I started
researching this Amazon streaming
service my head began to hurt, a lot.
Amazon Prime Instant Video is
replacing the old DVD-rental firm
Love Film. There are over 15,000 titles
available for streaming alone. While
the content on Amazon is much more
recent than that found on Netflix,
you’ll still have to wait a while to get
the latest blockbusters.
With Amazon you get access to the US
content with your UK subscription so
there isn’t the whole UK/US content
divide debacle that you have with
Netflix.
Amazon do have their own original
series too, but competing against the
Netflix heavyweights was always going
to be tough. Their titles include the
likes of Hand of God and Catastrophe.
Despite one of their titles, Transparent,
winning 2 Golden Globes, you’d be
forgiven for not recognising any of
these series. The shows just don’t seem
to generate as much buzz as the Netflix
creations.
Similarly to Netflix, Amazon is
also available on practically every
technical device that supports video
streaming. So, again, you never have
to worry about leaving your favourite
shows behind you when you leave the
house. Yes, your procrastination can
accompany you to the library while
you “study”.
Amazon’s pricing can be a bit of a
pain for a broke student. You pay for
an annual subscription to the Prime
service which means forking out a
lump sum of €100 all at once. You do
get a lot more for your money, it just
depends if you want all the added
extras such as free one day shipping
on selected items, access to the Kindle
lending library and a free music
streaming service. It does sound very
expensive but it still works out as a
mere €8 per month. There isn’t that
much of a difference now, and Amazon
do offer their other services included
in this price.
Like I said, I know it’s a bit more
complex but if you stick with Amazon
you could end up getting a lot more
for your money. The main thing to
remember is while all the content on
Amazon is available to you, unless
you see the green Prime banner, the
content is available to stream for free
and you’ll have to pay a little extra to
download or rent it.
-vs-
Amazon do have many added incentives to its service. However it will not be the first choice for the majority of people as many are unsure of how the service works.
The brand “Netflix” has become synonymous with anytime TV. The name alone implies days dedicated to your new favourite series. The many attractions for
students include the cheap subscription cost, which is paid monthly and no cancellation fees. A major incentive to the service are the “Netflix Originals” along with
the many UK and US shows, films and documentaries which are currently available. However the website does lacks the more recent blockbusters, despite its large
collection of back catalogue films and series.
To round it off, Amazon have a much better deal on paper. You get more for your money. Nevertheless many screen addicts will still turn to the giant that is Netflix.
Competition between the two is fierce, Amazon is determined to be the best in every area and Netflix is clearly giving them a hard fight to the top. At the end of the
day it comes down to the type of films and shows you’re looking for. Content is a personal thing and there is no point in paying for a service that has nothing on it
that you’re anyway interested in.
So yeah, it’s up to you really.
15. 15
FILM & TV
Tom Hardy Holding Dogs... and Something About a Movie?
Angelina Jolie to Work with Oscar-nominated Animation Studio
Things to Watch-Out for This Week
by Olivia Brown
by Olivia Brown
Film & TV Editor Olivia Brown gathers a quick collection of all things screen related you should look out for this week
Okay, so I appreciate that this may not
be the significant, ground breaking film
news you were expecting, I’m sure many
will appreciate these incredibly relevant
pictures of Tom Hardy cuddling some
adorable puppies.
While Hardy was on the Alan Carr
Show promoting his latest flick Legend
the conversation quickly turned
to that of the Instagram account
“tomhardyholdingdogs” . Carr decided
to help the account in their quest to
photographTomwitheveryconceivable
breed of dog and brought on several
pups for the star to be photographed
with.
In his most recent venture Hardy
plays notorious gangsters Ronald and
Reginald Kray, otherwise known as
the Kray Twins, who terrorize London
during the 1950s and 1960s. Yeah, that’s
right. He’s playing both parts and is
proving to be a huge hit with the critics.
The film, which was released earlier this
month, also stars Emily Browning and
Christopher Eccleston. The plot centres
on the twins at the peak of their control
over the city as they move from the East
End to clubs in the Knightsbridge and
Mayfair areas, mingling with celebrities
of the day like Frank Sinatra.
Catch Hardy in “Legend”
in cinemas now
This summer saw Angelina Jolie-Pitt
named executive producer on the Irish
animated film The Breadwinner.
Jolie Pitt and her production company
Jolie Pas Productions have teamed
up with Cartoon Saloon on The
Breadwinner, directed by The Secret of
Kells co-director Nora Twomey.
Based on young adult novel of the
same name by Canadian author
Deborah Ellis, The Breadwinner
tells the story of a young girls called
Parvana, living under the Taliban
regime in Afghanistan. Parvana is
forced to disguise herself as a boy and
become the breadwinner of the family
following the unjust imprisonment of
her father. Ellis based the novel on her
experiences visiting refugee camps in
a turbulent Afghanistan during the
1990s.
A strong activist, Jolie Pitt funds a girls’
school in Afghanistan.
“Millions of young girls like Parvana
are growing up today under oppression
or conflict, and helping their families
to survive in those conditions. This
story is a reminder of the immense
value of their contribution.”
“I am delighted to be working with a
talented team of artists who I know
will do justice to the richness, creativity
and strength of Afghan culture and to
little girls like Parvana,” the star was
quoted saying.
Skip over to page 8 to read Byline’s
interview with Cartoon Saloon founder
and director of both The Secret of Kells
and Song of the Sea, Tomm Moore.
Solace (25th Sept)
This Friday sees the release of
American mystery thriller, Solace.
Directed by and starring Anthony
Hopkins, Solace tells the story of a
psychic who teams up with the FBI to
catch an unusual serial killer. The film
was initially intended to be a sequel to
Se7en however the idea was scrapped,
yet the influence of this original idea
still remains. Already released in
Europe, this one should make for an
interesting viewing.
Solace is out in cinemas this Friday,
25th September
Arcade Fire: The Reflektor Tapes (24th
Sept)
Directed by 2013 Sundance Prize
winner Kahlil Joseph, The Reflektor
Tapes is a fascinating insight into the
making of Arcade Fire’s international
#1 album Reflektor. It charts the band’s
creative journey from Jamaica, where
the foundations for the album are
laid, to their breath-taking live show
to packed arenas in Los Angeles and
London. The Reflektor Tapes includes
never before seen personal clips
captured by the band and features 15
minutes of exclusive unseen footage,
filmed only for cinema audiences.
Catch this at the Cork Omniplex this
Thursday, 24th September @ 9PM.
Doctor Who: Series 9 (Out 19th Sept)
Described as “the glory years of the
Doctor and Clara”, Peter Capaldi is
back in his second series as the Doctor,
along with Jenna-Louise Coleman as
his trusted companion. The pair are up
to their old antics, after overcoming
some initial teething problems since
the Doctor’s regeneration. The TARDIS
has got a makeover and the Doctor
has decided to have some more fun.
Executive Producer Steven Moffat
promises that “You’ll be grinning a lot
more and there’s more comedy mixed
in with some of the darkest stuff we’ve
done - the Doctor’s first big entrance
sets the tone.”
Catch up with the first episode on the
BBC iPlayer, then follow the Doctor
and Clara on their adventures every
Saturday @ 19:40 on BBC 1.
EDITOR - OLIVIA BROWN
16. CORK DEPARTURES
Departing Cork Bus Station
0725
0825
0925
1025
1125
1225
1325
1425
1525
1625
1725
1825
EVERYDAY
GALWAY BUS / RAIL STATION
ARRIVES GALWAY BUS STATION.
0830
1000
1130
1230
1330
1430
1530
1630
1730
1900
2030
MONDAY TO SATURDAY SUNDAY
ALSO PICKS UP AT: - UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK
- UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL CORK.
ARRIVES KILLARNEY BUS STATION & TRALEE BUS
STATION *JUNE-AUG ONLY.
KILLARNEY / TRALEE
*0830
1030
1230
1330
1430
1530
1630
1730
1900
2030
40
0725
0825
0925
1025
1125
1225
1325
1425
1525
1625
1725
1825
1925
2055
EVERYDAY
SERVES SHANNON AIRPORT.
ARRIVES LIMERICK BUS STATION.
LIMERICK BUS / RAIL STATION / SHANNON AIRPORT
0800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
EVERYDAY
SERVES DUBLIN AIRPORT ALSO SERVING: FERMOY,
MITCHELSTOWN, CAHIR, CASHEL, DUBLIN
(BUSÁRAS) & DUBLIN AIRPORT ARRIVES DUBLIN
(BUSÁRAS) AND DUBLIN AIRPORT (ATRIUM ROAD)
DUBLIN / DUBLIN AIRPORT
For more information or to book a ticket online visit www.buseireann.ie
DUNGARVAN / WATERFORD
0840
0940
1040
1140
1240
1340
1440
1540
1640
1740
1840
1940
2040
MONDAY TO SATURDAY SUNDAY
ARRIVES WATERFORD BUS STATION.
*COLLEGE TERM ONLY.
0940
1040
1240
1340
1440
1540
1640
1740
1840
*1940
2040
40
0830
1030
1230
1430
1630
1830
0830
1030
1230
*1330
1430
*1530
1630
*1730
1830
EVERYDAY FRI & SUN
DUBLIN / DUBLIN AIRPORT DIRECT
SERVES DUBLIN AIRPORT.
* SERVES DUBLIN CITY ONLY.
