The UCC Students' Union will hold a referendum on whether or not to campaign to repeal Ireland's Eighth Amendment, which bans abortion. This follows a petition by a student gathering 500 signatures. Some class reps were concerned about the Students' Union Executive calling the referendum without consulting Student Council first. UCC has debated these issues before, such as motions in 2009 and 2012 regarding abortion services and the Eighth Amendment. The referendum options will likely be "For", "Neutral", or "Against" campaigning to repeal the Eighth Amendment.

1. Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | uccexpress.ie | Volume 19 | Issue 5
Robert O’Sullivan - Designer
UCC Students Union have
announced that they will
be holding a referendum to
decide if and how they will
campaign on the the subject of
Abortion rights and the Eighth
Amendment. The matter was
discussed at the end of last
week’s Student Council when
Students’ Union President
Aidan Coffey announced that
they had received a petition of
500 signatures from a student
calling for a referendum. Some
class reps were concerned
that the decision to go to
referendum was done by
SU Exec without consulting
Student Council first, but the
SU confirmed the referendum
was called for by a student
petition in accordance with the
SU’s Constitution.
UCC has a history when it
comes to campaigns regarding
the Eighth Amendment.
In 2009 the “Students For
Life” Society was suspended
following complaints from
students who were not allowed
set up a “Pro-Choice” Society.
Three years ago Student
Council passed a hotly debated
motion calling for the Deputy
President & Campaigns
Officer to “campaign for the
provision of abortion services
in Ireland.” This mandate
had a short timeline of only
a month, but was looked at
as UCCSU’s official stance
on the issue until it and other
mandates were deleted under
last year’s controversial
“Wipe the Slate” motion. On
the other side of the issue,
the application for a ‘Love
Life’ society was rejected by
the UCC Societies Guild in
2013/14, with their application
going to a court of appeals
of all society Auditors. The
application was again rejected
by this court of appeals, with
no new application being made
publicly.
The petition was reportedly
worded in a way that suggests
the referendum will be on
whether or not the SU should
campaign to repeal the Eighth
Amendment, but the Students’
Union are considering a “For,
Neutral, Against” ballot system
used by other Universities in
the past.
UCC Students Union to Hold Referendum on Eighth Amendment Campaign
UCC Student Council
Update
Page 4
USI Shouldn’t Run
‘Anti-Mullen’ Cand.
Page 8
HAVE I GOT BOOLE FOR YOU: UCC celebrate Boole Day with UCC Minecraft server & campus map (SOURCE: University College Cork)
Interview:
Duke Special
Byline

2. Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | UCC EXPRESS
Inside Today:
Student Council Page 4
Star Wars Criminal? Page 7
Opinion: Consent Page 9
Flashback: 1989 Ref. Page 11
Photo Page Page 12
John Caulfield Page 14
Editor-in-Chief: Brian Conmy
Deputy & News Editor: Zoë Cashman
Deputy News Editor: Chris McCahill
Features Editor: Deirdre Ferriter
Deputy Features Editor: Katie Jeffers
Sport Editor: Neil Willoughby
Photo Editor: Emmet Curtin
Designer: Robert O’Sullivan
Fashion Editor: Jessica NiMhaolain
Byline Editor: Xander Cosgrave
Fiction Editor: Austin Dowling
Humour Editor: Lauren Mulvihill
Arts & Lit Editor: Colm Furlong
Film & TV Editor: Olivia Brown
Gaming Editor: Aoife Gleeson
Music Editor: Holly Cooney
Comics Editor: Dylan O Connell
Editorial team
/UCCExpress
UCCExpress.ie
@UCCExpress
2 |
Letters from the Editors
The Real World
Fear
As part of a fairly competitive and intense mas-
ters course that prides itself on its high employ-
ment rate I’ve been scrambling lately to do up
my CV and fill in the same inane application
forms every company seems to use. I can now
recite my Leaving Cert results from memory for
the first time since I did the actual Leaving Cert.
In this scramble I met with the careers service
in UCC where I had someone look over my CV
and offer some quite salient advice. One piece
of advice was to highlight my volunteering roles
such as Express Editor. The gentleman who was
helping me seemed slightly taken aback when I
corrected him and told him the Editor position
was paid. I’m also sure about 10% of our reader-
ship are saying something along the lines “What
the hell he gets paid for this?”, sound for that.
My point though, not to bury the lead too much,
is that in this flurry of applications for “big boy”
jobs I lost sight somewhat of the fact that the
narrative that exists around college that we’re in
anything less than the “real world” is patently
ridiculous. While many college students may not
face the full bevy of adult worries and problems
that our parents, older siblings or “grown up”
person we pass on the street a great many face a
great number of problems of their own. Mental
health issues, physical health issues, addiction,
poverty and any number of other issues can hit
students the same as anyone over the age of the
average college goer.
I’m as guilty of thinking this way as anyone,
that students can at times have it somewhat easy
since we’re not working 9 to 5 jobs and paying a
mortgage. What brought it home though is the
recent media attention and social media furore
that erupted about that particular house party.
You know the one. The comments on the video
and every article about the video infuriated me,
consistently people who are so incredibly out of
touch with the life of a student and really just
looking for a good moan malign the easy student
life of 24 hour drinking and partying.
While some live this stereotype most don’t and
to tar all students with the same brush is to den-
igrate the students like those around me in the
Boole Basement as I write this piece and finish
editing this issue. Students who are hard at work
on their studies on a Sunday. Not to mention
mature students, students who struggle with their
personal demons every day to get through their
degrees and every other student who doesn’t fit
into the neat little box of 24 hour party animal
gone wild stereotype that the media is entirely
guilty of perpetrating.
This is the real world.
I want to talk about the issue of fear. What’s
interesting to me is that aside from the natural
fears which are instilled in us since we’re born,
such as falling and loud noises, everything else
is a social construct.
There are more people in this world afraid of
public speaking than there are people who fear
death. Society is based on the idea of reward
and punishment, you are punished and ridiculed
for your failures and rewarded for your achieve-
ments. That being said, would you truly be
afraid of giving that presentation in front of your
class if society didn’t make it so you would be
judged for delivering a bad one? Something to
think about.
Why I feel this is worth a mention, is I have a
fear of being judged for my writing, which again
is a social construct. I am far more likely to
write something meaningful and worthwhile if I
know that the public aren’t going to read it. In a
sense I am like a mountain climber who is afraid
of heights, I am a writer who is afraid to write.
While it is something that may not occur to us
in our daily lives, fear is embedded into every
day life in our society. “I don’t want to go to that
house party because what if people judge what
I’m wearing?”, “I can’t enjoy a chick flick sure
the lads’ll only judge me”. A lot of our decisions
are based on fear of what society will think.
Perhaps it is worthwhile to sit down and think
about the fact that if we consciously decide to do
the things that scare us, society will eventually
not be based on fear, and fear will only reside
with falling off a cliff and the latest episode of
American Horror Story.
Don’t allow your fear to prevent you from
succeeding.
Brian Conmy - Editor
Zoë Cashman - Deputy Editor

3. UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | 3
Ógra Fianna Fáil Launches Student Loan Policy
Boole World Domination for Minecraft
Siobhán Maire O’Donnell - News Writer
Zoë Cashman - News Editor
UCC is building a virtual Boole World
based on its iconic Quad for the smash
hit video game Minecraft.
Accessing Minecraft’s Boole World
will position players in the centre of
the quad at UCC, from where all three
wings of the building are ready to be
explored. The construction of Boole
World is being supported by Microsoft
Ireland. On the launch of the Boole
World, Academic Engagement Manager
at Microsoft Ireland, Stephen Howell,
commented that “Microsoft Ireland is
delighted to support this highly innova-
tive education project from UCC”.
Millions are playing Minecraft at home,
whether on computers, consoles or
mobile devices. Increasing numbers
of classrooms worldwide are using the
game as an instruction tool. Emeritus
Professor of Mathematics at UCC, Pat-
rick Fitzpatrick, stated “when the Boole
World has been fully developed we
expect that up to 100 users will be able
to enter it at any one time”.
The Boole World will showcase ex-
amples of Boolean logic on Minecraft
and is set to prove a valuable resource
among teachers signed up for the UCC
Brings Boole2School Initiative. More
than 50,000 students across more than
30 countries are already signed up to
take the lessons. The 3D puzzles to be
found inside UCC’s Minecraft world are
based on the lesson plans developed by
Maths Circles Ireland for Boole2School.
A student entering the North Wing
through the arch, for example, will find
themselves at the start of a ‘logic route’,
showcasing examples of simple ON/
OFF logic, eventually moving to a more
complex AND, OR and NOT logic.
According to Aaron Bolger, a PhD
candidate at UCC’s Department of Ap-
plied Psychology, who is the architect
of the Boole World, states “the route is
designed based on the same principles
that are used in successful puzzle games
such as Lemmings and Portal”
“Each piece of logic has a demonstrat-
ed example, which the student learns
by pulling switches in order to cause a
light to turn on. This example is then
followed by a short puzzle that can be
solved by applying the same logic that
was just demonstrated.”
Bolger went on to say that “the next
example then builds on this, presenting
a more advanced concept to the student
by building on the knowledge they have
just gained. This culminates in a larger
puzzle at the end of the route that the
student must solve in order to leave,
reminiscent of the British TV game
show The Crystal Maze”.
However, unlike in The Crystal Maze,
“In Boole World the student has the fa-
cility to teleport back outside the Quad,
should they be unable to complete the
puzzle. They can also then return to the
area demonstrating the logic they may
have found themselves stuck on, and
retry the puzzle later”.
“Once a puzzle has been solved, the
inner workings of the puzzle are left
exposed to the student. This way, they
don’t just solve it and move on; they
also get the opportunity to get inside
and see how its done. This helps with
tying the solution to the logic, and the
construction of that logic inside Mine-
craft”.
The World is set to be equipped with a
program that will track the usage of the
puzzles, in order to study how well the
students learn the presented concepts
in the context of the virtual world. The
Boole World has been trialled at Micro-
soft Ireland’s HQ in Sandyford, Dublin,
with a group of students from various
schools around Dublin. As dedicated
Minecrafters, the students were keen
to explore the Boole World and when
asked if they learned from the
experience, the answer was a
resounding “Yes”.
On Friday 23rd October, Ógra Fianna
Fáil launched its Student Loan Proposal
outside Trinity College Dublin at the
infamous spot where former Education
Minister Ruairi Quinn pledged not to
increase third level fees.
‘Last week’s budget was a very
disappointing one for young
people’
College is an exciting time for students
but it can also be a stressful time and
often places a lot of strain on families.
A strain that is becoming a reality for
an increasing number of families, which
has also resulted in third level insti-
tutions struggling to maintain current
standards due to rising student numbers
and stagnant funding allocations.
Ógra President Éoin Neylon comment-
ed, “Last week’s budget was a very
disappointing one for young people.
There were no positive measures for
job activation and the cutbacks to third
level supports were not reversed. Fine
Gael and Labour have abandoned young
people, as was clearly evident when
former Minister for Education Ruairi
Quinn rowed back on his pledge to not
increase third level fees.’
‘The plan provides students with
a loan which is then repaid after
graduation on a progressive scale
according to their earnings’
Central to the policy is a proposal
to introduce an ‘Income Contingent
Loan System’ which will allow every
student to have access to the financial
support they need while also injecting
much needed funding into the 3rd level
system.
Basically, the plan provides students
with a loan which is then repaid af-
ter graduation on a progressive scale
according to their earnings. The plan is
designed to control costs so that stu-
dents will know the full price of their
education upon entry into their degree
program. The plan echoes Aristotle’s
idea of treating equals equally and
unequals unequally. This is the idea
that people are in fact perfectly equal,
but the circumstances of their life have
the capability to render them unequal
to others due to no fault of their own.
This is being disadvantaged and our
ideals of equality in society would
bring these people up to whatever may
be determined as a standard, such a
giving everyone the opportunity to get
3rd level education. Ógra Policy and
Campaigns Director Ian Woods says.
‘By spreading the repayment of what
are now upfront fees to after gradua-
tion, it can be ensured that there are no
immediate barriers to entry for students
attending college.’ Maintenance loans
for living expenses will also be made
available as part of the system. The
plan thus tackles the issue of equality of
opportunity.
The income-contingent loan model put
forth also addresses the issue of a sus-
tainable funding model for the future of
the sector. Ógra Policy and Campaigns
Director Ian Woods stated that ‘the
policy unveiled today will make it more
affordable for students to access educa-
tion while at the same time ensuring that
third level institutions are adequately
funded. And will also ‘ensure that Gov-
ernment investment in our education
system is increased.’
The student loan policy offers a cred-
ible solution to address the growing
crisis that exists in our higher education
system and one which Ógra Fianna Fáil
will be campaigning to see included in
Fianna Fail’s general election manifesto.

4. Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | UCC EXPRESS
The second student council of the year
took place last week on Wednesday
the 28th of October. The council held
debates on two motions. In the first mo-
tion, Deputy President and Campaigns
Officer, James Upton put forward to
mandate a liaison between the Students
Union and the Students for Sensible
Drug Policy to be created for UCC. The
motion was passed without opposition
and was immediately adopted into the
policy booklet. James Upton will liaise
with the SSDP to create a policy before
January 2016.
The first emergency motion of the year
was also brought before council regard-
ing the provision of meeting minutes of
SU executive meetings. The emergency
motion was put forward by James Mc-
Cleane –Fay, and subsequently passed
a 2/3 vote requisite to be debated by
council. McCleane-Fay argued that due
to the fact that executive meeting min-
utes are only made available two weeks
after the meeting it effectively means
that student council is unable to reverse
any decision made by the exec until up
to 6 weeks after the meetings have taken
place.
Mr. McCleane-Fay argued that trans-
parency should be a key part of the SU;
“Currently, decisions could be made by
14 people that impact the entire student
body without anyone knowing about it
until two weeks later. I find it strange
that a sabbatical team that focused so
much on transparency during their cam-
paigns last year are comfortable know-
ing that their power to make decisions
on behalf of the student body cannot
be called into question or challenged at
SU Council, the only forum any student
can attend. It’s undemocratic and quite
frankly scary.”
The motion was opposed by several
exec officers notably SU President
Coffey, due to questions over the in-
terpretation of the constitution. Coffey
argued that the two week timeframe for
challenging a decision at SU Executive
only applied to constitutional interpre-
tation, and that the motion was factually
incorrect as it falls on the SU President
to interpret the constitution in the first
instance. Several procedural motions
were then proposed.
The debate quickly descended into a
flurry of procedural motions by both
sides seeking to amend the motion, the
first of which was requested by Colm
Caholane, in which he asked if the SU
Executive meetings could be audio re-
corded which would reduce the need for
approval on the minutes which was not
passed by the council.
Several procedural motions were then
brought forward to remove references of
the constitution within the motion, seen
as the main source of contention within
the motion.SU President Aidan Coffey
called a final procedural motion to close
the debate.
Mr. McCleane-Fay was stunned by this
response; “Ultimately it made SU Coun-
cil look bad. I mean, here’s a
motion that is clearly intended to
increase the input class representatives
have into decision making and allow
them to challenge their democratically
elected officers… and we voted to stop
discussion for beer and pizza. And as
much as I love beer and pizza, I think
people were sick of the debate and the
red tape the opposition used to com-
pletely cloud what was happening.”
Plans are underway to continue with the
motion, however: “It was quite clearly
stated that this debate was suspended,
not removed entirely. We’re working
on an airtight motion that should make
for much easier reading. I suppose I
just have to trust that people will see
that giving a small group of people
unchecked authority over the voice of
the student body is a bad idea. And for
the record, I think this year’s sabbatical
team are outstanding and honestly doing
their best; this is for the next five years
as much as it is for this year.”
On the opposite side President Coffey
wished to reiterate that, should any
student have any queries with regards to
the business of the exec, all they need
do is ask him either by phone, email or
even by dropping into him in the SU
office. He also wished to reiterate that
he did not oppose exec meeting
minutes being made public, but in fact
supported it in the spirit of transparency
but wanted to stress that minutes need
to be approved but above all accurate,
referencing that the usual note taker
was absent at the last exec meeting and
as such James Upton assumed the role,
whom admitted before council that the
minutes had not yet been approved and
required corrections to them before they
could be made public.
The council was also made aware that,
due to 500 signatures being submitted
to the executive regarding repealing the
8th amendment, a referendum within
the college will take place. All of the
details have yet to be finalised and are
expected to be announced at the next
student council. When asked whether
the referendum would be a straight “Yes
or No”, officers Coffey and Kennedy
responded that there would likely be
a “Neutral stance” option also on the
ballot paper. The issues of how the
referendum would be run will likely be
discussed at the next student council.
The Union of Students Ireland has criti-
cised Senator Ronan Mullen’s recent in-
terruption of the same sex marriage bill
as it passed in the Seanad. It has said it
will consider running someone against
him if he continues to represent these
hateful views. The USI has also stated
that Mullen’s comments on abortion
have been unfounded and inaccurate.
On Saturday the 26th September over
10,000 women joined the March for
Choice in Dublin. Despite this, Sena-
tor Mullen commented on the “grizzly
realities” of abortion and stated that “the
momentum to further legalise abortion
in Ireland is largely a media swell rather
than any ground swell, as the rather
modest turn out at the protest showed”.
Mullen was elected to the Seanad in the
NUI constituency in July 2007. Every
University and college across Ireland
that held a referendum on their stance
on the subject of same sex marriage
voted yes. USI president, Kevin Dono-
ghue, criticised Mullen saying “he is no
stranger to controversy”.
“But his uncompromising, enduring an
extremely vocal views on major social
and political issues such as same sex
marriage, civil partnerships, abortion
and his opposition to the Children and
Family Relationships Bill are extremely
damaging and hurtful to young people.
His association with the Iona Institute,
who rely on invalid interpretations of
data to back their claims, reduces his
credibility as a public representative”
Before the same-sex marriage referen-
dum was passed, Mullen commented
that it would mean redefining the family,
the key argument to the No side. “What
marriage is about is the state supporting
the particular relationship between men
and women because that provides the
context that people want that works best
for the bringing up of children”.
Donoghue went on to say “Not repre-
senting the people who elected him is
disrespectful and undemocratic. His
recent comments are inaccurate, inhu-
mane, crass and cruel. The USI repre-
sents 354,000 students across Ireland
and because the NUI and Trinity vote
for 6 of the Seanad seats, we do not
want to be affiliated with hateful views
that are contradictory to what we sup-
port and believe in. Because of this, we
will consider running someone against
Senator Mullen if he continues to repre-
sent hateful and outdated views”.
4 |
Council Update: SSDP, Emergency Motion & the 8th Amendment
USI to Take A Stand Against ‘Hateful Views’
Chris McCahill - Deputy News Editor
Zoë Cashman - News Editor

5. UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | 5
Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee Role for UCC Lecturer
A Quiet Revolution: UCC Honour Education Stars
Heather Déiseach - News Writer
Zoë Cashman - News Editor
Dr. Aine Ryall a lecturer in UCC’s
School of Law has become a member
of the Aarhus Convention Compli-
ance Committee. The United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) Convention on Access to
Information, Public Participation in
Decision-making and Access to Justice
in Environmental Matter (the Aarhus
Convention) was adopted in 1998. The
treaty was adopted in the Danish city
of Aarhus and is legally binding upon
the states that have become parties to it
including the European Union.
Dr. Ryall currently teaches and re-
searches environmental law, European
Union law and tort law at the School of
Law. She holds a PhD from the Europe-
an University Institute, Florence. She
is also a barrister and was called to the
Irish Bar in 1995. Her research interests
are primarily in the fields of internation-
al and EU environmental law, in par-
ticular access to environmental justice,
implementation of the Aarhus Conven-
tion, environmental impact assessment,
access to information and environmental
law enforcement.
The provisions of the Aarhus Conven-
tion are broken down into three pillars:
access to information, public participa-
tion in decision-making and access to
justice. The Compliance Committee has
nine members; these members serve in
a personal capacity and do not represent
their respective home countries.
The Compliance Committee has been
in place since October 2002. The
Committee oversees how State Parties
implement their obligations under the
Convention. It operates on a “non-con-
frontational, non-judicial and consulta-
tive” basis and its primary objective is
to assist the Parties to comply with their
Convention obligations. The Parties
to the Convention regularly address
issues of compliance on the basis of the
Committee’s reports. The compliance
mechanism may be triggered by a Party
making a submission, the secretariat
making a referral to the Compliance
Committee or member of the public
making communications concerning
a Party’s compliance. The Committee
may also examine compliance issues on
its own initiative and make
recommendations.
The CEO of a non-profit organisation
which is aiming to educate a billion peo-
ple around the world for free is among
those who were awarded honorary
doctorates by UCC yesterday November
2nd.
According to CEO of edX, Anant
Agarwal, Online education for students
is the single biggest shake-up in edu-
cation since the printing press. edX is
a massive open online course provider
founded by Harvard and Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), which of-
fers free classes from top universities to
anyone in the world. Named in Forbes’
list of top 15 education innovators,
Agarwal taught the first edX course on
circuits and electronics from MIT, which
attracted 155,000 students from 162
countries.
A successful serial entrepreneur and
winner of MIT’s Smullin and Jamieson
prizes for teaching, Agarwal has served
as the director of CSAIL, MIT’s Com-
puter Science and Artificial Intelligence
Laboratory, and is a professor of elec-
trical engineering and computer science
at MIT. ‘Scientific American’ selected
Argawal’s work on organic computing
as one of 10 world-changing ideas and
he holds the Guinness World Record for
the largest microphone array.
Many countries have adopted the open
source platform edX, allowing anyone to
use its infrastructure to launch their own
massive open online courses (MOOCs),
including France, China and Saudi
Arabia. Currently, edX has more than
five million students from every country
around the world.
American computing pioneer, Donald
Knuth, known for his greatly influential
multi-volume work The Art of Comput-
er Programming, which has sold over
a million copies, and quirky sense of
humour, will also be conferred with a
Doctor of Science. American Scientist
including the book among ‘100 or so
Books that shaped a Century of Science’
and The New York Times referred to it
as “the profession’s defining treatise”.
Bill Gates commented that “If you think
you’re a really good programmer, read
Knuth’s Art of Computer Program-
ming… you should definitely send me a
résumé if you can read the whole thing”.
Knuth’s YouTube video ‘My Advice to
Young People’, in which he encourages
them to follow their instincts rather than
the herd, has racked up over 230,000
views.
Speaking ahead of the bicentenary of
George Boole’s birth, Knuth commented
that “George Boole’s 200th birthday is
especially important to me because I’ve
used his name more than 700 times in
The Art of Computer Programming, as
well as 150 times in other books”
“In most cases, I’ve been discussing
‘Boolean’ this or ‘Boolean’ that, based
on concepts named after him. But there
are also more than a dozen instances
where I have referred directly to George
Boole himself. I share his great love for
using algebra to understand complex
ideas”.
Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at
UCC, Desmond MacHale, has been
teaching for over forty years at UCC and
said “Working with wonderful students
and having a great relationship with my
colleagues has been precious”. He wrote
the first biography of George Boole.
Since 1976 MacHale has written over
forty books on humour, four on the film
The Quiet Man, and has merged humour
and mathematics with books of lateral
thinking puzzles. MacHale also founded
the Irish Association of Non-Smokers,
spending 25 years as a counsellor help-
ing people to quit cigarettes, “I’d like
to think I’ve saved thousands of lives
doing that”.
On the significance of receiving his
honorary doctorate on the bicentenary
of George Boole’s birth, MacHale said
“the world has finally come to realise
the genius of George Boole. Everyone in
the world now has heard about George
Boole and his link with Cork; he pro-
duced some of his greatest work here”.
Sr Mercedes Desmond has championed
science education in Ireland for over
60 years. Sr Mercedes was professed as
a Sister of Mercy in 1944 and despite
never studying science in secondary
school, she enrolled to study Physics at
UCC in 1945. In addition, she studied
astronomy and chemistry. Sr Mercedes
was assigned to St. Aloysius School
in Cork City in 1949 where she taught
Physics, Chemistry and Maths. After her
appointment as principal of the school in
1978, enrolment rose to 1,200 students,
becoming the largest all-girls secondary
school in Ireland.
In 1962 Sr Mercedes was among those
who founded the Irish Science Teachers’
Association. She immersed herself in
science education at local and national
level, organising courses for science
teachers. She will be conferred with a
Doctor of Education.

6. Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | UCC EXPRESS6 |
On the Current Crop of Republican Presidential Candidates
Eoin Doyle - Features Writer
The race for the Presidency of the United States is an
interesting beast at the best of times. With an extreme-
ly large amount of candidates for the Republican
nomination alone, all of whom are interesting and at
times eclectic characters, it can be difficult to keep
up with who exactly is running, not running, maybe
running or running but you didn’t realise was running.
The campaign to be part of a campaign next year is
already causing some candidates to drop out, notably
Rick Perry and Scott Walker for the Republicans, and
with only 13 months until the election that these candi-
dates aren’t officially a part of yet, now seems like an
appropriate time to see how things are shaping up for
the GOP.
As we draw closer to 2016, the publicity train accruing
around the race for GOP nomination has allowed the
candidates to address each other and the nation as a
whole in live televised debates. These debates for the
most parts have been long, drawn out processes void
of any real discussion or, at times, facts. All in all the
course of action for most if not all candidates was to
make accusations surrounding each other, the Demo-
crats, the Supreme Court and Planned Parenthood (a
programme which specialises in affordable women’s
healthcare). Of course it would be naive to assume
that people running for political office would be above
acting politically, however the length at which many
of the candidates went to create sound-bites that could
be used on further news coverage led to a number of
inaccuracies, bent truths and in some cases flat out
disregard for factual information. Multiple times dur-
ing the debate it was obvious that candidates used this
tactic, not to further debate, not to disprove the assess-
ment of others, but to provide such sound-bites. Take,
for example, Governor John Kasich’s statement that
he “couldn’t think of one person who doesn’t want to
defund Planned Parenthood”, despite the fact that mul-
tiple polls found that, amongst voters, Planned Par-
enthood was more popular than John Kasich. Another
example of this disregard for truth came when Carly
Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, challenged
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to watch footage of
Planned Parenthood heads allegedly stating that they
make profits of off the sale of foetal tissue removed
during abortions. Fiorina gave an impassioned speech
about the matter but failed to mention the fact that
investigators had found there was probable cause to
believe the footage was doctored
These along with a long list of assertions made by
Donald Trump, such as his attacks on illegal im-
migrants: “they’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing
crime, they’re rapists, and some, I assume are good
people”, are part of a worrying trend in American
politics. The problem with this current scenario is that
you routinely find that candidates making false claims,
telling half-truths that are twisted to make the can-
didates seem like they were far more correct in their
assumptions that they actually were. This is happening
in an age where information is at our fingertips to an
extent never seen previously and yet that fact doesn’t
deter candidates from making false claims. There
seems to be a large disconnect between the GOP and
reality at times. And despite the fact that many con-
servatives can agree on the policies of a candidate,
surely it would do nothing but harm to a candidate to
be found openly lying to the voters.
The candidates themselves are an extremely polaris-
ing group. From the brash, confident and often times
obnoxiously loud presence of Donald Trump to the
still, quiet, borderline lifeless mannerisms of Dr. Ben
Carson. The strange concoction of personalities has
many political analysts stumped as to the popularity of
such candidates. Between the 15 Republicans who are
currently running, there are many things that perhaps
would turn voters away. Let’s take a look at some of
these leading candidates and their issues.
Firstly you have Jeb Bush, has to overcome the fear among many that the Bush’s
are establishing a presidential dynasty. There is a fear that three Bush’s in 25 years
would lessen democracy. This hasn’t stopped him from being a strong front runner,
although his polling numbers have gone down significantly as of late.
Donald Trump is still the leading candidate for the GOP if polls are to be believed.
What started out as a satirist’s dream is now turning out to be a force of nature cam-
paign-wise. The real question is whether he is too aggressive to be a president and
there are also questions surrounding his tax policies.
Ben Carson emerged as a strong contender out of nowhere leaving many baffled
as to why. He has an even stranger tax policy to Trump and his droning voice may
turn people away.
Carly Fiorina has to put the fact that she was at the helm at Hewlett Packard one
of its worst periods as well as her failed senate candidacy in 2010 behind her to
stand a chance, also her overly aggressive stance against Planned Parenthood could
damage her chances with women voters.
Marco Rubio is looked at by many as a likely top contender due to his youth and
appeal to the Latino community. However he has been attacked on his record as a
senator, missing many important votes while running for president.
John Kasich is a likely running mate with his often mentioned Reagan-esque quali-
ties, however there are many who would argue against his claims of how successful
his financial budgeting history has been.
Rand Paul is a highly controversial figure as his extremely libertarian outlook has
angered many who avail of state provided programmes such as Medicare, Medicaid
and social security.
Ted Cruz, like Rubio, appeals to the Latino voters with his Cuban heritage, but
many question whether his lack of likeability will be his undoing.
Mike Huckabee’s complete opposition to the separation of church and state, his
opposition to LGBT rights over the years and the issues surrounding his state’s (Ar-
kansas) education policies, which have seen the state ranked 49th in percentage of
bachelor’s degree graduates and 50th in advanced degree graduates, may cost him
dearly with younger voters.
Chris Christie is unlikely to win due to his unpopularity in his own state. Christie
has been seen as brash and obnoxious by many during his governorship of New Jer-
sey, vetoing many bills which had the support of the majority of New Jersey voters.
There are also a number of smaller candidates who don’t have a hope of winning.
All in all it must be said that the Republican Party may not be as likely to win the race next year as they seem to be.

7. UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | 7
Is Emperor Palpatine a War Criminal?
With Unlimited Power...
The Dark Side is a Matter of Perspective
Rob O’Sullivan - Designer
Xander Cosgrave - Byline Editor
With the imminent release of the first instalment of the new Star Wars trilogy two
Express editors battle it out to find out, once and for all, if the ‘big bad’ of the Galaxy
Far Far Away is a war criminal.
I base this argument in a mixture of both fiction and
reality: there are some facts in reality that are relevant
to supporting arguments made based on fiction (and
likely vice-versa) and it is, I believe, a fair assumption
that we are making this argument from the point-of-
view of one outside the medium, those enjoying the
fiction, as opposed to one making the case in-universe
in front of some Star-Court. While most of the Emper-
or’s crimes were done indirectly to hide his Sith iden-
tity, we know it was him pulling the strings behind the
scene. In the Universe, the equivalent to a war crime is
a “Crime Against Civilisation,” the accused being tried
in front of the Galactic Senate which, with the Emper-
ors’ stranglehold on the Senate, makes his trial in-Uni-
verse impossible, I will admit...however, as stated, this
is not the circumstances in which I make my case.
...bloody hell, that’s incredibly nerdy. Well, in for a
penny…
Point Number 1: Actions During the Trade Block-
ade of Naboo. As much as I hate to acknowledge the
prequels, to win this argument I will gladly remember
midichlorians in all their splendor. The trade block-
ade in itself does not quantify a war crime, but what
happens at the very beginning of the film does. In an
attempt to solve the blockade the Senate sends two
Jedi, Qui Gon Jinn & Obi Wan Kenobi, as peaceful
ambassadors to the Trade Federation. Upon their
arrival, the Jedi are poisoned and their ship blown
up. Being the protagonists, the Jedi survive, but the
attempted assassination of peacekeeping ambassadors
which is entirely orchestrated, as we later find out, by
the Emperor quantifies as a war crime.
Point Number 2: Clone Army & Order 66. I believe
that genetically breeding an army of killing machines,
intended only for war, qualifies as a crime of war. The
army, began by Palpatine behind the guise of Hego
Damask, was bred to be just that: an army. While there
could, in theory, be some wiggle room when quantify
its status as a war crime, as the soldiers do have a de-
gree of free will, this goes out the window when Pal-
patine reveals Order 66. The clones were engineered
with a bio-chip embedded in their brains that, when
the order was given, they were to kill all Jedi on sight.
This genocide of a religious order of peacekeepers
itself justifies my claims, but on top of that the soldiers
pulling the trigger did not have a choice to reject their
orders. This action, this breeding of a genocidal kill-
squad, earns Palpatine the title of war criminal.
Point Number 3: Alderaan. “While Coruscant has
always been considered the heart of the Republic,
to some extent, Alderaan has been its soul.” Out of
the prequels and into A New Hope, we meet the first
Death Star. If building something called “the Death
Star” isn’t considered a “Crime Against Civilisation”
then maybe either we should look at changing the
rules, or the Empire should think of better names. In
all seriousness (he says in the article debating politics
in Star Wars) the order to construct such a method of
mass death is a war crime, even if this hasn’t been the
case in reality in the past. This point highlights the
key of making this argument in a vacuum outside of
the universe: history is written by the victors, and the
victors rarely paint themselves as criminals. At the end
of the films as we have them now, the Rebels haven’t
won: the Empire trundles on. Back to the point at
hand, Palpatine, through Grand Moff Tarkin, ordered
the destruction of the peaceful planet of Alderaan
without prior warning; millions of voices cried out in
terror and were suddenly silenced. And this is a crime
of war.
If I haven’t convinced you with these points, then just
look at that robe... crime against fashion at the very
least.
Is Emperor Palpatine a war criminal? I’m going to say
no, sure he may have done things that are potentially
a bit dodgy, but they hardly constitute war crimes.
It’s important to note here, war crimes are defined as
serious violations of the law of war, we know there
are tribunals and the like in Star Wars, so we’ll frame
it around those laws. It’s important we remember this,
because so many people do such awful things in Star
Wars, the bar for a war crime is fairly high. You have
things like blowing up planets, murdering entire races,
and wiping out sectors and solar systems as sort of the
baseline to look at. It’s a wonderful setting for some-
thing whose creator will constantly talk about it being
for kids.
Let’s look at what could be most directly linked to
him, which is order 66, where he had the clone troop-
ers kill all Jedi. First, the Jedi are legitimate military
targets, everyone of them is a commissioned officer in
the Grand Army of the Republic. So his most singu-
larly direct action, one thing we can definitely pin on
him, isn’t that bad, because it’s hardly a war crime
to shoot the officers of a force that are trying to kill
you, and indeed, he only made the call after the Jedi
attempted to quite clearly launch a coup against him.
Not in the Stalin way of being slightly worried about
everyone trying to kill you and launching a purge, but
in the guys showing up to your office with weapons
to depose you and you having very good intelligence
saying they all want to kill you sort of way. Maybe a
bit heavy handed a response, but hardly a war crime.
Maybe, you could say that putting a chip into each
of the clone troopers heads that forced them to obey
orders without being able to stop and think about them
is a war crime. Since the technology used here was ap-
parently commonplace, and the troops of choice were
clone soldiers and sentient AI, there’s a question about
the ethics of using controlled sentient weapons, but
everyone in Star Wars seems to be completely okay
with it, so probably not a war crime. Indeed, when the
galactic government is totally in favour of using these
clones, he’s probably not breaching any law to consti-
tute being a war criminal.
Next up, we have the Death Star, the battlestation of
ultimate destruction. Firstly, he never got a chance
to use it himself on anything aside from a few test
worlds. It was Moff Tarkin who actually blew up a
populated world, and in this case Moff’s have fairly
autonomous control of what they do, Palpatine simply
directed them in broad strokes, and we clearly see in
the film that Tarkin takes it upon himself to blow up a
peaceful world. Probably a war crime, but Palpatine
didn’t do it, and we can’t really see what his response
may have been, because afterwards, Tarkin is promptly
killed.
Palpatine probably wasn’t a great guy, but at no point
do we see him do something that is a war crime, unlike
the Jedi, who use indoctrinated child soldiers, and are
definitely war criminals.

8. Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | UCC EXPRESS8 |
Opinion
USI Should Not Run an “Anti-Ronan Mullen” Candidate
Likely Candidates for the ‘Anti-Mullen’ Nomination
Stephen Spillane - Political Activist
Stephen is a former member of the USI LGBT Campaign from 2005-2006 and has been heavily involved in the Irish political
system for the greater part of a decade, most recently during the Marriage Equality referendum.
Phil Brooks looks towards the Seanad elections and picks his top picks for the USI ‘Anti-Mullen’ nomination
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) announced on Tuesday October 27th that
they would consider running a candidate against Senator Ronan Mullen in the
National University of Ireland (NUI) Constituency “if he continues to represent
hateful and outdated views”.
Since first being elected to the Seanad in 2007, Senator Mullen has not changed his
views on any of the issues that USI oppose him on. From LGBT rights to abortion,
Senator Mullen is the rival to USI and will continue to be despite any threats from
USI.
In the most recent Seanad Elections in 2011, Senator Mullen topped the poll with
6,459 votes (19%) and was elected to the first seat. Twenty-Seven candidates con-
tested that election.
Why do USI think that a candidate backed by them would damage Senator Mullen?
Senator Ronan Mullen is one of the most visible and active Senators among the
University Senators. His run in the 2014 European Elections in the Midlands-North
West Constituency where he received 36,326 votes has certainly raised his pro-
file. That is more than the total number of voters in the 2011 NUI Seanad Election
which totalled 33,831.
He played a high profile role in the No Side of the Marriage Equality referendum,
taking part in many Television and Radio debates, further raising his profile.
While he failed to get elected and the no side lost the referendum, no damage was
done to Senator Mullen and further entrenched him as a strong candidate in the
eyes of his voters.
Senator Mullen is a well-financed candidate and according to his Standard’s in Pub-
lic Office returns for 2014 he received €25,500 in donations from eleven individual
donors. USI will find it hard to campaign against a candidate with such a large war-
chest and a core donor base.
By running a candidate in an already crowded field, USI too could damage other
progressive candidates such as Senator John Crowne. Senator Crowne who came
2nd in the 2011 election with 4,703 votes (14%), narrowly beating Feargal Quinn’s
total of 4,591 (13%), could see his vote share decline if the USI was to run an an-
ti-Mullen candidate.
This of course could see Ronan Mullen easily returned to the Seanad as his opposi-
tion is split.
David Barrett PhD student in Irish Politics in Trinity College Dublin says, ‘The
USI and Mullen are targeting completely different constituencies. It suggests a
misunderstanding of why people vote the way they do to think that suggesting
that Mullen is hateful will somehow persuade his voters to switch to a candidate
expressing the opposite view than what they have been voting for, for years. The
USI would likely draw votes from those who never supported Mullen, which would
not hurt his re-election prospects but would help him solidify his place as a likely
poll-topper.’
With many USI Colleges outside the NUI Constituency including large colleges
such as TCD and the institutes of technology, as well as UCD remaining outside of
USI, plus a lack of an effective alumni contacting system, instead being dependent
on its member unions, would make it very difficult for the USI to effectively chal-
lenge in the NUI Constituency.
If the Government passes the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amend-
ment) Bill 2014, which is still at draft stage, to legislate for the Seventh Amend-
ment passed in 1979 to extend the franchise of voters in the University Panel’s then
the USI may have a hope, until then, any action taken by the USI to run another
candidate in the NUI panel would surely backfire.
The USI would be far better off working with established candidates such as Sena-
tor John Crowne or working with organisations such as the National Youth Council
of Ireland to run a candidate in the NUI Constituency and ensure another progres-
sive voice in Seanad Eireann at the expense of one harking back to a different
Ireland.
Laura Harmon:
The favourite for the USI nod is former President (and former UCC student) Laura Harmon. Rumoured to be running for the Dail for Labour following public success
during the Marriage Equality referendum, Ms. Harmon is the antithesis of Mr. Mullen in almost every way, and would be a very electable candidate for the NUI seat.
While this comment is speculative, it is believed by most that Ms. Harmon is the current forerunner in the minds of USI Officer Board.
Lynn Ruane:
The current Trinity College Students’ Union President is a bit of a dark horse for the USI nomination, but isn’t when it comes to the Seanad itself. A former participant
in Senator Katherine Zappone’s ‘An Cosan’ programme, Ms. Ruane is expected to follow in Ms. Zappone’s footsteps in entering the upper house of the Oireachtas. An
able political activist with an inspiring story, it’s only a matter a time before she is elected to government, and would be a smart choice for USI if they want to unseat Mr.
Mullen.
Kevin Donoghue:
Current USI President and NUIG graduate, Mr. Donoghue is also indeed a likely candidate for the USI nod. Being a USI ‘BMW Regional’ Officer and a native of the re-
gion, he would be an apt replacement for Mr. Mullen in the Seanad. Seen by some as a moderate in student politics when it comes to tact, Mr. Donoghue could be a more
attractive candidate to older voters than others. It’s unlikely, in my opinion, that Mr. Donoghue will be the candidate because...well, it’s a bit gauche to nominate yourself,
isn’t it?
Honourable Mentions: Senator Averil Power, Annie Hoey (USI), Glenn Fitzpatrick (USI), Rory O’Neill (Panti Bliss), Cian Power (USI), Joe Kennedy (UCCSU)

9. UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | 9
Opinion
ASK ME If I’m ‘Asking for it’
Siobhán Maire O’ Donnell - UCC Express Contributor
What can we do?
Let’s be real, we’ve never had a class on how to say no to men but we know the
drill. Don’t wear something that’s too revealing or too tight, it’s either boobs or
legs. Don’t go to the bathroom on your own or walk anywhere alone at night, don’t
accept drinks from strangers and always be ready to defend yourself with your
stylish weapon of choice-your river island clutch bag, standard. In short, society
teaches: don’t get raped, rather than don’t rape.
The Rape Culture in Ireland has been much-publicized recently as a result of the
Ask Consent Campaign. Around Cork there are Billboards emphasising the best
and only way to prevent rape- to ask. Rape culture tells us that guys have a right
to get mad when a girl doesn’t want to sleep with him, because she kissed him and
was flirting or dancing provocatively. All of these are used to justify the notorious
dismissal: sure look, she was asking for it.
There is a consequential pressure on women to watch our actions. It leaves us
feeling like our social and physical safety is dependent on other people’s impres-
sion of how “good” and unassuming we are being as we walk down college road or
Highfield Avenue to pre drinks on a Tuesday or Thursday night. The premise that
if a woman was more modest or ‘proper’ she would not have found herself in that
situation leads people to blame victims and ignore the responsibility of the men
who are raping, harassing and objectifying women.
Our Society constantly says it’s just the ‘lad culture’ that men cannot help them-
selves, especially after a few pints from catcalling, or groping people or worse.
Lads will be whatever they want to be. And we have the power to decide what that
is. There is one message that I feel every guy should hear. If your with a girl on a
night out there is one simple thing you can do: ask her Ask if she’s okay with it;
ask her if she wants to do this. It’s simple. You already asked her name, what course
she’s doing and if she’d like you to get her a drink, it’s only one more question and
possibly the most important one.
Furthermore, we need to change our view as a Society. This means both sexes male
AND female. During the discussion of Rape culture there is a tendency to turn into
a man-hate argument, when in fact women need to radically change how we view
women who have been victims of rape. If I were to ask you what you thought the
‘ideal jury’ would be for a rape trial you would probably tell me that a ‘female
dominated’ jury would be the best, right? Well surprisingly preliminary findings of
Rape Attrition study at NUI Galway found in a six year study (2000-2005) on the
outcomes of sex crimes in the Central Criminal Court, in that time female-dominat-
ed juries failed to convict a single person of rape. Of course this is not to say that
every female-dominated jury won’t convict not at all, it’s just an interesting point.
As women we tend to try to distance ourselves from the victim. Every woman does
it. You try to pinpoint something about that girl that caused her to be raped because
we don’t want to believe it could happen to just anyone. We don’t want to believe it
could happen to us.
In the confrontational, brilliant and bold new book ‘Asking for it’ written by Louise
O’ Neill, the fictional character, 18 year old girl Emma O’ Donovan is raped at a
party by the towns local heroes, it shows how the victim of rape is often portrayed:
“They are all innocent until proven guilty. Not me, I am a liar until I am proven
honest.”
This pretty much sums it up. It explains why the figures put forward by Rape
Network Ireland (RCNI) show that 80% of all sexual violence victims do not report
to the gardaí. If a girl doesn’t think she is a ‘perfect victim’ because she left the
nightclub with him or because she had been drinking they will not report it for fear
they won’t be taken seriously.
A British University student who sparked controversy with his response to an invite to a consent classes
Firstly on a national level, section 4 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act
1990 governs the law of rape in Ireland. Central to our laws on rape is the idea of
consent. For example, we have to ask if the consent was given voluntarily. De-
spite being an essential ingredient to the offence in this context it has not yet been
defined by legislation. Accordingly, judicial analysis offers our only guidelines on
what consent is. When consent has been defined in England, Scotland, Australia,
Canada and most common law jurisdictions it makes little sense that we do not
have a clear statutory definition.
In 2003 Rape crisis Ireland A new sexual offences Bill has been published as of
September 2015. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 is a welcomed
piece of legislation. It sets out new offences to protect children against child
grooming and online predators, sets the age of consent to remain at 17 with an add-
ed two year proximity clause, however it still does not define consent. RCNI have
been advocating for the Bill to include a positive definition of consent and add-
ing an open list of situations in which there is no consent before it is passed. This
would only serve to provide clarity have positive reverberations in this area of law.
We can do a lot more within our college as well. Many Universities in the UK and
the US have introduced mandatory workshops that deal with consent. On one hand
it represents some sort of social and moral failure that some students beginning
their Third-level education have to take a course to have boundaries around sexual
consent explained to them. However, if it is the step needed to change attitudes then
it is certainly something we should be lobbying for UCC to consider introducing.
If we look at other gender equality campaigns that have blown up in the last few
years such as the ‘free the nipple’ movement and the ‘Slutwalks’ in America and
now the Ask Consent Campaign here we can see that there is change in the air. Our
sexuality has been for years taken away from us and sold back to us by the media.
It’s time we take it back. And with regards to sex if you think she’s asking for it-
just ask!

10. Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | UCC EXPRESS10 |
Opinion
Dropping Out
Diarmaid Twomey
Disclaimer: The below opinion piece does not represent the view of any Express editors nor the Express itself. Apart from a few
small edits for spelling and grammar the piece has not being altered to change the tenor or tone of the piece, to correct factu-
al errors or in any way alter authorial intent. It is presented here to offer another view on a topic the Express has previously
covered, recent comments made by Dr. Michael Murphy about the possible value of some current students leaving college to
pursue establishing their own enterprises and create jobs.
Pack up those bags folks. End of semester exam and assignment worries,
be no more. Word has come through that you’re not wanted around here
anymore. Who does this advice come from? A doctor, no less. But not only
a doctor who enjoyed the fruits of an education which he now would prefer
you didn’t have, but it is the same doctor who, by now, must only be pre-
siding over our university in name. Yes, our very own Dr. Michael Murphy
needs you creating jobs, and not blocking up the hallways of his college,
fooling yourself into thinking that an education is something to value and
cherish. There’s tax to be paid, and six figure salaries to sustain, don’t be so
selfish. I’ve often wondered about the hypocrisy of a state which has waxed
lyrical about how smart their economy is, while systematically ensuring that
the education required to become a cog in the wheel of this now infamous
‘smart economy’, becomes ever less attainable. It seems word has trickled
down from the highest parts of government to our very own university presi-
dent, a man who no doubt knows all too well the value of an education. As a
consequence, we have gone from a narrative that only recently suggested the
only purpose of third level education should be to make you ‘job ready’, to
one where a university president is now suggesting that you shouldn’t even
be arsed with an education full stop. Quite an evolution of thought process
in such a short space of time it must be said.
‘What better way to disincentivise binary thinking around
professional and personal development post-secondary
education, than to suggest more limited notions of people’s
worth outside of the mainstream academia which UCC
offers, eh?’
Of course, there are elements of truth to what Dr. Murphy says; he argues
that a university education does not suit everyone. This is very true; aca-
demia does not play to many people’s natural strengths, however his asser-
tion that he is somehow being outspoken and innovative is nothing short of
comical. What better way to disincentivise binary thinking around profes-
sional and personal development post-secondary education, than to suggest
more limited notions of people’s worth outside of the mainstream academia
which UCC offers, eh? If academia isn’t for you, best get out and make a job
and forget about trying to make use of your natural talents. He goes on to
suggest that if you fail at business, you can just saunter back into education
again. It’s all so easy isn’t it? I am not sure if Dr. Murphy ever had a busi-
ness fail or studied as a mature student, but neither are very easy. I should
know, I have done one and am in my third year of trying to complete the
other. But even aside from all that, his greatest folly was in his omission of
one enormous, yet critical detail; enrol once, the state picks up the tab for
your ‘free education’, enrol a second time, the fees are your responsibility.
I know of someone who is paying close to €10,000 per annum because of
this conveniently omitted detail. A nominal amount for a doctor or univer-
sity president perhaps, but not for a young adult trying to start their career,
believe me.
‘This represents yet another shock wave in a roll of seismic
tremors that have been shaking the foundations of our once
valued, albeit briefly, education system’
But there is a wider and more worrying point to all this. This represents yet
another shock wave in a roll of seismic tremors that have been shaking the
foundations of our once valued, albeit briefly, education system. Make no
mistake about it, the Irish education system is being systematically attacked
by a political movement that for whatever reason, looks to undermine it
at every opportunity. Since 2008, the ‘contribution’ required on behalf of
a student to enrol or remain in our ‘free’ third level education system has
almost quadrupled. In 2012, a bonus scheme was introduced to unfairly
reward leaving cert students who took higher level maths extra CAO points;
a move that blatantly undermines the idea of an equitable education system
which impartially rewards and caters for all our young people. Why? Well,
simply put, there’s nothing more effective at garnering action from our gov-
ernment, than having some tax avoiding multinationals throw their toys out
of the pram. Sher why not totally change the value of our education system
on the whim of a few CEO’s? It’s not as if education is about anything other
than making yourself ‘job ready’ for some companies who would leave our
shores at the drop of a hat, or the suggestion that they pay a fair level of tax.
But it didn’t stop there; most recently in 2014, the Department of Education
attempted to degrade the Junior Cert by passing the responsibility of exam
marking to the student’s individual teachers, thereby removing the external
examinations board involvement. Can anyone honestly see these changes as
enhancing our education system in any way?
‘These may seem like minor shifts, especially when the PR
trains of government roll into town. But collectively, they
mark a dangerous precedent in the development, or
regression in this case, of our education system’
Of course in isolation, these may seem like minor shifts, especially when the
PR trains of government roll into town. But collectively, they mark a dan-
gerous precedent in the development, or regression in this case, of our edu-
cation system. This government has presided over the reintroduction of fees
via the hiking of student contribution charges, the dumbing down of the Jun-
ior Cert and the creation of an inequitable Leaving Cert system in order to
suit vested, private interests. Now we have people who should be champions
of third level education and all it can offer our young, asserting the complete
opposite. Why? It’s time to get off the fence and be honest with the youth of
today. Either their future lies within a ‘smart economy’ in which education is
valued, equitable, enriching and worthwhile, or, we train kids from the age
of 5 to be ‘job ready’ and forget everything else education offers us outside
of monetary gain, and call it what it is, the dumbed-down, ‘cheaper for those
who have already ascended the ladder’ economy. Fine Gael, Labour and
Dr. Murphy may not think the youth of today deserve a free, balanced and
equitable education, but even they know you deserve the truth, so you need
to start demanding it.

11. UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | 11
Every issue the UCC Express team look back at our own print history
and pick out some...interesting bits from papers’ past.
Disclaimer: We present these excerpts unedited, to highlight how much has changed since they were first published.
FLASH
BACK<
On this page you can see the entire arc of an on campus
referendum on the issue of disseminating information about
abortion. These are all taken from two issues in 1989’s
The Gazette, the earliest mention of abortion I can find in
our Express archives. To be quite clear here, in 1989 UCC
students voted apparently largely in favour of not even
allowing the dispersal of information related to abortion on
campus, never mind actually drive the Student’s Union to
advocate for women’s reproductive rights. This is obviously
important in light of the fact another referendum will occur
on our campuses this year, a referendum to do just that and
force the SU to take action by calling on the Government to
arrange a referendum to appeal the 8th. Make no mistake on
this, the failure of this 1989 referendum to pass, the flippant
remarks made about the referendum’s failure and the
attitudes I’ve seen this year by some students on abortion are
emotive issues for many and this campaign will be a
gruelling one. It is one worth fighting for though.
We cannot let another referendum of this ilk fail. Real lives
are on the line every day until the 8th amendment is
repealed. Watch this space.

12. Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | UCC EXPRESS12 |

13. UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | 13

14. The Interview: John Caulfield, Cork City Manager
Dylan O Connell - Comics Editor
In advance of the FAI Cup Final against favourites Dundalk, our own Dylan O Connell
had a chat with Cork City FC manager John Caulfield about the club, the city and the
state of the beatiful game itself.
For more information on Cork City FC, go to www.CorkCityFC.ie.
EXPRESS: So John, with the buzz about the FAI Cup final next Sunday, how’re you
feeling?
JOHN CAULFIELD: I feel okay yeah, we’ve had a few knocks so we’re hoping
this week they might clear up absolutely our form in the last 12-14 days you know
we won away at pats and Bohs and drew with Dundlak which where three high
intensity games which where needed, you know he challenge next week is that
next week, Dundalk are overwhelming favourites they won the league by a mile
this year they are expected to win while our form dipped in the last few months
you know when people look back where to we have been and we need to put in a
massive performance next Sunday, if we do then we win the cup and if we don’t we
lose. Simple as.
EX: Are you trying not to let it set into your players that they’re playing on the big
stage, the Aviva Stadium, and how are you preparing for the game?
JC: There’s two ways to look at it. You can be overwhelmed and not preform and
go there an embrace the occasion. As footballers say this is where I want to be and
this is where I want to play and this is where I want to be. People react differently. I
was hoping with-... I’m hoping that we can go into the occasion and soak up in the
atmosphere, and the fact that we avebt that we played there before, but we do have
a few experienced guys but as the same time we go into the occasion and soak up
the atmosphere and hopefully soak it up.
EX: How did you find the change, from stepping up from UCC and Munster Senior
League to League of Ireland? Like in the space of five weeks at the club you were
bringing in gate respites of over 5,000 along with galvanising the City and club
which was shown on Monday Night Soccer as well as with all the City tops around
the City!
JC: It’s obviously different, like I was with amateur football at Avondale where
I won national cups and then I stepped up to UCC where I won the Collingwood
Cup.
The big difference is that these guys are getting paid. These guys are professionals
and train every day to make their living and as well as that it is the highest level in
the country with the opportunity to play European football. I suppose it’s the chal-
lenge coming in was huge, and John Cotter coming in, but my knowledge coming
in of the League OF Ireland Is huge from a player and watching. Whenever your in
the top level of non-league with UCC and Avondale, and with the highest level at
City, you’re still dealing with people and you have to treat them with respect and
with dignity. The main difference is that these guys are getting paid and playing at
the highest level.
When we first came in that was the prioty; to try and galvanise these groups of
players and the team.
We had a phenomenal season this year, we’re second again unfortunately but that’s
where we have been at, Dundalk have pushed the bar high.
But we are in a cup final and qualified for Europe two seasons in a row. This is a
building process and we’ll be stronger next year and we’re hoping to drive the club
on.
Win or lose next Sunday, if we win it would be a fantastic occasion for our support-
ers, but the important thing is that we drive on and were back here next year.
EX: Is this the biggest game of your managerial career?
JC: As a manager? It’s hard to know/ I’m suppose it’s the fact that it’s the cup final
in the Aviva. I suppose from a public perspective and a supporter’s perspective it’s
brilliant from a supporter’s point of view. I haven’t really thought of that to be hon-
est. I came in here to do a job. To revive the club and bring back the glory days and
bring the club back to the glory days and back in Europe.
EX: Do you think a UCC League of Ireland team would be sustainable?
JC: The problem with that, from a UCC point of view, they would have to put in
phenomenal finance. You’re not going to compete with the Munster Senior League
sides. When you look at UCD, half of their team hasn’t been in UCD. When UCD
have done well in the Premier Division they have had a lot of outside players, or
players who have been in UCD have then taken on in a full time capacity. There is
a misconception that they have a team of students. A strong indicator of this, the
gap between senior league and the premier division is massive, when the college
here won the Collingwood this year, they played Dundalk in the League Cup a
month later and Dundalk felieded 11 changes from their change. UCC had their full
strength Collingwood team and Dundalk felied their second team, and the score
line was still 5-0.
The differences are you go up is the speed, the strength and the quality of players.
EX: Do you even think that a second team in Cork would be sustainable on the
same scale of Cork City FC?
JC: No chance, I would say no chance, simply because, from an outsider’s view
before I took the job; Cork is a sports mad City everyone follows everything;
Soccer, rugby, hurling, football and everyone wants to win. Everyone follows the
winning team. It’s different to other counties. So from my POV, when we were
doing really well we can bring in 5-6 thousand supporters.
Our crowds where down to 1,200 people and sixth in the table. But if you’re not
competing for the top you won’t bring in the supporters.
EX: Sure John, I remember I met a Pats fan up at a comic convention last August
and he was telling me that two years ago Pats played Dundalk for the title and
Dundalk sold out their allocation. The game ended 1-0 to the Saints, and the fol-
lowing week Dundalk where back to crowds of 400 again.
JC: What we have in Cork we have a massive following, but a lot of people only
come for the big occasions, like football, soccer, Munster and only go to the big
games. Like we don’t have the fan base for 5 and 6 thousand each week but what
we do have s a dedicated fan base. So that is why a second team would not be sus-
tainable for a second team. I don’t know how a second team could survive.
EX: Would you like to see a more expansive league though, with more teams from
the west of Ireland as opposed to a Dublin dominated league? Or do you think that
with Dundalk, City, Shamrock Rovers and St. Pats all getting money now from
Europe, do you think that they could take off and leave the other teams behind?
JC: Unfortunately n Ireland professional players are only played 24-30 weeks of
the season. That’s why so many go to England. They sign for Championship and
League One clubs. Shamrock Rovers, Pats, can’t pay players in the off season.
Ideally a 52 week season would be brilliant. While you’re right about the team win-
ning the league and getting more money, we all need to compete
14 | Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | UCC EXPRESS

15. Continued from the Back Cover...
Honours Even in Tight Queen’s Clash
Neil Willoughby - Sports Editor
Monday morning saw the dead
rubber third place play off between
UCC and QUB. Inclement weather
conditions meant the pitch at Garyduff
was unplayable and thus the tie reverted
to penalty stokes. Despite valiant
efforts from rookie goalkeeper Jack
Cherry, he was unable to prevent the
Ulstermen sneaking it 5-4. Despite the
disheartening nature of UCC’s exit from
the competition the side saw of Trinity at
the Mardyke arena by a goal to nil in the
opening round of the Irish Senior Cup on
Saturday.
The ladies took on DIT in their opening
match and started out with a good
confident performance. UCC came out
4-0 winners with goals from Rachel
Foley, Sarah Browner, Kate Harvey
and Captain Nicola Kerr. Their next
game was later that day and versus
the University of Ulster, Jordanstown.
UUJ’s unrelenting frantic and fast-paced
approach was too much for a tired UCC
in the first half seeing the Cork side 2-0
down at the break. Irish international
Megan Frazer extended the reigning
champions lead in the opening exchanges
of the second half with Antonia McGrath
getting a consolation goal back through
a short corner in the closing minutes but
the game ended 3-1 to the visitors.
UCC qualified through the pool stages
as runners-up and were drawn to take
on UCD in the semi-final. The teams
were evenly matched in the first half, but
the Dubliners proved to have too much
experience in their side as they ground
out a 2-0 victory to progress to the final.
UCC will hope to get revenge when they
meet again in the EY league later on in
the season.
UCC’s next and final game was the 3rd
place play off against Queens University
Belfast, seeing a mirroring of the Men’s
3rd place play-off take place. A goal
from Rachel Foley and a cleanly taken
short corner from Clodagh Moloney saw
UCC take a 2-0 lead into the 2nd half.
However, UCC were Fatigued causing
problems for Phil Oakley’s team. QUB
capitalised on missed tackles and got the
2 goals they needed to tie the game to
bring the game to penalty strokes after
a scoreless extra-time. Sarah Wrixon
performed very well between the sticks
and coolly taken strokes from Saoirse
O’Leary, Clodagh Moloney, Antonia
McGrath and Emma Barber was enough
for UCC to take the Bronze medal home.
On Saturday the ladies got their
revenge as they defeated Queen’s 5-3 in
the Irish Senior Cup opening round with
Kate Harvey, Toni McGrath, Rachel
Foley all scoring while Sarah Browner
earned a brace. The impressive victory
came without captain Nicola Kerr who
suffered an injury in training during the
week.
UCC men’s first team took on Queen’s
University, Belfast in round six of the
Ulster Bank All-Ireland League division
2A on Saturday. The contest was tense
and hard-fought from the opening few
minutes with both sides desperate to get
the win and the four points to get their
season back on track. The sides came
into the match separated by just one
point on the League table, with UCC
holding a one point advantage, both
teams winning two from their opening
five encounters.
UCC attacked menacingly from the
early stages and it paid dividends as Tim
Clifford went over ten minutes into the
clash to give College a 5-0 lead after
a missed conversion from Full-Back
Kevin O’Keeffe. QUB stacked on the
pressure as they looked to reply on the
scoreboard. They quickly built up a
dominant lead through three quickly
taken scores including two converted
tries and a penalty, adding another three
points just before the interval. UCC
managed to keep themselves in the
game, crucially scoring just before half-
time to gain confidence heading into
the second half. This time Kevin Slater
touched down, again O’Keeffe failing to
add the extras.
The second half began much the
same as QUB again got over the line
to bring their lead out to seventeen
points at 27-13 as College replied with
a penalty from O’Keeffe’s boot. UCC
continued to fight seeing Conor Barry
make his way over the try line, this time
O’Keeffe made no mistake and gave
UCC the valuable two additional points
to make the gap just seven points with
twenty five minutes to go.
The match continued at its high
intensity pace with many turns yet to be
taken in a thrilling encounter marked
with expansive and threatening rugby.
UCC enjoyed a purple patch following
Barry’s try and quickly added two more
tries, both converted, to give themselves
a 34-27 lead with ten minutes to go. The
dream comeback was on the cards, but
QUB were determined to get something
from the game having dominated for
much of proceedings, getting their just
reward in the dying moments along with
the conversion to draw the match at 34
all. The scoreline stayed there as both
sides took home two points for the draw
and an additional four try bonus point.
The result marked UCC’s best result
on the road this season as they took
away three points from a possible five
to get their season back on track fol-
lowing good home form along with
disappointing results away from the
Mardyke. UCC currently see themselves
sitting in fifth position in the table with
a total of fourteen points after two wins,
a draw and four bonus points behind
rivals Naas RFC by a point. Malone and
Banbridge sit in theird and second place
respectively on twenty points while
Cashel RFC, who defeated UCC by a
point in round four, sit on top with a
haul of twenty-one points.
In other news the women’s rugby
team earned their first league win of the
season to complete a successful week-
end for UCC. The women comprehen-
sively defeated Waterford IT by 51-7 in
a dominant and impressive display with
captain Lane leading the way and
earning the player of the match award.
Sports News In Brief: Darts
UCC’s first team enjoyed a 3-2 victory over The Huntsman Bar with
Martin McGregor, Mark O’Shea and TJ Kenneally all winning their
clashes to continue their recent good league form. UCC’s second team
were on the wrong side of the same scoreline as the Beergarden took the
plaudits despite wins from Podge Haughney and John McCarthy.
| 15UCC EXPRESS | Tuesday, November 3rd 2015

16. The Mardyke Arena played
host to the Irish Hockey Inter
Varsities over the October
Bank Holiday weekend as the
competition returned to the
rebel county. The men’s side
where hoping for a repeat of the
last time the tournament came
Leeside, when they emerged
victorious in 2012.
Trinity College, Dublin were
the opposition in their opening
encounter with tensions already
high after these sides were set
to face each other in the Irish
Senior Cup 1st round which
took place in Cork on Saturday
31st of October. Not only the
college rivalry but familial
rivalry as the Chambers and
Colton families each having one
son on either team. The pace of
the match reflected that it was
always going to be a heated
contest. Also, as anticipated a
physical affair played out with
UCC’s unrelenting intensity
and pressure from the start
proving too much for Trinity
to handle. Goals came from
Gary Wilkinson, Andy Colton,
Wesley Brownlow and a brace
from Fionn O’Leary to give
UCC a resounding 5-0 victory.
The following morning,
UCC’s second and final pool
stage match was against a very
strong University of Ulster,
Jordanstown side. Each team
knewtheirplaceinthesemi-final
was assured after both ensured
victories over Trinity. However
the spoils for top spot and a more
favourable semi-final proved
incentive enough for both sides
as they played out a thoroughly
competitive encounter, with the
game being played at a frantic
pace. UCC managed to lead
UUJ 3-2 going into the closing
stages of the game, edging the
contest just. In particular Andy
Colton’s dominant performance
in midfield ensured UUJ’s
international contingent
remained subdued. However,
a controversial decision saw
UUJ awarded a penalty corner,
giving UUJ a lifeline which
they duly converted in the dying
embers of the game. The 3-3
draw afforded them top spot in
the group via goal difference.
Laterthatevening,UCCplayed
DIT in the semi-final looking
to build on their impressive
opening performances. The
match was end-to-end from
the very start providing
great entertainment for all in
attendance with DIT edging it
with a goal late into extra time.
That was after summer signing,
Sam Grace coolly converted a
penalty corner in the last play
of the game to take the game
into extra time. The 5-4 result
was disheartening for UCC
as they again conceded late in
the match and also due to UUJ
easily dispatching of a weak
Queen’s University Belfast side
by 7 goals to nil in the other
semi-final. However, despite
the end result Coach Neil Welch
remained extremely impressed
with the quality of performance
UCC brought throughout the
competition.
(continued on page 15)
InterVarsity Disappointment for UCC
Inside Sport
Page 14
Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 | uccexpress.ie | Volume 19 | Issue 5
ABSOLUTELY HOCKEYED: Andy Colton carries the ball into Trinity’s half for UCC Men’s Hockey Club (PHOTO: Paul Colton)
Fred McElroy & Clodagh Moloney - Sports Writers
PREVIEW: EXPRESS
INTERVIEWS CORK CITY BOSS
JOHN CAULFIELD AHEAD OF
FAI CUP FINAL CLASH
ucc sport