Studenty’s Shane Hurley reports on Cork City’s victory over UCD last Friday.

Cork City continued to rise up the Airtricty Premier Division table with a 4-2 against UCD at Turner cross. This was revenge for the rebels who lost 1-0 to the students in the first league game of the season.

For those who braved the conditions on Friday night they got their money’s worth. UCD began with a regular 4-4-2 while City’s 4-4-2 was open to versatile change when shifting from defense to attack, with Davin O’Neill joining the front two while Morrissey and Duggan sat deeper. John Dunleavy continued deputising for injured skipper Dan Murray at center half, Colin Healy captained City from right back.

Cork opened the scoring after just 13 minutes, when Daryl Horgan roamed in from the wing and his lobbed effort was deflected over the stranded Mark McGinley. The home side however switched off from the restart, and from a UCD attack two minutes later, John Dunleavy made minimal but clear contact with striker Chris Lyons. Graham Rusk slotted home the penalty.

A notable battle on the pitch was between Davin O’Neill and UCD right back Hugh Douglas. Douglas drifted close to his center backs allowing O’Neill space countless times but was assured in winning the ball back from the City player without having to leave his feet in wet conditions, but this would not always hold true. Tadhg Purcell controlled the ball in the 37th minute before slipping it through to the open again O’Neill whose shot from an acute angle found the back of the net and after the referee had a glance to his lines man for confirmation the goal was given. The first half drew to a close with the conditions sapping the life from both sides.

Cork tested McGinley in the students net on a number of occasions but was comfortable tipping over and wide shots from distance. UCD had a clear game plan, to sit, soak up pressure and counter attack using the pace and movement of their front two, Lyons and Rusk. The home crowd had that sinking feeling when with ten minutes to go the students were awarded a free on the edge of the area, Mark McNulty could only tip the well placed effort from UCD against the crossbar and in the resulting scramble Paul O’Connor drew the students level.

City showed great Character to keep their heads up and go for the win and when Douglas slipped turning in the box, handling the ball as he fell, the ref pointed to the spot. The award was harsh considering the conditions but it was the correct call. Davin O’Neill sent the keeper the wrong way to slot home the spot kick to his bottom left. In injury time O’Neill polished off his second hat trick of the season, when McGinley slid and fumbled the ball at his feet, the city winger again converting from an acute angle.

After the game City boss Tommy Dunne praised the hold up play of striker Tadhg Purcell and commented on how versatile John Dunleavy, has been rewarded for his form by being on stand by for the Ireland Under-21 squad. Dunne also informed the gathered media that winger Daryl Horgan had been withdrawn early due to breathing difficulty from his asthma, not injury.

City have only lost one of their last six games in the league and that was to leaders Sligo Rovers. This result moves City into seventh in the Premier Division. Next up for the rebels is an away day trip to Drogheda United on Monday evening. City lost out 3-2 with ten men against the men from Hunky Dory Park in the second league game of the season, so similar to UCD, Tommy Dunne will aim to right that wrong before turning his attention to a home FAI cup game with Athlone Town next Friday night.

Lead image courtesy of Wikimedia commons

Sir Alex Ferguson

Studenty’s Ronan O’Sullivan expresses his dismay at Sir Alex Ferguson’s comments after Man City’s dramatic league triumph…

It didn’t take long for Alex Ferguson to start moaning about Man City and Roberto Mancini but his criticism of City’s spending in the transfer market was utterly bizarre and downright bitter. Ferguson couldn’t help himself in taking a swipe at the ‘noisy neighbours’ and especially at the man who refused to get embroiled in his mind-games through simply playing down his team’s chances. It must really hurt Ferguson that Mancini beat him to the title, especially after two incredible wins over their fierce rivals where Ferguson’s charges failed to show up on each occasion.

Maybe this is why he came out with such nonsense after the Swansea match when talking to the Sunday Telegraph: “Nobody can match their [Man City’s] financial power, no one,” Ferguson told the Sunday Telegraph. He  followed it up by claiming [the transfer market has] “been insane for a while, for a long time, and I think clubs like City create that”.

With these comments, Ferguson paints a picture of United as some kind of hard-done-by middle-income earner who is struggling to afford any sort of luxury in life while his rich and flamboyant neighbour arrives home to his new mansion in a new Ferrari and with a new gorgeous blonde on his arm. Envy. He blames City and other clubs for the insane transfer market as if United have stood by like paupers barely spending a pound on transfers and wages over the last decade.

Maybe Ferguson is trying his hand at deadpan comedy because the Red Devils have not exactly been slow to splash the cash in the past. For example, there was approximately £30m splashed out for Rio Ferdinand in 2002, £28 for Veron in 2001, £26 for Rooney in 2004 and £30 for Berbatov in 2008. This season alone has seen them shell out £19m for David de Gea, £17m for Phil Jones and £15m for Ashley Young (and people ask why English players are so expensive). The Red side of Manchester have always spent huge sums of money on top players whether it’s Roy Keane, Andy Cole, Rio Ferdinand or Michael Carrick, and they have duly reaped the rewards with multiple Premier League titles, Champions Leagues, FA Cups and Carling Cups. Yet now, when City spend serious money on top players and win, then all of a sudden they are the ones damaging the transfer market!

So, what exactly is wrong with spending lots of money on top players anyway? The answer is nothing. Football is a business and every club supporter is dying for a Sheikh Mansour to buy their club, invest millions on players and win trophies. Jack Walker did it for Blackburn Rovers when they won the title in 1995, Abramovich did it for Chelsea since the early 2000′s and Manchester United have done it since the beginning of the Premier League with no signs of letting up even since the arrival of the much-maligned Glazers. Ferguson needs to find a new stick to beat Mancini with because he’s making himself look extremely bitter with this particular argument. Maybe he could scoff and claim City’s success will only pack Eastlands with tourists and render their match-day atmosphere sterile, oh wait…

*Lead image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Studenty’s Audrey Ellard Walsh reviews Shakers which she recently previewed here on Studenty…

The girls from Shakers

Wednesday evening I attended the opening night of the Cork Arts Theatre Repertory Company’s latest production “Shakers: Re-Stirred”. An interesting theatrical experience, it begins the moment you enter the venue with the CAT foyer has transformed into a buzzing bar. House music and disco balls set the scene for the evening and a full cocktail bar provided by Remix Ltd tickled punters taste buds before the main event.

Fast-paced from the off, the show spans a typical Friday evening at Shakers cocktail bar. From set up to close, we see the nights of a number of stereotypical characters from the checkout girls out for a 21st to the rugby school lads and yacht club ladies back from the theatre. In all, the four-woman ensemble portrays 30-plus characters over the course of the evening.

Through the mockery from the waitresses, to their own exaggerated behaviour, the audience is given a glimpse into the wide scope of customers who frequent the bar and restaurant, learning that it is more difficult than imaginable for the waitresses to keep smiling and that the “seafood pasta” is to be avoided at all costs.

Not entirely a comedy, the show provides poignant moments too. Each woman, as the audience learns, has their own story to tell, casting a darker and more human dimension to each character. Director James Hogan strikes a delicate balance between comedy and melodrama. All four main characters are confronted with difficult decision in their personal lives, struggling with reconciling their dreams with their realities.

Clare Loy’s Adele is torn between her guilt as a single mother and her need to make a living. Marie O’Donovan (Carol) is an aspiring photographer who wants more than anything to use her degree to work somewhere else while Mel portrayed by Jan O’Sullivan is resolved with her “easy life” but harbours dark secrets from her past.

It is however Rachel O’Connell who stands out as the show’s main talent. In a less dramatic role than the others, her perfect accents and skilled comic timing kept the audience tied in knots. Her embodiment of birthday girl Elaine was truly hilarious and as happy-go-lucky barmaid Carol, we see that things are not all that they seem with her, as with the other three women.

All four actresses support each other in keeping up the energy required by this demanding piece, the at times breakneck character changes skilfully executed whilst holding the audience enraptured.

The audience, mostly, it has to be said, middle aged women, were audibly impressed over the two hour duration. However, Shakers is by no means a show that excludes anyone. I, at 21 could identify (perhaps a little too well) with the intense emotions felt after one too many cocktails on a night out, just as there was a character for everyone to identify with or at least recognise- warts and all.

A couple of stumbled lines- perhaps a couple too many for a professional company-but overall, this was an excellent offering from the newly established Cork Theatre Repertory Company. I look forward to seeing more from them as they promise to stage a new production every month at the Carrol’s Quay venue.

‘Shakers’ runs nightly, at 8pm, in the Cork Arts Theatre until Saturday 2nd June.

Photo by Karol Kachmarsky from TheRedFrame.com

The Dunnes Chronicles, whatever could this be about, well read on to find out, as Ciara O’Riordan reveals all…

Dunnes Stores

For a short period there I had a job, not just any job, a job in Dunnes stores. The supermarket that feeds our nation was my employer. Granted they didn’t like me enough to keep me on part time, but they did indeed tolerate me for a bit. I don’t have many faults but Dunnes managed to expose the ones I have.

Appearance seems to be everything when you are behind the tills and this was the first hurdle I fell at, my hair is curly and some say it is lovely and natural, Dunnes say it is a mess and makes me look homeless. Dunnes would appreciate it better if I tied back my wild mane. My sloppy appearance was never more magnified until the day I met Mrs Dunnes herself in the bathrooms. In my defense it was very early, I had quite literally fallen out of the shower and into my clothes , wet hair blown to pieces by the gale force wind, my shirt so big it spilled out from underneath my shrunken jumper and even worse was that my extra long pants were stuck into my socks. Now when I think back to what kind of unruly site I presented to this woman I question why she didn’t get rid of me there and then.

I liked working on the tills, the customers were friendly but some ”didn’t get me”, and by ”didn’t get me”, I mean they couldn’t understand me. My accent was so immersed in ‘eras’ , ‘alrite boi’ and ‘shurs’ to be understood by the public. I never actually said ‘alrite boi’, i just needed this to drive home my point-I think you get what I mean. The locals of the town who mostly consisted of people from other European countries told me that they could tell from my accent that i wasn’t from around here. I explained to them because i lived 15 minutes outside of town that they were most certainly correct and that I had to cross a border everyday…fooolish people.

Apart from standing out as that new girl who looks a mess and can’t speak , I was also the girl with the car that wouldn’t start.I was only there a couple of weeks when the whole staff of Dunnes stores had to push a little starlet around the car park in the freezing cold. On admitting defeat, we had to make an announcement over the intercom saying could John on aisle two please report to the car park with jump leads. There really is nothing like bonding over jump starting a car in the dark the night before Christmas eve.

Now that I am back on the unemployment line again, I feel better , I may be poor and never really be able to feel comfortable doing the Friday shopping but at least i can tuck my pants back into my socks and not fear the repercussions!

Forget the exams, don’t you dare mention projects or essays! Download 2012 is coming and nothing else matters! Darran Goggin provides our first helping of weekly metal to cure your thirst for madness…

Festival season is approaching and for those of us with tickets it means only one thing, DOWNLOAD 2012! The music festival of summer kicks off on June 8th promising sun, sex and mayhem with some sweet bands thrown in for good measure.

To celebrate this joyous occasion, we here at Studenty (well mainly me) have decided to present a weekly countdown of the bands you need to see and more importantly, why you should get your ass to Donnington this summer!

FRIDAY JUNE 8th

To kick off the countdown I proudly bring you the mighty Machine Head; having seen them live four times, I can confidently say they are easily the most entertaining and energetic live band in the world and will devastate DOWNLOAD 2012 when they take to the stage on Friday night!

5.

Song: Locust
Album: Unto the Locust

4.

Song: Ten Ton Hammer
Album: The More Things Change

3.

Song: Ten Fold
Album: Supercharger

2.

Song: Davidian
Album: Burn My Eyes

1.

Song: Imperium
Album: Through The Ashes Of Empires

 SATURDAY JUNE 9th

As we skip ahead to Saturday, there really only is one act that will deliver the essence of Metal in their glorious, glam fasion; Steel Panther put on one hell of a show and the videos below are only a taster of what they have to offer, with a tongue in cheek approach to music and fashion, their stage craft is no different.

5.

Song: Death to all but metal

Album: Feel the Steel

4.

Song: 17girls in a row

Album: Balls Out

3.

Song: If you really, really love me

Album: Balls Out

2.

Song: Turn Out The Lights

Album: Feel the Steel

1.

Song: Tomorrow Night

Album: Balls Out

SUNDAY JUNE 10th

Sunday already? God damn it, time to kick things up a notch and tear it down with metal titans Shinedown.

5.

Song: Adrenaline

Album: Amaryllis

4.

Song: Diamond Eyes

Album:  The Expendables Soundtrack

3.

Song: 45

Album: Leave A Whisper

2.

Song: Second Chance

Album: The Sound Of Madness

1.

Song: Devour

Album: The Sound Of Madness

Be sure to tune in next week as we countdown some more of the best bands at this year’s DOWNLOAD 2012. Same Metal Time. Same Metal Channel!

Four finals in one day! Studenty’s Shane Hurley previews all of this weekend’s main events…

This Saturday, 19 May, will be a day to savour for sports lovers! It will take a lot to top the drama and edge of the seat adrenaline run that was last Sunday, but Saturday is weighing in well.

At three o’clock our story starts. And this will be the only time you will have to make a decision. Do you want to watch the Scottish cup final or Championship play off final?

The Scottish cup final is an all Edinburgh affair, with Hearts meeting bitter rivals Hibernian. Hearts will be the favourites after finishing fifth in the league, while Hibs avoided relegation coming in second last. Hearts have by far the best of the head to head this season, winning all three encounters. There is also an Irish interest to this cup final. Former Bohemians and Shelbourne manager Pat Fenlon is at the helm of Hibs, and he will hope to add the Scottish cup winners medal to his FAI cup one. Hibs have a clean bill of health ahead of the match, with Hearts expecting Andy Webster to be fit for the tie. Meanwhile striker Craig Beattie will be a match day decision with a hamstring injury.

Your other option is the clash of West Ham United and Blackpool for a place in the Premier League. It is billed as the richest game in football, with the winners taking their place in the most lucrative league in the world. Both sides are attempting to bounce back at the first attempt. West Ham started the season as favourites for promotion, investing in high profile players such as Kevin Nolan and John Carew, and again in January with Nicky Maynard and Ricardo Vaz Te joining the hammers. But Sam Allardyce has struggled to cope with the pressure from the fans and owners.

The irons have beaten the tangerines home and away this season, netting four goals in both games. But similar to two years ago when Blackpool won promotion, they have come in to the promotion race as the form side, having not lost in nine games. The last time they tasted defeat was away to champions Reading. West Ham have come into the run in with an eight game unbeaten run, again Reading the last team to inflict defeat. Blackpool will play a similar, high tempo game that won them admirers last season. This does leave them open to being picked off. West Ham have the names, they have the manager and should stifle Blackpool’s passing game, shutting down the likes of Thomas Ince and Matt Phillips. But should Blackpool control possession and grab the first goal, West Ham may buckle under fan pressure.

Once the last entrant into the 2012/13 Premier League is known, then attention switches to Twickenham. The home of English Rugby will see an Irish Champion in the Heineken cup once again when defending champions Leinster meet Ulster. Leinster aim to be only the second team to ever retain the title. Ulster may be underdogs with the bookies but remain only the second side to beat Munster at Thomond Park in the Heineken Cup and boast three World cup winners, which include Ruan Pienaar. The Springbok scrum half will take the majority of the Ulstermen’s kicks and dictate the pace of their play. Neutralizing him will be key to Leinster’s success, easier said than done with his kicking range starting from inside his own half. All Black World Cup winner John Afoa should replace Declan Fitzpatrick at prop, he will need to combine well with Tom Court and Rory Best to stand up against a very formidable Leinster scrum. Both sides are similarly strong at the line out. Brian O’Driscoll will play through the pain barrier to be Leinster’s creative spark at number 13.

To finish off the greatest day of finals, the UEFA Champions League final from Munich. Chelsea will travel to take on Bayern at their own stadium, the Allianz Arena. While many people see playing at home as an advantage for Bayern, it may not be. It could prove a distraction playing in front of what will only be a third of the stadium’s capacity supporting Bayern. On paper the defensive absences for both sides should lead it to be a high scoring encounter, the last time the sides met in 2005, it was 6-5 on aggregate.

However, final nerves can always get the better of a seasoned pro. Both sides have suffered recent final heartbreak, Chelsea losing four years ago while Bayern lost out to Inter Milan two years later in 2010. Both sides should play with central strikers, Gomez and Drogba, and a packed central midfield with two wide men each. Bayern’s wingers will be asked to pin back Chelsea’s wing-backs though, instead of tracking back themselves. Trying to alter the style of play of Ribery and Robben is unlikely even for a final. The spaces out wide Chelsea offered to Barcelona in the semis can not be offered to Bayern with Gomez deadly both with the ball at his feet and in the air. Chelsea can however prosper from Bayern having to play either van Buyten or Tymoshuk as an emergency center back, so the blues may target direct balls at Drogba or over the back four similar to what they deployed against Spurs in the FA cup.

How ever you watch some or all of these games, enjoy every second of what will be a memorable day of finals.

*Lead image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

“Gibson’s Charisma carries conventional narrative”, Movie buff Tom Crowley discusses Mel Gibsons’ latest offering while sharing some interesting theories on his previous filmic endeavors…

Title: How I Spent My Summer Vaction
Director: Adrian Grunberg
Starring: Mel Gibson
Release Date: Fri 11th May 2012

As an actor, Mel Gibson typifies the cunning, charming and courageous hero. How I Spent my Summer Vacation, both written by and starring Gibson is the perfect vehicle for his star quality and charisma. According to film analyst Richard Dyer, who specialises in the area of stardom and performance, charisma is a trait that connects a single human being to a large portion of society. German Sociologist Max Weber defined charisma as ‘a certain quality of an individual personality by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superman or at least superficially exceptional qualities.’

When you look back over his career, Mel Gibson has played characters that embody this definition. From his earlier roles in the Mad Max series (1981-1985), Gibson went on to play Martin Riggs in the hugely popular Lethal Weapon series (1987-1992). In his early years as an actor Gibson was the loveable rogue, his character’s in both series were rebellious, funny, dangerous, and heroic all at the same time. Gibson’s charisma and his wonderful acting skills allowed him to pull off these demanding roles, creating a connection and an allusion of affinity with audiences everywhere.

Arguably, it was Gibson’s second directorial effort Braveheart (1995) that propelled him to super-stardom. In it he plays iconic Scottish figure William Wallace who lead Scotland into battle against the British. The film, winner of five Academy Awards including Best Picture, and Best Director for Mel Gibson, told the story of how one man single-handedly led a Scottish rebellion. Similarly in The Patriot (2000) Gibson plays Benjamin Martin, a father and land-owner who, as the films narrative suggests, wins America independence against the British Red Coats.

It takes an actor with Gibson’s charisma to pull-off such hyperbolic roles while still maintaining a type of ‘everyman’ appeal that keeps him connected with fans and cinema audiences. This is the secret to Gibson’s appeal as a film star. Whether made by Gibson himself or other parties, Gibson’s films as an actor are constructed to illuminate his on-screen star image. However one can also argue that Gibson’s involvement is an advantage to the film’s publicity. It is a symbiotic relationship.

Taking this point into account it goes to suggest that Gibson’s films have many of the same conventions. Whether it be, when you look back over his filmography since Braveheart, with the exclusion of Rom-Com What Women Want (2000) and The Beaver (2011), one can witness a correlation in themes, narrative tropes and conventions that can be used to define a ‘Mel Gibson Movie’; Braveheart, Ransom (1996), Conspiracy Theory (1997), Lethal Weapon 4 (1999) Payback (1999), The Patriot, We Were Soliders (2002), Signs (2002) and Edge of Darkness (2010) all deal with themes of protection, moral responsibility, and hyper-masculinity i.e. ordinary men doing extraordinary things.

How I Spent my Summer Vacation continues in the same vein as all previous Gibson films but still manages to be an exciting and entertaining ‘actioner’. The film opens with a car chase sequence on the American/Mexican border. Two criminals in clown masks are trying to escape a pursuing fleet of police cars. One is bleeding from a gun-shot wound and the scene reminds one of the opening of Reservoir Dogs (1992).

The two criminals escape the American police by crashing through the border. However it’s a case of frying-pan into the fire as they land into the awaiting and stereotypically crooked Mexican police. Gibson is revealed to be one of the men behind the mask, the other one dies and Gibson, whose characters name is never revealed in the film is shipped off to a Mexican prison.

The establishing scenes in the prison are reminiscent of when Michael Schofield is thrown into Sona in the third series of Prison Break (2005-2009) and the audience quickly realises that Gibson’s character must be, like Schofield, a genius. His ability to adapt to his harsh environment is seamless as he deduces the best way to survive and even profit from his difficult situation.

This is no ordinary prison. It is more like a shanty town. It is not run by guards but instead run by a dictator-like figure who looks down on his ‘empire’ from a balcony above. Prisoners can move their families into the prison at the right price. It is a type of mini-society with shops and amenities. At this point one does wonder where the plot is leading and an encounter with a young boy brings the emotional hook the narrative was lacking thus far.

Before his meeting with the nine-year old, played by Kevin Hernandez, Gibson’s character was just a slick career criminal. However his relationship and instant rapport with the young boy and his subsequent romantic chemistry with his mother transforms him into a father-figure and the protector of this unconventional nuclear family. He suddenly develops a moral conscience that has been previously undetectable.

From there the plot is predictable, Gibson must protect mother and son from the evil prison dictator. Its plot-line is of course absurd and it seems like there is nothing Gibson’s character can’t do, including catching a live grenade mid-air and tossing it away from the ones he is protecting. It is like something you might see McBain do in The Simpsons (1989-). The film is also visually impressive and very stylishly made, an impressive directorial debut by Adrian Grunberg who worked as assistant director to Gibson on Apocalypto (2006). The film is of course written by Gibson himself which makes the film even more interesting to watch on account of his recent personal difficulties.

The film is written in a first person narrative, with a use of voice-over to begin and conclude the narrative. A personal touch, one may get the impression that the film may be an allegory for Gibson’s personal plight.

This is a film that this reviewer would love to hate. Unfortunately it is impossible not to like this exciting and oftentimes very funny film. Even the ludicrously clichéd ending can be over-looked due to the overall entertainment value of How I Spent my Summer Vacation.

*Lead image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

King Kenny was sacked by Liverpool's American owners

Studenty’s Jack Squibb reports on the sacking of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish…

It was announced yesterday evening that after reviewing Liverpool FC’s season with the club owners, John W.Henry and Tom Werner in Boston that Kenny Dalglish would no longer manage the club.

Liverpool’s 2011/12 campaign saw the return of silverware after a six year wait when they won the Carling Cup, beating Championship side Cardiff City on penalties. The reds also got to this years FA Cup final where they lost 2-1 to Chelsea. Despite this it was the league performance that caused the owners to end Dalglish’s second attempt as Liverpool manager. Only registering six wins at home this season and winning as many games as they lost [14 games each] it meant that Liverpool would finish in 8th place in the league, four points behind Merseyside rivals Everton. They were also seventeen points behind fourth placed Tottenham. The club’s owners clearly stated at the start of the season that not finishing in the European places would be considered a disappointment and Dalglish has now found out what the repercussions are when you don’t meet Fenway Sports Group’s [FSG] standards.

Another reason behind the sacking of the Liverpool legend is the poor signings made during his time in charge which saw Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson brought to the club. In the 2011/12 league campaign the four players had a total of eight goals between them while Downing failed to score or create a single assist. This was also the reason why former director of football Damien Comolli was sacked as he played a big part in bringing these players to the club.

FSG now have to find a new manager, director of football, director of communications and a head of sports medicine and science after they were given their marching orders.

The bookies favourites to see takeover Dalglish at the moment is Wigan manager Roberto Martinez and also former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez. André Villas Boas has also been muted as a possible replacement. During an interview for the club’s official website managing director, Ian Ayre, stated that the club are in no rush to find a replacement and will go through all the necessary steps in order to find a successful replacement to take charge at Anfield just like the club has done in the past.

So who would you like to see become the new Liverpool manager? Is Roberto Martinez the man to breathe new life into Liverpool or will another blast from the past in Rafa Benitez be the solution to the red half of Merseyside? Have your say in the comments section below.

*Lead Image Courtesy Of Wikimedia Commons

Studenty’s Simon Bourke tells us about his time living in Limerick City…

I’ve been living in the capital of the Mid West for the past nine months, here’s how I’ve got on…

“You’re moving to where? Limerick?!?  You’re fucked lad”!!! Oh how they laughed as I packed my bags and left the comfortable environs of the sunny South-East to take up residence in a city tagged as the ‘most violent city in Ireland’.  It may have only been just over 100 miles in a westerly direction but for some it seemed like I was entering the twilight zone. As they bid me goodbye I could have sworn I saw one of them mouth the word forever. I thought to myself, for chrissakes lads it can’t be that bad, can it?

Violent or nay there was no turning back for me now. But I’d had plenty of time to get used to the idea and I figured I was ready. So why move to Limerick? Why come to a city with a reputation so bad the mere mention of its name had people rolling their eyes and voicing any one of several well-worn stereotypes?  Well I certainly wasn’t moving here for the good of my health that was for sure. I was coming to make a fresh start. Having secured a place on the Journalism course at the local University I was moving lock stock and was ready to make Limerick my base for the next four years. And a few scary stories about some local ne’er do wells wasn’t about to put me off.

So what did I know about the place which was to become my new home? Well very little as it goes. In fact, I would go as far to say that I knew fuck all about Limerick City and was relying on anecdotal evidence to educate me on my new habitat. Friends reliably informed me that I would be lucky to survive more than a few days and warned me not to leave the house without a carefully secreted blade somewhere on my person. Loved ones choked back the tears and told me not to leave the house at all, ever. But luckily I’ve never been one to pay heed to the words of others and so on a rainy (more on that later) Friday afternoon in early August I found myself sat on a chair in my new home looking out the window at my new city, Limerick City.

Early impressions? Mostly positive. I noted with some degree of wonder that the main thoroughfare was remarkably long and could in many ways be compared to the Las Vegas strip. Okay so it had none of the glitz and glamour you associate with that Mecca in the Nevada desert, but drunken idiots stumbling along its entire length? Yep. Bright shopfronts luring you in with false promises? Uh huh. Thousands of discarded chewing gums worn into the pavement? Most definitely. And the great thing was from my city centre apartment I could watch all of this action as it occurred and didn’t even have to leave the comfort of my own home. The folks back home would be relieved.

Limerick City in all its glory

With over three weeks until my time in UL began I had plenty of time to familiarise myself with my new surroundings and as someone who likes nothing more than a good aimless amble, Limerick was perfect for me. Mooching around the city was one thing but I wanted to go further afield, see what the real Limerick was like. I was well aware of where not to go but only knew those places by name. Best to just find out where the rough areas are by myself I thought as I struggled to shove a carving knife down the front of my trousers. So off I went like the intrepid traveller that I was, eager to meet new people and discover new places, I was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.

The first thing that struck me was the River Shannon. I’m not exactly what you’d call a seafarer and I can’t even swim but I couldn’t help but be impressed by this vast expanse of water. And the array of bridges which straddled it, connecting the Northside to the Southside only added to the appeal. But was there a North v South divide I wondered as I crossed one of these many bridges? Which was I? Should I align myself with a particular side if things kick off? So much to learn and so little time to do it I thought as I continued my walk through what was now the suburbs I presumed. But wait, what was that ahead? A road sign which if I’m not mistaken says “Welcome to County Clare”!! Had I been walking that long? Had my daydream about all things North and South lasted for days rather than minutes? No my watch reliably informed me that I’d only left my house a mere 45 minutes ago. And here I was in another county. Crazy stuff! What was Limerick, or Clare, going to throw at me next I wondered?

Further walks provided me with enough intel to know where and where not to go. My rule of thumb was to never go beyond the shadow of Thomond Park and I’ll be safe. Lovely stadium by the way, pity they play such a shite sport inside in it. That brings me to my next observation of Limerick City. They don’t half love rugby do they? Fuck me!! Knowing nothing of provincial rugby I couldn’t for the life of me understand why every second person seemed to be wearing red jerseys, jackets, sweaters, hoodies, polo shirts, vests, t-shirts, bras, tank tops, overcoats, undercoats, blazers or any other type of attire you can name. What’s with the little Stag emblem I thought to myself, is this yet another fashion craze which has somehow passed me by? Further inspection revealed that for once I wasn’t lagging behind in the fashion stakes and this ubiquitous sports clothing was that of the Munster rugby team. Ahhh I see.

The pride of Limerick, Thomond Park

So yes, Limerick people love rugby. Understood loud and clear. And sure why not? Their hurling team is shite. Gaelic football team? Couldn’t tell ya. Their soccer (football to you and I, but soccer for now to avoid confusion) team is apparently one of the most progressive clubs in the country but still finds itself in the second tier of our national league. So rugby it is. Well you’re welcome to it lads, thanks all the same. It’s pretty difficult to avoid it though, especially on Heineken Cup days. I’m no lover of rugby but I can still appreciate the effort made by everyone in the city to create a carnival atmosphere whenever Munster are playing at home in Europe’s premium competition. It’s an atmosphere I’m content to soak up from indoors though as I wouldn’t dream of fraternising with those canapé scoffing, face painted simpletons.

But how on earth did rugby ever become so popular in this part of the world I thought to myself. You have to be outside to play rugby and it is a sport which is best performed on grass. How did they manage to brave the rain for long enough to learn the rules of the game? Why wasn’t Limerick the home of mud-wrestling and not rugby? Surely that would make more sense? What I’m trying to get at is it rains a lot in Limerick. A helluva lot. It rains all the time. It could be the sunniest day with not a cloud in the sky but mores the fool you if you leave the house without some form of rainwear. Cos that rain is out there and it can strike at any time. One minute you’re walking along commenting on how tanned you’re going to get, the next you’re diving for cover as the heavens unleash a monsoon of epic proportions. Limerick is by far the rainiest place I have ever been to in my entire life. The thousands of creatures which reside in the Amazonian rainforest wouldn’t last five minutes here.

And what of the creatures who reside in this concrete jungle? The natives. What are they like? Yes we know they love rugby but there must be more to them than that. First off there’s the accent. Not the pretty, lilting accent of the well-bred, upper-class though, that’s perfectly unremarkable. I’m talking about the hard Limerick accent, the stuff they speak on the street innit. If I had to sum up the Limerick accent in one word I would call it……. interesting. It’s like the Cork accent but different, not quite as sing songy. It sounds as if those speaking it wish to molest the words before they even exit their mouths, leaving nothing but an indecipherable squawk once it finally hits the air. Sometimes I just sit by my open window and listen to the locals converse in this strange dialect. And I feel just like Darwin must have done all of those years ago.

They may talk in a rather odd way but what of all this unprovoked violence I was promised? Where had that gotten to? In my previous abode in Waterford City I had been privy to a variety of stabbings, murders and general tomfoolery all in the space of a couple of years, since moving here: nothing. Not a dicky bird. I did nearly get run over by a swarthy man commandeering a horse and cart but aside from that I remained intact. I have seen something else which I wasn’t expecting though and it is something which is saddening for locals and outsiders alike. I have seen heroin addicts, and lots of them. Whether it be morning, noon or midnight these lost souls roam the streets of Limerick City and were it not for their continuous begging for “change for the bus” I might feel a modicum of sympathy for them. Kudos goes to the quite creative chap who asked me for money for a takeaway one night though. I treated him to a four course dinner at the Cornstore for his efforts.

It may seem like I have done nothing but take the piss out of Limerick and its inhabitants during the course of this article and for that I can only apologise. Like the little boy who does nothing but pull the hair and steal the comb of the girl he fancies I have chosen to express my love for this fine city by poking fun at it. It’s a great place and I love living here.  It may be cast as a dangerous badlands by the national media but nothing could be further from the truth. The jewel in its crown is obviously the University but even discounting that for a second there is plenty to enjoy in the city. I could go all ‘Lonely Planet’ and start recommending places to go and things to do but where would be the fun in that? Better to just come here and check it out for yourself. But maybe bring a little Stanley Knife with you just to be on the safe side.

Studenty’s Nevin Power discusses whether deceptive methods are being used by the Government in the media of late, or is it another blunder from Enda Kenny’s bunch of merry men?…

Enda Kenny-deceptive genius or blundering bozo? You decide!

Governments have always used methods of deception in order to influence what the collective mind is currently digesting. To take an extreme example we can look at Mussolini, Italy’s fascist leader up until the latter stages of the Second World War. Despite all of his promises Mussolini’s economic policies were simply not adding up and in order to distract the Italian population he appealed to visions of Italian greatness and invaded modern-day Ethiopia in order to absorb it into a territory titled Italian East Africa, part of the Italian Empire. Another example was President Bill Clinton’s cruise missile strikes on Sudan and Afghanistan in 1998 just as the Monica Lewinsky affair was reaching its peak. He launched the strikes as retaliation for the Al-Qaeda led embassy bombings of the same year but the timing seemed rather coincidental.

Of course it does not need to be all guns, explosion and invasions in order for a government to deceive the populace and distract the media outlets of its country. A simple one is occurring here just as we countdown to the vote on the EU Fiscal Treaty. While this writer is not going to comment on the treaty per-se, it is important to note that the treaty seems to be the central focus of a deception that the Irish government is currently engaged in. The main groups involved in this are Fine Gael, the largest partner in the coalition, Labour, who as time goes by seems more and more the junior partner in this coalition, Cardinal Sean Brady, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein, although the latter three are merely unknowing pawns in this deceptive chess game.

A recent BBC programme has brought to light revelations about Cardinal Brady’s involvement in scandal where he did not warn the parents of abuse victims despite having knowledge of their addresses and other vital information. Obviously the government should be concerned with such revelations but Minister Eamon Gilmore has come out to suggest, but not explicitly, that Cardinal Brady should resign. The story of Cardinal Brady’s failure to adequately protect the children involved in the abuse scandal is all over the news at the moment and while it is obviously an issue of massive importance and is yet another string in the giant thread of abuse allegations against the Church in Ireland, the vote on the EU Fiscal Treaty deserves to be in the spotlight and deserves a proper debate.

With government ministers commenting on the scandal and being constantly asked whether or not they would favour a resignation from the Cardinal or not, the media headlines simply do not have space for the treaty debate. And this suits the government perfectly well because so far the debate on the treaty has centred on the consequences  of a yes or no vote rather than on the actual contents of the treaty itself. Ask yourself honestly, has the media informed you of what is actually in the treaty? I bet that you know some of the supposed consequences though?! It is in this that the government is cornering the debate – ensure the media only talk about the consequences and seeing as this debate on consequences is focusing on what happens if we vote no (and with the consequences to a no vote seeming to range from “nothing will happen” to “Ireland will close down for lack of money”) it completely favours the government who want a yes vote.

So seeing as the media has already spouted about possible consequences to a no vote it’d be best to just wrap up the debate now and have the vote early, or, seeing as this is impossible and illegal, just divert people’s attention to an abuse scandal and ensure that this stays as headline news for as long as possible so that the treaty itself cannot be publicly debated. Take a look at current polls – the yes vote is what is in front and the reason is because the debate on the treaty has centred on nothing but the consequences to a no vote.

However, there is more to it than that for Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein are also in on this. With Fine Gael and Labour busy distracting people from talking about the treaty, Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin has challenged Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to a debate on the treaty to which FF advocates a yes vote. Sinn Fein is, as usual, on the no side. But why is this a big deal? To put it simply this move allows Fianna Fail to be seen as the party that DOES want to talk about the treaty. It makes them seem like the most responsible party on the yes side of the debate because they, in contrast to Labour and Fine Gael, are not dodging the hard questions. In fact they are doing more than that for dodging is defensive while it is clear to see that FF are most definitely on the offensive because of their challenge to Gerry Adams. And to be on the offensive you need to be confident that you can gain the measure of your opponents, who in this instance do not just include SF but also FG and Labour as bystanders. Enough said.

Or is there enough said? While Fine Gael and Labour are busy distracting people from the treaty debate Fianna Fail are making hay as the party “that knows what it is talking about and is not afraid of the issues”. The party that has held power for the longest period of time in this State needed something just like this to convince people that it could indeed come back from the brink and that it could engage with real issues once again. However is there more distraction happening here?

Perhaps there is, with FF grabbing hold of the issue it is automatically sending a signal to people that it can be trusted once again and by it trying to force the treaty to the front of the media it is distancing itself from any questions that can be levelled at is in regards to Eamon O’Cuiv advocating a no vote to the treaty. Mr. O’Cuiv is a senior FF deputy and great grandson of Eamon DeValera. This potential split in the party is being papered over by Michael Martin’s clever tactics of challenging Gerry Adams to a debate and in the process cementing his role as leader not just of the party but also as leader of a debate that Fine Gael and Labour don’t seem to want to have. Politics is a house of mirrors, full of deception and distraction but for Fine Gael and Labour, the mirrors they are getting lost in are those they constructed themselves.